Shelf Awareness--I'm Afraid Your Teddy Is in the Principal's Office

PB Review: I'm Afraid Your Teddy Is in the Principal's Office

I'm Afraid Your Teddy Is in the Principal's Office by Jancee Dunn, illus. by Scott Nash (Candlewick Press, 40p., ages 3-7, 9781536201987)

In this delightful picture book by Jancee Dunn (How Not to Hate Your Husband After Kids), illustrated by Scott Nash (Flat Stanley), when an unnamed child gets called into the principal's office it's not the child who's in trouble--instead, the child's teddy bear is the naughty one.

"Somehow" Teddy has called on "a number of his stuffed animal pals" to jump into their children's backpacks and infiltrate the elementary school. Teddy, an elephant, a giraffe and all manner of stuffed animals wait in the cubbies until their children leave the room. "That's when the party began." Stopping by the cafeteria, the gym and the music room, Teddy and company have a field day. Finally, the animals wind up in the art room where they make a glue trap for the art teacher, roll in finger paint and twist pipe cleaners into a rope so they can escape out the window. Now, the principal insists, this wayward group "must face the consequences." Fortunately for all, this principal once had a teddy, too.

This follow-up to the duo's 2017 I'm Afraid Your Teddy Is in Trouble Today continues the terrific conceit, staging a scolding young readers can thoroughly enjoy. The text, told entirely from the principal's point of view, takes on a gravity belied by her colleague's obvious amusement, conveyed in his facial expressions. Nash's bold and colorful digital illustrations skillfully convey all of the fun in this absurd situation, his dark outline showing active motion and his changing perspectives depicting a teddy's-eye view. Any child who's ever been in trouble will adore the turnaround, agreeing with the principal that "there are no naughty bears--only naughty behavior." Hugs all around! --Lynn Becker, blogger and host of Book Talk, a monthly online discussion of children's books for SCBWI.

Discover: When a child's teddy bear makes mischief at school, it's not the child who's in trouble this time--it's the bear.

June Recommendations

Novels:

THE MERMAID, THE WITCH, AND THE SEA, by Maggie Tokuda-Hall, is a brooding, magical adventure with a healthy dose of intrigue. Ever since Flora killed a man to prove herself worthy of a pirate's life aboard the Dove, she's been desperate to escape to a better life. Lady Evelyn Hasegawa is desperate to avoid an arranged marriage in the Floating Islands, a “several-months-long voyage” away from home. When Evelyn boards the Dove, Flora is given the task of guarding her, so the lady may be sold--intact--to work as a "slave-whore" on the Red Shores. Although Flora sees Evelyn as a typical spoiled Imperial, she is impressed by the compassion Evelyn shows when she uses her own blood to keep a captured mermaid alive. And the Sea, mother to all mermaids, notices, too... (YA)

A SONG BELOW WATER, by Bethany C. Morrow, is the second mermaid (well, technically siren/mermaid/magical creature) book I want to talk about this month. In it, Tavia does all she can to stay hidden and safe. Because now that sirens are exclusively Black women, “the romance is dead.” All it takes is the suspicion that a dead woman was a siren, and her murderer will likely go free. Along with “play-sister” Effie, who is not a siren--but lives for her part as Euphemia the Mer at the Renaissance Faire every year—Tavia does her best to navigate high school in a modern-day Portland that is chock full of sprites, elokos, a gargoyle, and more. But, as the furor over Rhonda Taylor’s murder grows, Tavia finds it harder and harder to stay silent. Narrated alternately by Tavia and Effie, who possibly has a magical origin story of her own, this compelling tale of fantasy and friendship has plenty to say about a host of important issues, including bigotry, oppression, and the need for change. (YA)

