Month: June 2020

The Little Blue Cottage by Kelly Jordan

| Tasha

The Little Blue Cottage by Kelly Jordan

The Little Blue Cottage by Kelly Jordan, illustrated by Jessica Courtney-Tickle (9781624149238)

The little blue cottage on the bay waited patiently every year for the little girl to return. She came with the warmer weather, taking up her place in the window seat and looking out at the water. The cottage was her favorite place, filled with dolphins, seagulls, swimming and boats. When fall came, the little girl and her family left once again, leaving the cottage to face winter. Still, summer came each year and the girl arrived, growing ever bigger. Eventually though, she and the family stopped coming, leaving the blue cottage to fade to gray, empty and waiting for years. Then one day, the girl, now a mother, returned to her beloved cottage to repair it, repaint it a merry blue, and live in it once more.

Jordan’s text invites readers to really experience the seasonality of cottage life. She uses near rhymes and natural rhythms to share both the joy and loneliness of the cottage that mirrors the emotions of the humans in the story as well. The long seasons of neglect have a quiet dignity to them, while the triumphant return is a marvelous ending.

The illustrations are detailed and visually interesting. They show the cottage on its own little beach, the beauty of the busyness of the family and the light they bring with them. The growing weeds and fading paint are particularly well done. The family is multicultural, adding to the book’s appeal.

Just right for vacation reading, this one will have you dreaming of a cottage on the water. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy provided by Page Street Kids.

Llama Unleashes the Alpacalypse by Johnathan Stutzman

| Tasha

Llama Unleashes the Alpacalypse by Johnathan Stutzman

Llama Unleashes the Alpacalypse by Johnathan Stutzman, illustrated by Heather Fox (9781250222855)

Llama continues on his path of scientific exploration and world destruction in this second picture book in the series following Llama Destroys the World. The book opens with the promise that by dinner Llama will have unleashed a great alpacalypse upon the world. Breakfast comes first but Llama makes an awful mess making a balanced meal. He hates to clean up, so he turns to inventing a new solution, a dangerous one, a Replicator 3000. At lunch, Llama invites Alpaca over. Alpaca loves to clean and soon is inside the replicator. With a zoop, she is replicated, but then Llama continues to push the button, creating an army of cleaning alpacas set to clean the world. As they leave Llama’s house and head out, dinnertime arrives. Disaster near, but a clever plan involving great pizza may be enough to save us all, until dessert.

I adored the first book in this series which had plenty of humor and lots of science. This second book has a lot to love too. It has less science but continues with the wild humor of the first, offering plenty of clever noises, rather clueless characters, and dangerous but exhilarating science experiments.

Fox’s art adds to much to the book with her googly-eyed Llama and Alpaca, the merrily cleaning army, and the alarmed citizens. Swirls of toilet paper, wet mop paths, and spritzes of cleaner make this just right for our pandemic sensibilities too.

One joyous mess of a picture book. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy provided by Henry, Holt and Company.

 

New Zealand Book Awards Shortlists

| Tasha

The shortlists for the 2020 New Zealand Book Awards for children and young adults have been announced. The awards are given in a wide variety of categories. Here are the shortlisted titles:

PICTURE BOOK AWARD

Abigail and the birth of the sun

Abigail and the Birth of the Sun, Matthew Cunningham, illustrated by Sarah Wilkins

How Maui Slowed the Sun: Tales From Aotearoa

How Māui Slowed the Sun, written and illustrated by Donovan Bixley

Goody Four-Shoes (Mini Whinny, #2)

Mini Whinny: Goody Four Shoes, Stacy Gregg, illustrated by Ruth Paul

Santa's Worst Christmas

Santa’s Worst Christmas, Pania Tahau-Hodges and Bryony Walker, illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White

The Gobbledegook Book

The Gobbledegook Book, Joy Cowley, illustrated by Giselle Clarkson

 

WRIGHT FAMILY FOUNDATION ESTHER GLEN AWARD FOR JUNIOR FICTION

#Tumeke!

#Tumeke!, Michael Petherick

Lizard's Tale

Lizard’s Tale, Weng Wai Chan

Moonlight The Unicorn's High Tea Hiccup (Miniwings, #6)

Miniwings Book 6 Moonlight the Unicorn’s High Tea Hiccup, Sally Sutton, illustrated by Kirsten Richards

Prince of Ponies

Prince of Ponies, Stacy Gregg

Time Machine and other stories

Time Machine and other stories, Melinda Szymanik

 

YOUNG ADULT FICTION AWARD

Afakasi Woman

Afakasi Woman, Lani Wendt Young

Aspiring

Aspiring, Damien Wilkins

The History Speech

The History Speech, Mark Sweet

Ursa

Ursa, Tina Shaw

Wynter's Thief

Wynter’s Thief, Sherryl Jordan

 

