A Game of Fox & Squirrels by Jenn Reese

| Tasha

A Game of Fox & Squirrels by Jenn Reese

A Game of Fox & Squirrels by Jenn Reese (9781250243010)

Sam has moved with her older sister Caitlin to stay with her Aunt Vicky, a person they had never met before. They arrive in rural Oregon to a small house with a chicken coop and a large woods nearby. Aunt Vicky welcomes them warmly along with her wife. Sam knows how to stay invisible most of the time, hiding behind her sister’s ability to speak with grown ups. When her aunt gives her a card game, Sam loves the characters on the cards and starts to see a talking fox and squirrels nearby. The fox sends her on a quest for the Golden Acorn, a prize that will allow Sam and her sister to go back home. As Sam starts the quests, she soon learns that showing the fox trust means starting a cycle of abuse once more.

Reese entwines fantasy elements into this book that shows the deep consequences of abuse on a young person. Sam is desperate to get back in touch with her mother and father, though they were abusive parents. The abuse is shown in pieces of comments that Sam remembers, and it does not play out in front of the reader. This results in a haunting echo of abuse that carries through the entire book and all of the characters.

Against that, the game is afoot with a sly fox who manipulates Sam, much as her own father did when she lived with him. The squirrels add a needed merriment to the book with their antics and also show a lot of concern and support for Sam. Yet they are clearly trapped in their own abusive situation with the fox too.

Rich and layered, this mix of fantasy and stark reality is powerful. Appropriate for ages 9-12.

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

Unstoppable by Adam Rex

| Tasha

Unstoppable by Adam Rex

Unstoppable by Adam Rex, illustrated by Laura Park (9781452165042)

Beginning with almost wordless panels of a cat jumping at both a crab and a crow, this book quickly transforms into a picture book that is made to share aloud. Crab and Crow join forces to be able to both fly and pinch the cat with claws. They are unstoppable now! But then they both thought about being able to swim too, so they talked to a turtle and transformed into something even more unstoppable. When an angry bear tries to attack them, they invite him to join in too. Upon finding out that forest demolition is what is making the bear angry though, they have to take action and become truly unstoppable!

As always Rex delights and surprises with his story lines. While this seems like a straight forward cumulative story at first, it transforms much like the animals themselves into something far more interesting by the end. Rex injects the tale with plenty of humor as the creatures come up with a variety of mash-up names for each of their combinations. The refrain of unstoppable will be a great way to get audiences participating in the book too.

Park’s illustrations are crisp and clear, bright colors against a white background. They will work particularly well with a group, adding even more to the readaloud appeal of the title.

Funny, surprising and empowering. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy provided by Chronicle Books.

10 New May Middle Grade Books to Wake Your Brain Cells

| Tasha

Ten of the top new middle-grade books coming out this May that have received multiple starred reviews and praise.

All Together Now by Hope Larson

A Ceiling Made of Eggshells by Gail Carson Levine

Fly on the Wall by Remy Lai

Maya and the Rising Dark by Rena Barron

Once Upon an Eid edited by Aisha Saeed and S. K. Ali

Poisoned Water by Candy J. Cooper and Marc Aronson

Santiago’s Road Home by Alexandra Diaz

Ways to Make Sunshine by Renee Watson

Yorick and Bones by Jeremy Tankard

We Dream of Space by Erin Entrada Kelly

9 New May Picture Books to Wake Your Brain Cells

| Tasha

Here are nine of the upcoming May picture books getting the most buzz in review journals. Enjoy!

Camping Trip by Jennifer K. Mann

Cityscape: where science and art meet by April Pulley Sayre

Grandparents by Chema Heras

Hello Neighbor! the Kind and Caring World of Mister Rogers by Matthew Cordell

Lift by Minh Le, illustrated by Dan Santat

Spacebot by Mike Twohy

Together We Grow by Susan Vaught, illustrated by Kelly Murphy

What Sound Is Morning? by Grant Snider

You Matter by Christian Robinson

Anna Dewdney Read Together Awards

| Tasha

The winner of the Fourth Annual Anna Dewdney Read Together Award has been announced as well as the honor books for 2020. The award is giving to a “picture book that is both a superb read-aloud and also sparks compassion, empathy, and connection.” The award is given by Penguin Young Readers, the Children’s Book Council, and Every Child a Reader. Here are the winners:

WINNER

Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora

 

HONOR BOOKS

Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal

Everybody Says Meow by Constance Lombardo

Love Is Kind by Laura Sassi, illustrated by Lison Chaperon

Made for Me by Zack Bush, illustrated by Gregorio De Lauretis

Welcome Little One by Sandra Magsamen

The Seedling That Didn’t Want to Grow by Britta Teckentrup

| Tasha

The Seedling That Didn’t Want to Grow by Britta Teckentrup

The Seedling That Didn’t Want to Grow by Britta Teckentrup (9783791374291)

There once was a seed that took a long time to sprout, long after the other plants had grown up around it. Then it took some time to grow from a seedling into a plant. The creatures in the meadow noticed this special plant and monitored it. Ant and Ladybird sat next to it waiting for it to sprout. Circket guarded her roots and Mouse searched for clear paths. Finally, the plant reached the sunshine and left the meadow undergrowth behind. She grew up and up, wide and broad. She transformed with buds and then hundreds of flowers. All kinds of animals lived in her branches. When autumn came, she turned brown and withered along with the other plants, until one day all of her seeds took flight on the wind. Then winter came and spring arrived later, and that’s when everyone could see the transformation of the meadow.

