Picture Books

3 Silly New Picture Books

| Tasha

If the S in Moose Comes Loose by Peter Hermann

If the S in Moose Comes Loose by Peter Hermann, illustrated by Matthew Cordell (9780062295101)

This picture book takes wordplay and makes it the focus of the story. When Cow’s friend Moose loses her S and E, cow decides to get some glue. But in order to do that, she has to make some and spell the word “GLUE”. Cow asks to take Goat’s G, and exchange it for a B that she steals from Bear. So Goat becomes Boat and Bear becomes Ear. As Cow continues to take letters, things get stranger and stranger. A chair becomes hair, a lake becomes cake, a house becomes a hose, and so on. Finally Cow has the letters she needs to make glue and bring back her friend, but there’s still some mess to clean up too.

This rambunctious story takes a wild look at words, letter sounds and spelling. Hermann’s fast and zany pace creates a picture book that flies right by. Throughout, different characters add to the chaos, including the Bull who refuses to share his U and the very confused Boat who used to be a Goat. The illustrations by Cordell add to the fun with their loose lines and dashing action scenes. They also make it nicely clear what letters are forming each creature’s name, so that children will be able to play along as the words shift. A fast and funny look at words. Appropriate for ages 4-6. (Reviewed from library copy.)

Sheep 101 by Richard T. Morris

Sheep 101 by Richard T. Morris, illustrated by Leuyen Pham (9780316213592)

A boy is counting sheep to fall asleep, but then sheep number 101 crashes into the fence and gets stuck. The boy tells them not to stop and talk to each other, but soon even more is going wrong. A cow enters instead of a sheep, posing as number 103 and jumping the fence and the sheep easily. The pig who comes next can’t make it over Sheep 101 who is still stuck. When the blind mouse and Humpty Dumpty add to the chaos, someone has to help. Who could it be?

Filled with lots of humor and surprises, young listeners will love this book. It is a treat to read aloud with the characters talking directly to the reader and causing all sorts of problems along the way. The final twist will surprise everyone and places the book firmly into the world of today’s children. The illustrations are a treat, featuring lots of speech balloons, a weeping pig, a cow who does backflips, and a rather cross sheep. Share this one with a group of preschoolers for plenty of cheers! Appropriate for ages 4-6. (Reviewed from library copy.)

People Don_t Bite People by Lisa Wheeler

People Don’t Bite People by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by Molly Idle (9781481490825)

This picture book is all about not biting people but being able to bite other things like gum. Animals may bite too, but they are not people. Even if you mood is bad, you don’t bite other people. No biting mothers or fathers, you choose who you chomp. This book must be read aloud with its galloping rhyme that even has a chorus that repeats and invites listeners to join in too. The entire book is a look at biting and has a light hearted tone throughout that will have children giggling. The illustrations by award-winning Idle have the same feel as her popular Flora books but this time with a vintage flair. Ideal for sharing with a group of kids! Appropriate for ages 2-4. (Reviewed from copy provided by Atheneum.)

 

 

3 Artistic New Books for Children

| Tasha

The Amazing Collection of Joey Cornell by Candace Fleming

The Amazing Collection of Joey Cornell by Candace Fleming, illustrated by Gerard Dubois (9780399552380)

When Joey Cornell was a child, he collected all sorts of things that interested him. Both of his parents helped find small treasures for his collection. Year after year, his collection grew and grew as he added to it. There were bright colored feathers, butterfly wings, doll heads, leaves, a safe, and much more. After the death of his father, when he was thirteen, Joey began to spend even more time with his collection and began to put the objects together into new combinations. He showed his family the art he had created and continued to collect and create new magical art. Joseph Cornell became a famous artist known for his objects placed in small wooden boxes. The final pages of the book show some of the boxes and the incredible combinations he found of disparate objects that seem to belong together and tell a complete story.

Fleming writes this book with a focus on Cornell’s childhood and the collection he created even then. Her writing invites young collectors to explore and find their own voices. Dubois’ illustrations show the growing collection and young readers can see objects stay year after year and then appear in Cornell’s pieces. There is a strong sense of continuity in the book, a stretch of time held together by the collection and by Cornell himself. This is an entrancing and fascinating look at the childhood of a famous artist. Appropriate for ages 6-9. (Reviewed from copy provided by Random House Children’s Books.)

