August Recommendations

BEAR LOVES HIS HOME, written by Karen Jameson and illustrated by Ishaa Lobo, follows a bear cub as he “forages and roams” through the “warm amber fields,” “wandering hills,” and “fresh forest pines” of his beautiful “wilderness home.” The book shares plenty of facts about the young Bear’s diet and terrain, both in the main text through exquisite rhyming stanzas full of strong imagery, alliteration, and onomatopoeia, as well as in back matter which supports the text by digging a little deeper into the info introduced on each spread. The sweet digital art showing Bear frolicking, with mom watching protectively nearby, should draw kids in. Though the story ends with the promise of a new day, cuddle up!—Bear’s evening hunt and Jameson’s lilting verse work perfectly for bedtime.

In OUR LAKE, by Angie Kang, an older brother takes his younger sibling “to swim in the lake like Father used to.” As “the domed sky swaddles [them] in heat,” and “the water glistens below,” the older brother is caring and attentive, but, without Father, “the water looks far away.” However, Brother offers plenty of encouragement, and with the memory of Father stretching, soaring, and splashing into this same lake, the younger boy finds strength enough—and joy—to make the leap, soaring like an arrow “the way Father taught [him].” This is a poetically-written, deeply-felt narrative of love and healing, made stronger by evocative mixed media illustrations that channel the rich blues, greens, and yellows of summer.

In A BOOK OF MAPS FOR YOU, written by Lourdes Heuer and illustrated by Maxwell Eaton III, an unnamed narrator shares the book of maps they’ve made. A map of town, which points out details like the “fresh-squeezed juice and honey” smell of the orange groves near Blossom Lane. A map of Pip Street, which shows the old Halloween house on the corner and the house with the chicken coop called “Little Farm.” More maps follow, including school and library, a pirate map, a maze, and a map of “our house,” with a lovely surprise ending that’s all heart. Text is full of details and advice that feel practical, personal, yet full of whimsy, while the also-detailed pen, watercolor, and colored pencil illustrations convey all that is said and more.

In EVERY MONDAY MABEL, by Jashar Awan, Mabel wakes up early on this “best day of the week,” peeks out the window to make sure there’s still time, then races down the hallway with her chair. Past Mira’s room, past the kitchen (where she picks up a bowl of dry cereal), past her dad, and out the door where she does the “most boring,” “cutest,” or “funniest” thing—depending on which family member you ask. Mabel sits and waits and waits until RRRRRRRRRRRRR! HONK HONK! the best thing in the world arrives! The suspense in this book builds and builds, and when readers finally see what Mabel is waiting for, the payoff is worthwhile. Text is exciting and immediate, and digital art resembles cutouts with it’s flat, well-designed color blocks. Should be right up any kid’s alley!

MISTACO! A TALE OF TRAGEDY AND TORTILLAS, by Eliza Kinkz, is the—extremely—high energy story of Izzy, “the PRESIDENT of Mistakes! Whether its eating a bowl of queso while doing homework, singing while brushing her teeth, or “watching important videos about video games” instead of watching where she steps, Izzy’s mistakes make her feel like “chili con KA-KA.” Especially THE HUGE SCHOOL MISTAKE. Her large family may “Hooha Ha,” “Pffffft,” and snort with laughter, but they also know how to make Izzy feel better. Making tortillas with Lito allows her to work out her frustration, and then the whole family gets to eat “mistacos” by admitting their own mistakes. The scribbly-style art, made with pencil, ink, watercolor, gouache, crayon and muchas concha crumbs, is as high energy as the words. But there’s plenty of warmth here, too. And Spanglish. And a recipe for tacos.

In RABBIT’S FEAT, by Barney Saltzberg, every spring, when Cactus’s flowers are about to bloom, Rabbit hears how Boulder—who perches on a cliff above Cactus—wishes to see them up close. Now, Boulder insists “today will be the day.” Cactus “can’t wait!” Rabbit decides they can’t wait either, and while Boulder and Cactus seem content to talk about how much they dream of being near each other, Rabbit tries and tries to push Boulder over the ledge and next to Cactus. Before long, “with… a little… help… and a little kindness… BOOM!” Boulder and Cactus can enjoy being together at last. Mixed media digital illustrations use fun textures and sweet character design to bring this tale to life.