OUR FRIEND HEDGEHOG: The Story of Us, by Lauren Castillo, is a tender friendship story, with a classic feel to it, which describes the series of events that brings Hedgehog, Mutty, Mole, Owl, Beaver, Hen and Chicks, and Annika Mae together. Hedgehog and Mutty live together on a tiny island in the center of the river. Life is pretty good, until the Terrible Storm blows Mutty away, and Hedgehog immediately swims to the mainland to find him. This book, the start of a series, describes Hedgehog's quest to find her beloved friend. It’s a beautifully illustrated and designed chapter book, with a gorgeous, textured cover. It should appeal to the same audience as the Toys Go Out series, but a more obvious comparison is to Winnie the Pooh. (CB)

Picture Books:

OUTSIDE IN, written by Deborah Underwood, illustrated by Cindy Derby, highlights the way, even when "we forget Outside is there," it still reminds us by "send[ing] the sunset and shadows inside to play.” Outside “feeds us,” “cuddles us in clothes, once puffs of cotton,” and “holds us in wooden chairs, once trees.” I need to stop now, or I’ll retype the entire, text, each line more lovely than the last. Watercolor and powdered graphite illustrations make alarmingly good use of color, and the cover is designed to work with the dust jacket in an intriguing way.

SWASHBY AND THE SEA, written by Beth Ferry, illustrated by Juan-Martinez Neal, is the story of curmudgeonly retired Captain Swashby, who loves the sea. When he retires, it's “to a small house on a small beach as close to the sea as he could be.” Life is “salty and sandy and serene,” until the new neighbors move in next door, “a girl and her granny, who planted umbrellas, scattered beach chairs, AND boarded Swashby’s deck without permission!” Swashby wants nothing to do with them, but the sea has other ideas… Martinez-Neal’s ebullient illustrations are masterfully rendered in acrylics, colored pencils, and graphite on hand-textured paper.

Finally, if you’re looking for a wordless, wonder-filled picture book, there's DANDELION’S DREAM, by Yoko Tanaka. A budding dandelion dreams of unfurling into a “real” lion, to enjoy a magical journey by train, ship, and plane, all the way to a most glorious finish.The striking charcoal illustrations are enhanced with digitally applied yellow to highlight the main character’s whimsical exploits.

--Lynn

Shelf Awareness--Burn Our Bodies Down

YA Review: Burn Our Bodies Down

Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power (Delacorte Press, 352p., ages 14-up, 9780525645627, July 7, 2020)

Relationships are at the heart of Rory Power's creepy thriller about three generations of women who bear an uncanny resemblance to each other.

Margot Nielsen has always done the best she can to make a life for herself "inside the mess of [her] mother's head." She would "give anything to know what happened to leave her like this. As long as it's not waiting to happen to [Margot]," that is. Her mother is quick to fight, quick to flinch away from affection and so deeply involved with the secrets in her own mind that Margot mostly fends for herself. Mother and daughter look so much alike--down to the same streaks of gray at their temples--that Margot wonders where her mother came from, but Jo won't open up. " 'Nobody but you and me,' " her mother often repeats, "like a curse [they] can't shake."

Even so, Margot's been tucking cash under her mattress, hoping to escape life in Calhoun. She's tried to leave, but without "another shot at family," there's nothing to run to. That is, until she pays a visit to the Heartland Cash for Gold pawnshop to buy back some items her mother pawned. She discovers an old Bible with a photo tucked inside, and there's a phone number on the back. Margot immediately calls, and Vera Nielsen, her grandmother, picks up. Margot sneaks out that very night and hitches a ride to Phalene, a town three hours away.

In Phalene, she's surprised that everyone seems to know exactly who she is. She meets rich, entitled Tess, who, along with friend Eli, offers to show Tess the way to Fairhaven, her grandmother's farm. They race over, hearing a report that "somebody lit the Nielsen farm on fire again." But before they can get to the house, Margot spots something in the cornfield along the road. She goes in to explore and pulls out a dead girl--a dead girl who is wearing Margot's face.

