Author: Tasha

Bob, Not Bob! by Liz Garton Scanlon

| Tasha

bob-not-bob-by-liz-garton-scanlon

Bob, Not Bob! by Liz Garton Scanlon & Audrey Vernick, illustrated by Matthew Cordell

Released February 14, 2017.

An awful cold can cause chaos, especially if you have a dog named Bob. Little Louie is big enough that he doesn’t need his mother all the time, but when he gets sick he needs her quite a bit more. As his cold grows, his congestion makes him talk differently. So when he calls for his Mom, it comes out as “Bob.” Unfortunately though, when he calls “Bob” his dog comes running. As his cold gets worse, he only wants his mom near him, confusing his sister with confusing sentences and continuing to call his dog accidentally. Luckily though, his mom knows just what he needs.

This book is seriously fun to read aloud. The cover instructs you to read it “as though you have the worst cold ever.” And it’s a delight. The phrases that seem confusing on the page pop into sense when read aloud. The book also delights by having a child who wants his mom around him when he’s not feeling well and who also manages to confuse everyone about what he actually wants and needs. The result of the confusion though is lovely motherly warmth and attention, so actually everyone gets exactly what they need.

Cordell’s illustrations add to the zingy energy of the book. He takes the confusing language that Louie uses and creates large words with them that show those reading aloud exactly what to say in that wonderful congested voice. The family shown are people of color, giving a nice touch of diversity to the book. Add in the huge dog that bounds on the page and you have pure joy on the page.

Perfect for anyone home sick in bed, this picture book will please any kid who has a terrible cold or a great sense of humor. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Disney Hyperion.

2017 Rainbow Book List

| Tasha

The Rainbow Book List is a list of books with LGBTQIA+ content aimed at youth, ages birth through 18. The 2017 list includes high quality titles published between Junly 2015 and December 2016. The list includes 50 titles. Below are the Top Ten Titles identified by the committee:

And I Darken (The Conqueror's Saga, #1) Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children, #1)

And I Darken by Kiersten White

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire

How Many Letters Are in Goodbye? I'm a Girl!

How Many Letters Are in Goodbye? by Yvonne Cassidy

I’m a Girl by Yasmeen Ismail

Introducing Teddy: A Gentle Story About Gender and Friendship Princess Princess Ever After

Introducing Teddy: A Gentle Story About Gender and Friendship by Jessica Walton, illustrated by Dougal MacPherson

Princess Princess Ever After by Katie O’Neill

The Root (Wrath & Athenaeum #1) This Song Is (Not) for You

The Root by Na’amen Gobert Tilahun

This Song Is (Not) for You by Laura Nowlin

We Are the Ants When the Moon Was Ours

We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson

When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore

 

 

This Week’s Tweets, Pins and Tumbls

| Tasha

Here are some cool links I shared on my Twitter, Pinterest, and Tumblr accounts this week:

CHILDREN’S LIT

10 Unforgettable Meals from Children’s Books

Carole Boston Weatherford has won the 2017 Charlotte Zolotow Award for “Freedom in Congo Square”!

Children’s Book Awards Highlight Race — and Politics

Discovering Deafness Through Children’s Literature

How To Get Dads To A Parenting Class? Ask Them To Read To Their Kid

Minnesota author Kelly Barnhill wins 2017 Newbery Medal for The Girl Who Drank the Moon | CTV News

Teaching New York City Children to Read in English, Even When Their Parents Can’t

TEEN LIT

Childwise report says print reading declines in teen years | The Bookseller

Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson

| Tasha

allegedly-by-tiffany-d-jackson

Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson

Mary has served six years for killing a baby when she was nine years old. Now she is living in a group home with other teen girls, including ones who want to hurt her. Mary doesn’t talk much and didn’t speak for months after the baby’s death. Now though, Mary has something to speak up for and fight for. She has an older boyfriend who works at the nursing home where Mary is assigned. She also has their unborn child. Mary is smart and loves to read. She sets her mind on going to college and completing SATs. However, there are a lot of hurdles and barriers in her way from the system itself to just getting an ID. As Mary starts to fight back she will have to take on her mother, the person whose testimony got her locked up in the first place.

