Shelf Awareness--Powwow Day

PB Review: Powwow Day

Powwow Day by Traci Sorell, illus. by Madelyn Goodnight (Charlesbridge, 32p., ages 4-8, 9781580899482)

In the lyrical Powwow Day, readers are welcomed into an uplifting "celebration of dance, song, culture, and community."

River wakes on powwow day full of excitement--until she remembers that, because she's been ill, there will be no dancing and no jingle dress competition for her today. Still, she hopes at least to join in for Grand Entry at the start of the ceremony. She waits with the other girls as warriors enter the arena carrying flags, followed by elders heading up the long line of dancers. But her own feet are still. It seems that River is the only one who "can't feel the drum's heartbeat." The competitions begin and "fancy dancers twirl and ribbons whirl." Finally, River feels the drum beat inside her. She watches as her sister, cousin and friends step and turn with feathery fans; she sits tall as they "dance for the Creator, the ancestors, their families, and everyone's health... including mine."

Traci Sorrell (At the Mountain's Base; We Are Still Here), member of the Cherokee Nation, enhances her graceful text with back matter about powwows. Through River, the author neatly conveys the magic and allure of the dances themselves, along with the all-important sense of community and healing fostered by the celebratory event. Madelyn Goodnight (illustrator of Look Grandma! Ni, Elisi!), member of the Chickasaw Nation, uses dynamic layouts and a variety of viewpoints in her colorful digital illustrations to portray the vibrancy of the powwow. Readers will likely find it easy to empathize with River's sorrow as well as her hope for strength, for healing and to dance again. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger and children's book author.

Discover: The narrator of this gentle picture-book meditation on time and memory describes the magic of a series of moments in the lives of three generations of her family.

Shelf Awareness--Also

PB Review: Also

Also by E.B. Goodale (Clarion Books, 32p., ages 3-7, 9780358153948)

E.B. Goodale's Also is a gentle meditation on time and memory that deftly describes a series of small but meaningful moments in the lives of three generations of a family.

A girl sits "high on the hill, amongst the blueberry bushes" near Gramma's house. "And also..." she's remembering the "rustling in the trees" she heard when camping in the woods with Mama. Her gramma looks out the kitchen window, simultaneously remembering being "surprised by a bunny in a bush" in her mother's garden. The girl's mama walks down the hill to find her, remembering that time when she sorted blueberries with her sister, tucked in a nook of her mama's kitchen. Finally, when "many years have passed," the narrator sits at her desk writing this story. "And also..." she is "a little girl at [her] gramma's house, high on the hill, amongst the blueberry bushes."

Goodale (Windows) fashions a contemplative text that ably conveys the dreamlike quality of remembrance. The language is lyrical, but there is a delightful playfulness in the tone as well. Her fine monoprint, gouache and blueberry ink illustrations make great use of color to differentiate clearly the present and the past, thought and memory. A bright red bird appears in each spread and provides a solid touchpoint throughout her circular and ever-shifting timeline. The whole of this picture book is a wonderful sum of its delicate parts but, most importantly, Also lovingly demonstrates for readers that "we are all here... and also there./ Always." --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.

Discover: The narrator of this gentle picture-book meditation on time and memory describes the magic of a series of moments in the lives of three generations of her family.

February's Recommendations

Picture Books:

In THE NEW KID HAS FLEAS, written by Ame Dyckman and illustrated by Eda Kaban, said New Kid doesn’t behave like the other kids at school. She doesn’t wear shoes, and she attracts a lot of stares during music and gym. And classmate Molly says she has fleas. Nobody talks to the New Kid, but when she and the narrator are paired for a science project, it turns out they make a pretty good team, after all. The punny text leaves plenty of room for the digital illustrations to share the spotlight, and this makes for an endearingly odd, and unexpectedly satisfying, story.

A WALK IN THE WORDS, written and illustrated by Hudson Talbott, is a quiet wonder. It’s a picture book memoir, wherein the main character struggles with dyslexia. Young Hudson loves drawing, and he used to enjoy reading, too, especially books with “big pictures and only a few words.” But as “the pictures [get] smaller and the text [gets] longer,” Hudson feels like he’s being stalked by “too many words.” Still, he loves stories, refuses to give up, and, in time, finds a way to tell stories of his own, using pictures, words, or—his favorite way—using both. The watercolor, colored pencil, and ink art perfectly illustrates Talbot’s text, and brings in a fanciful element that keeps the story light.

In ARLO DRAWS AN OCTOPUS, written by Lori Mortensen and illustrated by Rob Sayegh, Jr., Arlo loves octopuses, but when he decides to draw one, the head looks like“a tall, silly hill,” and the arms look more like roads. The discouraged boy wads up his “octopus disaster-piece” and throws it away. But when he goes over to pick it up—so as not to litter—he gets a big surprise because somebody, it seems, likes his art… ARLO’s relatively straightforward plot belies its complexity, and the story has a lot going for it, including the fun digital art.

