Author: Tasha

Review: Vroom! by Barbara McClintock

| Tasha

Vroom! by Barbara McClintock

Vroom! by Barbara McClintock (9781626722170)

One evening, Annie puts on her helmet and gloves and drives her car right out her bedroom window and out onto the road. The road is straight and flat, just right for driving really fast. When she reaches the mountains, the road gets curvy and cold, then descends into the hot desert. She drives through a forest, then across a huge bridge and into a city where she gets caught in traffic for awhile. She goes fast through the traffic jam, and then faster onto a racetrack. Getting tired, she heads for home, arriving just in time for a bedtime story about cars.

This picture book embraces imaginative play in a little girl’s world as she pretends to be taking the perfect drive. Her white car is pristine at the beginning of the story and ends up covered in dirt and grass with a little smoke coming out of the hood. Annie doesn’t bother to slow down much and not even her imaginary traffic jam can hold her for long. The book, just like Annie, is fast moving with just enough words to hold the story together. The illustrations are filled with the dust of Annie’s racing past. Done in bright colors, the world around her is friendly and vivid with Annie at its center going fast.

A wild ride of a book that is a joy. Appropriate for ages 2-5.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 

 

Review: Hungry Hearts edited by Elsie Chapman and Caroline Tung Richmond

| Tasha

Hungry Hearts edited by Elsie Chapman and Caroline Tung Richmond

Hungry Hearts edited by Elsie Chapman and Caroline Tung Richmond (9781534421851)

Welcome to Hungry Hearts Row, a neighborhood united by good food from many different cultures. Told in thirteen linked stories, this novel explores the power of food to connect, change, grow and even fall in love. There is the story of food that can give you courage and other dishes that can help you get revenge as long as it’s justified. There is the story of a food competition that unites a grandmother and her grandson. There is the quiet girl who knows just what pastry you need just then. There are haunting tales of sacrifice and pain. The stories bridge generations and cultures, they show a neighborhood brimming with new and old connections, and they fill the world with more than a little magic built on shared food.

More than a simple collection of short stories, these short stories are beautifully connected to one another. There are characters who appear across multiple stories long before they have their own tale told. There are restaurants glimpsed over the course of the entire novel, sharing their magic across many tales. Throughout the entire book, it is the neighborhood itself that is always consistent and full of details. Frankly, I’m not sure how this many authors managed to write such a cohesive and yet diverse set of stories. It is extraordinary!

One element of many of the stories is a sense of deep heritage that bridges generations. There are stories about grandparents and parents, about magic shared and taught, about food and the skill to make amazing meals together. Each story has mouthwatering descriptions of different foods, enough to make readers want to try something new and amazing immediately.

A remarkable short story collection about food and magic. Appropriate for ages 13-16.

Reviewed from copy provided by Simon Pulse. 

 

Review: My Art Book of Sleep by Shana Gozansky

| Tasha

My Art Book of Sleep by Shana Gozansky

My Art Book of Sleep by Shana Gozansky (9780714878652)

This is the second board book in a series that links fine art to a single concept. In this case, the book is focused on sleep. In the book, you will find 35 images of art works from a variety of time periods and cultures that depict sleeping in a number of different ways. The book explores naps and also getting ready for bed and bedtime. It also looks at dreams and what you might see in them. The book also shows sunsets and night skies.

Accompanying the art is a simple set of sentences that cleverly tie together the disparate pieces of art. It offers a loose connectivity to the images that makes the book able to be shared aloud. The use of the connecting words is a critical element here that makes more than an art collection and turns it into a bedtime story with amazing art. Each piece of art is also labeled with its title and artist. The book ends with more information on each piece of art.

An intelligent look at art for the youngest of children. Appropriate for ages 1-3.

Reviewed from library copy.