--Lynn

Shelf Awareness--Millie Fleur Saves the Night

PB Review: Millie Fleur Saves the Night

Millie Fleur Saves the Night by Christy Mandin (Orchard Books, 40p., ages 4-8, 9781339023373)

In Christy Mandin's wondrous, magical Millie Fleur Saves the Night, the follow-up to Millie Fleur's Poison Garden, young Ms. La Fae employs compassion, care, and homemade moon pies to encourage every townsperson of Garden Glen to be a "friend of the Dark."

Every evening, residents of Garden Glen deploy houselights, spotlights, and lanterns to ensure their homes and gardens are safe from the "scary" and "dangerous" dark. Not so Millie Fleur, whose moon garden wasn't growing and who "hadn't seen a single night creature" since she moved to town. The Dark is always welcome in Millie Fleur's yard so the girl marches (moon pies in hand) to the edge of the woods to greet her old friend and many other creatures of the night. Spiders and bats, katydids and moles follow Millie Fleur back to her garden, which springs to life with their gentle activities. The sweet smell of night-blooming plants enchants her neighbors, but they will have to be brave and meet the Dark if they want to experience Millie Fleur's sparkling garden.

Mandin's enchanting sequel has all the charm and singularity of her first offering and allows readers to once again experience the eccentric perspective of her offbeat horticulturist with a penchant for the sweetly macabre. Digital illustrations are dark, fully saturated, and highlighted with whimsical touches, such as curlicues and faces on plants. Creative, unthreatening, and bursting with atmosphere, Millie Fleur Saves the Night should enchant readers of any age as it encourages them to face their fears and embrace the unknown. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author. Originally printed in Shelf Awareness.

July Recommendations

In MOVING DAY, written by Teri Roche Drobnick and illustrated by Jennifer Black Reinhardt, a family waves goodbye and says, “See you soon.” But the house doesn’t want to go! It’s been in place for a hundred years, but now, with a “lug and a tug,” it’s lifted from its foundation. A crowd gathers as the house is pulled around tight corners and up and down steep hills, until it “smiles” to see its family, waiting in its “new spot.” MOVING DAY offers an entertaining twist by having the house be the one reluctant to move, and there’s plenty of fun language to carry it off. Vibrant, whimsical watercolor and ink illustrations play perfectly with the text, adding details (like the house wearing Victorian shoes and carrying carpetbags) and using extreme perspectives. This move turns out to be quite the parade-worthy adventure!

THE BEAR OUT THERE, by Jess Hannigan, is an uproarious, in-your-face story of a red-headed child who addresses readers to insist—dramatically—that there is a BEAR outside. They know it for a fact. The bear is watching from the woods and the child doesn’t “have to see it to know that it’s out there.” The child points out “bear signs to watch for,” draws “super accurate” pictures of the bear, plays cards while waiting for a rescue, etc. until RATTLE, RATTLE, CREEEAK… well, you’ll see. The twist at the end wraps things up nicely and offers a few more reasons to laugh. Second person narration is really funny, very kid-friendly, and veers in all kinds of directions. Acrylic paint, collage, and digital illustrations are bold and blocky, with plenty of engaging closeups to amp up the humor. It’s perfect for storytime!

FIREWORKS, written by Matthew Burgess and illustrated by Cátia Chien, leads readers on a trek through the city one hot summer day, when the warm, bright sun beats on steamy sidewalks. "Whoop! Weee! Woohoo!” a fire hydrant springs a leak and all the kids know what to do. To the bodega, through the park, then back home for watermelon in the “thirsty afternoon.” After dinner, POP! The first “flower of fire” zings and tizzle-tings across the sky. The strong, lyrical text is full of action, poetic descriptions, and sensory details that zing, just like the fireworks. The joyful mixed media illustrations emphasize the action as well as the details while also leaving much to the imagination. Great book for a warm summer night’s read.

TOTO, by Hyewon Yum, features a girl with a birthmark named Toto. Cousin Charlie thinks Toto looks superpower cool. Grandma kisses Toto (a bit sadly) whenever they meet. Mom was surprised by Toto, but proclaims it “a kiss from an angel.” The girl feels that “sometimes people only see Toto," and when it’s time for school, she starts to believe that “it’s a good idea to hide Toto for a little while.” Even when she makes a new best friend, she worries that Niko will think Toto is strange and ugly. The solution is affirming and “extraordinary!” Hyewon Yum’s work is lovely, as always. Her matter-of-fact, first person text, and pencil and watercolor art, bring this moving story fully to life with plenty of heart to spare.