Gravity beam! Atomic breath! Flowers?!! In ANZU THE GREAT KAIJU, by Benson Shum, all young Anzu wants is “to be a great kaiju and make his family proud.” But whereas most kaiju are born with superpowers that “strike fear into the heart of their city,” Anju’s superpower is…flowers. When he receives his assignment, he’s eager to cause some mayhem but once he finally succeeds in satisfying his family, he learns that he’d rather unleash his own brand of happiness, after all. Brightly-colored, expressive, cartoony illustrations should make this a real kid-pleaser.

HOPE AT SEA, by Daniel Miyares, is the story of a girl who loves the sea. Her Papa is a ship’s carpenter, and when he leaves aboard his newest clipper ship to make sure it stays seaworthy, Hope decides to stow away and join him. Quickly discovered by Papa, she finds plenty to occupy herself with onboard. But when a storm wrecks the ship on rocks near their home, danger and new possibilities emerge. This exalting tale of high seas adventure is accompanied by stunning pen, ink, and watercolor art. For an even richer experience, pay attention to the endpapers and the book’s cover under the dust jacket.

In GROUP HUG, written by Jean Reidy and illustrated by Joey Chou, Slug needs someone to hug, and he proceeds to find a “lonely ol’ bug,” a mouse “with a case of the grumps,” a skunk who’s “lost control of his smell,” a beaver, a porcupine, a groundhog, a goose, a fox, and a moose who’s “feeling stuck," all of whom benefit from a hug that has room for all. Then along comes Bear… This sweet, nicely-rhymed story, with delightful digital art, is all about spreading the love. And the hugs.

--Lynn

Shelf Awareness--Gallant

YA Review: Gallant

Gallant by V.E. Schwab, illus. by Manuel Šumberac (Greenwillow, 352p., ages 12-up, 9780062835772, March 1, 2022)

Gallant by Victoria Schwab (City of Ghosts) is the brooding, bewitching story of an estate, the shadow it casts and the wall that keeps the two apart.

Olivia Prior's most treasured possession is her mother's journal, a cryptic collection of emotional passages and mysterious illustrations. One fragment in particular speaks to her circumstances: "home is a choice." Olivia lives at Merilance, "an asylum for the young and the feral and the fortuneless," a "grim stone tomb" that will never feel like a home. It is a place where she is teased mercilessly because she cannot speak and where ghouls that only she can see roam the grounds. When a letter written by an unknown uncle invites Olivia to come home to Gallant, she is certain anywhere is better than Merilance. She decides to leave, despite the warning in her mother's diary: "you will be safe as long as you stay away from Gallant."

Gallant is a far-off estate and although the housekeeper and steward who greet her have no idea why she has come, it's immediately obvious to them that Olivia belongs: she looks just like the mother she never knew. Unfortunately, the uncle who supposedly invited her has been dead for more than a year, and her furious cousin--the only Prior left in the manor--insists she leave. But "the house leans in and whispers hello, whispers welcome, whispers home" to Olivia. She can still see ghouls, "pieces" of the people they once were, but here they are Priors, her family. Olivia doesn't know, though, that the Priors are cursed, given the task of making sure the gate is never opened and the wall never breached as they struggle to keep the "master" from entering their world.

Schwab's ethereal prose suffuses her tale with an otherworldly feel that is right at home with its content. Gallant weaves a spell, one which conjures the darkest of nights, the saddest of specters and the spookiest of secrets. Olivia's knack for seeing ghouls sets the stage for her ability to slip between worlds, challenge borders and defend walls. Manuel Šumberac's inky black creations are paired with specific pages of journal text, and Olivia pores over them as intently as she does the words. This atmospheric addition enhances the reading experience and further serves to illuminate the plot. Fans of Neil Gaiman, Melissa Albert and Rin Chupeco should find much to love in Gallant, a place where shadow "forces stain... the world like ink in water." --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.

Shelf Talker: Gallant is the mesmerizing tale of a young woman who leaves behind a grim childhood to find that her new home is haunted and her family is cursed to guard a gate between worlds.

February's Book of the Month--The Outlaws Scarlett & Browne

THE OUTLAWS SCARLETT & BROWNE: Being an Account of their Daring Exploits and Audacious Crimes, by Jonathan Stroud, is a fine romp of a novel. It features strong-minded, red-headed female protagonist Scarlett McCain, unapologetic bank robber and murderer, and her reluctantly-acquired sidekick, Albert Browne, “a helpless-looking boy,” who has tremendous, hidden, “wicked” powers, and is genially-but-determinedly evasive about the horrific past he’s bent on escaping.

This pair find themselves on the run, alternately vexing and supporting each other with finely-tuned comic banter. When they take up with the old river rafter Joe and his granddaughter Ettie, who agree to take the fugitives to the Free Isles, the pithy fun ramps up along with the danger.

Set in a future dystopian Britain that’s home to outsized wolves and other wild animals, the Tainted, and the rest of the “chaos that ruled beyond the walls of the Surviving Towns,” this new series by the author of the Lockwood & Co. series and the Bartimaeus books should appeal to fans of Six of Crows and, well, Lockwood & Co.

