Month: September 2021

News to Wake Your Brain Cells – Sept 24

| Tasha

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Charlie and Lola author Lauren Child says children’s books should be taken seriously – The Guardian

Jason Reynolds extends term as National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature – Publishers Weekly

Netflix lands golden ticket by buying Roald Dahl estate – BBC News

Remembering Ramona and Beverly Cleary’s attention to childhood emotions – Los Angeles Review of Books

A storybook romance – On Wisconsin

Sydney Taylor’s All-of-a-Kind Family revolutionized Jewish children’s literature – Aish

LIBRARIES

Name calling, property damage: public librarians harassed over vaccine mandate enforcement – Hawaii News Now

YA LIT

13 funny Twitter responses to the idea of rating YA books – Book Riot

Amazon is adapting Charlie Jane Anders’ Victories Greater Than Death – Tor

Creepy fun: 35 new YA horror books to devour – Book Riot

Haunted houses and magic brownies: new young adult SFF/H September & October 2021 – Tor

In defense of unlikable girls in YA books – Epic Reads

Treasure in the Lake by Jason Pamment

| Tasha
Cover image for Treasure in the Lake.

Treasure in the Lake by Jason Pamment (9780063065185)

Iris loves to pick up the treasures she discovers near the river and under rocks. Usually it’s bent forks and spoons, but Iris sees them as special. After all, there’s not much to do in their tiny town of Bugden and nothing special ever happens there. Then one day, the river dries up, exposing new treasures for Iris and her friend Sam to discover. The two follow the dry river bed and make the discovery of a lifetime. There is an entire town that is usually underwater! Sam is reluctant to explore the forgotten city, but Iris refuses to leave. When Sam get lost on his way back, he is saved by an old man who has ties to the forgotten town. Meanwhile, Iris is making discoveries and meeting an unusual girl who lives in the normally underwater city.

In this graphic novel, Pamment shows the amazing way that hidden cities can be discovered. He shares at the end of the book facts about real underwater towns. In his novel, he shares his excitement and wonder at these lost towns through Iris, a girl who is brave and resourceful, determined to see all of the treasures before her. Sam, on the other hand, is content in their small town, eager to see the new statue in the town square unveiled, and also a true friend to Iris, who often pushes him away. Their friendship is complex and marvelous to see in a graphic novel format.

The art in this graphic novel is full of wonder and connection. When Iris finds a strange object, it is echoed later in the town she discovers. The town is falling apart from being underwater. This is captured in small and big details in the illustrations, that show the beauty of the elements of the town and all that was lost when water covered it over.

Based in real drowned towns, this graphic novel is a treasure worth seeking. Appropriate for ages 9-12.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by HarperAlley.

The Fox and the Forest Fire by Danny Popovici

| Tasha
Cover image for The Fox and the Forest Fire.

The Fox and the Forest Fire by Danny Popovici (9781797202822)

A boy moves from the city to a new home in the forest. At first, the nights are too quiet and the mornings are too loud. He goes on hikes with his mother, but it takes him some time to discover that there is a lot to do in the forest. He starts studying the insects, building small rock dams for little fish, and also makes friends with a fox. The two of them spend their days living in parallel. Then one morning, there is a column of smoke on the horizon. The boy and his mother must leave their home and the animals flee in front of the burning forest. They all lose their homes in the blaze. Months later, everyone is safe and they begin to rebuild. The forest doesn’t look the same, but things are slowly returning, the forest healing itself.

Written by a volunteer firefighter, this picture book looks at the deep connectivity to home, particularly one where you experience nature and animals living around you. That first part of the book as the boy steadily grows to love his new home makes a strong foundation for the devastation that follows. Readers will worry about the fox and other animals who can’t leave in a car for safety. The story is moving and timely with the current wildfires.

The art really looks closely at nature and the forest habitat, filling the pages with verdant greens and lovely cool pools of water, flowers, fallen logs, and much more. Some of the pages are wordless, allowing readers to simply sink into the natural world along with the protagonist. The pages about the fire capture the eerie light of the blaze, filling the images with a sense of impending danger.