In I WILL ALWAYS BE…, written by Rebecca Gardyn Levington and illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell, a girl shimmies onto a school bus, describing how she loves to “pirouette,” “pop and lock,” and “cha-cha-cha” as a dancer. In the bathtub, she “think[s] and tinker[s],” “tweak[s] and build[s],” as an inventor. She dabbles with “stickers, scissors, cotton,/pom-poms, paper, [and] glue” to “imagine something new” as an artist. In this perfectly rhymed, bouncy text, the girl also sees herself as a scientist, a writer, an athlete, and a baker. Most importantly, she knows that wherever she’s headed she will always be… herself. The colorful, mixed media illustrations are as active as the text, and nicely enhance all of the can-do energy.

HERE IS A BOOK, by Elisha Cooper, is a gentle, uplifting meditation on an artist’s process for making a book, presented by an artist who has made many wonderful books himself. In this one, the artist dreams, gardens, bakes, and enjoys her warm home, filled with "bread, raspberry jam, family, [and] a cat.” She bicycles her finished art to a bustling town, where she delivers it to her publishers office, humming with teamwork, from where it’s sent to the printer, then the books are trucked across a “country and a coast,” to a city, then delivered to a library, where a student finds it and brings it to her own home, filled with "vegetable soup, family, two cats, and humor,” where it is read and loved. This inspiring, idealized look at publishing paints a sweet portrait of the creative and logistical steps that go into creating a picture book. Cooper’s watercolor and pencil illustrations are as evocative as ever.

--Lynn

May Recommendations

THE DAY MOON AND EARTH HAD AN ARGUMENT, written by David Duff and illustrated by Noemi Vola, introduces young readers to the planets in the totally relatable terms of a couple of friends having a snarky spat. Even though “both said things they didn’t mean,” neither makes nice, and, “after 4.5 billion years together, [Moon] packs her things and leaves.” The illustrations are bright and cheerful and have gobs of personality—you’ve gotta love Moon’s pink and blue backpack with green straps, the socks and shoes worn by all the celestials, and all the expressive faces, especially the close-up of Moon, full page spread near the end, when she realizes she’s “a long way from home.” Backmatter gives more facts, I love, love this one for ages 3-6 especially!

POP! GOES THE NURSERY RHYME, written by Betsy Bird and illustrated by Andrea Tsurumi, is great, raucous, read-aloud fare. Beginning with —yes, Pop! Goes the Weasel, then on to Mary Had a Little Lamb, Jack and Jill, and more, the weasel in this story has way too much fun disrupting and subverting all of the rhymes. And there’s a large bird who’s taking it all very seriously… Kids will love reciting the familiar rhymes and shouting along with the weasel, and there’s a bit of extra suspense near the end to tie things up nicely. The cartoony digital illustrations are full of action and expertly describe the perfect dose of storytime chaos.

EXACTLY AS PLANNED, written and illustrated by Tao Nyeu, is a clever two-sided book that tells the same story from two different points of view. Moose, who has just knitted a red scarf, is invited to Fox’s home for tea, and decides to bring the new scarf as a gift. Unfortunately, along the way it unravels, and although Moose collects other “random” gifts along the way (apples and flowers), he’s still upset that he doesn’t have a proper gift for Fox. When Fox offers up a skein of pretty blue yarn, Moose knits his friend a hat, and the two chat for hours, enjoying a terrific visit, “exactly as planned.” Flip the book over, and we find Fox cooling freshly-baked brownies for Moose’s visit. When a crow flies off with the treats, Fox is terribly upset at having nothing to offer her guest, but then finds a strand of red yarn that’s gotten stuck on a bush. Since Moose “likes crafty things,” Fox gathers it up, collecting other small treasures, as well. Goat dyes the scruffed-up yarn a delightful blue color, then Fox goes home to welcome her guest. As Moose knits, Fox bakes an apple pie, and the two friends enjoy a terrific visit, “exactly as planned.” This pair of stories imparting kindness and cooperation weave together beautifully. Pastel-colored silkscreen and colored pencil illustrations on light beige paper reinforce the gentle tone and offer plenty to enjoy on repeated readings.