Bloom A Story of Fashion Designer Elsa Schiaparelli by Kyo Maclear

Bloom: A Story of Fashion Designer Elsa Schiaparelli by Kyo Maclear, illustrated by Julie Morstad (9780062447616)

Raised as an unwanted second daughter who was considered ugly due to the moles on her face, Elsa grew up attracted to the bright colors of the slower market in Rome. Her imagination soars as she dreams of the stars, tries to fly and finds ideas in books and objects in the attic. Elsa become an artist and soon is designing dresses for herself, her husband, friends and her daughter. After years of work, Elsa has joined a group of artists and starts to design modern clothes that take Paris by storm. Elsa finds her own style, freedom from the harshness of her parents’ criticism and brings everyone else along on her journey to bloom.

Maclear has created a picture book biography that shows how a harsh upbringing can be overcome with imagination and hard work. The author’s note at the end of the book offers more insight into Schiaparelli’s designs that could not be shared in the short format of a picture book. It is very impressive therefore how much they did manage to share in the book itself, the illustrations and text applauding Schiaparelli’s life and her accomplishments. The illustrations move from Schiaparelli as a little girl to her designs and the incredible pink that she made famous (that is also the color of the end papers.)

This is a bright and well-designed look at Schiaparelli’s life and her designs. Appropriate for ages 6-9. (Reviewed from library copy.)

World Make Way edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins

World Make Way: New Poems Inspired by Art from The Metropolitan Museum of Art edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins (9781419728457)

This collection of children’s poetry was inspired by a Leonardo da Vinci quote: “Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt, and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen.” Paintings from the Metropolitan Museum of Art were paired with poets who wrote poems inspired by those paintings. The result is spectacular, a book that shows each poem along with the art that is tied to it. The poems reflect the paintings in unique and interesting ways, showing readers details, emotions and the feel of each one. The book ends with information on each of the poets and each of the artists. A book that invites young readers to look closely at art and see it from their own point of view. Appropriate for ages 8-12. (Reviewed from copy provided by Abrams.)

3 New and Wild Picture Books

| Tasha

Animal Babies by Charles Fuge

Animal Babies by Charles Fuge (9781633225480)

Told in rollicking rhyme, this picture book is filled with charm. Each of the illustrations has bright-eyed baby animals who are captivating as the pages turn. There are ducklings all in a line following a baby chimpanzee. A baby elephant holds onto the little horn of a baby rhino. The story moves through different habitats, visiting arctic and desert climates. Through it all, the rhyming keeps the story focused and tight and the illustrations add real appeal. The young animals are  often shown with parents caring for them, like the joey in his mother’s pouch and sloths and bats hanging upside down with their respective parent. The book ends with a heap of snoozing animals, so this would also make a great bedtime story. Appropriate for ages 2-4. (Reviewed from e-galley provided by MoonDance Press and Edelweiss.)

Hello Hello by Brendan Wenzel

Hello Hello by Brendan Wenzel (9781452150147)

The author of the Caldecott Honor Book, They All Saw a Cat, returns with a new book about animals.The book moves from black-and-white animals to colorful ones, each animal at the end of one page skillfully leading into the next, visually tying the categories together. The book is a visual treat; the animals are large and graphic. The text reads like poetry, easing from one concept to the next, the animals demonstrating that concept. Towards the end of the book, the experience is more fluid and friendly, the animals similar in certain aspects though the text stops pointing it out. This is a great book to invite discussion and more exploration of how the animals are similar and different.

The text is simple and the art has goggle-eyed animals that are approachable and that celebrate the animals they depict. The book ends by explaining that many of the animals shown are endangered and then offers a list of the animals so that children can explore more about them. Inviting, fresh and friendly, this picture book is exceptional thanks to its art. Appropriate for ages 2-5. (Reviewed from copy provided by Chronicle Books.)

