Mr. Watson’s Chickens by Jarrett Dapier, illustrated by Andrea Tsurumi (9781452177144)
Mr. Watson lives with Mr. Nelson in a big house in an even bigger city. In their little yard, they kept dogs, cats and three chickens. They started with a sensible number of chickens, but Mr. Watson’s collection quickly grew until they had 456 chickens! Their big house had chickens in every room. One of the chickens, Aunt Agnes, even wrote a song that added to the chaos and noise. She sang it all the time. Finally, Mr. Nelson had had enough and threatened to move out to the chicken coop in the yard if nothing was done. The two of them took the chickens to the county fair to get rid of them. But after an accident sets all of the chickens free, they are forced to gather them all up again. Luckily, their accident proves to be exactly the solution to the chickens.
This picture book shares rollicking rhythms and repetition along with a skillfully told story. Dapier leans into the full chaos of so many chickens. It’s the song that Aunt Agnes writes that really proves to be too much, though young listeners will love it. There is a merriness to the entire book, where the chickens steal the story away from the gay couple who are struggling to adapt and figure out how to take control back from their feathered friends. The human couple caught in the frenzy are a wonderful example of how being gay can be an integral part of a story but not seen as an issue.
Tsurumi’s illustrations have a touch of vintage cartoons mixed with modern elements. She shows the wild world of the chickens with details that are great fun to look at. There is even one double-page spread of the county fair where readers can search for the last chicken. She layers additional visual jokes and humor onto a story that is already great fun.
A funny feathery frantic tale of pets that get out of control. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
Yevgeny only seems to disappoint his parents who are rather desperate for him to find a natural gift that will let him escape Soviet Russia. They already know he’s not much of an athlete, unlike his older brother who is going to be a famous ice skater. When his mother takes him to see Mikhail Baryshnikov dance, Yevgeny tries to become a ballet dancer, practicing the movements in their tiny shared apartment. But what he truly loves to do is draw. Since he sleeps under the huge table, he steals his father’s pencil and draws on the bottom of the table where no one can see. Could those small doodles be the talent that his family has been waiting for? And what about the KGB agent who lives down the hall? And what happened to the grandfather whose pictures have been removed from the family album and no one speaks about? There are so many questions to be answered, but Yevgeny must be willing to start insisting on answers.
In this hilarious and touching book for middle grade readers, Yelchin shares a memoir of his own childhood in Russia during the Cold War. Yevgeny is a wonderful naïve protagonist, who doesn’t understand the immense political and social pressures hovering over his family and the entire Russian people. His misunderstandings of this and his growing desire for answers add tension to the story as readers will understand far more than he does.
As Yevgeny covers the bottom of the table with drawings, readers are shown Yelchin’s illustrations of his family and others in his life. They are humorous and filled with a wry charm that shows Yevgeny’s point of view.
Filled with an honesty about life in Cold War Russia, family expectations, and one gifted child. Appropriate for ages 9-12.
Big Bear and Little Bear do a lot of things together. Sometimes they do the same thing, like wearing boots, living in the same house, and sharing the same bed at night. Other things are different. Big Bear has a car, while Big Bear is Little Bear’s car. Big Bear drinks coffee, while Little Bear’s looks more like milk. Big Bear has his own chair, and Little Bear sits on his lap. This board book is a sweet look at a parent and child and their relationship shown through objects that they use. The simplest of text allows the illustrations to tell the story more fully.
Compare the spatial relationships of different objects in this rhyming picture book with thick pages for little hands. The illustrations are bold and inviting, a combination of shapes and also objects like frogs, grasshoppers and an octopus who becomes upside down. There are colors to explore, shapes to find, and plenty to discover in this simple book that asks readers to participate. The text is perfect to share aloud with a small or large group who are sure to want to join in.
Reviewed from copy provided by Chronicle Books.
A Cub Story by Kristen Tracy, illustrated by Alison Farrell (9781452174587)
A bear cub explores his woodland home, comparing himself to the other animals. He eats a lot compared to a hedgehog and compared to a moose, he eats a little. Readers get to visit his favorite spots in the forest, watching the hawks soar, smelling the woods. The cub is slower than the elk but faster than the snails near the pond. He spends his summer eating berries, playing games with friends, climbing trees, and digging for insects. In the fall, he goes fishing. In the winter, he heads to his den with his family and feeling like he is just the right size. With a lot more story than most board books, this book also has rich and warm illustrations that invite readers into the cub’s world.
Reviewed from e-galley provided by Chronicle Books.
Families Grow by Dan Saks, illustrated by Brooke Smart (9780593223673)
This board book embraces the many ways that families grow and add a new member. The baby begins with a wish and becomes a growing belly. That person may be Mom, or it may not. Babies are brought home and loved, some right away and others take longer. The book gently looks at surrogacy and adoption in a way that normalizes every way that a family might grow. This gentle and quiet book celebrates all sorts of families and floods the pages with love. The bright colors are warm and celebratory as each baby finds their home in a family.
Two new board books are companions to Jeffers’ earlier Here We Are book. In my favorite of the two, little ones get to visit our planet and count things along the way. Jeffers doesn’t keep it overly simple as we count three kinds of land, five things to think about, eight body parts, and ten ways to travel. The book ends with a lot of stars and finally with infinity (how much I love you.) This counting book offers amazement at our world, moments of quiet contemplation, and Jeffers’ playfulness throughout.
Waking Brain Cells 