In THERE’S A GHOST IN THE GARDEN, written by Kyo Maclear and illustrated by Katty Maurey, a boy and his grandpa spend time together in a garden that’s full of activity. The ghost may be mischievous, “knock[ing] over flowerpots and trash cans,” or friendly, leaving “little presents.” Grandpa thinks there may be more than one, possibly deer ghosts or fox ghosts, or the “ghosts of migrant birds circling back to their old haunts.” There is peace in this garden, but also regret, as the forest is smaller now, the stream is gone, and the “air is loud with car horns and the neighbor’s music.” Still, the pair listen, and talk, and remember together, as a “ghost circle[s] back to its old home.” Maclear’s lovely, sweet, uplifting text is supported by Maurey’s pitch-perfect gouache on paper illustrations.

In DRAGON DREAMS, written by Roni Schotter and illustrated by Khoa Le, (human) sister-dragons have had “an angry day, with way too much pinching, poking, and pushing.” Daddy tucks them in for dragon dreams, and one sister stays awake listening to the night sounds. Then there’s “a rustle and a whirrrrr” and wings at the window announce her “own special dragon” has come calling. They fly high into the sky, where “stars wink their secrets,” and “comets leave messages on the blackboard sky.” When they arrive at the Secret Gathering, they find dragons “of every color and kind” carrying children “of every color and kind.” Daytime differences are resolved, there is dancing, until it’s time for home and more dragon dreams. A sweet fantasy, supported by a list of the many different dragons who made an appearance at the end, and dreamy, deeply-colored nighttime digital illustrations nicely enhance the magic.

ADI OF BOUTANGA: A STORY FROM CAMEROON, written by Alain Serge Dzotap, illustrated by Marc Daniau, and translated by the author, is a longer, older picture book about a girl who is part of a group of nomadic herders who live in a village of “great chameleon grasses.” Adults take what jobs are available, with Dad driving a “motorcycle as a cab,” and Mom now selling “makala—palm-oil doughnuts—on market days.” The girl loves going to school, where her demanding teacher shows her how to trace words in notebooks so “a strong wind [doesn’t] steal them as soon as they [leave her mouth].” But when Uncle Amadou decides she’s “already become a woman” and must marry, the girl and her parents quietly plan how to “oppose the decisions of the eldest member of the family” to save their “still a little girl” from the arranged marriage. The girl embraces a new life in a new place, far from her old village, where she can play and learn and grow up to fall in love, all in her own good time. An author’s note and backmatter about Camaroon give context. The text is riveting, and brightly colored oil on paper illustrations support it quite well.

--Lynn

March Recommendations

In THE QUIET ONE, by Yiting Lee, Millie dreads Show and Tell. She doesn’t want to speak in front of her noisy classmates, so she escapes to a secret place that’s “filled with things that people had forgotten.” Millie finds a wheel, some roller skates, and a broken robot (named Arnold), which she cleans, fixes, and reboots. Together, Milly and Arnold transform the secret place into an elaborate playground. On Show and Tell day, Milly brings Arnold to school, and finds she’s so exited to talk about the robot, she’s not afraid anymore. The other kids are delighted with Arnold and with the playground, and “Milly [is] happy she ha[s] been heard.” Lovely digitally-edited watercolor and colored pencil art equally conveys emotion and whimsy. Pair it with The Most Magnificent Thing for two different takes on girls solving problems creatively—with tools!

ONE GIRL’S VOICE: How Lucy Stone Helped Change the Law of the Land, written by Vivian Kirkfield and illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon, is the empowering story of how young Lucy Stone was full of “ideas, thoughts, and opinions,” but was supposed to keep quiet because the law in 1830s Massachusetts stated that “the voices of girls and women didn’t count.” Lucy saved her money to buy schoolbooks and put herself through college. Along the way, she encountered men who wanted to silence her, from her father to the minister at church to school administrators. But Lucy knew her voice mattered, and she proved it. The text moves quickly and assertively to portray Lucy’s smarts and determination, and watercolor and acrylic ink illustrations convey a folk-arty yet modern feel, with plenty of vibrant colors. This is an inspiring look at how one girl used her voice to make the world a better place.