The Truth about Hippos by Maxwell Eaton III

The Truth about Hippos by Maxwell Eaton III (9781626726673)

Eaton turns his signature humor on hippopotamuses this time. He shares information on the two kinds of hippos: common and pygmy. Little signs along the way add more facts and much of the humor is in the commentary made in speech bubbles by the various characters. Eaton adds a little drama with a lost baby pygmy hippo looking for his mother. The illustrations are bold and bright, inviting readers in to explore the world of hippos and stay thanks to the humor and light tone of the book. Filled with information that is easily understood by children, such as using a book as the example of how wide a hippo’s mouth opens compared to a human’s. The book is intelligent and wittily crafted, making it just the right book for young children to learn about an animal. Appropriate for ages 5-8. (Reviewed from copy provided by Roaring Brook Press.)

3 New Picture Books Where Imaginations Soar

| Tasha

Blue Rider by Geraldo Valerio

Blue Rider by Geraldo Valerio (9781554989812)

This wordless picture book tells the story of a little girl who discovers a blue book on the ground. She lives in a bustling gray city filled with people moving in all directions. Taking the book home, she reads it and the blue horse on the pages inspires her. Soon the blue horse is flying above the city and then moving to the countryside where the art becomes more geometric and even more colorful. Out of that burst of color, the girl emerges riding the blue horse. Then we are back in her bedroom where her dreams and her room are filled with color.

Valerio tells the story of how art can inspire and create wonder and a space to dream. The illustrations are done in mixed media, combining paintings with paper collage. The edges become more frayed as the art from the book takes over the page. The movement to a more abstract type of illustration is particularly effective, bursting across the page. A great picture book to share with art classes who will be inspired themselves. Appropriate for ages 4-7. (Reviewed from library copy.)

The Stone Bird by Jenny McCartney

The Stone Bird by Jenny McCartney, illustrated by Patrick Benson (9781541514553)

Eliza finds a stone shaped just like an egg on the beach one day. She keeps it, even though her mother says it’s not an egg. She sleeps with it under her pillow and then places it on her nightstand, until one day it transforms into a little gray bird made of stone. Eliza takes the stone bird with her everywhere. Then one morning there is a little stone egg next to the bird when she wakes up. Eliza makes a nest out of a pair of socks because winter has arrived. When spring comes again, there are two stone birds in the nest. Then one summer morning, the birds are gone. Eliza misses them dreadfully until her birthday morning when she sees two gray birds on the roof outside her window.

A story of transformation and belief in magic, this picture book is a gentle tale. Eliza is shown mostly alone or with her family and the focus is on her relationship with the stone egg and stone birds. That narrowed focus serves the story well, allowing it to be about seasons passing and the way that birds would act. The illustrations are soft and show the changing seasons with clarity. They have an intimate feel, particularly when it is Eliza and her rocks. A quiet book that asks you to let your imagination soar with Eliza’s. Appropriate for ages 3-5. (Reviewed from copy provided by Andersen Press.)

Groundwood Logos Spine

They Say Blue by Jillian Tamaki (9781419728518)

This rich picture book looks at colors and inspires children to look deeper at what the colors inspire. While the sky is blue, so is water, until you hold it in your hand and it is clear and sparkles like diamonds when tossed in the air. There are hidden bright colors like the gold of an egg yolk and the red of blood in our bodies. Golden waves of the field look like they could be sailed on with a boat. Until the gray clouds come. Seasons bring their own colors. Black is the color of hair and also the crows outside the window who fly off into the colorful sky.

This is one of those books that you can read over and over again, different words and illustrations touching you each time. For a picture book for very young children, it has an unexpected depth, inviting children to see in a new way as they experience their days. The playfulness of color and imagination delight. The illustrations are exceptional, created with acrylic paint and PhotoShop. Rich and filled with color and sweeping lines, they carry the reader away into dreams of seasons, weather and wonder. A great picture book. Appropriate for ages 3-5. (Reviewed from library copy.)

3 New Picture Books to Get You Moving

| Tasha
Dance, Dance, Dance!

