Eliza’s Kindergarten Surprise by Alice B. McGinty, illustrated by Nancy Spier

When Eliza’s mother drops her off at Kindergarten for the first time, Eliza cries.  So her mother gives her a special kiss and puts it into Eliza’s pocket.  As Eliza starts her day, her pocket feels very empty, but she finds two buttons that look like her mother’s eyes and put those in her pocket.  Throughout her day, Eliza finds all sorts of small objects that remind her of her mother.  By the end of the book, Eliza has quite a collection, and suddenly knows exactly what to do with it. 

The illustrations are very clean and bright.  I do wish that some of the background children at school were of different races, but it remains a very friendly book.  The use of a pocket being empty to symbolize that empty feeling inside is very nice. 

This is a very positive book about starting school, showing that children can cope in many different ways.  Perfect to share with children starting either preschool or kindergarten, this book will allow a discussion about fears to start.

Recommended for ages 4-6.

Mine by Mathilde Stein, illustrated by Mies van Hout.

A clever little tale of a ghost and a girl.  When Charlotte discovers a ghost in her bed hogging the covers, she tells him he can stay but must share the bed.  Then in the morning Charlotte listens again and again to the ghost declaring that everything thing is “Mine!”  Charlotte stays patient, using lots of parenting techniques to get the little ghost to learn to share.  Slowly, the ghost learns that sharing is actually a lot more fun.  Eventually someone from the castle on the hill comes to the door to ask if Charlotte has seen a greedy little ghost.  But Charlotte declares that the only ghost she knows loves to share.  The little ghost does head back home to the castle and his parents, but sends a friendly note back to Charlotte.

This is a wonderful Halloween book with none of the Halloween holiday in it.  The illustrations are bright and colorful with an interesting mix of strong black outlines and free coloring.  The text has a nice rhythm and style that will be very welcoming to children.  Additionally, this friendly ghost tale is perfect for children who want to have a quieter and less frightening Halloween. 

Recommended as a read aloud for ages 4-6.

Catch that goat!  by Polly Alakija.

This is a great romp through a Nigerian street market.  Ayoka has been asked to watch the family goat, but he immediately escapes out the door.  As she dashes after him, she asks each person if they have seen the goat.  They haven’t but all of them are also missing something as well.  It’s not until the very end that everyone finds exactly what they are missing.

The art here really shines, filled with colors, business and the bustle of a marketplace.  There is a real sense of place in each image and one can almost hear and smell the market.  The text of the book is very simple with a distinct rhythm through the repetition.  This will make it very friendly for small children.

Recommended as a great multicultural read for preschoolers, ages 3-5. 

Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan.

I loved last year’s Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, so I was very excited to get my hands on this new book by the same authors.

Naomi and Ely have been friends since they were tiny children.  Their friendship has grown and changed over the years, becoming closer and closer.  Even when Naomi’s father had an affair with one of Ely’s mothers, their friendship withstood it.  But their entire relationship is challenged by a single stick of Orbit gum, which tells Naomi that Ely has stolen her boyfriend.  The entire basis of their friendship has shifted because they have always had a No Kiss List to prevent just this sort of thing.

Cohn and Levithan have again written a book with such a fresh look and tone that it is amazingly hip in a way that will stand the test of time.  Where other authors look more to making cool references about bands and products, these authors create coolness out of anything at all, including gum.  The other aspect of the novel that works so well is its pacing.  As readers watch the friendship deteriorate, they will feel as if years have passed, just as Naomi and Ely do.  At the end, they will be surprised and amazed that it was actually such a short period of time.  The authors do this without slowing the story down, but instead lay the groundwork of time as a shifting one.  This is applause worthy writing.

Naomi’s character is a little stagnant for me, but I also see that that is part of what Naomi is about.  She is trapped in her own version of reality, unable to see beyond it.  Just as her mother is wallowing in her own pain, Naomi is also caught and unable to move beyond.  Ely is a far more likable character, filled with charm and wit.  But it is the secondary characters who really shine.  Gabriel, the creator of amazing playlists, the two Bruces who rise beyond what any reader expects them to be, and the Robins who are also very well written and highly individual.  All of the characters have unique voices, fresh perspectives, and a lot to offer the reader.

Let’s hope this author team continues to write together.  They manage to not only have a hip book, but also show the human face of the hippest among us.  This book is appropriate for high school students and not younger due to some references in the novel.  But it should be in every library and in teen’s hands.  This one is a guaranteed circulation magnet for libraries.

The Wicked Big Toddlah by Kevin Hawkes.

This rollicking book is guaranteed to have small children listening intently.  It is the story of Toddie, a brand new baby who is very special.  He is huge!  He is brought home on a flatbed truck, takes baths in the ocean, and eats ice cream by the truckful (literally!)

The text of the book is key to its success.  Done in a matter-of-fact style, the words don’t speak to the size of Toddie at all.  Instead they are all about normal baby things:  dirty diapers, baths, eating solids, starting to walk, etc.  Nothing in the text gives away the antics of the illustrations.  The illustrations are large, colorful and spectacular.  Toddie is amazing in his large size, great enthusiasm, and broad humor. 

Recommended for ages 3-6.  Highly recommended for reading aloud.  This book is a guaranteed read aloud winner.

A Strange Day by Iris van der Heide, illustrated by Marijke ten Cate.

Jack is waiting to find out if he won a drawing contest.  But the wind is blowing hard outside and the postman loses his grip on the letter.  He heads out to chase the letter down.  Meanwhile, Jack runs to the mailbox to check on his letter and doesn’t find a thing.  Jack now decides that he didn’t win and walks off in despair, not noticing anything that is going on around him.  And quite a lot is!

The illustrations are real winners here, carrying the story forward.  They are done in paint with a friendly bright coloring, lots of animals, figures and busyness.  The story is also friendly, giving just enough detail about Jack’s walk to move the story along.  The real joy is discovering the story that is not being told in words by looking at the pictures. 

Recommended for ages 4-6.  This is a lap book that will be enjoyed by children.  Reading it in front of a group will diminish the pleasure because of the details of the illustrations.

Samsara Dog by Helen Manos, illustrated by Julie Vivas.

Originally published in Australia, this book shows reincarnation in a simple and accessible way.  It follows the lives of Dog, who moves from being feral and self-focused to slowly and through many incarnations becoming a dog who lives for someone else. 

The illustrations are amazing, ranging from vistas looking out over the sea to moments of such intimacy they are luminary.  And the text is equally luminous with a gentleness about death that works very well. 

There are definitely tragedies in this picture book.  I read it to my very soft-hearted six-year-old and we both ended the book with tears streaming down our faces.  It is a book that will create discussion and so shouldn’t be read at bedtime or for a story time, unless your goal is to start a discussion of reincarnation. 

Recommended for children who can handle the subject matter or are asking questions about death and dying.  The content is appropriate for ages 6-9.