Sweaterweather by Sara Varon

| Tasha

Sweaterweather by Sara Varon

Sweaterweather & Other Short Stories by Sara Varon (InfoSoup)

Enter the artistic process of graphic-novel author Sara Varon. Here you will see short comic stories, some done as exercises, essays and journal entries. Varon introduces each piece, sharing that she is always at least one of the characters in each of her stories. Each story has the charm and wit that one expects from a book by Varon, here is bite-sized pieces that allow readers to meet even more adorable animal characters. There are cats who long to fly, stories based on alphabet exercises, bee keeping information, swimming pools, and much much more. This is a world worth visiting multiple times!

Varon’s art is almost wordless, the characters showing much  more than telling all that they do. Varon plays with the cells of the graphic novel, breaking the walls between them by handing cups across the lines in one story and in another showing both above and below the water at the same time. She is consistently gently funny and smart in all of these stories. There is a beautiful familiarity to her work, it is at once quirky and cozy and creates worlds where one wants to exist.

Readers will find a lot to love here, whether they are reading it as future artists and authors themselves or because they love Varon’s work. Varon shows the growth of her own work as the book progresses, and also shows how from the very start she was true to her own style and vision. The collection is empowering and fresh.

The author of Robot Dreams and Odd Duck shows a back-stage view of her work, inviting young readers into her creative process. Appropriate for ages 9-12.

Reviewed from copy received from First Second.

Worm Loves Worm by J.J. Austrian

| Tasha

Worm Loves Worm by JJ Austrian

Worm Loves Worm by JJ Austrian, illustrated by Mike Curato (InfoSoup)

Two worms have fallen in love and decide to get married. They get lots of advice from other insects. Cricket offers to marry them. Beetle insists on being the “best beetle.” The Bees want to be the bride’s bees. Cricket tells them that they need rings for their fingers, but they don’t have fingers so they wear the rings as belts. There has to be a band and a dance even though the worms don’t dance, they just wiggle. Then come the clothes and the cake. But which worm is the bride and which is the groom?

Austrian has created a completely fabulous picture book. What starts as a look at weddings and marriage broadens to become about the ability to marry whomever we love. By the end, the gender of either worm stays completely ambiguous and all that matters is that they can be married to one another because they love each other. The message is simple and creatively shown. The gender-free worms are a perfect pick for the main characters, offering lots of personality without committing to either gender.

Curato’s illustrations are wonderfully jolly. They capture the rather sanctimonious Cricket and the stuffy beetle with their conservative dress and attitudes. The merry bees are more friendly, but also help insist on a bride and groom. The worms themselves contrast with the others in their plainness and joy in one another. While they are unruffled by the rules of being married, their take on love wins in the end.

A celebration of the freedom to marry, this picture book is sure to cause a new stir among the same crowd bothered by And Tango Makes Three. Enjoy! Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Balzer + Bray.

2016 Sydney Taylor Book Awards

| Tasha

The 2016 Sydney Taylor Book Awards have been announced by the Association of Jewish Libraries. The awards are given to outstanding books for children and young adults that “authentically portray the Jewish experience.” Winners, honor books and notable books are named.

Here are the 2016 winners:

YOUNGER READERS WINNER

Ketzel, the Cat Who Composed

Ketzel, the Cat who Composed by Leslea Newman, illustrated by Amy June Bates

 

OLDER READERS WINNER

Adam et Thomas

Adam & Thomas by Aharon Appelfeld, translated by Jeffrey M. Green and illustrated by Philippe Dumas

 

TEEN READERS WINNER

The Hired Girl

The Hired Girl by Laura Amy Schlitz

 

 

Two Is Enough by Janna Matthies

| Tasha

KidsLogoORIGINALFILE

Two Is Enough by Janna Matthies, illustrated by Tuesday Mourning (InfoSoup)

This picture book shows how one-parent families thrive with lots of attention to the child. It speaks to two being a great number, just right for snowball fights and ice skating. Two is perfect in spring too when planting seeds or picking bouquets. In the summer, two is just right for ice cream cones, building sand castles, and riding tandem bikes. When fall arrives, two is right for playing in leaves, carving pumpkins and marshmallow roasts. Two is just right the whole year long.