Dance, Dance, Dance! By Ethan Long (9780823438594)

A great mix of picture book and beginning reader, this story features Horse who loves to dance. Buggy is a little concerned though because there isn’t any music, so is Horse really dancing? Horse invites Buggy to join him, but Buggy just isn’t sure. When Horse tries to make Buggy feel better about not being able to dance, he manages to insult her. So Buggy starts dancing too. They add some great music. Soon Buggy is dancing but now Horse is doing something else: resting.

Long has a great touch with humor in picture books. He makes it broad enough for children to immediately relate to it but not so much as to lose the appeal of discovering the humor for yourself. Horse and Buggy make a strong pair, with the exuberant Horse doing his own thing and Buggy reflecting more of what the reader’s reaction is. The illustrations are large and vibrant filled with bright-colored backgrounds and the gyrations of Horse and Buggy’s dances. One to get the wiggles out! Appropriate for ages 2-4. (Reviewed from copy provided by Holiday House.)

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The Field by Baptiste Paul, illustrated by Jacqueline Alcantara (9780735843127)

Told in both Creole and English, this picture book tells the story of a group of children who want to play soccer together, but they have all sorts of obstacles to overcome. They have to move the cows and goats out of the field and then start to play. Once the game really gets going, the rain starts. They quickly decide to keep right on playing even in the wet and the mud. At the end of the day, they go home dirty and happy.

Set on the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia, the book invites readers to see connections between Creole and other languages. The text is simple and bold, poetic with its short lines. The entire book is filled with energy and action as the children take the initiative to create a field and play together. The illustrations convey this energy with deep colors that shine on the page. The green grass is nearly neon, the sunlight almost glows, and the color of the children’s clothes completes the rainbow-like palette. A great read that will appeal to young sports fans of any culture. Appropriate for ages 4-6. (Reviewed from library copy.)

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A Hippy-Hoppy Toad by Peggy Archer, illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf (9780399556760)

A teeny-tiny toad sits on a twig above a little puddle on the road. His adventure begins when the twig snaps and sends him flying upwards into a tree. A bird tries to peck him, so he jumps down landing on a flower where he has to escape a buzzing bee. He hops down into the safety of the grass on the side of the road, where the toad spots a cricket worth chasing. The cricket escapes thanks to a dog and a lizard. The toad is then picked up with the leaves by the wind and blown into a shoe that takes him on a wild run along the road, right back to his very own twig above the little puddle.

Told in rollicking rhyme, this picture books is a galloping read that begs to be read aloud, giggled at together and shared. There is a wonderful rhythm to the book, a structure that is familiar and yet played with just enough to not be predictable. The nod to traditional songs is appreciated as are the modern touches. The illustrations are filled with small touches of nature with wildflowers blooming and snails and ants climbing around. They also capture the wild journey of our little toad as he adventures through the habitat.

Share this one at your next story time focused on frogs, toads or if you just want kids to jump around a bit. Appropriate for ages 2-5. (Reviewed from e-galley provided by Schwartz & Wade Books and Edelweiss.)

3 New Picture Books Brimming with Self Esteem

| Tasha

I Can Be Anything! Don_t Tell Me I Can_t by Diane Dillon

I Can Be Anything! Don’t Tell Me I Can’t by Diane Dillon (9781338166903)

Zoe says that she can be anything she wants to be, like a bird flying up high. But she also has a little voice that asks what happens if she falls. Time and again, Zoe states her dream and why it will work but the little voice is still there asking nagging questions and inserting doubt. Zoe dreams of being a scientist or a veterinarian or a musician or President. Still, that voice comments on each of those dreams. Each time though, Zoe responds or ignores the voice until it can’t answer anymore. This picture book shows how to push through personal doubts and follow your dreams, whatever they may be.

This is Dillon’s first solo picture book since the death of her husband. The insidious little voice that we all have is nicely drawn here, so that everyone can relate to the messages it gives. Zoe’s inherent enthusiasm and pride in herself are not cut down even though she has doubts. The focus on learning, science, arts and reading is strong in this book. Dillon’s illustrations are beautifully done, featuring Zoe and her dreams becoming reality on each page. A winning look at resilience and empowerment, this picture book is inspiring. Appropriate for ages 4-6. (Reviewed from copy provided by Blue Sky Press.)

