Whoo-Ku Haiku by Maria Gianferrari

April 14, 2020March 2, 2020 | Tasha

Whoo-Ku Haiku by Maria Gianferrari, illustrated by Jonathan Voss (9780399548420)

The story of a great horned owl family is told in dramatic fashion using only haiku poems in this picture book. A pair of great horned owls find a squirrel’s nest and claim it as their home. The mother bird lays three eggs in the nest, losing one when the crows attack her. Now there are two eggs left to guard and keep warm. Soon two owlets emerge from their eggs, eating the prey that Mama and Papa bring to them. The woods has lots of dangers like hunting hawks and foxes waiting for an owlet to fall. Mama is there to protect them though, until it is time for them to take wing and find a home of their own.

Through her series of haiku poems, Gianferrari creates moments that build on one another into a full story of the first months of egg laying and owlets growing up. Focusing on the strength and power of the most commons owls in North America, along with their exceptional parenting skills, the book also reveals the dangers they face despite their size.

Voss’ illustrations are a gorgeous match to the beauty of the poetry. Illustrated in sepia ink and watercolor, with digital color added, these illustrations captures the various moments with skill and drama. The quiet moments are just as powerful as the action ones, filled with dappled forest light and the incredible creatures.

A marvelous book of nature poetry for children. Appropriate for ages 6-9.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by G. P. Putnam’s Sons.

A Voice Named Aretha by Katheryn Russell-Brown

April 14, 2020March 2, 2020 | Tasha

A Voice Named Aretha by Katheryn Russell-Brown, illustrated by Laura Freeman (9781681198507)

Explore the life of one of the greatest singers of all time in this picture book biography of Aretha Franklin. Aretha grew up in a family filled with music and talking. She was a shy little girl, but even from a young age had an incredible singing voice. Her parents left one another when she was a child, and she lived with her father. She adored her time with her mother until her mother died when Aretha was 10. She used music to express her feelings, moving to New York City at age 18. It was the turbulent 1960s where clubs and venues were still segregated for the most part. Aretha made sure to not ever be tricked out of being paid as well as paying attention to venues where everyone was allowed. She was popular but all of her albums flopped until she made some of her most iconic songs and became the Queen of Soul.

Told in a warm and welcoming tone of someone sharing the life story of a beloved family member, this picture book biography captures the way so many people feel about Aretha Franklin and her joyous impact in their lives through her music. The text is accessible and shares the hardships of Franklin’s life and career, displaying her resilience in the face of disappointment as well as her savviness about business and civil rights. The digital art in the book is full of bright and deep colors that pop on the white backgrounds.

A grand picture book biography for the Queen of Soul. Appropriate for ages 6-9.

Reviewed from ARC provided by Bloomsbury.

The Wolf in Underpants Freezes His Buns Off by Wilfrid Lupano

April 13, 2020March 2, 2020 | Tasha

The Wolf in Underpants Freezes His Buns Off by Wilfrid Lupano, illustrated by Mayana Itoiz and Paul Cauuet (9781541586949)

This is the second Wolf in Underpants book. Winter has arrived in the woods and everyone is bundled up to play in the snow, enjoying winter activities, and eating cheese fondue to stay warm. Everyone is having a great time, except the wolf. When he walks through town, he declares “They’re freezing!” Everyone gets worried, because he seems quite angry. So they decide that it must be his feet that are cold and have the owl knit him some socks. When they send a small animal to deliver the socks, the animal disappears. The next day, the wolf is still upset and the town decides he must need a hat. But once again the animal delivering it disappears. Meanwhile, the rumors in town are multiplying and it is decided that the wolf has gone rogue! But when they burst into the wolf’s home, they discover something they never expected.

Originally published in French, this picture book is a fascinating look at privilege and need. It also look deeply at assumptions about those who may be more wolf-like than others and accepting differences. That is all packaged in a book that is packed with humor and plenty of witty asides. Younger readers will realize the villagers are making a mistake with their decisions, but still won’t quite be certain what the wolf is up to either. It’s a wonderful dynamic of the story and really makes the book a page turner right to the end.

The illustrations are done in a mix of picture book pages and graphic novel frames. The pages are filled with animals talking, huge stores of food and marvelous details of things like the bakery and cheese factory. The illustrations are detailed and create a vibrant village for readers to explore.

A great picture book about privilege, prejudice and kindness. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Lerner.

Aster and the Accidental Magic by Thom Pico

April 13, 2020March 4, 2020 | Tasha

Aster and the Accidental Magic by Thom Pico, illustrated by Karensac (9780593124178)

Aster has moved with her family away from the city and to a boring woods on a rural mountain. At first, she thinks they are just there for a brief time as her mother tries to deal with the lethal bird migration, but they have actually moved to the mountain permanently. When her father forces Aster out from in front of her video games, she discovers some oddities about her new home. There’s an old woman who has a herd of woolly dogs. The woman gives Aster one of the dogs, a little one with no wool. After that, Aster and her new pet discover a very strange rock in the middle of the woods, and it turns out to be a trickster that grants wishes. After a series of disastrous wishes, Aster gets things back on track. But things may still be awry, since now the seasons are failing to change, a fox is after a lot of power, and the old woman may have died. It’s up to Aster to figure out how to save the mountain that’s her home.

Pico takes the zany energy of cartoons and channels it into a book filled with twists and turns that are surprising and delightful. The reader never quite knows what is going to happen next. The book has time bubbles that change the way time is perceived, magic power stored in staffs, and talking dogs. It’s chaotic at times but in the best possible way and has a merry tone where one knows things will work out in the end, or perhaps take another twist before that happens.

The art is modern and full of humor. From woolly dogs to mountains with faces to tiny chestnut knights, each one is done with personality to spare. The art captures plenty of action, battles and magical moments.