PEPPER & ME, by Beatrice Alemagna, is the story of one child and their scab. Yes, when the narrator of this story scrapes their knee on a cobblestone, it’s like “a scary movie with you-know-what dripping down [their] leg.” At first they see the scab as hideous, but then they name it Pepper and the child and scab talk to each other and the scab even comes to their grandparents’ house for a visit. And then, one morning, Pepper is gone. This is a strangely sweet story with big feelings that leaves readers with a sense that somehow all is right with the world when it’s over. Alemagna’s art is splendid, as always.

JOAN MITCHELL PAINTS A SYMPHONY, written by Lisa Rogers and illustrated by Stacy Innerst, describes the way painter Joan Mitchell envisions a valley in her mind—she “doesn’t paint the valley’s flowers and meadows. She paints a feeling about them,” using “exuberant dashes of sun-soaked yellow, cotton-candy pink, inky black, bright raspberry, periwinkle, turquoise, tangerine—embraced by eternal blue.” Joan climbs the ladder up and down, looks and listens, thinks and feels. This creative picture book takes readers along as the artist works her way to her final exhibit, La Grande Vallée, a series of canvases that are full of meadows, slopes, and dells, joy and sadness, despair and delight. Back matter explains and inspires.

TEN-WORD TINY TALES OF LOVE, by Joseph Coelho and 21 Artist Friends, caught my eye when I opened it to the black and white image of ghosts in a graveyard, illustrated by Jon Klassen, which reads “They’d visit his grave yearly, before returning to their own.” Other pages may be more to your liking, but this book of evocative tiny tales features a compelling opening from the author, a closing with writing advice, and a middle filled with poignant, whimsical, extremely short stories illustrated in a variety of accomplished styles.

In THREAD BY THREAD, written by Alice Brière-Haquet, illustrated by Michela Eccli, and translated by Sarah Ardizzone, “knit one, purl one,” a mouse who's initially “toasty warm” at home, watches her world “begin to unravel.” The mouse family knows they must “up and leave, don’t look back, never let the thread go slack.” There are many dangers, and they dream of staying put, until eventually, “little by little, thread by thread,” they rebuild their nest. The text is minimal, making this an easy read for little ones even as it hints at darker subject matter, and the clever illustrations, which are created with “drawing, photography, and plenty of yarn,” nicely emphasize the whimsical.

--Lynn

February Recommendations

RAMON FELLINI, THE CAT DOG DETECTIVE, written and illustrated by Guilherme Karston, is a spoofy mystery featuring a (spoiler alert) cat who poses as a dog to investigate an unfortunate fishbowl attack. The shady detective takes charge and the clueless boy hands over his fish to allow the dog/cat to investigate further. The stylized digital art ups the ante, with lots of clues that point to a fittingly noirish (offscreen) ending. Plenty of interesting angles and patterns help give it a distinctive look, and the dark backgrounds make bright foregrounds pop. This is silly, subversive fun with a fairly dark vibe.

In ADELA’S MARIACHI BAND, written by Denise Vega and illustrated by Erika Rodríguez Medina, Adela loves her family’s mariachi band—the way “the music skips and bounces,” how "her family dances and claps,” and the way “the band and the audience come together as one.” The only problem is that Adela’s not in the band. When Adela tries to play Papa’s trumpet, there’s only a small, dribbly “PFFT.” Her guitar goes “ERREEEK” instead of “PING!” And when she tries to dance—“SPLAT!” But readers will appreciate how Adela figures out a way to contribute to her family’s mariachi band sooner rather than later. Lively, mostly English text has plenty of Spanish sprinkled throughout, and the colorful digital illustrations are dynamic. An author’s note explains more and makes it personal.

THE SHIP IN THE WINDOW, written by Travis Jonker and illustrated by Matthew Cordell, stars Mabel, a little mouse who lives in a lakeside cabin with a man who has built a prize model ship, and a boy who’s not allowed to touch it. Mabel wonders what it would be like to sail it like a real ship, “navigating rough seas…using the stars to guide the way.” One day, she manages to maneuver the boat to the shore of the lake and jumps in. ’Twas a tough night to sail, but Mabel navigates it well, at least until she’s distracted by the humans loudly searching for the lost ship. The story, with its shades of Stuart Little, is engaging and evocative, as is the gorgeous art by Caldecott medalist Cordell—multiple pages are worthy of a frame.