Natsumi by Susan Lendroth

Natsumi! by Susan Lendroth, illustrated by Priscilla Burris (9780399170904)

Natsumi is a little girl with lots of exuberance in everything she does. She moves fast, plays hard and makes a lot of noise. When her family starts to prepare for a festival featuring traditional Japanese arts, Natsumi struggles to figure out where she fits in. She moves too fast for flower arranging. She stirs the tea too hard in the tea ceremony. She is too loud for the dance routine. Her grandfather though has an idea of where she might fit right in, but it’s a secret until the festival.

This fast-paced picture book suits its subject just right. Filled with noise and action, the story shows a dynamic little girl who just can’t slow down, be quiet or be gentle. The repetition of those elements strengthens the structure of the book. The solution the grandfather comes up with is just right and offers a real way that Natsumi can be herself and still participate. The illustrations are just as bright and vivid as Natsumi herself, filled with color, movement and smiles. A book that celebrates individuality. Appropriate for ages 3-5. (Reviewed from copy provided by Penguin Random House.)

Petra by Marianna Coppo

Petra by Marianna Coppo (9780735262676)

Petra is an enormous boulder, one that is unmovable, visited by others, a magnificent mountain that has been there since ancient times. Or is she? When a dog comes along, the perspective changes and suddenly Petra is much more of a pebble size. Petra thinks that maybe she isn’t even a rock at all, perhaps she is an egg instead! What could she hatch into? When she is tossed into a pool of water, Petra again dreams of how very large she is as an island. But once again is picked up and taken away, this time by a girl who paints Petra. Who knows what she may become tomorrow!

Coppo’s book is a skilled look at perspective in two ways. First in the changing perspective as Petra seems large and then small, larger and then smaller again. Second in Petra’s own shifting perspective about who and what she is and could be. It’s an adroit combination of themes that support one another very successfully and is vastly appealing. The art style adds to that appeal with Petra’s expressions changing as her perspective shifts. The art is simple, focusing primarily on Petra herself in all of her imaginative glory. Rock on! Appropriate for ages 3-5. (Reviewed from library copy.)

3 New Picture Books that Embrace Families

| Tasha

Hooked by Tommy Greenwald

Hooked by Tommy Greenwald, illustrated by David McPhail (9781596439962)

A young boy loves to spend his time fishing, but his father doesn’t want to join him in this picture book. Joe loves to fish, but his father just doesn’t understand the appeal and won’t participate. So Joe joins the local fishing club and they fish all over the area in different bodies of water. The in the winter, the club decides to do ice fishing and every kid will need an adult along. Joe is worried that his father will refuse again, but instead he agrees to do it just once. When the two of them get to the frozen lake, nothing much happens at first. Then they start to talk and talk together and suddenly Joe’s father understands.

This is a lovely quiet book, one that celebrates the silence and beauty of fishing and also the way that quiet hobbies can create opportunities for deep connection with others. Children not interested in fishing will still recognize the way that parents sometimes duck out of games and hobbies that they find unappealing. The illustrations are classic McPhail filled with luminous glowing light and a playful sense of storytelling. A great pick for fishing story times or for a quiet evening of stories together. Appropriate for ages 4-6. (Reviewed from library copy.)

How Mamas Love Their Babies by Juniper Fitzgerald

How Mamas Love Their Babies by Juniper Fitzgerald, illustrated by Elise Peterson (9781936932009)

This picture book talks about how different mothers love their children. The text is simple and straightforward but the examples are what makes this book stand out. Mothers use their bodies to care, like breastfeeding their babies. Mothers protest for better worlds for their babies. Some mothers stay home with their children while others work. Some mothers clean houses, others watch other people’s children, others work in government, others work in the fields. Some mothers wear uniforms and some dance for a living. All mothers, no matter what they do for a living, love their children.

The inclusion of mothers who may have to dance for a living is what makes this book so special. That combines with an acceptance of all lifestyles, of all races and religions in the illustrations of the book. The women come in all sizes and colors in the vintage-style collages throughout the book. There is an acceptance of everyone here that is hard to find in children’s books and makes this one for all libraries to own. Appropriate for ages 2-4. (Reviewed from e-galley provided by Edelweiss and Feminist Press.)

