Month: August 2021

Chirp! by Jamie A. Swenson

| Tasha
Cover image for Chirp.

Chirp! by Jamie A. Swenson, illustrated by Scott Magoon (9781534470026)

Chipmunk spends her days chirping on top of her rock. Her songs can be happy, or bittersweet or very sad. Her rock was very good at listening, but didn’t sing along. So Chipmunk set out to find a new friend. She found a pinecone that she scooped up and brought back to where the rock was waiting. But the pinecone was also a listener and not a singer. So Chipmunk set off again. She found a log that she thought would make the perfect addition to her group of friends. The problem was, Chipmunk couldn’t move it. So she sat in the log and sang a sad song. Raccoon heard her singing and offered to help her move the log. But even with both of them trying, it wouldn’t budge. Chipmunk and Raccoon sang a bittersweet song together and Moose heard them. With Moose’s help they managed to pop the log free and it rolled right next to the pinecone and rock. Chipmunk still spends her days singing, now though Raccoon and Moose join in too.

A search for friendship makes for a poignant look at how it can be a struggle to find the right friends. At the same time, Chipmunk never gives up on her rather silent friends, framing it instead that they are good listeners. It’s a charming take on loneliness. The bridge of music to share emotions and find new friends weaves throughout the book and brings Raccoon and Moose into the story where they share their voices too. The ending is lovely and satisfying.

Magoon’s illustrations convey Chipmunk’s emotions with colors and movement. The pastels of happiness, the orange and dark moments of bittersweet feelings, and then the blackness of sadness that still has some light within it. The forest setting of the picture book is shown in lovely small details of ferns, grasses, leaves, rocks, dirt and light.

A book about finding friends who truly hear you. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy provided by Simon and Schuster.

How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

| Tasha
Cover image for How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe.

How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland (9781534448667)

Moon has always lived in the shadow of her beautiful sister, Star. Now Star is a Fotogram influencer, making enough money to have bought their family a new house. Their mother is ecstatic with Star but has always had problems showing any sort of love to Moon. Star has been offered a seat on a tour bus of influencers traveling the nation for the summer, and Moon is sent along as her photographer, a role she has played for years. Moon will also be the tour’s “merch girl,” manning the booth that sells items for the influencers to all their fans. Moon has been planning her escape to college after the summer and pockets her money for the meal plan to help pay for board at college, deciding to live off peanut butter and grilled cheese on the bus. But she hadn’t planned on Santiago, an impossibly gorgeous guy who is the grumpy and rude brother of the owner of Fotogram. He’s also the other person doing merch sales. It’s hate at first sight, at least until Santiago starts to share his talent with food and Moon starts to question everything that her mother has ever told her.

Incredible writing, a fresh plot and lots of character growth make this teen novel a pure joy to read. Gilliland has real skill with dialogue, making all of the conversations seem natural and realistic but also clever and sharp-witted. Throughout the book there are wonderful slow reveals of information, such as how Moon actually got her scar (she did not fall out of a tree). The nature of Moon’s relationship with her sister and mother is honest and painful, each moment scalpel sharp and devastating, even when Moon herself doesn’t realize how bad it is.

Moon is a magnificent Latina protagonist. She is not waif-thin nor muscular, moving through her life with wobbly and jiggly bits that she struggles to love. She is herself a gifted earth artist and someone with a deep and meaningful connection to nature. One that often leaves her covered in insects like luna moths, ladybugs and dragonflies, something her mother considers a curse. Moon is complex, acerbic, funny and immensely vulnerable, just like the novel itself.

One of the best of the year, this is a book to fall for. Appropriate for ages 14-18.

Reviewed from copy provided by Simon & Schuster.

Blue Floats Away by Travis Jonker

| Tasha
Cover image

Blue Floats Away by Travis Jonker, illustrated by Grant Snider (9781419744235)

Little Blue is an iceberg who lived with his parents near the North Pole. Then one day, he broke free and floated away. As he floated, Blue began to see new things like sharks in the water and sailboats. His new friends helped him chart a way to use the currents to get back home. But before he could return, something happened to Blue. He started to shrink until he disappeared entirely. Blue mixed with the ocean water and eventually evaporated and condensed into something new: a cloud. Once again, Blue made some new friends in the sky and they helped him head back home. Were his parents ever surprised to see what he had become!

