Book Reviews

All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson – Book Review

| Tasha

All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson (9781547605897)

Sage’s entire life changed on her thirteenth birthday. It was the day her best friend was killed by a drunk driver as she walked to Sage’s house. Now Sage is lost in her grief and ashamed of the way she treated her friend on the day she died. Sage has joined a counseling group at school with other girls who have experienced recent deaths of loved ones. As Sage and the other girls process their grief together, there are moments of sadness, anger and somehow friendship manages to grow too.

This is one of the best and most piercing depictions of grief for teens that I have ever read. I appreciate that that book moves beyond blame, shame and anger to also show healing and good things happening. Newbery Honor winning author, Watson, has written this book in a dynamic mixture of prose and verse, allowing real feelings to be shown bare and honest on the page. All of the processing of grief and healing feels organic and true as readers see the various shades of blue that grief entails.

One of the best teen novels about grief, get this one in your collection. Appropriate for ages 12+.

Reviewed from library copy.

Kente for Jojo by Bernard Mensah – Book Review

| Tasha

Kente for Jojo by Bernard Mensah, illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon

A boy wakes up on a special day and races to put on his Kente shirt. As the family heads out, his father tells him the story of Kente. Today is the day they pick out the Kente pattern for his little brother, Jojo. At the Kente store, Kente line the walls and the workers sit at looms weaving. He wants something special for Jojo, so he approaches one of the weavers and they work together to pick a pattern and weave it just for Jojo. When the boy makes a mistake, it becomes part of Jojo’s Kente too. 

This picture book celebrates Kente and its importance in Ghanaian culture. The book ends with more details about Kente, including a longer version of the legend, a brief history, and what the colors mean. The warm and loving family allows the boy to take the lead in deciding on his baby brother’s Kente, instilling a sense of tradition and responsibility to the entire book. The illustrations are filled with cloth patterns and the glowing characters. Done in collage, paint, pen, marker and thread, the illustrations capture Kente on the page.

A beautiful look at Kente and its importance to one little boy. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Alfred A. Knopf.

Firefly Song by Colleen Paeff – Book Review

| Tasha

Firefly Song: Lynn Frierson Faust and the Great Smoky Mountain Discovery by Colleen Paeff, illustrated by Ji-Hyuk Kim (9781665931847)

Lynn grew up going to Elkmont in the Great Smoky Mountains every summer. She swam in the water, climbed trees, and walked in the forests. For a few weeks every summer, the fireflies put on a light-filled display in the evening. The entire family would gather to watch the fireflies flash in sync then go dark, then light up in sync once more. When Lynn tried to research fireflies as she grew up, she couldn’t find much information. Then when she read an article, she found that scientists thought that the only fireflies that flashed in sync were in Southeast Asia. Lynn knew that they were wrong. Now she just had to convince one scientist to take her seriously. 

This story of a self-taught naturalist and scientist shows that paying close attention to nature can create new discoveries. The book focuses on Lynn’s childhood and her growing interest in getting others to see what she has found. Throughout the text and the illustrations, there is a sense of joy in nature, of play and discovery along the way. The illustrations are done in watercolor and digital media. The watercolors are allowed to bleed together to create the backgrounds against which nature dazzles. 

A beautiful look at discovery in nature. Appropriate for ages 5-9.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Margaret K. McElderry Books.

Big Boy Joy by Connie Schofield-Morrison – Book Review

| Tasha

Big Boy Joy by Connie Schofield-Morrison, illustrated by Shamar Knight-Justice (9781547611515)

A little boy visits a park and has a great time playing. Told with plenty of action words, he climbs and slides on the equipment. Then crashes into another child. Soon the two are sharing toys and playing with dinosaurs together. There’s another crash when the boy heads to the sandbox and a tire falls off a toy truck. But no worries, he can fix it himself. A snack is next, then some playing on the swings, some water play. It’s time to go home. A look at what a small child can expect when heading to a park told in a merry noisy and action-filled way that is sure to please. The Black characters and creators lean into the joy of a day of play. 

Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Bloomsbury Children’s Books.

When You Go to Dragon School by Chelsea Campbell – Book Review

| Tasha

When You Go to Dragon School by Chelsea Campbell, illustrated by Charlene Chua (9781250293015)

Human school is packed too full, so some kids are going to have to attend Dragon School. But dragon school is pretty different. You learn to breathe fire, take naps on piles of gold, learn how to polish your scales and sharpen your claws. Best of all you will learn how to fly! Except humans can’t fly. Perhaps the kids shouldn’t go to dragon school then. It may be way too dangerous. With a little clever thinking though, the humans and dragons just might make the best of classmates.

