Review: Truck Stop by Anne Rockwell

July 24, 2013July 22, 2013 | Tasha

Truck Stop by Anne Rockwell, illustrated by Melissa Iwai

Every morning the truck stop has to open for business. A boy and his family own the truck stop and get there early in the morning before the sun has come up. The boy squeezes the orange juice while his parents prep the other breakfast foods. Soon the trucks start arriving. The boy knows all of the regulars and his parents know their orders by heart. There is Eighteen-Wheeler who wants all of his tires checked. Milk Tank and Maisie arrive next for a sweet breakfast of coffee and doughnuts. The man with the moving van wants pancakes. But where is Green Gus the old pickup truck? More trucks arrive, but still no one has seen him. It’s not until the little boy gets on the school bus that they figure out what has happened to Gus.

Rockwell tells a story that is a fine mix of family, food and trucks. Children will enjoy seeing how a restaurant runs and also the warmth with which regulars are remembered and served. Still, it is the trucks that will have this book off of the shelves and into little hands. It is good to see more than just a list of different types of trucks and instead have a book that can be read aloud as a story as well. Even better, there is a little mystery at the end about Gus that makes it all the more fun to read.

Iwai’s illustrations are done in cut paper collages. The types of paper add a richness to the images, combining textures from textiles, slick painted papers, and lots of patterns. The result are pictures that are colorful and a pleasure to look at closely.

A solid book, this will be a welcome bedtime addition for any family with a truck-loving child as well as a choice pick for story times. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Viking.

Review: Sophie’s Squash by Pat Zietlow Miller

July 23, 2013July 23, 2013 | Tasha

Sophie’s Squash by Pat Zietlow Miller and Anne Wilsdorf

Released August 6, 2013

When Sophie and her family go to the farmer’s market, Sophie helps pick out a lovely squash. However, it is not a squash that she wants to eat! Instead she names it Bernice and takes it everywhere with her. Her parents offer to cook Bernice so that she won’t rot, but Sophie is scandalized. Soon though, Bernice is starting to show her age with “freckles” on her skin. So Sophie heads back to the farmer’s market to ask how to help Bernice not rot. The farmer suggests, “Fresh air. Good, clean dirt. A little love.” Sophie heads home and plants Bernice in the garden, tucking her into that good dirt. That night, the snow starts to fall and Sophie has to be very patient. Her parents get her a fish to keep her company, but he’s not as interesting as Bernice. With spring come some surprises that will delight and satisfy.

This picture book does not read like a debut book, instead having a confident tone and a quirky premise of more veteran authors. The story is completely satisfying, offering a conclusion that brings the book full circle and along the way plenty of squash bonding time. So many children bond with objects in their childhood that this will speak to many children. Both the humor of it being a squash and the seasonal nature of the story make this a joyful pick.

Wilsdorf’s illustrations reflect the quirkiness of this title beautifully. The bond between girl and squash is perfectly rendered and while humorous, the images never laugh at Sophie and her new friend. The warm and loving family is depicted in their kitchen and home, ready to eat the squash but also ready to let Sophie decide.

Pick this one for your next autumnal storytime though it will also make a nice addition to any garden-themed unit too. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from digital copy received from Edelweiss and Random House.

Watsons Go to Birmingham – The Movie

July 23, 2013July 23, 2013 | Tasha

This fall, The Hallmark Channel will airing a film version of The Watsons Go to Birmingham. Here’s hoping it comes to DVD or Netflix! Huffington Post has the trailer which is certainly worth seeing.

Thanks to Fuse #8 for the link.

2013 Eisner Awards

July 23, 2013July 23, 2013 | Tasha

The 2013 Eisner Awards have been announced. These awards are the Comic Industry Awards and contain awards for children’s and teen materials as well as many awards for adult graphic novels and comics. Here are the winners that were announced at Comic-Con:

Best Publication for Early Readers (up to age 7)

Babymouse for President by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm

Best Publication for Kids (ages 8–12)

Adventure Time by Ryan North, Shelli Paroline, and Braden Lamb

Best Publication for Teens (ages 13–17)

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, adapted by Hope Larson

Best Reality-Based Work

Annie Sullivan and the Trials of Helen Keller by Joseph Lambert (tied with adult book)

And I just had to include this last one because it is one of my family’s favorites and definitely works well for older children and teens:

Best Humor Publication

Darth Vader and Son by Jeffrey Brown

Catching Fire – The Trailer

July 22, 2013 | Tasha

At Comic Con, they released an exclusive teaser trailer for Catching Fire. Now it’s not so exclusive. Enjoy!