Matthies has written a bouncy rhyme here that lends a lot of dash to this picture book. The rhyme bounds along, encouraging children in one-parent families to see themselves as having something entire special. The book can also offer encouragement for children who have a parent who is away often too. As Matthies runs through the seasons and the joy of doing things with one another, she makes sure to show how two people can have a great time doing all of the things you may see as group activities. In fact, they are all the more special when done one-on-one.

Mourning offers a multicultural look at these families as well. Parents of different races appear throughout the book with three families forming the heart of the story. There are mothers with a child and fathers with a child. Grandparents also make an appearance, taking care of grandchildren in much the same way.

This engaging picture book offers a cheery look at small families and the joy that they bring throughout the seasons. Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from library copy.

 

The Goblin’s Puzzle by Andrew S. Chilton

| Tasha

The Goblins Puzzle by Andrew S Chilton

The Goblin’s Puzzle: Being the Adventures of a Boy with No Name and Two Girls Called Alice by Andrew S. Chilton (InfoSoup)

The boy had never had a name, since he had been a slave as long as he could remember. He tried to be the best slave possible, but all of the rules of slavery ran together and often contradicted one another too. When he is sent on a journey with the prince, the boy witnesses a murder and is suddenly free. Soon he finds himself in the company of a goblin who knows all of the answers about the boys’ past but is unwilling to part easily with them. The goblin agrees to answer one question a day truthfully, but goblins are tricky and can’t really be trusted. Meanwhile, Plain Alice has been mistakenly kidnapped by a dragon who meant to kidnap Princess Alice. These characters all find themselves facing issues of logic, dragons, ogres and other horrible deeds on their way to unraveling who they really are.

This novel is a cunning and complicated novel for children. It takes logic and loops it, confuses it and then shows how it actually all works out. It’s a puzzle and a delightful one. Young readers will enjoy the twists and turns, groan at the folly of some of the characters, cheer as others exceed their expectations, and those who love puzzles and logic will find a book to adore here.

The characters are well drawn and interesting. I particularly enjoyed the goblin, who twists and turns but also has a hand in making sure that things turn out right. The boy is a great protagonist, often confused and always seeing the world as new, he explores and learns as he goes. Plain Alice is a strong female protagonist, using her brains to solve problems and even charming a dragon as she does so. The entire book is woven with mystical creatures but magic does not save the day here. Instead, deep thinking and logic are the winners.

A puzzle of a book that twists and turns in the best possible way, this adventure is one for smart children who can use their wits to save themselves. Appropriate for ages 9-12.

Reviewed from copy received from Knopf Books for Young Readers.

 

This Week’s Tweets, Pins & Tumbls

| Tasha

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

My policy, exactly:

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

19 Sad Quotes From Your Favorite Children’s Books

Alan Rickman, Actor Known for ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘Die Hard,’ Dies at 69

Dan Santat Lands 4-Book Deal With Macmillan

Five questions for Barbara McClintock – The Horn Book

Message from , LOC’s Special Ambassador for Young People’s Literature: “what you do is a work of love”

New Caldecott honor a historic win for Madison author Kevin Henkes

A Picture Book for Newbery! (REJOICE!)

‘Roll of Thunder’ Publishing Contest For BAME Children’s Fiction Writers To Be Run In 2016

Thank you for featuring the new Newbery & Caldcott winners on air today

Top 10 feminist heroes in fiction

Top 10 terrifying teachers in children’s books – The Guardian –

When They Got the Call: PW Speaks with the 2016 Newbery, Caldecott, and Printz Winners

Why do so many children’s books treat diversity as a black and white issue?

“Wisconsin Children’s Book Author Wins Caldecott Honor Award” – WPR interview with Kevin Henkes –

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LIBRARIES

Check It Out: Libraries Offer More Than Just Books These Days

Hands-on Projects and Titles that Celebrate Maker and Latino Cultures | Libro por libro

Whiteness, social justice and the future of libraries via Anyone know similar stats for UK?