THERE ARE NO ANTS IN THIS BOOK, written by Rosemary Mosco and illustrated by Anna Pirolli, is a meta story about a kid who thinks this “nice-looking book” would be perfect for a picnic, especially since the cover clearly states that “there are no ants in this book.” This premise, however, very quickly proves false, as one (an acorn ant), two (a dinosaur ant), three (a pharaoh ant), and seven more interesting, distinctive kinds of ants show up, to shock the narrator, who soon decides that maybe ants are cool—and worth saving from anteaters! Fun facts about all the different kinds of ants, in text and backmatter elevate this from a basic counting book into a fun outing. Uncluttered text zips right along, and bold, colorful illustrations seal the deal.

LOST, by Bob Staake, is wordless story about a girl whose cat has run off. She makes “lost” posters and soon finds that others in her community are missing pets, as well. The postman’s bird has flown away, the dog belonging to a woman on a bench has tunneled out, and a man at the grocery store can’t find his… giraffe?! The scent of a hot dog begins to return things to a satisfying, whimsical, cheerful conclusion. The busy cartoony-looking, sequential art is mostly black and white, with carefully placed color highlights to keep readers focused on the main action.

A PARTY FOR FLORINE: FLORINE STETTHEIMER AND ME, by Yevgenia Nayberg, is about how a girl sees a painting in a museum, that of an artist who looks just like her, and the girl, also an artist, decides to find out more. Through the girl’s musings, we learn about Florine and her glamorous family, who spend their time “painting, dancing, and writing poetry.” Also, “lounging around in white silk pants,” and “throwing parties!” The girl wishes she “could be like Florine,” throwing parties and not sulking in her room while it rains. Next day, the girl does go outside in the rain, where she sees “the world around [her] is full of color and full of surprise. Like Florine’s.” The text dances and sings across the page, much in the way “everything Florine painted danced and sang on a canvas.” The art is “purple socks, yellow books, skinny cats, giant flowers, darkness and light,” swooping and flying to match the text. Backmatter fills in missing biographical material, allowing the main body of the book to soar.

--Lynn

November Recommendations

THE MANGO TREE (La Mata de Mango), by Eden Rodriguez, is an extraordinary wordless picture book. On an island, a pair of friends eat, sleep, and play together in a magnificent mango tree. One day, a terrible storm knocks the tree over, and sweeps both it and one of the boys out to sea. The boy is carried to a new island, where nothing looks the same. Until he and his newfound friends plant the last mango from the tree, and a new tree sprouts, bringing joy to all. The brightly colored illustrations—woodblock prints that are assembled digitally—tell a touching, fantastical story with plenty to pore over in repeated readings. An author’s note gives some context and further enriches the story.

NO BEAR ANYWHERE, by Leah Gilbert, has all the ingredients for a fun and funny read-aloud. Bruin, a cute little kid in a bear hoodie, is hopeful they’ll get to see a REAL bear. He and his mom, with baby Pip in the stroller, set off down the trail. Each time readers think Bruin has found a bear—“Oh, Mama, LOOK!”—a dramatic page turn reveals a pinecone, or flower, or stone, or some other perfect thing to collect. Unbeknowst to Bruin, a family of bears follows along, always lurking just out of his sight. After the hike, Bruin ultimately doesn’t mind that he hasn’t seen a bear because the day has turned out “just fine.” The digital art is cute and adds to the story, as do the endpapers. Parents can explain later why bears are dangerous.

In ELBERT IN THE AIR, written by Monica Wesolowska and illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey, beginning “shortly after he [is] born,” Elbert floats. In the air. The neighbors suggest his mother, who has to stand on her tiptoes to feed him, “net him like a butterfly,” or even “deflate him…like a balloon.” But his mother replies that if he’s “born to float, I will let him.” Elbert feels lonely hovering by himself, and wishes for company. He wishes to fit in. But hIs mother continues to encourage him to be himself until one day, by floating ever higher, he finds—something fantastic! Wesolowska’s text is buoyant yet shows a range of emotion, and Pumphrey’s digital illustrations are in a print-making style; even when Elbert is feeling down (though not literally), they provide a lightness that perfectly suits the text. ELBERT IN THE AIR uses a playful premise to deliver a deeper message about being yourself, besides, who doesn’t want to float through the air?