Jonker writes a lovely and simple story here that is entirely engaging. It’s a clever look at both climate change and the water cycle without any sort of lecturing. The climate change piece is handled in a way that demonstrates changes but without being frightening, instead offering a sense that one can return home again successfully even after one has grown and changed after leaving home.

Snider’s illustrations are striking. They use deep colors for sky and sea, creating waves, bright days of tangerine and pink, and nights of purple and black. The cut paper format works particularly well, creating strong shapes that will work well for sharing aloud with a group.

A water cycle book that is a pleasure to drink in. Appropriate for ages 3-6.

Reviewed from copy provided by Abrams Books for Young Readers.

Child of the Flower-Song People by Gloria Amescua

| Tasha
Cover image for Child of the Flower-Song People.

Child of the Flower-Song People by Gloria Amescua, illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh (9781419740206)

Luz Jiménez was a child of the flower-song people, the Aztecs. She had listened intently to the stories told by the elders about their sacred mountains and streams and also about how the Spaniards had taken their lands away. Luz learned how to do the traditional work of her people, grinding corn on a metate, twisting yarn with her toes, weaving on a loom. She learned about the plants around her and what herbs were medicine. Luz longed to go to school, but it was forbidden for native children. Then the law changed and required schooling in the ways of the Spanish. Luz was a good student and learned much, still keeping the traditional tales alive as she shared them with the other students. At age 13, Luz was forced to flee the Mexican Revolution and live in Mexico City. There Luz became a model for artists, sharing her traditions in paintings and photographs. She longed to be a teacher, but was denied that opportunity. Instead she taught in a different way, through modeling, sharing her tales, and being a living link to the Aztecs.

This beautiful picture book pays homage to Luz Jiménez, a humble woman who became the face of her people. Amescua’s lovely Author’s Note shows the detailed research that went into this biographical picture book. That research is evident in the lovely prose she uses to share Luz’s story with a new generation. Her writing uses metaphors and evocative phrases to really show the impact that Luz’s presence has had as well as her strong connection to her heritage.

Tonatiuh’s art is always exquisite. Done in his own unique style, his illustrations mix modern materials with a folkloric feel. They work particularly well for this subject.

A stellar biographical picture book of a true teacher and heroine. Appropriate for ages 7-10.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Abrams Books for Young Readers.

Moon Pops by Heena Baek

| Tasha
Cover image for Moon Pops.

Moon Pops by Heena Baek, translated by Jieun Kiaer (9781771474290)

On a very, very hot night, everyone had their fans rattling and their air conditioning whirring. It was too hot to sleep even with a refrigerator door open. That’s when something started dripping. It was the moon melting. Granny ran out of her apartment with a bucket to catch the moon drops. She decided to make frozen moon pops out of the liquid moon. Then the power went out. It was dark everywhere, everywhere but Granny’s apartment that glowed. Granny handed out the glowing moon pops to everyone. They were icy and sweet and made the heat go away so that they could sleep. That’s when the two moon rabbits showed up and Granny had to figure out how to rebuild their moon home using the last drops of the moon.

This is the first book by Henna Baek that has been translated into English. She is an internationally acclaimed Korean children’s book author and illustrator and has won the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. This picture book puts a modern spin on a classic Korean folktale of rabbits that live on the moon. The entire book is marvelously crafted with a languid slowness of the heat at first and then the drama of the melting moon. The intelligence of Granny and her willingness to share and help make for an unusual folktale of community both nearby and far.

The illustrations are done in dioramas that are photographed. Baek lights them with glowing touches of the moon, lemony yellow lights that illuminate the darkness and provide comfort and connections. The paper figures are various animals who all live together in a crowded apartment building with their own interesting apartments to look into as well.

Intriguing, haunting and beautiful. Here’s hoping we see more translations of Baek’s work. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Owlkids.

Blackout by Dhonielle Clayon, et al.

| Tasha
Cover image for Blackout.

Blackout by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon (9780063088092)

In New York City in the heat of summer, there is a sudden blackout citywide. Caught in the darkness are several groups of Black teens who all find themselves heading to the same party. There are couples who have already broken up and find themselves the only safe way to get back home. There are pairs who are not yet together but find themselves trapped on the stopped subway system. There are people in one relationship and longing for a new one that is right there. Told in loosely-linked short stories, these stories all tell the joyous tale of young Black love in the dark.