ELSIE LOCKE AWARD FOR NON-FICTION

Kuwi & Friends Maori Picture Dictionary

Kuwi & Friends Māori Picture Dictionary, written and illustrated by Kat Quin, translated by Pānia Papa

Mophead

Mophead, Selina Tusitala Marsh

Te Tiriti o Waitangi / The Treaty of Waitangi

Te Tiriti o Waitangi / The Treaty of Waitangi, Ross Calman and Mark Derby, illustrated by Toby Morris, translated by Piripi Walker

The Adventures of Tupaia

The Adventures of Tupaia, Courtney Sina Meredith, illustrated by Mat Tait

Three Kiwi Tales: More fabulous fix-it stories from Wildbase Hospital

Three Kiwi Tales, Janet Hunt

 

RUSSELL CLARK AWARD FOR ILLUSTRATION

Dozer the Fire Cat

Dozer the Fire Cat, illustrated by Jenny Cooper, written by Robyn Prokop

Santa's Worst Christmas

Santa’s Worst Christmas, illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White, written by Pania Tahau-Hodges and Bryony Walker

Song of the River

Song of the River, illustrated by Kimberly Andrews, written by Joy Cowley

The Adventures of Tupaia

The Adventures of Tupaia, illustrated by Mat Tait, written by Courtney Sina Meredith

Wildlife of Aotearoa

Wildlife of Aotearoa, illustrated and written by Gavin Bishop

 

WRIGHT FAMILY FOUNDATION TE KURA POUNAMU AWARD (books written completely in te reo Māori)

Arapū Toi

Arapū Toi, Moira Wairama, illustrated by Austin Whincup

Ko Flit, Te Tīrairaka me Ngā Hēki Muna (Flit the Fantail and the Mystery Eggs Maori Edition)

Ko Flit, te Tīrairaka, me ngā Hēki Muna, written and illustrated by Kat Quin, translated by Ngaere Roberts

Nga Hoa Hoihoi o Kuwi (Kuwi's Rowdy Crowd Te Reo Maori Edition)

Ngā Hoa Hoihoi o Kuwi,  written and illustrated by Kat Quin, translated by Pānia Papa

Te Kirihimete i Whakakorea (Santa's Worst Christmas Te Reo Maori Edition)

Te Kirihimete i Whakakorea, Pania Tahau-Hodges  and Bryony Walker, illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White, translated by Kawata Teepa

Tio Tiamu te Tipia (The Smelly Giant Te Reo Maori Edition)

Tio Tiamu, Kurahau, illustrated by Laya Mutton-Rogers

 

BEST FIRST BOOK AWARD

#Tumeke!

Michael Petherick for #Tumeke!

Lizard's Tale

Weng Wai Chan for Lizard’s Tale

Santa's Worst Christmas

Isobel Joy Te Aho-White (illustrator) for Santa’s Worst Christmas, written by Pania Tahau-Hodges and Bryony Walker

The Day the Plants Fought Back

Belinda O’Keefe for The Day the Plants Fought Back, illustrated by Richard Hoit

The Smelly Giant (Tio Tiamu te Tipua English Edition)

Laya Mutton-Rogers (illustrator) for The Smelly Giant, written by Kurahau

 

 

Banned Book Club by Kim Hyun Sook

| Tasha

Banned Book Club by Kim Hyun Sook

Banned Book Club by Kim Hyun Sook and Ryan Estrada, illustrated by Hyung-Ju Ko (9781945820427)

This timely read captures the work of protestors and underground activists in South Korea in the early 1980s. Hyun Sook was the first in her family to go to college. Her family and she had high hopes for her future. But on the first day of school, she has to cross through a demonstration to even enter campus. Soon she finds herself in the midst of a group of activists, even though she just wanted to join a folk dance group and a book club. As Hyun Sook starts to learn more about the Fifth Republic and the political situation she is in, her views start to change and she begins to help the revolutionaries. The work is seriously dangerous, as members of their group are taken by the police regularly and tortured. Hyun Sook must decide if she will stay and fight or quietly head back to simply going to college.

This graphic novel is so powerful. It looks at a totalitarian regime and the efforts to overthrow it, particularly the ideas and books that the regime forbids. It’s a deep dive behind the lines of the activists in the 1980’s a fictionalized graphical version of a true story that the author lived through. The courage and tenacity shown on the pages is remarkable, calling for all of us to lead our own revolutions or at least read revolutionary books.

The art is done in black and white, stark at times, violent at others. It doesn’t flinch from showing what truly happened when police took people into custody. The echoes between this and our own society are strong, making one ask questions about totalitarianism in our own western world.

A call to action, filled with anger, activism and books. Appropriate for ages 13-18.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Iron Circus Comics.

