June Recommendations

Using a clear and compelling voice, HOPE FOR RYAN WHITE, written by Dano Moreno and illustrated by Hannah Abbo, tells how one young activist changed the world for the better. Born with hemophilia, Ryan needed blood transfusions to stay alive. In 1984, when he was still in middle school, he contracted AIDS from one of those transfusions. When Ryan wanted to go back to school, “misinformation echoed through the town.” Ryan fought long and hard for his rights, and to educate the public about AIDS. He made a difference. This is an informative and uplifting picture book with brightly colored illustrations which does a terrific job of introducing the story of this important activist to picture book readers.

HOW DINOSAURS WENT EXTINCT: A SAFETY GUIDE, written by Ame Dyckman and illustrated by Jennifer Harney, opens with a child in a museum asking a pretty typical question, “How did dinosaurs go extinct anyway?” While Mom begins a pretty typical answer about comets-asteroids-volcanic eruptions-nobody knows for sure, Dad interrupts to say he knows exactly how, “ahem…” Apparently, there was plenty of running with scissors, tipping of chairs, swimming after eating, not changing underwear, scratching bug bites, etc. etc. until one way or another, all the dinosaurs went extinct. The horror-stricken kid asserts they are “NEVER DOING ANY OF THESE THINGS AGAIN!” and that, apparently, is that! Short, cautionary tidbits interspersed with retorts and sounds from the dinosaurs, paired with colorful, frenetic Photoshop illustrations, combine to deliver the fast-paced humor in this book. Should be a real kid-pleaser.

THIS IS A STORY, written by John Schu and illustrated by Lauren Castillo, begins with a word, on a page, in a book, on a shelf, waiting in a library for just the right human to connect with it. Luckily, there is a wonderful librarian who is ready to connect this reader, and plenty of others—all with questions, ideas, hopes, imaginations and “hearts that can grow… endlessly”—to books that will become the way for each reader to “understand… everything.” The text is lyrical and expansive, and the warmly-colored illustrations reference many other familiar and wonderful books, making it a lovely ode to books, reading, libraries… and the power of all things literary!

SOMETHING SPECTACULAR: A ROCK’S JOURNEY, by Carmela LaVigna Coyle and illustrated by Carly Allen-Fletcher, begins 272 million years before “she” finds it. “Huddled inside a behemoth hunk of sandstone,” it splits off, hurtles through the air, endures wind, waves and ice, tumbles and erodes, rests in a ravine, is “pawed and poked,” “nuzzled and nudged,” “smoothed,” “buffed,” and “rounded,” until it becomes—something spectacular! A timeline that references the girl who finds the rock puts its formation into context for readers. This poetic and informative imagining of a rock’s formation, aided by dramatic illustrations, should excite young rockhounds everywhere!

In A BED OF STARS, by Jessica Love, a child is scared to sleep because of “how big the universe is and how it goes on and on forever.” Dad decides a camping trip is in order, and the pair head off to the desert. Among other things, the child and father discuss mountain flowers, enjoy a stop at their “favorite junkyard,” listen to the blues, and jump in the sand dunes. The text is full of sensory details and observations, and meanders in just the right way to convey the wonder of the experience. Watercolor, gouache, and ink illustrations are spare yet descriptive, and it turns out that “shak[ing] hands with the universe” is exactly what this pair needs. A quiet, contemplative, and completely lovely book.

ODE TO A BAD DAY, written by Chelsea Lin Wallace and illustrated by Hyewon Yum, begins with a child calling out—in child-ranty individual odes—a bad morning, in which “eyes are crusty, bones are rusty,” and their “teeth feel dusty,” but troubles mount with too much milk turning cereal from “crispy into gushy,” then the “itchy tags” and “icky buttons of getting dressed,” scrambling to school, stinging knees, line-cutters, hiccups, and “oh bad day,” what went wrong?? This fabulous book describes, in passionate odic form, all the small annoyances in this young child’s day, but thankfully ends with hope that “a better day is on its way.” The watercolor and colored pencil illustrations are spot on, highlighting all the drama and keeping the focus of this child-centric story right where it needs to be.