A look at connecting with nature and the resilience to start again. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy provided by Chronicle Books.

Diverse Book Awards Shortlist 2021

| Tasha

The Author School has announced the shortlist for The Diverse Book Awards 2021. The books highlight the best diverse books published in the UK during 2020. The awards are open only to UK-based authors. Here are the shortlists for the Children’s and Young Adults categories:

CHILDREN’S

Baller Boys

Baller Boys by Venessa Taylor, illustrated by Kenneth Ghann

Cover for Rocket Says Clean Up! (Rocket Says...)

Clean Up! by Nathan Bryon, illustrated by Dapo Adeola

Cover for Do You Know Me?

Do You Know Me? by Rebecca Westcott, Libby Scott

Little Badman and the Time-travelling Teacher of Doom

Little Badman and the Time-Travelling Teacher of Doom by Humza Arshad and Henry White, illustrated by Aleksei Bitskoff

Cover for Too Small Tola

Too Small Tola by Atinuke, illustrated by Onyinye Iwu

Windrush Child

Windrush Child by Benjamin Zephaniah

Zombierella: Fairy Tales Gone Bad

Zombierella: Fairy Tales Gone Bad by Joseph Coelho, illustrated by Freya Hartas

YOUNG ADULTS

And The Stars Were Burning Brightly

And The Stars Were Burning Brightly by Danielle Jawando

Cover for Boy, Everywhere

Boy, Everywhere by A. M. Dassu

Cover for Cane Warriors

Cane Warriors by Alex Wheatle

Eight Pieces of Silva

Eight Pieces of Silva by Patrice Lawrence

Hideous Beauty

Hideous Beauty by William Hussey

Run, Rebel

Run, Rebel by Manjeet Mann

Wonderland

Wonderland by Juno Dawson

Egg Marks the Spot by Amy Timberlake

| Tasha
Cover image for Egg Marks the Spot.

Egg Marks the Spot by Amy Timberlake, illustrated by Jon Klassen (9781643750064)

This second Skunk and Badger story returns us to the cozy world of rocks and chickens that the two unlikely friends have created together. Badger is enjoying exploring his rocks again, but the loss of his Spider Eye Agate as a youngster still saddens him. It was stolen by his cousin, Fisher, long ago. Meanwhile, Skunk is trying to stop fretting about the New Yak Times Book Review being stolen by Mr. G. Hedgehog, who seems to have discovered where Skunk is living now. Skunk and Badger set off on a camping trip to find a replacement agate. Complete with overfilled packs, lovely meals, firelight, dark adventures, and arch nemeses, this book is all one could ask for those who love these characters, and chickens!

Timberlake is creating a series with a strong vintage vibe that feels like classic children’s literature. She uses a lot of humor, varying from near slapstick to subtle commentary. Along with the humor, she offers two characters with lots of heart, who care deeply for one another while still having their own passions and interests. There are so many lovely moments of connection, realization and great lunches. Add in a weaselly Fisher who has even bigger thievery plans, and this is a warm and rollicking look at a growing friendship.

Klassen’s illustrations break up the text nicely for young readers, offering occasional full-page images in black and white. He captures seminal moments in the story, such as Skunk and Badger on their porch watching the rain fall down and the dark and brightness of a newly discovered cave.

A winning second book in a great series for children that is perfect to share at bedtime. Appropriate for ages 6-9.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Algonquin Young Readers.

Black and White by Debora Vogrig

| Tasha
Cover image for Black and White.

Black and White by Debora Vogrig, illustrated by Pia Valentinis (9780802855756)

On a page full of black with a few white-lit windows, White wakes up. White spreads light through the sky and enters the house. Black hides under the bed. The two push and pull, wrestling a bit, then they head off together. Together they make neat crosswalk lines and then octopus ink messy splatter that turns into a spotted Dalmatian dog. The friends head to the forest of birch trees, to the Poles to see polar bears and penguins. They reach the savannah and run with zebras and the jungle where panthers stalk. In the evening, Black is the one who stretches out and fills the space. White begs for one more game, one more song, one more story and finally the two dazzle the night sky together.