--Lynn

Shelf Awareness--Ophelia After All

YA Review: Ophelia After All

Ophelia After All by Racquel Marie (Feiwel & Friends, 352p., ages 13-up, 9781250797308)

In Ophelia After All, debut author Racquel Marie serves up a humorous and compelling slice of high-school life that's lovingly populated by characters with varied sexual orientations and racial and ethnic backgrounds, all intent on finding their way through a year of tumultuous romantic ups and downs.

Senior prom is quickly approaching, and Ophelia Rojas is indulging in many a "swoonworthy" fantasy involving the perfect date. She wants "the pretty poster, the bouquet of flowers, the silly social media post with the punny caption about saying yes to the promposal." Ophelia has always been known for "drooling" over cute guys, and her friends and family assume that she's on the alert for new crush-worthy male specimens to romanticize.

Sometimes, though, when Ophelia lets her mind wander, "someone stands out against the collection of boys" she dreams about, and this one "shouldn't--doesn't--belong there." Ophelia is becoming increasingly fascinated with Talia Sanchez, a classmate Ophelia knows "once kissed a girl and liked it." And, when one of Ophelia's literature professor mom's students launches into a homophobic monologue regarding a performance casting Hamlet as a lesbian, Ophelia surprises herself by dumping a drink on his head. Ophelia is worried because admitting she may be questioning her sexuality goes against everything everybody knows about her, including her Cuban American father and white mother with whom she has always happily shared her emotions. In anger and frustration over her inability to share her newfound feelings, she manages to alienate almost everyone she cares about. How can Ophelia be sure her loved ones will like this new version of her?

Marie's story of questioning and coming out in high school is a multilayered look at high school romance and the benefits, as well as the confining aspects, of long-held group friendships. Her fully realized characters believably love, fight, banter and support one another during this momentous last year of high school. Ophelia is the ultimate romantic, and the story paints a compelling picture of a young woman coming to terms with what exactly that word means for her. Whether accepting who she is will get her more dates than before remains to be seen, but readers will hope she "[w]on't miss being straight. Not one bit." --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.

Shelf Talker: In this funny-yet-fraught young adult novel, boy-crazy high school senior Ophelia's world is upended when she finds herself crushing on a girl.

January Recommendations

Graphic Novels:

In MONSTER FRIENDS, by Kaeti Vandorn, timid monster Reggie is looking forward to a quiet summer. He’s housesitting for Aunt Agnes after too many wild adventures with his friend Clovis. But he keeps encountering new monsters, including and especially Emily, a lively, bunny-eared little beastie. She’s fun and kind, and determined to be his friend. Vandorn’s story is sweet, and her art sparkles with energy and a cheerful palette.

GARLIC & THE VAMPIRE, by Bree Paulsen, is a story about the very stressed out Garlic, her best friend Carrot, and all the other vegetables who were brought to life by kind witch Agnes. Even though Garlic always seems to mess up, the other veggies are certain she’s the only one who can confront the terrifying vampire who’s newly established himself in the castle nearby. Even though she’s certain she'll fail, Garlic gathers her courage and sets off, only to learn a lot about herself, her fellow vegetables, and their mysterious neighbor. The art for this story is terrific, and the deep, rich colors of her palette skew beautifully towards earthy greens and browns. Yes, Paulsen really has created a believable main character with a bulb of garlic for a head!

Picture Books:

OVER BEAR! UNDER WHERE? words by Julie Hedlund and pictures by Michael Slack, is a fun romp, with plenty of action and wordplay. Two friends, Over (a bird) and Under (a mole), are having fun see-sawing and swinging over and under each other at the park. They’re joined for a hot dog by a hot-dog dog. And then a bear (but no underwear)! The digital art is bright and bold. This punny, rather-more-sophisticated-than-it-would-seem book is a fun read-aloud and a great choice for beginning readers, as well.

In SWEATER WEATHER, written and illustrated by Matt Phelan, a papa bear tries to wrangle his cubs into their sweaters so they can play outside. “‘Sweaters on?’…THUMP WHUMP OOF!…Not yet.” It’s quite the production, and by the time everyone is dressed, night has fallen. Fortunately, there’s plenty of wonder and excitement, no matter the time of day. Sketchy, expressive pencil, ink, and watercolor art perfectly describes the charming chaos. Simply told and SO much fun!

In WINTER LULLABY, written by Dianne White, illustrated by Ramona Kaulitzki, as “autumn clouds sweep overhead,” it’s time for Small Bear and Mama Bear to go to bed. But as Small Bear asks why the other animals are still scurrying, romping, and stompingly awake, Mama Bear responds with soothing answers that slowly guide her little one to sleep. Gorgeous, lyrical, rhyming poetry will likely guide many human little ones to sleep, and Kautlitzki’s digital art should make the journey all the more delightful.

ON THE TRAPLINE, by David A Robertson, illustrated by Julie Flett, is the story of how one young boy and Moshom—his grandpa—visit the trapline Moshom hasn’t seen since he was young himself. “Traplines are where people hunt animals and live off the land,” Moshom says, explaining how he grew up, here “in the north.” This is a heartfelt, poetic picture book—one that’s quiet and powerful and deeply affecting—and it’s greatly enhanced by Julie Flett’s pastel on paper, digitally composed art, which shows the journey from both real and imagined perspectives.

--Lynn