--Lynn

June's Book of the Month--Aviva vs the Dybbuk

June’s Book of the Month is the vividly-written middle grade novel, AVIVA VS. THE DYBBUK, by Mari Lowe.

After “the accident” happens to Aviva’s father, Aviva and her mom move to a “shabby little apartment” next to the shul. Here, Aviva’s mom Ema is in charge of the mikvah, a “little pool” which makes the women who dip into it “pure in a way that nothing else can.” There’s a dybbuk haunting the place, making petty mischief of all kinds like unscrewing door hinges and ripping up much-needed checks. Ever since the accident, Ema is “quiet, and she doesn’t go out to visit friends anymore.”

Aviva’s best friend Kayla has changed too, has “hated [Aviva] since second grade when everything went wrong.” Both girls love playing machanayim, which is “sort of like dodgeball," and when a game gets out of control, the principal insists the pair must learn to work together to plan their grade’s end of year Bas Mitzvah Bash.

But the dybbuk’s mischief escalates, and new instances of anti-Semitic vandalism raise the stakes, all of which keep the close-knit Jewish community in Beacon on edge.

This is a thoughtful, entertaining portrait of an eleven-year-old girl who faces challenges on many fronts. She’s a strong and immensely appealing hero, and readers will be rooting for her to face her truths and persevere!

--Lynn

Shelf Awareness--Afterward, Everything Was Different

PB Review: Afterward, Everything Was Different

Afterward, Everything Was Different: A Tale from the Pleistocene by Jairo Buitrago, illus. by Rafael Yockteng, transl. by Elisa Amado (Greystone Kids, 64p., ages 4-9, 9781778400605)

Author Jairo Buitrago, illustrator Rafael Yockteng, and translator Elisa Amado (Lion and Mouse; Drawing Outdoors) collaborate once again with the mostly wordless, deeply inspiring Afterward, Everything Was Different, in which detailed illustrations imagine how a transformative moment in history might have unfolded.

According to Buitrago and Yockteng, the Pleistocene era, which occurred "somewhere between two and a half million and ten thousand years ago," was a time when people roamed the earth, living closely with animals, hunting with spears and clubs, wearing furs or nothing at all, and "slowly becoming more like the people we are today." One observant girl is featured--she helps keep her small clan safe from predators, leads the group over treacherous paths, and takes moments to look at the stars. She also watches and learns. On a fateful day when the others leave the cave, this girl stays behind. She grabs a stick of burnt wood and transforms the wall of the cave into a story--the story of the clan--which she then performs orally. And, of course, "afterward, everything was different."

Yockteng magnificently illustrates Afterward, Everything Was Different in graphite and ink drawings. Sweeping panoramas give a sense of the immensity of the wide-open space, as well as huge beasts that dwell there. Two expressive notes at book's end, translated from the Spanish by Amado, describe the history and inspiration behind this book, and put it neatly into context. This is a moving tribute to the power of art through the ages. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.

May Recommendations

In WALTER HAD A BEST FRIEND, written by Deborah Underwood and illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier, Walter and Xavier hiked together, painted pictures together, and even knew how to be “best friend quiet" together. In all things, the pair “were best friends together. Until… quietly… slowly… they weren’t.” Now Walter doesn’t hike and he doesn’t paint pictures. When he’s quiet, it’s “sad” quiet. Then, one morning, Walter realizes that maybe he’s ready to try “a new trail.” The pitch-perfect text doesn’t waste a single word in describing a friendship that ends with nobody at fault, one that simply moves on. Ruzzier’s signature pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations endearingly depict all the critters and the wonderfully fanciful landscape they call home.