This is one incredible debut novel. It takes a dark and unflinching look at how our society treats young offenders and the bleak lives that are left to them. It also speaks to the horror of a baby being killed and the effect that race, where a black girl is accused of killing a white baby, has on the system. The writing is outstanding, allowing the desperation to seep into the pages and the darkness to simply stand, stark and true.

Mary is an amazing protagonist. Readers will relate to her as her intelligence shines on the page despite the grime surrounding her. As she begins to build hope and a new life around herself, readers will feel their own hopes soar and warmth creep in. Mary though is not a simple character, a girl wronged. She is her own person, messing up in her own ways and speaking her own truth.

Complex and riveting, this debut novel is one that is dazzling, deep and dark. Appropriate for ages 16-18.

Reviewed from e-galley received from Edelweiss and Katherine Tegen Books.

One Lonely Fish by Andy Mansfield

| Tasha

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One Lonely Fish by Andy Mansfield and Thomas Flintham

Released January 31, 2017.

One little lonely yellow fish swims in the ocean. But soon he is joined with one fish and then others, each following with their mouth wide open to eat the fish in front of them. Counting one to ten, the fish grow bigger and bigger. Eventually though, there is just one lonely fish on the page once again.

This simple board book has a great sense of humor. There is very little text to the book other than counting upwards, making it simple enough for very small children. The board construction is sturdy enough to make this work with toddlers. But be ready for the little ones to be very surprised and perhaps sad with the twist at the end. Still, the likelihood is giggles, not tears.

The illustrations are bright and colorful. There are two little red crabs on the bottom of all of the pages with the bright yellow sand who warn observant readers of the final twist a page ahead of time. The fish are a rainbow of colors and have a variety of patterns as well.

Energetic and colorful, you are sure to be hooked by this fishy picture book. Appropriate for ages 1-3.

Reviewed from copy received from Bloomsbury.

 

 

Plant the Tiny Seed by Christie Matheson

| Tasha

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Plant the Tiny Seed by Christie Matheson

The author of Tap the Magic Tree and Touch the Brightest Star returns with another interactive picture book that is a companion to the first two. The child first plants the seeds by pressing them into the ground. They wiggle their fingers to water them. Then comes sunshine and rain. A hungry snail has to be hurried on its way. And all the while the plants are growing and growing. Then come the flowers, bright zinnias of purple, orange and red. The flowers fade and soon there are new seeds to be scattered.

This book shows the cycle from seed to plant to flower to seed in a simple and very approachable way. While it won’t work well for large groups, smaller groups of children or single children will love the interactive component and the feeling that they are gardening along with the book. The book incorporates plenty of other nature as well with snails, bees, birds and butterflies on the page. There is also lots for parents and children to talk about, making the book even more interactive.

Matheson’s illustrations are bright and simple. She keeps the plants in the same spot on each page, so the weather and creatures provide movement and changes. Deep brown soil richly frames the bottom of the pages and most of them have a clear white as a background that lets the simple illustrations pop.

A great way to explore the life cycle of plants, this picture book is simple and friendly enough for toddlers to enjoy. Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from copy received from HarperCollins.

 

Lola Gets a Cat by Anna McQuinn

| Tasha

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Lola Gets a Cat by Anna McQuinn, illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw

Released February 14, 2017.

Continuing the Lola series, this book is all about Lola wanting a pet of her own. Lola’s mother says that cats are a lot of work, so Lola researches about cats and starts to practice on her stuffed toy cat, Dinah. Eventually, her mother agrees that Lola can have her own cat. They go to the shelter where one cat picks out Lola. The family shops for all of the items they will need to take care of their new pet. Lola practices a lot of patience, letting her new pet settle in before trying to play. The two of them steadily become great friends with lots of snuggles.