You are not what you read: librarians purge user data to protect privacy

The only thing you absolutely have to know is the location of the library-Albert Einstein:

TEEN READS

HarperCollins Has Big Plans for Lauren Oliver

Here’s how found out that she’d received a Printz honor:

Yes, ‘Between the World and Me’ is a Young Adult book

2016 Rainbow Book List

| Tasha

The Rainbow List celebrates the best books for youth aged birth through 18 that have significant LGBTQ content. Books must have been published between July 2014 and December 2015. Here are their Top Ten books:

Breakthrough: How One Teen Innovator Is Changing the World Cut Both Ways

Breakthrough by Jack Andraka with Matthew Lysiak

Cut Both Ways by Carrie Mesrobian

Fans of the Impossible Life Forgive Me If I've Told You This Before

Fans of the Impossible Life by Kate Scelsa

Forgive Me If I’ve Told You This Before by Karelia Stetz-Waters

Gracefully Grayson The Marvels

Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky

The Marvels by Brian Selznick

Sex is a Funny Word: A Book about Bodies, Feelings, and YOU Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Sex Is a Funny Word: A Book about Bodies, Feelings and YOU by Cory Silverberg, illustrated by Fiona Smyth

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

SuperMutant Magic Academy When Everything Feels Like the Movies

SuperMutant Magic Academy by Jillian Tamaki

When Everything Feels Like the Movies by Raziel Reid

 

2016 Dolly Gray Children’s Literature Award

| Tasha

Dolly Gray Children's Literature Award

The winners of the 2016 Dolly Gray Children’s Literature Award have been announced. The award is given by The Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities of the Council for Exceptional Children in collaboration with the Special Needs Project. The award recognizes “effective, enlightened portrayals of individuals with developmental disabilities in children’s books.” The award is presented in even years only. Here are the winners:

CHAPTER BOOK AWARD

Rain Reign

Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin

 

PICTURE BOOK AWARD

My Friend Suhana

My Friend Suhana by Shaila Abdullah and Aanyah Abdullah

 

 

Bunches of Board Books!

| Tasha

Here is a new crop of great board books to share with the littlest ones:

Duck and Goose Lets Dance by Tad Hills

Duck & Goose: Let’s Dance by Tad Hills

The bestselling Duck and Goose are back this time with an original song all their own. The board book reads aloud as a straight book, but the song adds a lot to the experience. Though you may fight to get the catchy tune out of your head, particularly if your child wants a repeat performance, again and again. You can take a listen to the song here.

Reviewed from copy received from Random House Children’s Books.

Love You Hug You Read to You by Tish Rabe Te amo, te abrazo, leo contigo

Love You, Hug You, Read to You! by Tish Rabe, illustrated by Frank Endersby

Available in both English and Spanish, this board book has different animal parents promising to read to their small critters in a variety of different circumstances. The rhyme is just right, rollicking and fun. A delightful bonus is available here too. There are prompts on each page that cue parents how to use a board book with a small child. Text offers questions to ask small children about the pictures and the story, making this ideal to use with parents just learning to be their child’s first teacher.

Reviewed from copies received from Random House Children’s Books.

Shhh This Book Is Sleeping by Cedric Ramadier

Shhh! This Book Is Sleeping by Cedric Ramadier and Vincent Bourgeau

A little pink mouse invites young readers to interact with a very sleepy little book. They get to go through an entire bedtime ritual with the book, who has already brushed its teeth and gone potty. Read the book a little story and tuck it in cozy and warm. Give it a hug and a kiss and it’s all set for you to close the book very gently and tiptoe away. Good night!

Reviewed from copy received from Random House Children’s Books.

Triangles by Yusuke Yonezu

Triangles by Yusuke Yonezu

Triangles can be all sorts of things as this clever board book demonstrates again and again. There are flags, sails, trees, animals, and even a wedge of cheese. Children will delight in the final page which can be lifted to a little face as a mask. There will be lots of fun in guessing what the triangle has become as well as naming colors and animals too.

Reviewed from library copy.