In her sophomore novel, Power (Wilder Girls) drives the dark investigation into one family's twisted roots with strong, suspenseful writing and pitch-perfect touches of horror. Margot, emotionally battered yet determined to find out where she came from, is compellingly tough when it counts, while Gram, who both embraces Margot and keeps her at arm's length, makes a worthy foil. The growing sense that something is dreadfully wrong will keep readers plowing through the pages of this eerie and unnerving tale of empowerment. --Lynn Becker, blogger and host of Book Talk, a monthly online discussion of children's books for SCBWI.

Shelf Talker: In this dark YA thriller, Margot, who grew up with her look-alike mom, searches for the family she's never known.

June's Book of the Month--The Bridge Home

I truly hope this June 1st finds you safe and healthy. Our Book of the Month is Golden Kite winner for middle grade, THE BRIDGE HOME, by Padma Venkatraman.

The night after breaking Amma’s arm, eleven-year-old Viji’s Appa turns his drunken gaze on Viji and her sister Rukku. Viji decides that if she wants a better future, she needs to act now. She packs a few meager belongings and uses almost all of her birthday money to buy the girls one way bus tickets to the city.

Once there, they are overwhelmed by the sights, sounds, and smells on the bustling streets. There is danger everywhere, but also possibility. Viji breaks a glass and pays by washing dishes until her hands feel raw, but she makes a friend and earns a bit of dinner for her trouble. Rukku’s doll is gone, but she finds a stray puppy to cuddle instead. The girls have nowhere to sleep, but they manage to find a spot on a ruined bridge, where they meet Muthu and Arul, two scruffy boys who already call the bridge home.

And home it turns out to be, at least for a little while. What keeps this novel from being too dark for its audience is hope. And faith in “togetherness.” The author strikes a wonderful balance between a life that’s harder than Viji, Rukku, and their new family deserve, yet full of kindnesses, both small and large. Kindnesses which Viji gives and receives as she finds her way. It’s a wonderful book.

--Lynn

Shelf Awareness--The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea

YA Review: The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea

The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall (Candlewick Press, 368p., ages 14-up, 9781536204315)

In this shimmering, swashbuckling fantasy, the fates of Flora, a poor orphan, and Evelyn, an Imperial noble, intertwine as each struggles to find her place in a grim and opportunistic world overseen by the brutal Nipran Empire.

Ever since Flora killed a man to prove herself worthy of a pirate's life aboard the Dove, she's been accepted by the crew as Florian, "something better than a girl." The Dove masquerades as a passenger ship, and its murderers and rapists trick "stiff-legged landsmen" aboard, then sell them into slavery. Desperate to escape to a better life, Flora and brother Alfie save all their meager wages--until Alfie blows all of their money on that forbidden "oblivion drink," mermaid's blood. When the Dove takes on a group of wealthy Imperials, Flora is given the task of guarding the virginal Lady Evelyn Hasegawa so she may be sold--intact--to work as a "slave-whore" on the Red Shores. Although Flora sees Evelyn as a typical spoiled Imperial, she is impressed by the compassion Evelyn shows when she uses her own blood to keep a captured mermaid alive. And the Sea, mother to all mermaids, notices, too.

Maggie Tokuda-Hall (Also an Octopus) has crafted a brooding, magical adventure with a healthy dose of intrigue. Her prose is delightful, by turns delicate and brutal, as her plot demands. At the heart of this tale about learning when to stand out and when to blend in, lies the importance, imparted by first mate Rake, of "know[ing] your truth, not your story." --Lynn Becker, blogger and host of Book Talk, a monthly online discussion of children's books for SCBWI.

Discover: In this rich YA fantasy, pirate Flora and entitled Lady Evelyn find themselves in love and on the run from a nasty husband-to-be, a witch, spies and a vengeful pirate captain.