HOW TO DRAW A BRAVE CHICKEN, and HOW TO DRAW A HAPPY CAT, written by Ethan T. Berlin and illustrated by Jimbo Matison, are fun and interactive. In the first, the text and illos demonstrate how to draw a chicken in a few easy steps, but “um, wait… she doesn’t look very brave.” Drawing “a suit of armor and a mighty steed” works, but then she wants to fight a dragon! Chaos ensues, including feeding the dragon ice cream on the moon, and drawing “the scariest party ever.”

In the second book, Cat “doesn’t look very happy,” so she’s given a cool T-shirt, a stuffy, and a skateboard. She’s “totally happy” for a while, but then Cat wants friends and a ramp, and after that she’s “scared of landing from this high up.” So Cat gets an airplane, and pizza, and parachutes, and readers are instructed to draw “the most awesome party ever!” The text is lively and the uncluttered digital art is shape-based so kids can actually try following the drawing instructions. Lots of energy and silliness should make these popular choices.

--Lynn

October Recommendations

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

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

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

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

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

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

--Lynn

August Recommendations

In cozy, contemplative HIRO: WINTER AND MARSHMALLOWS, by Marine Schneider, translated by Vineet Lal, Hiro is a bear who’s “too curious to sleep for months on end.” Her mom warns that “winter can bite,” but Hiro packs a bag and slips outside her den. Though the breeze is icy, Hiro thinks winter is beautiful. She follows some tracks and the “sweet, gooey scent of toasted marshmallows” to a party of humans who flee their campfire at her approach. Hiro’s sad sighs rekindle the fire, causing half-eaten marshmallows to melt over the flames. But then Émile, a “marshmallow expert” peeks out from behind a tree, and together they have a wonderful time, sharing stories, running, hiding, and finding common ground. The text is evocative and sweet, and the illustrations, made with colored pencils, watercolors, acrylic paint, and markers, are impressionistic and delightful. A tender treat, not to be missed!

LUCKY DUCK, by Greg Pizzoli, is the funny story about Duck, who’s “feeling a bit unlucky.” The roller skates she ordered online are too big, but then a wolf tells her she’s won a fabulous soup pot. Now Susan feels lucky. When her kitchen lightbulb burns out, she’s back to feeling unlucky. But then the wolf says she’s won onions, “great for soup!” By now readers will likely be having some laughs as Susan’s discovery that the pickle jar is empty is followed by the wolf showing up with celery, and so on. Just when Susan fears her luck has run out for good, the wolf encounters some bad luck (and a pickle jar and roller skates) of his own. I’m a big fan of Pizzoli’s straightforward text and distinctive illos, and kid-friendly Lucky Duck doesn’t disappoint.

I WANT 100 DOGS, written by Stacy McAnulty and illustrated by Claire Keane, begins with a child who wants 100 dogs, (then 90, then 80, etc.) and the two parents who explain why, in each instance, that might not be a great idea. Told all in dialog, the reasons for wanting so many dogs—and the reasons why they would be impractical—include plenty of humor, which is amped up by the energetic art. Text is indicated in speech bubbles and the digital illustrations of all those dogs and their consequences are in thought “clouds.” It all comes together nicely with the child getting just the right amount of dog.

In THE SPACEMAN, by Randy Cecil, the titular, diminutive spaceman is collecting soil samples on one of a series of planets when he’s distracted by “something special” (a flower). At that moment, his ship is stolen by a bird. Though he’s frightened by a huge, “hideous beast, all covered in fur” (a dog), he’s also fascinated by a “fantastical array of creatures” (snails, ladybugs, a butterfly). The charms of this planet and its furry inhabitant grow on the little spaceman, and he begins to weigh his responsibility to find his spaceship and collect more samples with his desire to spend time laughing, playing, and “enjoying the gentle breeze with [his] friend.” Text is droll, and oil painted illustrations have plenty of texture, color, and style. Pair it with WE ARE DEFINITELY HUMAN, by X. Fang, for a couple of tongue-in-cheek fish-out-of-water, aliens-on-earth stories that would make for a terrific storytime.

HIDE-AND-SEEK, written and illustrated by Molly Cranch, is a delightful look at camouflage, disguised as a fun game. Turtle is IT, but Heron doesn’t know where to hide. Trout, Manatee, Otter, and Cricket have taken all the best spots. But soon Heron, too, finds exactly the right place to hide from Turtle. Chirp-chirp! Slish-slosh! Trudge-trudge! Splish-splash! Squeak-squeak! Surprise! Look who’s IT now! This fun book, with its onomatopoeia and beautiful illustrations, will have kids begging to read it again and again.