ALL THE BEATING HEARTS, written by Julie Fogliano and illustrated by Cátia Chien, gracefully reminds readers how, although we may wake up to eat different foods and wear different clothing, and we may spend our days in different ways, and even when good things happen and bad things happen, even then, in our beds at night “we are all just hearts/beating in the darkness”—we are all “here/and alive/together but apart/the same, but exactly different.” Pastel and colored pencil illustrations are at once childlike and sophisticated, literal and whimsical, and they beautifully anchor and elevate the text. A wonderful book, the kind that shows how loud a “quiet” book can be.

HELLO, DOOR, written by Alastair Heim and illustrated by Alisa Coburn, stars a thieving fox who gleefully explores someone else’s fancy house, bagging items as he goes. “Hello, clubs. Hello, clocks. HELLO, LITTLE JEWELRY BOX!” This fox is having a grand time until a family of bears arrives home, who don’t take at all kindly to the vulpine burgling. Never fear, the unquenchable fox quickly forms an alternate plan. Uncluttered, humorous, rhyming text and action-packed, cartoony illustrations keep this one zipping along.

In MY BABA’S GARDEN, written by Jordan Scott and illustrated by Sydney Smith, a boy takes readers to visit his Baba, who “lives in a chicken coop beside a highway.” Every morning, Baba feeds the boy and walks him to school. When it rains she “walks slow because she is looking for worms,” which they add to her garden after school. When Baba moves in with the boy and his family, he brings her food, and plants tomatoes in a pot for her. And he looks for worms… Gorgeous, poetic text and stunning watercolor and gouache art make this a worthy successor to the team’s I TALK LIKE A RIVER.

In CITY UNDER THE CITY, by Dan Yaccarino, “the Eyes help everyone.” Bix, who lives with her family, hates it—she wants to brush her own teeth, thank you! The Eyes even choose what kids read at school. And they watch. One day, a cute rat leads Bix “down, down, down,” to “a very interesting place.” There’s plenty to discover, including books and a library, and Bix learns many new things. When it’s time to go home, Bix brings a book with her. The Eyes are not pleased. They take away her sister Taff. But Bix distributes books to all the people in her city, and they learn to fight back. With the Eyes gone, life changes for the better. Illustrated with ink on vellum and rendered digitally, this picture book/graphic novel/easy reader is a most excellent dystopian homage to books, free-thinking, and family engagement.

HELLO, MEADOW! written by Terry Pierce and illustrated by Nadja Sarell, is a sweet, easy-to-understand board book that cheerfully advocates for enjoying nature with respect. A diverse cast of humans and wildlife demonstrate how hikers can help meadows thrive by staying on trails, artists can help by drawing flowers rather than picking them, and families can help by using binoculars rather than getting too close to wildlife. Gentle text and appealing illustrations show little ones how “every grown-up, every child,/can help keep meadows strong and wild.” Share this board book with the youngest hikers in the family!

--Lynn

Shelf Awareness--The Chaos Monster

MG Review: The Chaos Monster

The Chaos Monster by Sayantani DasGupta (Scholastic, 240p., ages 8-12, 9781338766738, July 18, 2023)

In the witty, fantastical The Chaos Monster, book one of Sayantani Dasgupta's Secrets of the Sky series, fraternal twins find that magic can happen to anyone, especially if they live in that "state where a lot of strange things happen"--New Jersey!

Fourth-graders Kinjal and Kiya Rajkumar seem like "regular, normal brother-sister twins" who live in a "regular, normal town," until the night they sneak into their basement to find Baba's old folktale book hidden in a locked trunk. Suddenly, "a pair of foggy gray hands coming out of a shapeless tornado-like, whirling mass" appears and grabs their pet, Thums-Up--she has been "dognapped by a chaos monster." Two flying pakkhiraj horses, Snowy and Raat, land in the twins' yard and agree to fly them to their home, the Sky Kingdom, to find Thums-Up.