May Recommendations

Novels:

In CHIRP, by Kate Messner, Mia and her family move back to Vermont to help her grandmother transition into retirement after suffering a mild stroke, but Gram is all fired up to expand her cricket farm. When strange accidents keep putting the business (and crickets) in danger, however, it sure feels like someone is trying to sabotage the place. Mia and her new friends dig into the mystery and, along the way, Mia learns some truths about how to deal with a problem of her own, one she’s kept hidden for a long time. Readers are sure to relate. (MG)

MAÑANALAND, by Pam Muñoz Ryan, blends the boundaries of myth and reality in relating the story of Maximiliano Córdoba and the Guardians of fictional Santa Maria. Max loves to play fútbol, and, more than anything, he wants to play on the town team. But when it becomes clear that the new coach will want to see a birth certificate, Max’s dad must go to San Clemente in search of a replacement for the document. Meanwhile, there are bridges to build and Hidden Ones to escort to freedom, and Max uses his kind, generous nature and strong family values to guide him. Ryan weaves an engrossing tale. (MG)

Graphic Novels:

WITCHLIGHT, by Jessi Zabarsky, is the whimsical, offbeat story of a witch who has lost most of her power, and the woman who accompanies her to find it. After Lelek’s family sends her to a witch, insisting that she learn how to save their village, the witch seals most of Lelek’s power away to protect the young girl. This goes badly, and Lelek ends up alone, searching for her power until she kidnaps Sanja. Which ends up being the start of a beautiful friendship. Delicate drawings and innovative use of color make a lasting impression. (YA)

Picture Books:

DON’T WORRY, LITTLE CRAB, by Chris Haughton, is an affectionate look at fighting your fears. Little Crab doesn’t think he can get to the ocean, but, step by step, he makes his way down the rocks, where—yes!—he finds he loves the fish and the seaweed and the “giant game of hide and seek,” until, alas, it’s time to go home. Quirky, colorful, digital illustrations reinforce the love Big Crab brings to the outing.

THE IMAGINARIES: Little Scraps of Larger Stories, by Emily Winfield Martin, is just what the subtitle says—a book which pairs small bits of enigmatic text with intriguing, wonder-filled portraits, painted with acrylic on wood and gouache on paper. It will spark children of all ages to create their own “fragments of a secret world…stories which do not exist."

VAMOS! Let’s Go to the Market, and VAMOS! Let’s Go Eat, by Raul the Third, with colors by Elaine Bay, are two of the most entertaining, thoughtful, information-packed picture books around. Kind of like bilingual, comics-based Richard Scarry books. In the first, wrestling-obsessed Little Lobo checks his list to see what supplies he and Bernabé (his perro) need to take to people at the Mercado. The streets are filled with some pretty odd—and friendly--creatures! In the second, El Coliseo is buzzing with excitement before the big wrestling match. Little Lobo again has plenty of deliveries to make, this time to the hungry luchadores, who are practicing their moves. As an added bonus, Little Lobo and Bernabé are accompanied by rooster Kooky Dooky. Stylish and spectacular!!!

--Lynn

May's Book of the Month--The Undefeated

May’s Book of the Month is THE UNDEFEATED, winner of the 2020 Caldecott Medal, by two highly esteemed artists and winners of many awards, Kwame Alexander and Kadir Nelson.

This homage to black America features a poem Alexander wrote as a tribute to the birth of his daughter and the election of Barack Obama. As he relates in his afterward, "I wanted to establish from the very beginning that much of what I’m talking about in this poem, so much of American history, has been forgotten, left out of the textbooks, and that to truly know who we are as a country, we have to accept and embrace all of our woes and wonders.” The book is a proud and inspiring testament to courage, genius, and perseverance.

Design-wise, Alexander and Nelson, along with the team at Versify, have produced a jaw-dropping look at what can be accomplished in picture bookmaking. THE UNDEFEATED features a large trim size, big type, and plenty of white space which highlights the transcendent text and majestic portraits. Nelson uses oil paints on panels to create his work for this book. Backmatter describes many of the historical figures and events portrayed in the art.

THE UNDEFEATED should be essential reading for all Americans.

--Lynn