CAMILLA SUPER HELPER, written by Julie Dillemuth and illustrated by Laura Wood, is another Camilla, Cartographer book which promotes spacial awareness thinking skills and map-making. In this one, Camilla and her neighbor Parsley are reading about superheroes one hot summer day, when Melli, a honey bee, breezes in through the open window. Melli has to fly all day to find flowers to make honey, so Camilla decides to help, by setting up water stations and planting more flowers. There are so many locations to consider, it's a good thing Camilla’s superpower is drawing excellent maps. Before long, Camilla and friends set out to help. This engaging book, about a forest full of superheroes, has back matter about the importance of bees and how to make a bee garden, which includes mapping out the project.

--Lynn

July's Recommendations

In TRICKY CHOPSTICKS, written by Sylvia Chen and illustrated by Fanny Liem, Splat-choooo! Jenny Chow finds chopsticks too “slippery, wobbly, and tricky” to master. She’s afraid she’ll fumble badly during her cousin Victor’s annual chopstick challenge and, even worse, what if she’s “the only Chow ever who never learn[s] how to use chopsticks?!” Jenny’s determined to figure out a way to “fix her grip,” but nothing seems to work, until she combines a daring idea with her love of origami. Jenny practices hard, and when the party arrives, she closes her eyes, holds her chopsticks tight, and, with a thumping heart, imagines her trick. Engaging text is enhanced by onomatopoeia and creative STEAM thinking, and digital illustrations are clear and energetic. Backmatter includes an author’s note and instructions on how to try Jenny’s trick with chopsticks.

LOOKING FOR PEPPERMINT, OR LIFE IN THE FOREST, by Maxwell Eaton III, takes readers on an appealing, anecdote-packed journey through the forest to find Peppermint, a dog who’s “up to no good.” The story begins with a child pointing out white pines, “the tallest trees in this forest,” and describing how the trees sway and sometimes even fall over, and what happens when they do. There are also hemlocks and red oaks. We learn about porcupines, fishers, minks, woodchucks, and coyotes, all of which may be encountered there. And turkeys and barred owls. And eventually we find Peppermint (and a red squirrel) and… This engaging hike is illustrated with pen and ink, graphite, watercolor, and colored pencils, in full spreads, comic-style panels, and with what purports to be our young guide’s journal entries. It’s a distinctive fictional picture book that offers plenty of facts.

In IF YOU RUN OUT OF WORDS, by Felicita Sala, a child asks her distracted dad “what happens if you run out of words? Will you have any left for me?” This poignant inquiry immediately captures Dad’s attention, and a fantastical journey of “what-if”s ensues. Dad visits the underground Elves’ Word Factory, climbs up the tallest tree, and flies (via owl) far away. He braves a broken rocket, wacky scientists, and “meany” mice pirates, until he gets home with a jar full of words that includes the three most precious of all… Sala’s imaginative chain of events, driven by the child’s questions, are enhanced by her usual breathtaking art (a glorious combination of gouache, ink, watercolor, colored pencils, and oil pastels), creating an immensely appealing book that’s perfect for end-of-day—or anytime—cuddles.

I finally got my hands on a copy of THE LAST STAND, written by Antwan Eady and illustrated by Jarett & Jerome Pumphrey, and I’m so glad I did. On Saturdays, Papa and the young narrator of this story harvest “peppers, plums, and pumpkins,” which they load, along with their eggs, into “baskets Granny made from sweetgrass.” Lines of customers await them at Papa Earl's stand, the last stand left at this Farmers Market. After the market closes for the day, there are more deliveries to make. “Papa’s hands are black and wrinkled,” his “hair is gray and thin,” and one Saturday he’s too tired to help. Little Earl learns how to take over, and in time the last stand becomes his. Eady’s text is spare yet speaks volumes, and the Pumphreys’ handmade, digitally edited stamps bring the story to life, adding artistry and context. An author’s note enriches with context about the declining percentage of Black farmers in America and thoughts on how “land is complex…but land is love, too.” It’s heartfelt, bittersweet, and pretty much a perfect picture book.

--Lynn