On the Other Side of the Garden by Jairo Buitrago

On the Other Side of the Garden by Jairo Buitrago, illustrated by Rafael Yonkteng (9781554989836)

The author and illustrator of Walk with Me and Two White Rabbits return with a picture book that is immediately immersive. A little girl gets dropped off at her grandmother’s house by her father. When she wakes up in the night, there are three animals looking in at her through the window: an owl, a mouse and a frog. They seem friendly, so she opens the window for them. Soon they are inviting her out into the garden, her feet touching grass for the first time in a long time since she lived in the city. As they escape the house, the moon shines white on the page and lights their way. They explore the nearby creek, a hill that lets them look back at the house, and fields. The little girl starts to open up about why she is there at her grandmother’s house, a grandmother she barely knows. She returns back to the house just as the sun comes up, where her grandmother is waiting for her.

There is such beauty in this book. The tone of the text is wistful and wondering, inviting the reader along on the adventure. It is a journey of opening up, of finding new friends who warm you when the wind blows and who surprise and delight you. It is a book of knowing the truth but not being quite ready to face it yet. The illustrations are a play of dark and light. They fill the pages right to the edge, deep blue and full of nature and movement. They are stunningly lovely, unique and emotional. A very special book that is soulful and moving. Appropriate for ages 6-9. (Reviewed from library copy.)

3 New Picture Books to Build On

| Tasha

Florette by Anna Walker.jpg

Florette by Anna Walker (9780544876835)

When Mae’s family moves to the city, they can’t bring their garden with them. All Mae has around her now are moving boxes and a brick courtyard. She fills the courtyard with chalk drawings of butterflies, grass, and more but it’s all washed away when it rains. She draws daisies, grass and apple trees on the boxes too, but they tip over and are moved away. Mae spots an open space out of her window and leads her mother there, but it’s all pebbles rather than green. On their way back, Mae discovers a florist shop with a window filled with green plants and even one poking out the door. She takes that little end of the plant and from it starts the garden that her family said she would have, just a different one than she expected.

This picture book looks at moving and change through the lens of green space and creating your own solutions for a problem. Mae is an inventive little girl, independent as she leads her mother through a new neighborhood and creative as she finds a solution where others might not see one. The watercolor illustrations show a tall gray city but also one with a river, trees and children waiting to play. Mae sees it as cold and unfriendly, but readers will see new possibilities too. A look at resilience and finding your own way, this picture book is a treat. Appropriate for ages 3-5. (Reviewed from library copy.)

I Got a Chicken for My Birthday by Laura Gehl

I Got a Chicken for My Birthday by Laura Gehl, illustrated by Sarah Horne (9781512431308)

A little girl receives a chicken for her birthday instead of the amusement park tickets that she asked her Abuela Lola for multiple times. A chicken is better than some other gifts, like socks, but you have to feed a chicken. The girl looks forward to eating eggs from the chicken, but the chicken is far too busy to lay eggs. The chicken makes friends with the girl’s dog, cat and hamster and soon all of them are too busy as well working for the chicken. Other animals arrive and work too. The chicken invites Abuela Lola to visit and then reveals what she has been working on all this time. It’s a reveal that is much better than socks!

Told in first person by the girl, this picture book has a wonderful tone. Gehl has other characters speak using signs they hold in their wings, paws or hands to communicate. These little asides add a lot of context and add a lot of humor to the book. The illustrations are bright and delightfully zany, filled with patterns, colors and textures. A fresh look at chickens and birthdays, this picture book is a win. Appropriate for ages 3-5. (Reviewed from copy provided by Carolrhoda Books and Raab Associates.)

Old MacDonald Had a Boat by Steve Goetz

Old MacDonald Had a Boat by Steve Goetz, illustrated by Eda Kaban (9781452165059)

This second book about Old MacDonald’s extended adventures continues the fun. Once again Old MacDonald and Mrs. MacDonald are hard at work on their farm. They have their truck  and look they have a new boat. But there’s a lot of work to do before it gets in the water. There are saws to buzz, hammers to bang, torches to blow, paint to roll and much more.

