Author: Tasha

Wake Your Friday Brain Cells – Sept 26 Edition

| Tasha

BOOK AWARDS

Meet the winners of the 2025 B.C. and Yukon Book Prizes – Vancouver Sun

Winners of SWCC Book Awards for science writing announced – Quill & Quire

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

The 25 Greatest Picture Books of the Past 25 Years – Slate

How a secret recording of a gender identity lecture upended Texas A&M – Texas Public Radio

A ‘Miss Nelson Is Missing!’ Movie Is Coming! Everything to Know About the Film Adaptation – Parade

Mo Willems on How He’s Forced Millions of Adults to Get Silly – Slate

My Kid Loves Dav Pilkey Books. What Should They Read Next? – New York Times

World Kid Lit Month: Illustrations Without Borders – SCBWI Blog

LIBRARIES

Libraries Are at the Heart of the Reading Ecosystem – EdTrust

Viral Instagram videos on Hong Kong’s libraries are ‘like a time capsule’ – South China Morning Post

Why Teens Love to Hang Out at the Library – KQED

YA LIT

LGBTQ+ Teens Need Books That Teach Them About Sex, Not Shame Them For It – People

Twilight at 20: how Stephenie Meyer’s vampire saga changed young adult fiction forever – The Conversation

2 New Awesome Early Readers – Book Recommendations

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I Like Cheese! By Salina Yoon (9781547612420)

The first in a new graphic novel easy reader series, this book explores the friendship of Kat and Mouse. The two meet each day for lunch together. Kat is always inventing new sandwiches and explaining them to Mouse with great excitement. In contrast, Mouse prefers to have the same lunch every day. Cheese! Once the two friends realize how different they are, they decide to not have lunch together any longer. Mouse is saddened by the decision, thinking he is far too dull for exciting Kat. When Kat finds that she misses Mouse, it is Mouse who has the great idea of a compromise. 

Wonderfully inviting and readable, this graphic novel easy reader uses speech bubbles, comic frames and bright colors to create something fresh and new. The interaction of the characters is remarkably impactful given the limited vocabulary and word count. 

Readers will look forward to the next Kat & Mouse book. Appropriate for ages 5-7.

Reviewed from ARC provided by Bloomsbury.

The Tunneler Tunnels in the Tunnel by Michael Rex (9781665962100)

A penguin starts his long tunnel, the tunneler tunnels in the tunnel. Along the way, he pops up into various other locations. In the garden, the gardener in gardening. On the farm, the farmer is farming. The tunneler visits a mine, a building, camp, and even a baseball field as he tunnels around. In each spot, he hands out an invitation to something. It’s not revealed until the end what the tunneler has been doing with his tunneling tunnels. 

Filled with wordplay, this beginning reader is a lot of fun both to share aloud or for new readers to read on their own. The illustrations are crisp and clever with touches that keep the book and the repeating words from getting stale. 

The reader should be reading this reader. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Edelweiss & Simon Spotlight.

All the Stars in the Sky by Art Coulson – Book Recommendation

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All the Stars in the Sky by Art Coulson, illustrated by Winona Nelson (9781665931373)

Clay was determined to be selected as the last start of the week for his classroom that year. He ran home to ask the advice of the smartest person he knew, his grandmother. When Clay explained that the star would make him the most important person at school, Elisi frowned and said that his family and community were more important than any individual. Clay was disappointed and confused. That night, Elisi used the star-filled sky to show Clay what she had meant. One star is only part of an entire constellation. Clay thought about what his grandmother had said and when he was made Star of the Week, he knew exactly what to do.

When reading this picture book, I was first struck by the indigenous beadwork created by the illustrator from her Ojibwe heritage. It is a beautiful part of all of the watercolor and pencil illustrations, making the art entirely unique, adding colorful flow to the pages, forming frost crystals and making stars and suns. Created by an author of Cherokee descent, the story is told in a frank and engaging way, focusing on the difference between the importance of individual vs. community. 

A unique and beautiful book to get readers thinking. Appropriate for ages 4-7.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.

Family Feast! by Carole Boston Weatherford – Book Recommendation

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Family Feast! By Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Frank Morrison (9780593898291)

Big Ma and Pops start bright and early preparing for the family to visit. They peel fruit for pie and get the fish ready to fry. As people arrive, the kitchen gets busy, filled with various dishes either prepared right there or brought in by cousins, uncles and aunts. There are the noises of the kitchen, the pride of those providing dishes they are known for, and the longing of the children to start eating. The family gathers at the table, offers a prayer, and then start to eat. Afterwards, there is dessert, a few naps and once night comes everyone heads home. 

This merry and loving picture book has been created by two masters of the form. It has a refrain that captures the entire story: “Tastes like home when family meet; a bond so warm, so strong, so sweet.” The writing is done in rhyming stanzas that add to the feeling of joy and the buoyant nature of the get-together. The illustrations are fabulous, capturing a family gathering from various perspectives. I particularly enjoyed the image looking down at the table before they begin to eat and also when we see the gathering from the perspective of the children in the room. 

Joy in family and gathering together shines in this picture book. Appropriate for ages 4-7.

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

First Nation Communities READ Shortlist Announced

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The shortlists for the 2025-2026 First Nation Communities READ have been announced. The awards are given for the best Indigenous literature from Canada and voted on by First Nation librarians from Ontario. The awards will be given during First Nation Public Library Week (October 6-10).