 

Play with Your Plate! by Judith Rossell

| Tasha

Play with Your Plate! by Judith Rossell

Play with Your Plate! by Judith Rossell (9781419739071)

This clever board book opens to reveal four separate sections, all done in sturdy board pages. Little ones are encouraged to play with the sections, as each one has an engaging question on it. Can you make a plate of only circles or triangles? Can you make one of only one color? Can you find a plate with all your favorite foods? Start turning the pages and you will discover a multi-topped pizza, Japanese sushi and miso soup, tacos, sandwiches, mac and cheese, and various fruits and veggies.

This book asks children to play with it. Families will be able to come up with their own challenges for one another since the book has 4,000 combinations. Turn all the way to the end and all of the sections end with empty plates and a few crumbs.

Clever and fun, you won’t be able to stop playing with this one. Appropriate for ages 1-3.

Reviewed from copy provided by Abrams Appleseed.

Readings YA Book Prize 2020 Shortlist

| Tasha

Books+Publishing has the announcement of the shortlist for the 2020 Readings YA Book Prize. The Australian prize is open to authors with a debut or second YA novel. The judges looked for books that were “great YA fiction, had diversity in style and subject matter, and were stories that young people would enjoy.” Here are the shortlisted titles:

Devil’s Ballast by Meg Caddy (published in July 2020 in the United States)

Everywhere, Everything, Everyone

Everywhere Everything Everyone by Katy Warner

Ghost Bird

Ghost Bird by Lisa Fuller

Invisible Boys by Holden Sheppard

The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim (published in November 2020 in the United States)

Take the Shot

Take the Shot by Susan White

2020 Américas Awards

| Tasha

The Américas Awards are awarded by the Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs to “encourage and commend authors, illustrators and publishers who produce quality children’s and young adult books that portray Latin America, the Caribbean, or Latinos in the United States” as well as to provide recommended titles for classroom use. Here are the 2020 awards that were announced in May:

WINNERS

Beast Rider by Tony Johnston and Maria Elena Fontanot De Rhoads

Between Us and Abuela by Mitali Perkins, illustrated by Sara Palacios

HONORABLE MENTIONS

The Moon Within by Aida Salazar

My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero, illustrated by Zeke Peña

The Other Half of Happy by Rebecca Balcárcel

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

| Tasha

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo (9780062882769)

After a plane crashes on its way to the Dominican Republic, two families are impacted with grief and loss. Camino lives in the Dominican Republic with her auntie who is a local healer. She dreams of becoming a doctor and going to college in America. Her father, who died in the plane crash, lived most of the time in New York City, spending every summer with Camino. In New York City, Yahaira’s father was also killed in the crash. Yahaira had adored her father until she discovered his secret. She had been his champion chess player, competing and winning for him. But once she found out that he had another family in the Dominican Republic, she never forgave him. Now he is gone and it isn’t until they are preparing for his funeral that Yahaira and Camino discover that they are half-sisters born within months of one another.

Written in verse, this novel moves between the perspectives of Camino and Yahaira. The book begins with their father still alive and quickly moves to the crash and the shock of loss. The differences between their lives are stark with the poverty of the Dominican Republic clearly depicted as well as the dangers for teen girls. Still, it is also shown as a place of strong community, loving families, with bright colors, great food and warm welcomes.

Acevedo so clearly could have allowed the revelation of their shared father to be the defining moment of both of the girls’ lives. But she moves beyond it, creating a bond between these two teenagers that is powerful and haunting. It is not automatic, but steadily built as the trust grows between them, offering them both a way forward from the crash that they never anticipated.

Beautifully written, this is another marvel of a read from Acevedo. Appropriate for ages 14-17.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Quill Tree Books.

You Matter by Christian Robinson

| Tasha

You Matter by Christian Robinson

You Matter by Christian Robinson (9781534421691)

Master picture book author and illustrator Robinson returns with a book just right for our pandemic situation. The book moves in a complete circle, beginning and ending with the same phrases. It starts with the importance of things that are too small to see with the naked eye. The book expresses that you matter whether you are first or last, go with the flow or go your own way. You matter if you fall down, if others are too busy to help, or even if you have to start all over again. You matter if you are far from home and feel alone. Whatever your age, you matter.

This picture book demands that readers see themselves as vital and important in their world regardless of status, situation or mood. It insists from a deep and powerful place that everyone matters, with no caveats at all. Robinson’s warmth exudes from the page even with such simple language and brief lines. That works to make this book accessible to even the youngest of children.

The art is great, adding humor to the book as one part focuses on mosquitoes and dinosaurs, comets and restarting the entire world. It also embraces diversity, showing people of different races, faiths and abilities.

An anthem for all of us to hold in our hearts. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy provided by Atheneum.