This Week’s Tweets

| Tasha

Here are the items I shared on Twitter this week:

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CHILDREN’S BOOKS

2019 Caldecott Medal Acceptance by Sophie Blackall buff.ly/2XuVV8Z #kidlit

2019 CSK Author Award Acceptance by Claire Hartfield buff.ly/2JgCgWh #kidlit

2019 Newbery Medal Acceptance by Meg Medina buff.ly/2JdRA5P #kidlit

Beatrix Potter: history of the children’s author, farmer and conservationist buff.ly/2RU7PaY #kidlit

BookBar’s Extremely Official Response to Extremely Negative Comments… With Book Recommendations! buff.ly/2YIEEdu #kidlit #LGBTQ

UK Society of Authors launches £5000 prize for illustrated children’s books | Books+Publishing buff.ly/2LaJvRZ #kidlit

You could be putting your child off reading – here’s how to change that buff.ly/2NBnHkf #reading

LIBRARIES

Arkansas Librarians Launch Summer Book Bus, Inspire Community buff.ly/2FU3wrI #libraries

Public libraries help fill social services gap buff.ly/2RXMJss #libraries

Small Wonders: Rural and Small Libraries Provide Vital Infrastructure for Communities buff.ly/2FV5VC6 #libraries

YA LIT

12 Young Adult Novels Featuring Characters With Chronic Conditions, Mental Illnesses and Disabilities buff.ly/2Jggz8N #yalit

Magical library foundlings, restless skeletons, and more amazing summer YA blessing us this summer: ow.ly/MooY50uU8gW

The Walking Dead: Idaho High School Bans Image Comics Series buff.ly/2L3BH4l #yalit

Review: Bunny in the Middle by Anika A. Denise

| Tasha

Bunny in the Middle by Anika Aldamuy Denise

Bunny in the Middle by Anika A. Denise, illustrated by Christopher Denise (9781250120366)

Three rabbit siblings fill these pages with their daily activities as being the middle child is explored. When you are a middle child, you are the one in between. Your older sibling helps you and you help your younger sibling. You know when to share and when to hold on. You know the best time to lead and the best time to follow, but you also know when to do things your own way. Yes, you get hand-me-downs and also have to share a room. But it also means that you are often just the right size for a lot of things, including being right in the middle.

While the words in this book focus on explaining the good and bad of being the middle child, it is the pictures that are something entirely special. The images of the three rabbits are filled with sunlight, sticky frosting, leafy adventures, and coziness. From the lankier and rather bossy older sister to the plump toddler younger sibling, this little family is a joy to spend time with. The middle child is often unperturbed in the midst of chaos or demands, showing just what it takes to excel at being that special on in the center of a family.

Gorgeous illustrations illuminate a story of a little group of siblings. Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Henry Holt and Company.

Review: Rocket Says Look Up! by Nathan Bryon

| Tasha

Rocket Says Look Up by Nathan Bryon

Rocket Says Look Up! by Nathan Bryon, illustrated by Dapo Adeola (9781984894427)

Rocket is a little girl who is really interested in astronomy and science. There’s a meteor shower happening tonight, and Rocket wants everyone to know about it and watch it with her. So when her big brother heads to the store with her, Rocket grabs the announcement microphone and tells everyone about the meteor shower. But when she laughs at her brother for not looking up from his phone and getting splashed by a car, he tells her that he won’t take her to the park that night. Luckily, her mother intervenes and they head out to the park. There’s a group of people who want to see it with them, but as time goes by and nothing appears in the sky except for stars, they all wander off. Only Rocket and her brother are left and Rocket is so sad that she dragged them out for nothing. But when her brother finally looks up from his phone, it’s show time!

Bryon has written a very dynamic picture book about a girl scientist with a love for science that she just has to share. The older brother is a great character too with his head down looking at his phone all the time, but also someone who patiently leads his little sister around all day and even into the night. Their interplay with one another is written with honesty and a modern look at technology.

The illustrations show a busy African-American family and a young girl who is dressed to head into the stars immediately. The pictures are filled with humor and the characters show real emotions on the page. Using beams of light in the final pages filled with darkness works nicely to highlight the action both on earth and in the sky.