The pakkhiraj, though, also need help. Bees are dying off in the Sky Kingdom, and they believe Kiya and Kinjal can fix the problem. Princess Pakkhiraj shows them how the new chief minister of a nearby kingdom is distributing dangerous pesticides with badly rhymed slogans such as "GREEN YOUR TREES AND STAY BUG FREE(S)!" As Kinjal sums it up, "he stinks at rhyming, so he's definitely up to no good." Kinjal and Kiya will have to stop the use of PEST-B-GONE or the "entire ecosystem of this dimension" will fail. At the same time, the siblings also have a personal stake in the quest: if they don't put an end to the destruction, "something frightening and unspeakable" will happen to their family. Kiya and Kinjal commence their "heroic call to adventure" accompanied by Thums-Up, Snowy, and Raat. Along the way, their burgeoning magical abilities suggest the twins are not as "ordinary" as they think.

Sayantani Dasgupta (Debating Darcy; The Serpent's Secret) has penned an imaginative tale in which creatures from traditional Bengali folktales and children's stories spring to life, and magic is a treasure "buried deep inside each of us." Her twins, wonderfully adept at humorous banter in the face of danger, grow from bickering siblings into heroes who make a difference. Sandra Tang's grayscale spot and full-page illustrations add a layer of storytelling and break up blocks of text, making the book more approachable for young readers. As literary-minded Kinjal learns to face his fears, and science-minded Kiya figures out that sometimes her instincts are as important as facts, readers should be held captive by their out-of-this-world adventures. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.

Shelf Talker: In this imaginative series opener filled with creatures from Bengali folktales and children's stories, a pair of "normal" twins must save a fantastical realm by figuring out what is killing its bees.

May's Book of the Month--Twenty Questions

May’s Book of the Month is TWENTY QUESTIONS, written by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Christian Robinson, and it’s a pretty-darn-perfect picture book read-aloud.

Twenty questions and no answers. That’s what makes up this fresh-feeling picture book that’s both stimulating and contemplative at the same time. Every time I open it, I can imagine all the kids at all the storytimes chiming in with their wildly different answers!

From a rather basic introductory “How many animals can you see in this picture?” (quickly followed by the less expected “How many animals can you not see in this one, because they’re hiding from the tiger?”) to “Which of these ladies just robbed a bank?” to “Why is the elephant so upset?” and so on, this book is made up of twenty speculative questions—deftly, stylishly, and playfully illustrated—that will prompt kids to make up any number of elaborate stories to answer them. No wrong answers here.

“What kind of beast lives in this bathtub? And what does it eat? Who is on the other side of this door?” These are all story prompts! I love the creative fun that Barnett and Robinson are stoking with this book!

--Lynn

Shelf Awareness--That Self-Same Metal

YA Review: That Self-Same Metal

That Self-Same Metal by Brittany N. Williams (Amulet, 352p., ages 12-up, 9781419758645)

Secret magical abilities, rebellious Fae, and Shakespearean England commingle in this imaginative YA novel featuring a strong, swashbuckling Black heroine fighting to keep the human world safe from murderous immortals.

Sixteen-year-old Joan Sands is the sword handler for Shakespeare's acting company, based in London and patronized by King James. Her future holds few options beyond marrying her father's inept apprentice and assisting in his shop. But Joan and her godfather are the "only living children of Ogun," the Orisha of iron, who gifted Joan her special talent with metal. When Baba Ben is imprisoned, he cannot renew the London peace pact Ogun helped mediate between His Majesty and the Fae. The responsibility falls to Joan. Worse, after she saves the son of the powerful Earl of Salisbury, he insists she kill Auberon, king of the Fae. As a Black woman, Joan has little power to refuse, but she hasn't been trained for any of this. Luckily, she can count on twin brother James and Shakespeare's entire company, both human and Fae. A couple of romantic crushes along the way ensure that Joan is one busy, magic-blessed teen.

That Self-Same Metal is a richly woven fantasy that takes place in an alternate 1605 London populated with bloodthirsty Fae, versions of which Shakespeare has "watered-down" to use as characters in his plays. Williams's leading lady, Joan, struggles convincingly to find her place amid the unfair gender and racial norms of her day. This story has all the elements necessary for a clever, entertaining, thoughtful read. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.