There is a gorgeous warmth to all of the Lola books and this one is no exception. The strong family dynamic is shown once again here as well with Lola’s parents making sure that she is capable of caring for a pet before allowing her to have one. The book has a strong focus not only on Lola’s wishes for a pet but on the importance of allowing the pet to be happy as well.

Beardshaw’s illustrations are full of small details that add to the warm feel. There are drawings of cats around the rooms. Lola’s interest in cats is evident from her patterned pajamas to the barrette in her hair to the decorations in her room. As she practices to own a cat, the emphasis is on effort not perfection as Lola spills water. All of these elements add up to show children that they too can one day care for an animal in their own way.

A lovely book about pet ownership that shows the importance of giving a new pet space and time to find their own way. Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from copy received from Charlesbridge.

 

The Harlem Charade by Natasha Tarpley

| Tasha

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The Harlem Charade by Natasha Tarpley (InfoSoup)

Released January 31, 2017.

Three children in Harlem set out to solve a mystery. Jin, who has grown up in her adopted grandparents bodega, longs for some adventure to spice up her days. Alex is a girl who won’t talk about her family or her circumstances. She spends her days doing good deeds and working to feed those less fortunate. Elvin isn’t from Harlem, but has been sent there to stay with his grandfather. Unfortunately, his grandfather was attacked and is now hospitalized. The three start to investigate what happened to him and along the way discover a mystery of the art scene in Harlem and the dangers of developers to the small businesses that make Harlem so special. Along the way, the three discover real friendship, learn about their community and make a personal difference themselves.

Tarpley’s writing offers just enough background to inform and keeps it brief enough that the pace never slows. She handles the pacing deftly throughout the novel, allowing just enough time to catch your breath before the speed picks up again. The setting of Harlem is brought fully to life, both today’s Harlem and the Harlem of the 1960s. The setting is vital to the story and readers get to fully explore the sights, sounds and vibrancy of this neighborhood.

Tarpley has cast her book with many diverse characters and I’m very pleased to see them shown on the cover. The three main characters are all individual and unique, bringing their own skills and knowledge to the quest to solve the mystery. I appreciated that they didn’t always get along and that their viewpoints were different enough to create issues that were addressed in the story. The villains of the story are also wonderfully evil, adding a great deal of satisfaction as their roles are made clear.

An incredible debut novel that offers a winning diverse cast and a rich look at Harlem. Appropriate for ages 9-12.

Reviewed from ARC received from Scholastic Press.

Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell

| Tasha

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Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell

A little girl heads home from school as snow starts to fall. She is warmly dressed for the weather in a bright-red coat and a scarf over her face. She has a dog at home waiting eagerly for her return. There is also a pack of wolves nearby with one small wolf cub. The snow falls faster and both girl and cub become lost, finding one another in a small grove of trees. They can hear the howls of the wolves, so the girl picks up the cub and heads that direction. Along the way, they have to cross a river and face other animals. When they reach the wolves, the little girl returns the cub to the pack and heads home herself. She can hear her dog barking and see the lights of home, but becomes too cold and weak to continue. Luckily, she has made friends of the wolves.

This is a beautiful story told in an almost wordless way with the only words in the form of howls of the wolves and barks of the dog. It is a book about selflessness and courage in the face of adversity. It is also about kindness and taking the time to save someone else even if it puts you into danger. The book is paced beautifully, taking time to create moments that underline the new connections and friendships being made as the girl displays her humanity.

The images have to carry this wordless book and do so with an appealing use of panels that create a sense of brisk pace and adventure throughout. The illustrations are filled with just enough drama to make it clear that there is real danger in being out on a winter night. Still, the danger never seems to be the wolves themselves but the cold and the snow.

A beautiful look at nature and wolves and the way that kindness can build bridges without words. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from library copy.