The Hawk of the Castle by Danna Smith

May 4, 2017April 29, 2017 | Tasha

The Hawk of the Castle by Danna Smith, illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline (9780763679927, Amazon)

Journey back to medieval times in this nonfiction picture book about the skill of falconry. Told through the point of view of a young girl living in the castle, the text of the book is done in simple verse that hearkens back to traditional tales. Inset in each double-page spread is detailed information on falconry that shows the various parts of owning and caring for a hunting raptor. The book goes through all of the gear that is needed to own a falcon or hawk and then shows the hawk hunting for prey.

Smith has created a gorgeous two-layered book where her light hand with the verse and its traditional format clearly anchors the story in medieval times. That plays against the information shared about falconry which is clear and matter-of-fact. The text makes sure that readers never mistake the hawk for a traditional pet and never misunderstand that the hawk has emotions about their owner.

Ibatoulline’s illustrations are gorgeous. Bordered in a traditional black-and-white hawk theme, they have a lovely formality about them that suits the subject well. The paintings offer a feel of the majesty of the hawk. As the bird takes to the air so do the illustrations allowing a feel of freedom and joy.

This book truly soars, offering information for those wanting to know about falconry and a lovely poetic view as well. Appropriate for ages 6-8.

Reviewed from library copy.

My Pictures After the Storm by Éric Veillé

May 4, 2017April 28, 2017 | Tasha

My Pictures After the Storm by Éric Veillé (9781776571048, Amazon)

Before and after takes a humorous turn in this picture book. The first part of each pair of illustrations shows normalcy. Then something happens and everything changes. In the first pages, there are items from a beach and then after the storm things are tipped over, towels blow away, and ice cream falls. Lunch is shown and then after lunch everything is munched and changed. Other changes get more silly such as animals going to a hairdresser or mislabeled objects get relabeled or creatures eat too many potato chips.

Veillé has created a picture book that is a joy to share. The pictures are fun to explore and children will love spotting the differences. There is a zany nature to the illustrations, done in simple lines and bright, flat colors. The simplicity adds to the fun as the objects shift and change after an event.

Much more than a concept book, this is a funny and wry look at the chaos of life before and after. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Gecko Press.

Crossing Ebenezer Creek by Tonya Bolden

May 3, 2017April 28, 2017 | Tasha

Crossing Ebenezer Creek by Tonya Bolden (9781599903194, Amazon)

This novel looks at a piece of history that many people don’t know about. Mariah and her brother Zeke have been freed from slavery in Georgia as part of Sherman’s march. As she starts to realize that she may not have to return to the brutality she has lived in all of her life, Mariah begins to see new options for both her future and that of her brother. She is given a ride in a wagon by a young man Caleb who was raised in freedom. The two slowly begin to form a relationship with one another, born on their shared hope for the future and it being spent together. Still, there are soldiers and generals on the march who do not appreciate that the freed people are taking supplies from the military scavenging. Dangers continue to surround all of them as they make their steady way towards freedom.

Bolden writes in a poetic prose in this novel. She shares both the hope of freedom and the evils of slavery in the book. The horrors of slavery are offered with a frankness that allows them to fully be realized, each person having experienced their own personal hell. She makes sure to keep the tension high with the Rebels raiding the camps, pressures from within the northern forces, and the dangers of the march itself.

The relationship of Mariah and Caleb matches the pace of the march, steady and filled with bumps and revelations as well. It is a lovely lengthy courtship, given the space to blossom in a natural way that feels like the reader is falling in love along with them. The long journey gives them that time, even as the foreshadowing and dangers allow the reader to know they are not safe at all.

An important book on a little-known episode during the Civil War, this book is intensely personal and a dangerous mix of romance and horror. Appropriate for ages 14-17.

Reviewed from ARC received from Bloomsbury.

I Like, I Don’t Like by Anna Baccelliere

May 3, 2017April 23, 2017 | Tasha

I Like, I Don’t Like by Anna Baccelliere, illustrated by Ale + Ale (9780802854803, Amazon)

This spare and focused children’s picture book tackles the issue of child labor in a way that children will immediately understand. Looking at one object at a time, a child first says how much they like it, then the child responsible for making or gathering that object states that they don’t like it. So one child likes shoes, another doesn’t like shoes. One child likes music, another who plays on the street doesn’t like music. One child likes phones, another doesn’t like phones as they take them apart. The book ends with a heart-wrenching combination where one child likes playing and the other asks “What is playing?”