Review: Henry’s Map by David Elliot

July 22, 2013 | Tasha

Henry’s Map by David Elliot

Henry was a pig who believed in being neat and tidy with everything in its place. So when he looked out from his very clean sty, he was bothered by the messiness of the farmyard. He decided to make a map, so that everyone could find things on the farm. That meant he had to travel around the farm and write things down. He included the sheep and the woolshed, Abigail the cow with her tree, Mr. Brown the horse and his stable, and the chicken coop. Then all of the animals climbed up a nearby hill to look down on the farm and compare it to Henry’s map. But when they looked closely, none of them were where they were marked on the map! Luckily though, they all knew right where they belonged thanks to the map and back they all went, even Henry.

Elliot has a feel for writing picture books. His pacing is delightful, the storyline is dynamic but not frenetic, and the characters are personable and ones that you want to befriend. Henry is a little pig with a big vision, and there is satisfaction in him completing a big project on his own. Elliot also nicely navigates having just the right amount of text on the page, enough to tell a full story but not too much to overwhelm or bog it down. Add the twist of the animals being alarmed at not being in the same place as the map tells them they should be, and you have a very strong read.

Elliot is the artist behind the Brian Jacques series of books. Here his art has a wonderful playfulness but also a timelessness. This book is beautifully illustrated with lots of jolly characters and one very serious pig. The map itself looks like something a child would make complete with drawings and misspellings.

A top pick, this picture book is perfect for map units in preschool and elementary school. It also makes a fun addition to any farm or pig story time. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Philomel.

Review: 123 versus ABC by Mike Boldt

July 22, 2013July 22, 2013 | Tasha

123 versus ABC by Mike Boldt

The letters and numbers just can’t agree in this book! Is it a counting book or an alphabet book? You will just have to read on to figure it out. As the pages turn, it just gets more confusing. Sure the first animal to appear is an Alligator, but there is just One. Then there are Two Bears, Three Cars, and on and on it goes. The book is narrated by the number one and the letter A, both of them arguing over what the book is really about. Happily, they are both right in this mash up of an alphabet and counting book that is funny, silly and a romp of a read.

Boldt manages to make a counting and alphabet book that has a real freshness to it. A large part of the success is in the humor, much of which is contributed by the two main characters, A and 1. There little rivalry and clever asides add to the tension of the premise but also resolve in the end to something much more friendly.

Boldt’s art is bright colored and pays homage to vintage picture books. The two main characters have a cartoon-like appeal to them with their broad expressions and Mickey Mouse gloves. Boldt makes good use of white space throughout the book, allowing the mix of alphabet and numbers space to breathe on the page, something that becomes particularly important as the pages get more crowded.

Fresh and funny, this is one clever mash-up of ABCs and 123s that will appeal to every child who likes a lot of laughs. It will work well with preschoolers who will enjoy the jokes as they review the content. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from HarperCollins.

Review: 45 Pounds (More or Less) by K. A. Barson

July 19, 2013July 19, 2013 | Tasha

45 Pounds (More or Less) by K. A. Barson

When Ann’s parents divorced and then her parents remarried and started new families, Ann turned to food to soothe herself. Now she is 16 years old and wears a size 17. Her mother on the other hand is a perfect size 6. When they shop together, it is torture for Ann. Her mother tries to motivate her, but picking out a tiny bikini as motivation is not the right way! Then Ann is asked to be a maid of honor in her aunt’s wedding and she decides to lose 45 pounds by the wedding in 10 weeks. Ann starts out by ordering a kit from an infomercial and eating according their diet. To do that, she has to get a job to pay for the food. Her summer suddenly becomes about a lot more than watching TV and eating. Now she is attending dance lessons for the wedding, gets invited to the party of the year, and has a boy flirting with her! It’s a summer of change, and it’s not all about losing weight.

Thank goodness for the lightness of this title. This subject can be heavy handed at times, but not here. Happily, the book deals with weighty topics (pun intended) but manages to remain positive and not didactic at all. Instead it is a voyage of self-discovery for Ann and the reader. One notes quickly that she catches the attention of the cute boy before losing lots of weight. The book does address fad diets and infomercials as well as the way that parental pressure can backfire.

Yet the book is not all about weight loss. It also explores divorce and its impact on children, the way siblings can drift away, the loss of friendships, and the way that all of that impacts self esteem. It is this depth that makes the book so rich. One understands Ann’s pain and why she was eating to cover it all up. Beautifully, readers are also shown that thin people may not be quite as comfortable or healthy as they may seem either.

A great pick for teen readers, this book is about being comfortable at any size. Appropriate for ages 13-16.

Reviewed from copy received from Viking.

2013 Wheatley Awards Finalists

July 19, 2013July 17, 2013 | Tasha

The Harlem Book Fair is celebrating its 15th anniversary and is also debuting a new award, the QBR Wheatley Book Awards. The awards span different ages and genres with two awards for youth books.

Here are the finalists in those categories:

YOUNG READERS FINALISTS