Teckentrup’s picture book about a unique and different plant celebrates those who may be considered late bloomers and looks at how one individual can transform where they live. The seasonal aspect of the book is done beautifully, as the spring brings the sprouting of the seed, the summer with its amazing growth, and the quiet solemnity of autumn. All of this is captured in her illustrations which are rich and textured. The colors are far from simple, taking on the aspect of each season but also bringing in deep maroons in spring, gold light, and the oranges of autumn. 

A quiet and lovely look at seasons, plants and transformation. Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from copy provided by Prestel.

News to Wake Your Brain Cells – May 1

| Tasha

 

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Julie Andrews’ new storytelling podcast is a must-listen – Parade

Marlon James, Kao Kalia Yang among Minnesota Book Award winners – StarTribune

Middle grade books that help unpack complex conversations – Book Riot

 

 

LIBRARIES

Austin Public Library will not open locations on Friday – KXAN

Five unexpected benefits for eliminating library fines – InfoSpace

In-person services returning to Middle Georgia Regional Library – NBC 41

Librarians under pandemic duress: layoffs, napkin masks, and fear of retaliation – Book Riot

Libraries contemplate re-opening – Public Libraries

Texas State Library and Archives Commission Reopening Libraries: Resource Guide – Texas State Library

 

 

TEEN LIT

For spring, 3 YA tales of girls on the edge – NPR

Frances Hardinge: ‘Young adults tend to be more broad-minded than adults’ – The Bookseller

A rainbow of YA titles – Stacked

Don’t Worry, Little Crab by Chris Haughton

| Tasha

Don't Worry, Little Crab by Chris Haughton

Don’t Worry, Little Crab by Chris Haughton (9781536211191)

Little Crab lives with Very Big Crab in a small tide pool, but now they are off to the ocean! At first Little Crab is very excited. They journey over rocks, across pools, and through seaweed to get there, each with its own special sound. When they reach the edge of the ocean though, Little Crab is overwhelmed and not sure they should continue. There are big waves that hit them over and over again. Little Crab decides it’s time to head home instead, but Very Big Crab continues to encourage Little Crab to try. Step by step, Little Crab enters the ocean until he’s in it! And what an amazing place it is!

Haughton beautifully shows the fear of the new and the way that experiences can feel very overwhelming for children. The use of wave after wave is what doing something new can feel like. The book also clearly demonstrates the importance of continuing forward and trying something new. You may just love it, like Little Crab does. Gentle and powerful, this picture book shows rather than tells, allowing children to find their own way through fear with the help of a couple new friends.

The illustrations are bold and beautiful. They have dark cliffs near the ocean, battered by turquoise water with bright white foam. The greens of the seaweed, purples of the crabs, pop on the page. Then once the ocean is entered, it’s like discovering colors all over again. Remarkable!

Wave away your worries with this wonderful read. Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from copy provided by Candlewick.

 

The Dark Matter of Mona Starr by Laura Lee Gulledge

| Tasha

The Dark Matter of Mona Starr by Laura Lee Gulledge

The Dark Matter of Mona Starr by Laura Lee Gulledge (9781419734236)

Mona’s best and really only friend is moving to Hawaii and leaving her to face school and life on her own. It’s made even harder by Mona’s Matter. Her Matter is her dark thoughts that tell her she isn’t good enough and her depression that can take control. Mona steadily learns to make new friends, connecting with others in orchestra. She also learns ways to deal with her depression, the Matter, that keeps it under better control. She meditates, uses art to express herself, and leans on those who love her. In a culminating episode, when her depression seems to be causing physical pain, no one can figure out what is wrong. Mona insists that more tests are run and a problem that requires surgery is found. The battle against her Matter may not be fully won, but one victory at a time makes a difference.

Gulledge has written a fictional but very autobiographical graphic novel. Her representation of depression as “Matter” is really well done. It will serve as both a reflection of experience to those who have depression and a way of learning about it to those who don’t. The physicality of depression is captured here, the isolation that is self built, the nastiness of self talk, and the bravery it takes to break free of the cycle.

The art is gorgeous, beautifully showing the darkness of the Matter that lurks in corners only to suddenly surge and take over. That same darkness though is also a canvas for stars, a way of seeing the rays of yellow that promise hope and light through all of the bleak times. Gulledge uses the yellow sparingly, allowing it to pierce and glow at specific times.

A great graphic novel that tackles depression, courage and recovery. Appropriate for ages 12-15.

Reviewed from copy provided by Amulet.