The Lambda Literary Awards celebrate the best of LGBT books. Winners will be announced in May. Here is their shortlist for Best LGBT Children’s/Young Adult:
Christian the Hugging Lion by Justin Richardson & Peter Parnell, illustrated by Amy June Bates
God Loves Hair by Vivek Shraya, illustrated by Juliana Neufeld
Jumpstart the World by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Love Drugged by James Klise
Wildthorn by Jane Eagland
Pick a Pup by Marsha Wilson Chall, illustrated by Jed Henry
Sam is all set to pick out his puppy from the animal shelter. But he’s not sure how he will know which puppy is the right one for him. His grandmother assures him that he will figure it out. On the way to the shelter, Sam visits other dogs. Which kind does he want? Does he want a lazy dog? A playful dog? A pedigreed, fancy dog? How will he ever know which pup to choose?
Chall has created a book that celebrates the process of not only getting your first dog but also selecting one from a shelter. While the book begins in a fairly usual way, when it comes to the variety of dogs Sam meets on his walk, the book really takes shape. Each dog is celebrated and understood to be the right fit for that specific person.
Henry’s illustrations help in the celebration of the dogs, keeping all of them friendly, approachable but distinct from one another in both looks and attitude. The soft and bright illustrations offer just the right tone for the book.
A celebration of dogs and animal shelters, this book would be a great addition to a dog unit or storytime. It’s also a perfect pick for a Read to a Dog program. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
Reviewed from copy received from Simon & Schuster.
The Wrap is reporting that Jennifer Lawrence has landed the role of Katniss in the feature film version of The Hunger Games. The actress has signed on for the full trilogy franchise.
The 2011 shortlist for the Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children’s Literature has been announced. The Australian prize is offered for “a work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry written for children up to secondary school level.”
Here is the shortlist:
Clancy and Millie and the Very Fine House by Libby Gleeson and Freya Blackwood (available in US)
Mirror by Jeannie Baker (available in US)
My Australian Story: The Hunt for Ned Kelly by Sophie Masson
Shrieking Violet by Emma Quay
The Three Loves of Persimmon by Cassandra Golds
Where There’s Smoke by John Heffernan
Ethel Turner Prize for Young People’s Literature is given for “a work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry written for young people of secondary school level.”
The FitzOsbornes in Exile: The Montmaray Journals 2 by Michelle Cooper (published in the US on April 5, 2011)
Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley
Saltwater Vampires by Kirsty Eagar
Big River, Little Fish by Belinda Jeffrey
The Piper’s Son by Melina Marchetta (available in US)
Dreaming of Amelia by Jaclyn Moriarty (available in US)
Pirates Don’t Take Baths by John Segal
Some piglets hate, hate, hate taking a bath. In fact, this little pig NEVER wants to take a bath again. So he decides to become someone who never takes a bath. Like a pirate! But his mother points out that he gets seasick. So the little pig decides to be a cowboy until his mother reminds him that cowboys sleep on hard, cold ground. How about an Eskimo, well they eat things like blubber and liver. The piglet goes from one idea to the next, his mother giving reasons why it isn’t a good option. Until finally, he decides to become a treasure hunter who searches for treasure – under water!
Segal has created a book that nicely mixes avoiding baths and different types of jobs. He infuses the entire book with humor that keeps it moving quickly forward. The relationship between the young pig and his mother is also a pleasure to read. Book design helps in reading the book aloud by having the mother’s comments in italics.
Segal’s art, done in pencil and watercolor, plays white space against fully colored pages to great effect. Reality of the mother and child is done against a white background while his fantasies of different jobs are done in full color backgrounds. The illustrations have strong edges and the watercolor gives a softness that is very appealing.
A fun look at avoiding baths through imagination, this book is appropriate for ages 3-5.
Reviewed from copy received from Philomel Books.
To Timbuktu: Nine Countries, Two People, One True Story by Casey Scieszka, illustrated by Steven Weinberg
Travel, romance and finding oneself are what makes this book irresistible. Casey and Steven met in Morocco, had a long distance relationship across the US, and then moved together to China and eventually Mali. This book celebrates taking leaps of faith with one another, experiencing life to the fullest, embracing different cultures, and just being entirely human in the process. Come spend a year with an engaging couple who teach, write, draw, and inspire.
Scieszka’s writing is frank and inviting. She captures travel and the experience of other cultures with an honesty that is very refreshing. From the rush of a new country and its own unique culture to the isolation and boredom that sometimes result, there is no shrinking away from even the bowel-churning portions of travel. At the same time, she depicts a growing relationship with Weinberg that slowly deepens and naturally evolves.
Weinberg’s illustrations are equally refreshing with their rough edges, free lines and widely smiling faces. As one turns the pages in the book, each new page is often a new story, a moment captured from their travels. The illustrations help make this work very well.
Reading this would send me into memories of my own travels, thinking about times when I had felt the same or done something similar. If you are a traveler, this book will speak directly to you and your experiences. If you are hoping to become one, this book will inspire you to do it.
A winning combination of illustration and story, this book will inspire older teen readers to take a different course in life: a path all their own. Appropriate for ages 16-adult.
Reviewed from copy received from Roaring Brook Press.
Piggies in the Kitchen by Michelle Meadows, illustrated by Ard Hoyt
This romp of a book features a wild family of pigs who want to make a special surprise for their mother. Told in rollicking rhyme, the pace is fast and fun. The mess of batter, eggs, flour and more adds to the visual appeal and appeal. As vehicles come down the road, the piglets must scurry to try to hide what they are baking in case it is Mara returning. This adds another layer of frantic dashing to the busy story. Happily, Papa steps in to save the day and help with the oven and everyone lends a hand to tidy up. When Mama returns it is to a lovely birthday surprise.
Meadows has expertly paced this book with a frantic, wild pace that suits it to a tee. The rhyming is enjoyable and really begs to be read quickly to match the pace of the story. Meadows has also mixed in noises like engines and baking sounds to further add to the appeal of the book.
Hoyt’s illustrations add a merry mess of baking fun into the book. They are active, dripping, goopy and just great fun. Keep an eye on the littlest of the piglets as she tries to keep up with the bigger ones, often getting glopped on in the process.
An very enjoyable book to add to a story time about pigs, baking or birthdays. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
Reviewed from copy received from Simon & Schuster.
Check out the book trailer:
Without You by Genevieve Cote
The pig and bunny from Me and You return in this second book about their friendship. After pig accidentally dumps bunny’s items out of a wagon, the two of them decide they can no longer be friends. They list the things that they will happily do apart from one another from cooking to reading to painting and music. Then they realize that things are indeed much more fun together. Food tastes better, colors are brighter, and music is sweeter. This celebration of the ups and downs of friendship will resonate with children.
Cote has written this book in a fresh engaging first person style where the two characters take turns talking in their own voices. The lack of any framing statements makes for a very engaging book that is a pleasure to read aloud, changing between the two distinct voices of the characters. The illustrations echo the same freshness with their pastel palette, light lines and free form colors.
A great choice for friendship story times, this book’s springtime colors will also make it a natural fit for any spring story time. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
Reviewed from copy received from Kids Can Press.
Also reviewed by Young Readers.
Waking Brain Cells 