Here are the shortlists:

CHILDREN’S

The Animal People Choose a Leader by Richard Wagamese, illustrated by Bridget George

Bannock in a Hammock by Masiana Kelly

Boozhoo!/Hello! by Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley, translated by Mary Ann Corbiere

Dad, I Miss You by Nadia Sammurtok

Hummingbird/Aamo-binashee by Jennifer Leason, translated by Norman Chartrand

YOUNG ADULT/ADULT CATEGORY

The Baby Train by Stella Shepard

Little Moons by Jen Storm

Lost at Windy River by Trina Rathgeber

Medicine Wheel for the Planet by Dr. Jennifer Grenz

Who We Are: Four Questions for a Life and Nation by the Honourable Murray Sinclair

2 New Picture Books Full of Child Power – Book Recommendations

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Little Rebels by Yuyi Morales (9780823447541)

Welcome to the world of little rebels. You can be one too! Little rebels are looking for stories. They make poetry. They are dreamers and while rebellious they make sure to take care of others along the way. They know to turn to their ancestors when things get too big for them to change and also to change smaller things as they can. They learn and grow, making their own magic rather than waiting for it to happen. 

Based on the author’s childhood experience at a freshwater lagoon and then her return in adulthood to find it dried up, this picture book explores nature with three BIPOC child characters who serve as additional voices in the story via their speech bubbles. Accompanied by animal friends, the three travel a landscape of frogs, plants and then desolation. Morales is calling for action, for caring for one another, for kindness and awareness in this book. 

Strong and haunting. Appropriate for ages 3-6.

Reviewed from copy provided by Neal Porter Books.

Together, United by Tami Charles, illustrated by Bryan Collier (9781338752052)

This is the final book in the All Because You Matter trilogy. It is a picture book that speaks to the fact that all children were born of stars and brought to just this place via gravity and the Big Bang. The book is about using your voice and finding your gifts to share with others. It strongly points out that if we work together the impact of our efforts is far beyond what we could do alone. This is a book for our times and for children of today. As always, Collier’s art is tremendous, particularly when combined with the poetic skill of an author like Charles. Combined with the other books in the series, it is a call to action, a demand that we use our voices and an empowering book to share with children who may feel scared and powerless. Appropriate for ages 5-10.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Edelweiss and Scholastic.

Wake Your Friday Brain Cells – Sept 19 Edition

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BOOK AWARDS

2025 Washington State Book Awards Winners Announced – Seattle Mag

Victoria Book Prizes announce nominees, new category for 2025 awards – Times Colonist

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

15 Picture Books That Celebrate Hispanic & Latine Heritage – Brightly

2026 Newbery/Caldecott Fall Prediction Edition – Fuse #8

Are You Ready for a POUT POUT FISH Animated Movie? – 100 Scope Notes

The best children’s fantasy novels, according to Katherine Rundell – iNews

The Best Middle Grade Podcasts and What You Get From Them – From the Mixed-Up Files

How To Raise a Reader in an Age of Digital Distraction – Lit Hub

My Favorite Back to School Middle Grade Novels – ALSC

Top 5 children’s books to inspire awe for our universe, chosen by Chloe Savage – Big Issue

LIBRARIES

I’m a Librarian, Therapist, Personal Assistant, and First Responder. Moments Like This Make It All Worth It. – Slate

Librarians Are Being Asked to Find AI-Hallucinated Books – 404 Media

Libraries Can Be Democracy’s Living Room – Next City

‘They said I should be purged and killed’: The librarians who stood up for free speech – The Telegraph

YA LIT

7 New YA Horror Novels to Pop on Your Fall TBR Right Now – Book Riot

85 Scary (And Not-So-Scary) 2025 Young Adult Books To Get Readers In The Halloween Spirit – Pop Goes the Reader

This One’s for the Fans: The Rise of the YA Novella – Publishers Weekly

The Monster in the Lake by Leo Timmers – Book Recommendation

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The Monster in the Lake by Leo Timmers (9798765670507)

When one of the ducks wants to go to the lake, Eric asks about the monster that lives there. The other ducks assure him that that’s just a story and there are only fish and frogs in the lake, so he follows them reluctantly. When he peeks his head below the surface, he sees the huge horned monster there. When he shouts to the other ducks, they think he is joking and keep on swimming. Eric soon finds himself face-to-face with the monster, but it’s not quite what he expected.

Timmers builds wonderful suspense here as he fills the page mostly with green lake water with the ducks way at the top. The fish and frogs float past and the reveal of the monster is great fun and deftly paced for maximum impact. Though this is a book with a monster, there is a merriment that keeps the feelings light, plus the monster itself helps with that since it’s quite charming. A great combination of building story line and brilliant use of the page, this would make a great read aloud for older children. 

A monstrously great book to sink into. Appropriate for age 4-7.

Reviewed from copy provided by Gecko Press.

If We Were Dogs by Sophie Blackall – Book Recommendation

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If We Were Dogs by Sophie Blackall (9780316581721)

A merry look at two children playing together where one decides that they should be dogs. They will be the big dog and the other the little dog. They can wag tails, drink from water bowls, fetch big sticks and much more. Somehow though, the little dog keeps on not having much fun while the big dog is merrily playing. When even more dogs join them, the little dog has had enough! A clever look at how playing together means incorporating others’ ideas into imaginary scenarios. As always the illustrations by Blackall are charming. In particular, the little dog’s face captures his worry, doubt and how put-upon he feels.

A delightful doggy romp. Appropriate for ages 3-5. 

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Hachette Book Group.