With a sense of humor throughout, this book takes a wry look at starting a new school, being different from your classmates, and how compromises make everything better for everyone. The illustrations are bold and colorful, bringing to life a world filled with dragons and children.

A great start-of-school read aloud. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Feiwel & Friends.

Where the Deer Slip Through by Katey Howes – Book Review

| Tasha

Where the Deer Slip Through by Katey Howes, illustrated by Beth Krommes (9781665918275)

In a yard with a hedge and a stone wall, there is a gap where the deer slip through to bring their young and munch the grass. There is a hollow where the rabbits squeeze to reach the dandelion patch. The wall has a crack where the lizards come through to bask on the stones. There are branches that the doves fly through and a hole in a tree where the bats swoop. And finally, the curtain in the house that is drawn to let someone sleep as the animals curl up too.

Told in rhymes, this picture book has a classic and timeless feel thanks to its structure as a nearly cumulative tale. The illustrations too, have a classic feel that is made modern with its use of scratchboard and watercolor.

A lovely bedtime book that shows what nature can do in a small backyard. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Beach Lane Books.

The Friendship Train by Debbie Levy – Book Review

| Tasha

The Friendship Train: A True Story of Helping and Healing after World War II by Debbie Levy, illustrated by Boris Kulikov (9781547608027)

Children is Europe following World War II were going hungry after war decimated their countries. In the US, one man asked how he could help and soon Drew Pearson was thinking big. He dreamed of a Friendship Train that could cross the nation gathering donations from people across the country to send to Europe. Pearson made the suggestion in a national paper and soon he got lots of letters in return. Children wanted to help. Soon the plan grew bigger and bigger, as everyone worked together to make a difference for people they had never met.

An important story of children’s impact as they worked together to help others and the man who created an idea that grew and grew to meet what children accomplished. Just the empowering nonfiction we need about thinking of others, seeing everyone as human and working to make change. 

Appropriate for ages 5-10.

Reviewed from copy provided by Bloomsbury Children’s Books.

I Am the Swarm by Hayley Chewins – Book Review

| Tasha

I Am the Swarm by Hayley Chewins (9780593623862)

Nell knows that her magic is going to appear soon since woman in her family gets their magic at age fifteen. Each woman’s is unique to them. Her mother changes ages constantly, her grandmother can feel every room in the house she is in, her aunt’s hair whispers secrets to her. Perhaps the worst of them is Nell’s sister, Mora, who bleeds music and who uses razor blades to release it from her body. Mora is now in the hospital to get help, and Nell fears what her own magic will do to her. When her magic arrives as insects that reveal the emotions that Nell is unable to feel, Nell doesn’t know what to do. The blue stick insects are her sadness, the ladybugs are her creativity, but worst are the wasps that are her rage. Can Nell manage to lock away her emotions deep inside to keep the wasps from coming again? Or can she find a way to feel these dangers emotions somehow?

This verse novel is simply incredible. Chewins writes a book of raw and edgy verse that demands that we see beyond the magic to the truth of each person’s experience. The verse lays bare Nell’s experience, including the abuse that she refuses to acknowledge and the trauma of her family because and despite the magic they have. The use of insects adds a creepy beauty to the book, enough to make your skin itch but also be in awe of the spectacle.

Furious, beautiful and dangerous, this verse novel insists on being heard. Appropriate for ages 13-16.

Reviewed from library copy.

Lighthouse Ladies by Kris Coronado – Book Review

| Tasha

Lighthouse Ladies: Shining a Spotlight on Hardy Heroines by Kris Coronado, illustrated by Islenia Mil

This nonfiction picture book shares the stories of four women from history who worked in lighthouses across the United States. The jobs were a challenging mix of boredom, dedication and danger in tight quarters, often wearing long dresses. Ida Lewis worked a lighthouse in Rhode Island and was known for rescuing people whose boats had capsized. Juliet Nicols in California was challenged by the fog and her resilience and strength alone kept the fog bell sounding. Venus Parker worked in Virginia with her husband. She had to carry on despite terrible ice and her husband’s unexpected death. Julia Toomey worked in Hawaiian lighthouses with her parents. When her father died saving the lighthouse, Julia had to manage to carry on. 

These stories of women and girls facing impossible tasks to save strangers from wrecking their ships and boats on the rocks capture the fraught nature of working in a lighthouse. The stories capsize the image of lighthouses as peaceful icons and instead show the risky work close up. They also ruin the tales that are often told of men having these sorts of roles rather than women. The illustrations are friendly and approachable, filled with curving stairs and beautiful lighthouses until the pages turn dark with storms and the dramatic moments happen. 

A glorious look at women facing danger head on with skill and resilience. Appropriate for ages 7-10.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Clarion Books.