The book never loses sight of its purpose, pairing wealthy children with those living in poverty and doing child labor is a way to make sure that the message resonates with children and that they learn about their privilege in the world. The book ends with information on poverty and child labor as well as information on the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child and tips on how children can help.

The illustrations are stylised photographs that are painted and textured. They look straight into the faces of children from both sides of wealth and poverty, contrasting broad smiles with a deep weariness. Washes of similar colors further pair the contrasting dyads together into one image.

This is a very important picture book that is sure to inspire conversations and a desire to help. Appropriate for ages 6-8.

Reviewed from copy received from Eerdmans.

The Lost Kitten by Lee

May 2, 2017April 23, 2017 | Tasha

The Lost Kitten by Lee, illustrated by Komako Sakai (9781776571260, Amazon)

Originally published in Japan, this picture book demonstrates compassion and empathy as a mother and daughter, Hina, take in a lost kitten. A stray mother cat brings her kitten to their doorstep, scrawny with goopy eyes. Hina would prefer a cute kitten from a pet store. They care for the little kitten, give it some milk and Hina holds it and listens to its purr. Her mother heads out for milk, leaving Hina to care for the kitten. But when Hina turns back, the kitten has disappeared. Hina thinks of the time that she too got lost, knowing what the little cat must be feeling. She knows she has to help.

Lee’s text is gentle and moving. The connection between child and kitten is delicately created, anchored by their similar experiences of being lost. Lee allows the story to play out, using a light touch as the story spins and giving the reader the space to make connections themselves.

The illustrations by Sakai are equally gentle and expressive. Done in pastel colors with strong textural lines that carry from one image to the next. The kitten is depicted with real care, its bones almost showing through its fur. Tiny and fragile, it still fills the pages with hope.

Beautiful and delicate, this picture book is filled with compassion and love. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Gecko Press.

Mud Book by John Cage

May 2, 2017April 23, 2017 | Tasha

Mud Book: How to Make Pies and Cakes by John Cage and Lois Long (9781616895525, Amazon)

This book dates from the 1950s. Created by avant-garde composer Cage and artist Long, this book looks at mud pies as one of the first creative and maker experiences of children. The book is presented as the simplest of cookbooks. It begins with a recipe for mud pies that involves dirt, water and sunshine. There are tips on what to do if your mixture is too wet too. The book then turns to a much more complicated recipe for mud layer cake that involves pans, rocks and more. Exactly what any youngster needs to design their own pies and cakes into masterpieces.

This book shows the joy of playing in the mud and dirt. The illustrations by Long are filled with dabs and dribbles of muddy color, looking exactly like dirt on the page. There’s a looseness to the illustrations that plays nicely against the instructions which are serious in tone and still inviting for exploration.

This is a joy of a book that is part art and part how-to manual and all fun. Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from library copy.

Sophie Someone by Hayley Long

May 1, 2017April 21, 2017 | Tasha

Sophie Someone by Hayley Long (9780763689957, Amazon)

Sophie can vaguely remember leaving England on a train with her mother when she was a small child. Now Sophie is fourteen and her family has been in Belgium since they left England. She attends school, has a best friend and knows how to speak several languages. Her father owns a car service station, she has a new little brother born in Belgium and things seem normal. But her mother won’t leave the apartment and a strange man comes to her father’s shop and calls him by a different name. As Sophie starts to piece things together, she will have to travel back to England to figure the entire puzzle out and find out who she truly is.

Long has written this novel for teens in code as Sophie tries to stop anyone from publishing her story if they find it. The coding is a fascinating layer to the story, creating a puzzle for the readers even as Sophie is unravelling her own. Readers will grow better and better at figuring out the code, allowing the story to shine through the puzzle. The writing beyond this layer is deft and the mystery is incredibly rich. Readers will be able to figure it out before Sophie does, but questions linger that continue the riveting nature of the novel.

Sophie herself is a strong and smart heroine. As she pieces the mystery together, she uses her intelligence but also has a strong streak of optimism and hope as she faces the truth about her family. Her ability to not only face the unknown but seek it out and discover things is noteworthy. Even as she discovers that she is not the person she thought she was, Sophie does not fall apart. She faces the future with a new clarity and understanding.

An unusual and fascinating novel, it grips you right from the beginning and won’t let you loose until the final pages. Appropriate for ages 13-15.

Reviewed from ARC received from Candlewick Press.