A thrilling graphic novel with lots of love and laugh with. Appropriate for ages 8-12.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Random House Graphic.

News to Wake Your Brain Cells – April 10

April 10, 2020April 14, 2020 | Tasha

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Dolly Parton will read children’s books online every Thursday night – and our hearts are so happy – Travel + Leisure

Dressed for success: LGBTQ children’s books 2020 – Publishers Weekly

LeVar Burton reading live on Twitter is everything we need right now – Forbes

Reading with Pride: LGBTQ Books 2020 – Publishers Weekly

Remembering Canadian children’s book author Jean Little, who was internationally recognized for her realistic novels – Publisher’s Weekly

Stay in your cave: the Gruffalo lends a claw to the coronavirus effort – The Guardian

Tomie dPaola left a legacy of comfort, kindness, and quality children’s books – SLJ

Watch the 1st installment of Jason Reynolds #WriteRightRite where he challenges you to create an award for yourself – Library of Congress

LIBRARIES

Eight Hennepin County libraries now offer curbside pick up – Bring Me the News

Library workers fight for safer working conditions amid coronavirus pandemic – NBC News

University libraries offer online “lending” of scanned in-copyright books – Ars Technica

TEEN LIT

21 middle-grade and YA books to read in spring 2020 – CBC

Ahead of the 2020 election, YA novels are more political than ever – Bustle

Author and poet Elizabeth Acevedo on diversity in young adult literature – BELatina

Read these 2020 YA mystery books for the ultimate thrill ride – The Nerd Daily

Six interviews with LGBTQ children’s and YA authors – Publishers Weekly

What’s in Your Mind Today? by Louise Bladen

April 10, 2020February 26, 2020 | Tasha

What’s in Your Mind Today? by Louise Bladen, illustrated by Angela Perrini (9781506463773)

This picture book explores meditation with small children, beginning with sitting still and counting breaths. The book then asks via its rhyming text for children to take a look at what is happening in their minds. Then the book moves away from meditation instruction to looking at what other children are thinking about. Molly’s fluttering thoughts are like butterflies, moving quickly and unable to be caught. Oliver’s thoughts are monsters that melt away when he looks at them. George’s mind is full of troubles that burst like bubbles. Amelia’s thoughts are squirmy like worms. For all of the children, if they look at their thoughts, the thoughts go away, transform and leave them more at peace.

Bladen’s rhyming text is lighthearted and playful, inviting children to explore rather than being a formulaic look at meditation and its impact. Sharing a series of different types of thoughts with children is especially helpful, particularly when we all struggle with different thoughts at different times. The power of sitting meditation is clear here, yet not didactic in tone.

Perrini’s illustrations embrace those various thought patterns, launching visually into them and exploring how they make us and the children feel. There are dark pages, light pages, wriggly and bubbly pages. Each is shown with a sense of lightness and play.

A great addition to meditation books for children. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy provided by Beaming Books.

An Ordinary Day by Elana K. Arnold

April 9, 2020February 27, 2020 | Tasha

An Ordinary Day by Elana K. Arnold, illustrated by Elizabet Vukovic (9781481472623)

It was an ordinary day in an ordinary neighborhood, but two of the houses across the street were unusually quiet. A car pulled up to each of the houses. A doctor got out of each of the cars and each entered a different house. Outside, life in the neighborhood continued to be ordinary. Inside though, it was different. In the house on the left, a golden retriever was on a bed surrounded by her family. Soft music played. In the house on the right, a woman rested on a bed with her family around her and soft music playing. Both doctors say “She is ready” and start to help. One family says goodbye to a beloved pet while another greets a new member of their family. All part of an ordinary and extraordinary day.

This is a gentle and quiet book that looks deeply at both tragic and joyous moments in our regular everyday lives. The pairing of the two together is what makes this book truly sing. The two stories dance together, moving in concert with one another until they diverge in major and minor keys. Arnold’s writing is steady and strong, offering a foundation for these large emotions to build upon. Yet she also soars as appropriate with the moment.

Vukovic’s illustrations are light and airy, almost ready to float off the page. Done in charcoal, pastel, watercolor, ink and digitally, the art is filled with soft colors that mist and cloud across the page. The diverse neighborhood shines here, on an ordinary day.

Beautifully illustrated and written, this quiet book about death and life is a gem. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver by Gene Barretta

April 9, 2020February 26, 2020 | Tasha

The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver by Gene Barretta, illustrated by Frank Morrison (9780062430151)

George Washington Carver grew up to be a famous botanist and inventor. In 1921, he spoke before Congress, talking about how the humble peanut could be used to make so many different products. This famous man’s connection with plants and the earth came from an early age in the form of his own secret garden. Born into slavery in 1864, he was kidnapped as an infant along with his mother. His mother was never found, but George was brought back to slavery. George and his brother grew up on the farm, even after slavery was abolished. Every day, George headed to the woods and the garden he was growing there. He learned all about plants without being mocked or teased, soon helping people in the area with their sick plants. He grew up, got an education, and became an Agriculture professor at Tuskegee Institute He also traveled the United States working directly with farmers to answer their questions and improve their farms.

Barretta’s picture book biography of this famous African-American scientist and genius is fascinating and filled with moments of wonder. The frightening kidnapping in his infancy, his start as a slave and then working on a farm for his previous owners, and his incandescent mind finding a way forward to learn and grow all add up to a remarkable life. The text is engagingly written for a compelling read.

Morrison’s art is phenomenal. The browns of the days of manual labor on the farm contrast with the bright greens, growing shoots, and tall trees of George’s secret garden. The two parts of his life could not appear more different.

A fascinating look at a remarkable man. Appropriate for ages 6-9.

Reviewed from library copy.