Review: In by Nikki McClure

February 4, 2015February 4, 2015 | Tasha

In by Nikki McClure

It’s the perfect day to stay in, in your pajamas, inside the house, even hiding inside a basket with your toy giraffe. A child plays that he is a rocket ship in space. He puts milk in his tea and marmalade in popovers. It’s all about being in for him. But then he looks out the window and decides to play in the rain and in the puddles. He wants to be out, outside, peeking out of branches. He will even stay out at night with the owls. In the end though, he is happy to head back in and get in bed in the warm house.

Simply told and beautifully illustrated, this picture book explores the opposites of in and out in a poetic and vivid way. Woven into the narrative, the words of in and out play against one another and even together to build the experience of a young child at play. Every child will enjoy seeing how they too like the differences between in and out.

McClure’s illustrations are just as wonderful as always. Done in paper cuts, they are detailed enough that one could mistake them for pen and ink at times. The play of white and black against the sunny yellow is beautifully done with the yellow being sunshine, moonlight, and marmalade at times.

A day of play combined with the concepts of in and out will have toddlers and little ones inspired to spend their own days both in and out of the house. Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from copy received from Abrams Appleseed.

Sold – The Movie Trailer

February 4, 2015 | Tasha

Based on the amazing novel by Patricia McCormick, this film has already won the audience award at both the London Indian Film Festival, River to River Film Festival in Florence, Italy and Best Narrative Feature at AFME. Directed by Oscar-winner Jeffrey Brown and also with executive producer Emma Thompson, this film and book wrestle with sex trafficking and young innocent girls.

Review: Stella by Starlight by Sharon M. Draper

February 4, 2015January 28, 2015 | Tasha

Stella by Starlight by Sharon M. Draper

The author of Out of My Mind returns with a book that takes a hard look at racism in the United States. Stella lives in Bumblebee, North Carolina during the Great Depression. When her little brother wakes her up one dark night, they witness the KKK burning a cross in their town. Their community is segregated, so Stella and her family go to a different school than the white kids in town. It’s smaller and less fancy with one room but also one great teacher. They also can’t use certain stores and many of the white people in town are rude and even violent towards them. Stella’s father is one of the men in town who decide that they will push for their right to vote, even though they know the system is rigged, requiring tests for black people but not for white. Stella gets to witness first hand the ignorance of people in power and their disregard for others, but at the same time there is reason to have hope too.

Draper writes a dynamic story here. She evokes the time period beautifully, allowing readers to really experience the lifestyle, the poverty, and the deep racism of the times. This is not a book that is just darkness though, Draper creates a strong African-American community in Bumblebee. The neighbors look out for one another, help whenever possible, and face the worst of society together as a group. The racism and segregation is presented with an appropriate level of violence for children this age, allowing readers to see that it runs far more deeply than is depicted on the page.

Stella is an extraordinary protagonist. Her struggles with writing are presented cleverly on the page. One immediately sees that this is a girl who struggles with the mechanics of writing like spelling and getting the words out, but once they are on the page she has a unique voice and a poet’s eye. It is a subtle but strong message that if you struggle with something it certainly does not mean you are not gifted in it as well. These passages of writing lighten the book as do the various stories inserted throughout the book, paying homage to the oral traditions but also to the community and its strength.

Powerful and wise, this novel for young readers will expose them to racism after the Civil War and the basis for many of the problems we continue to see today. Appropriate for ages 9-12.

Reviewed from copy received from Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Review: Gingerbread for Liberty by Mara Rockliff

February 3, 2015February 3, 2015 | Tasha

Gingerbread for Liberty: How a German Baker Helped Win the American Revolution by Mara Rockliff, illustrated by Vincent X. Kirsch

German-born Christopher Ludwick had come to the Colonies as a young man looking for the opportunity to create his own bakery. He did just that, creating gorgeous gingerbread for his town. When the Revolutionary War began, he was eager to defend his America in any way he could, so he headed off to join General George Washington. When he got there, the soldiers were hungry and complaining about the quality of food they were getting. Ludwick jumped into action, feeing the armies bread from his ovens. But the dangers weren’t done yet. The King of England pulled together armies from other countries and sent them into battle. The soldiers came from Germany and Ludwick offered to see if he could convince them not to fight. Once again it was food and the promise of having enough to eat that convinced the soldiers to lay down their arms. Many battles later, the war was won, but Ludwick and General Washington had one final mammoth baking task ahead of them.

Rockliff keeps the tone of this book quite lighthearted even as Ludwick finds himself taking grave risks with his life. The writing is jolly and merry throughout. The tone suits this baker whose optimism shines on the page and whose patriotism seemed to know no limits. His accomplishments exceed what is shown in this picture book. Make sure to read the Author’s Note at the end of the book to learn more about this amazing patriot and what he did for children and education as well as liberty.

Kirsch’s illustrations are a gingery delight. Done in the forms of elaborate gingerbread cookies, the characters are shown as flat brown cookies with plenty of icing. From the brown outlines to the white lines of icing, there is no mistaking what they are meant to be. They too add a sweet and optimistic feel to this jolly picture book.

An unsung hero of the Revolutionary War and beyond, this picture book celebrates the impact that one man can have in making history. Appropriate for ages 6-8.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

February 3, 2015February 2, 2015 | Tasha

The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Ada has never been outside of her family’s one-room apartment. Her mother won’t let her be seen by others, though Ada does sit at the window and wave at people. Ada has one foot that is twisted and doesn’t work right, so she crawls around the apartment. But when Ada realizes that she has to get stronger, she teaches herself to walk on her twisted foot, even though it is agony, making sure that her mother doesn’t find out. World War II comes and children are being sent to safety outside of London. Though her mother refuses to let Ada go, Ada escapes along with her little brother Jamie and gets on a train of evacuees. From there they head into the country and are reluctantly taken in by a grieving woman. Immediately Ada is given crutches which let her get around more easily and she stubbornly sets out to teach herself to ride her host’s ignored pony. But there are many changes to come, ones that both test the strength of Ada and others that more strongly tie her to the woman who gave them shelter and care.

There are books that you read that tumble into, ones that are impossible to put down, but you don’t want to read them quickly because you are so entranced with the world they are showing you. This was one of those books for me; I adored this novel. All of the characters are human, they all make mistakes, lose their tempers, figure things out, move on and continue to care (in their own ways) for one another. They are all brave in their own ways too, escaping from a life of imprisonment and hate, learning to live after loss, and creating their own family. These are inspiring people, but the book also shows that community matters, that being accepted for who you are is vital, and that there are people out there to love us.

Bradley’s writing is exceptional. It reads easily and beautifully. She captures Ada perfectly, from her overwhelming fear of being beaten or put in a dark place to her determination and stubbornness; from her teaching herself to walk to the freedom of riding a horse. Ada is remarkable. She is a prickly child who does not let anyone into her world easily, but at the same time with the story told in her voice the readers understand her and witness how much she wants to connect and yet cannot. That first person narration is a critical reason that this book works so well.

Brilliant characters shine on the page as this book looks at war, abuse, and love in a complex and heroic way. Appropriate for ages 10-13.

Reviewed from ARC received from Dial.