Written by six award-winning Black female authors, these stories are a summer delight to read. The authors have their own unique voices that all come together into a single book that really sings. Cleverly, one story bridges across the entire book, following one couple’s long walk across the city together. Each story shows romance in a different light and different stage, showing how even waning romance can be the beginning of something new and amazing.

In all of the stories, the characters are interesting and well written. They have personalities that stand out against the crowd of characters, taking the spotlight for a time and then allowing it to move on. The writing throughout is skilled, creating a book that is romantic, funny and a tribute to New York City herself.

A testament to the talent of the writers, this book is a great summer read. Appropriate for ages 13-17.

Reviewed from library copy.

2021 New Zealand Book Awards for Children & Young Adults

| Tasha

The winners of the 2021 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults have been announced. Here are the winners in each category:

MARGARET MAHY BOOK OF THE YEAR

Charlie Tangaroa and the Creature from the Sea

Charlie Tangaroa and the Creature from the Sea by T K Roxborough

PICTURE BOOK AWARD

Kowhai and the Giants

Kōwhai and the Giants by Kate Parker

WRIGHT FAMILY FOUNDATION ESTHER GLEN AWARD FOR JUNIOR FICTION

Charlie Tangaroa and the Creature from the Sea

Charlie Tangaroa and the Creature from the Sea by T K Roxborough

YOUNG ADULT FICTION AWARD

The Pōrangi Boy

The Pōrangi Boy by Shilo Kino

ELSIE LOCKE AWARD FOR NON-FICTION

Egg and Spoon cover

Egg and Spoon: An Illustrated Cookbook by Alexandra Tylee, illustrated by Giselle Clarkson

RUSSELL CLARK AWARD FOR ILLUSTRATION

Hare and Ruru

Hare & Ruru: A Quiet Moment by Laura Shallcross

WRIGHT FAMILY FOUNDATION TE KURA POUNAMU AWARD FOR TE REO MAORI

Ngake me Whātaitai

Ngake me Whātaitai by Ben Ngaia, illustrated by Laya Mutton-Rogers

BEST FIRST BOOK AWARD

Kowhai and the Giants

Kōwhai and the Giants by Kate Parker

News to Wake Your Brain Cells – August 13

| Tasha

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

16 books for Canadian kids and young adults to read in summer 2021 – CBC

Eloise Greenfield, late children’s book author, inspired generations of Black writers and readers – NBC

Hungary restricts sales of LGBT-themed children’s books – RTE

No more children’s books by celebrities – Gawker

Where are the fat children in picture books? – Book Riot

Who Jason Reynolds writes his best-sellers for – The New Yorker

LIBRARIES

After a Temple librarian died, coworkers said the sick-leave policy ‘ran her into the ground’ – The Philadelphia Inquirer

ALA partners with Communities for Immunity to boost vaccine confidence – ALA News

An inflection point for libraries – Publishers Weekly

YA LIT

10 best teen TV shows based on books – ScreenRant

The best new YA books starring female athletes – Book Riot

Noah’s Seal by Layn Marlow

| Tasha
Cover image for Noah’s Seal.

Noah’s Seal by Layn Marlow (9781536218510)

Noah is waiting on the beach, wondering when he and Nana can take a sail out to see the seals. Nana needs to fix the boat before they go, so Noah must amuse himself on the beach instead. He looks out to see to check for seals, but they don’t like to come in to shore. So Noah digs in the sand while thinking of seals. Suddenly, he notices the pile of sand behind him looks a lot like the body of a seal. Noah steadily works to make the sand look even more like a seal, giving it shape, speckles, whiskers, and eyes and mouth. The two lie on the beach together until Nana calls him because a storm is coming. The two take shelter in the boat under a tarp, but the sand seal is washed away. Nana tells him that the boat is fixed and they can head out to see the seals tomorrow, and that is when Noah sees his seal alive and near the beach. Surely they must take the boat out right now!

A delightful mix of wishful fantasy and the beauty of a day spent on the beach making something, this picture book is a summery joy. The relationship between Nana and Noah is evident right from the beginning, full of warmth and support, but also offering Noah plenty of space to amuse himself. The text is just right, offering a clear view of the setting while moving ahead as quickly as an ocean breeze.

The illustrations are just the right mix of sunshine colored sand and teal sea wave. Noah and his grandmother are Black characters. Noah’s seal is depicted in a way that makes sense for a child to have designed and built it. It’s simple and effective.

Perfect reading for a summery day, whether on the beach or not. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy provided by Candlewick Press.