Verse after verse follows the format of the original song and children will love to participate in singing along. Nicely, Mrs. MacDonald uses the power tools with ease and all of the animals help too. The illustrations have a timeless appeal that suits the subject. There is plenty of fun and humor along the way as hammers miss and ski jumps are moved into position. A rousing new version of the beloved song that is perfect for summer days on the water. Appropriate for ages 2-4. (Reviewed from copy provided by Chronicle Books.)

 

 

3 New Picture Books with Everyday Heroes

| Tasha

Grace for Gus by Harry Bliss

Grace for Gus by Harry Bliss (9780062644107)

This is one delightful graphic novel picture book that is almost wordless, making it a great pick as an early graphic novel experience for little children. When Grace is told that the class will contribute to a fund to get their class pet, Gus, a new friend, she decides that she has to help. She heads home through an urban landscape, filled with nods to iconic New York people. Once her fathers are asleep, she heads out into the nighttime city and in one scene after another raises money uses her special talents, each of which is a nod to the vibrancy of arts in urban settings.

Lovers of New York and classic cartoons will have lots to spot in the illustrations. Even children who don’t know the references though will get the feeling of New York and its vibrancy from this graphic novel. The use of images to primarily tell the story invites children to fill in the tale themselves and makes the book all the more engaging and uplifting. An empowering read that makes the quiet child the hero and the star. Appropriate for ages 4-7. (Reviewed from library copy.)

Islandborn by Junot Diaz

Islandborn by Junot Diaz, illustrated by Leo Espinosa (9780735229860)

When Ms. Obi told Lola’s class that their assignment is to draw a picture of the country they are originally from, Lola is very worried. She doesn’t remember the Island at all, since her family left when she was only a baby. Ms. Obi suggests that Lola talk to others who might remember more. Soon Lola is speaking to lots of people in her neighborhood from the Island and they each have a favorite memory. For some it is the music, for others it’s the colorful homes, others miss the fruit. When Lola asks Mr. Mir about what he most remembers, he is gruff and won’t answer. Lola’s grandmother though wants Lola to try to ask him again, since Mr. Mir knows so much about the Island. What Mr. Mir tells Lola though is about a monster that came to the Island and was turned back only when heroes stood up to the darkness. It’s a history that Lola has never heard before, but is proud to include in her drawings of the place she was born.

Diaz’s text is rich and invites readers into visualizing the Island for themselves with its lush foliage, colorful homes, beautiful beaches and much more. The book depicts an urban neighborhood filled with echoes of the Island, a community built from the heroes who fought back. The illustrations are bright and cheery, filled with Lola’s imaginative take on what she is being told. Children may need more explanation about “the monster” if they are interested, but this book firmly celebrates resistance and standing up to those who would take your rights. Timely and important, this picture book celebrates where children came from and what it took to survive. Appropriate for ages 4-6. (Reviewed from ARC provided by Dial Books for Young Readers.)

Teddy_s Favorite Toy by Christian Trimmer

Teddy’s Favorite Toy by Christian Trimmer, illustrated by Madeline Valentine (9781481480796)

Teddy has lots of toys he likes, but only one favorite one: Bren-Da, the Warrior Queen of Pacifica. They have tea parties together and she has great manners. They fight battles together and she does a wonderful kick. She can dress up in different styles. But then one day, when Teddy is playing with her, Bren-Da’s leg snaps off. Teddy tries to fix her, but has to leave for school and he keeps her wrapped up in bandages until he can return. Unfortunately, Teddy’s mom cleans up his room and accidentally throws Bren-Da out with the trash. What can they do? It’s up to Teddy’s mom to become a Warrior Queen herself.

There are several book out there about children playing with toys that may be seen as unusual for their gender. This one though has a great twist and really is about far more than just playing with a doll as a little boy. Instead it’s also about heroism, favorite toys and the ability of a mom to become a hero. The book is told simply but without any bit of didacticism. The illustrations are bright and friendly, offering great moments of play that are then mirrored by the rescue mission. A great picture book that breaks gender stereotypes in more than one way. Appropriate for ages 3-5. (Reviewed from copy provided by Atheneum.)