A diverse and dynamic STEM picture book. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: A Dream of Flight by Rob Polivka

| Tasha

A Dream of Flight by Rob Polivka

A Dream of Flight by Rob Polivka and Jef Polivka (9780374306618)

Released on July 30, 2019.

Alberto Santos-Dumont lived in Brazil long before airplanes were invented. Fascinated by machines starting at a young age, Santos came to Paris in 1892. He took a ride with a balloon maker high above the city where they floated in the clouds. Inspired, Santos began to design his own balloon, but he wanted it to move through the air like a ship rather than just floating. He designed one airship after another, learning to follow his own instincts, create structural stability, and built a weight system. Each time he flew, something went wrong, but Santos was not deterred. He just designed a new airship and tried again. A prize of 100,000 francs was announced for the first person who could pilot an airship from the club around the Eiffel Tower and back in less than 30 minutes. Now Santos had a challenge and a prize to win!

Polivka tells the story of Santos with a sprightly tone that is just right for the subject. They share enough details about Paris at the time to firmly anchor the biography in a place and time. The information about the airships is shared with a tone of wonder and also a nod toward the dangers of what Santos was attempting. The art has a vintage feel that works well. It depicts Santos’ little automobile, the view from the balloon over Paris, and the various models of Santos’ airships.

A clever look at flying before airplanes, this picture book biography soars. Appropriate for ages 4-7.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 

Review: Harold & Hog Pretend for Real by Dan Santat

| Tasha

Harold & Hog Pretend for Real by Dan Santat

Harold & Hog Pretend for Real by Dan Santat (9781368027168)

Harold and Hog decide to pretend to be Elephant and Piggie in this easy reader that pays homage to the genius of Mo Willems while making something entirely new.  The two characters put on Gerald’s glasses and Piggie’s nose to help them pretend. Harold starts to describe what Piggie is like with Piggie’s carefree exuberance. Harold can’t wait to try to be Gerald with his carefulness too. Harold wants to be careful as he dances, flies and does so many things! Suddenly Harold realizes that he can’t be Gerald and Hog can’t be Piggie, they just can’t pretend that much. Perhaps though there is a solution!

Filled with exactly the right dialogue and humor, this is a very clever take on the classic Elephant and Piggie. The art itself pulls the story far enough away from Elephant and Piggie to make it clear that this is different. Add to that the juxtaposing attitudes of Harold and Hog and you have a set up for pure delight. The book even includes a touch of Pigeon to round it all out.

Smart, funny and just what Mo would want. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: Beastly Puzzles by Rachel Poliquin

| Tasha

Beastly Puzzles by Rachel Poliquin

Beastly Puzzles by Rachel Poliquin, illustrated by Byron Eggenschwiler (9781771389136)

So many guessing game books about animals are for very young children, but this one will challenge those in elementary school as well. Taking cues from historical descriptions of animals that were based on known animal elements, this book is devilishly difficult even with the extra hint provided. One might expect the animals to be unusual, but they are well-known animals like ostriches, polar bears, frogs, and kangaroos! Open the gate fold and discover how that animal can be described as made from all sorts of bits and pieces.

Poliquin’s description of each animal in terms of their elements is profoundly and delightfully confusing. A kangaroo for example is described as made up of enormous feet, an extra leg (for going slow), boxing gloves, rabbit ears, a peanut, a secret compartment, and a springboard! A large part of the joy of the book is being entirely befuddled by the clues and then learning how they all fit together. It’s not frustrating at all to be confused, but part of the fun.

The art has a great vintage vibe to it that suits the old-fashioned descriptions of the animals. It is modernized by the use of bright colors and a vibrant image of each of the animals on the reveal page. Cleverly designed with gate folds that add to the suspense too.

Fun and frustrating at the same time, much to everyone’s delight. Appropriate for ages 5-8.

Reviewed from library copy.