This book explores colors, opposites and a playful friendship between white and black, light and dark. The text invites readers into their friendship and play, showing how the two colors balance one another, create surprising designs together, and form shadows and lightness. The interplay between the two opposites is cleverly done, showing how friends don’t have to agree or be similar to have a strong friendship.

The art in this picture book is done entirely in black and white with no touches of other color. The use of shadows, shapes, light sources and more create a dynamic style on the page, inviting readers to look closely, guess at the animals before the text reveals them and enjoy immersion into this two-tone world.

A stirring look at black and white, colors and opposites that inspires. Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from copy provided by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.

We Want a Dog by Lo Cole

| Tasha
Cover image for We Want a Dog.

We Want a Dog by Lo Cole (9781728238173)

This rollicking picture book gallops away asking questions about what sort of dog you want. Do you want one with hair or one that’s bare? One that races or one that digs in muddy places? One that barks or one that farts? One that pulls or one that drools? The book continues to show all sorts of doggy personalities on its pages with dogs that roll in stinky stuff, dogs with fleas, dogs that sniff, dogs that howl and many, many more. Readers exploring adopting a dog will find themselves inspired with all the different characters here, though for some the twist ending may be exactly what they were thinking!

Cole’s book takes rhyming and literally runs with it. The rhymes are bouncy and fun, playing along in triples throughout the book. They are never forced, instead feeling silly and light as the book progresses. The various sorts of pooches are enjoyed here, complete with naughty behaviors that will have kids giggling.

The art in the book is done in reds, blacks, whites and grays. It is bold and graphic, showing so many types of dogs and their personalities. From sitting in a checkered chair to barking out windows to pulling on leashes, each element is cleverly drawn.

A dog-gone good time. Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky.

2021 Kirkus Prize Finalists

| Tasha

The finalists for the 2021 Kirkus Prize for Young Readers have been announced. The finalists are selected from books published between October 1, 2020 and September 30, 2021 that have received a Kirkus star. Two finalists are selected in each age group. Here are the selected titles:

PICTURE BOOKS

Cover for Your Mama

Your Mama by NoNieqa Ramos, illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara

Cover for Unspeakable

Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Floyd Cooper

MIDDLE GRADE

Cover for Legacy

Legacy: Women Poets of the Harlem Renaissance by Nikki Grimes

Cover for All Thirteen

All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team by Christina Soontornvat

YOUNG ADULT

Cover for The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling

The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling by Wai Chim

Cover for The Life I'm In

The Life I’m In by Sharon G. Flake

Kaleidoscope by Brian Selznick

| Tasha
Cover image for Kaleidoscope.

Kaleidoscope by Brian Selznick (9781338777246)

Two people meet and miss one another again and again in these short chapters that move through time. The stories are interconnected and yet also separate images and spaces. They are bound together by the characters themselves and also the themes that cross from one to another. There are butterflies, gardens, and gates among many other images that carry across the entire book. The characters must face their fears, reach across darkness, and grapple with grief and loss. Each chapter is a gem of a story, a short story that threads through to the others in ways that astonish, creating a true kaleidoscope of fractures and wholeness.

Few books are this impossible to summarize. Selznick, who already has written remarkable works, writes a complex book for young readers that is one where themes and metaphors are waiting to be explored. The relationship between the two characters is fascinating, one who is named James and the other who is the narrator, seeking and finding, losing and searching. The emotions in each of the stories change and wrap around one another, creating a pattern of grief, sorrow, love and joy.

It wouldn’t be a book by Selznick without his illustrations. Here he takes an illustration and turns it first into a kaleidoscope image, only revealing the actual image after the page turn. The skill here, done in charcoal gray and white, is dazzling. The images are filled with light, form and are recognizable in the kaleidoscope image. I found myself lingering between the two, flipping back and forth before reading each chapter.

Complex, fractured, and resoundingly gorgeous. Appropriate for ages 9-12.

Reviewed from ARC provided by Scholastic.