I have yet to read Angelfall, a debut teen novel published by Amazon. Susan Ee, author of the book, was courted by several publishers and chose to go with Amazon Children’s Publishing. Her novel is on the bestseller list just after The Hunger Games.
According to Movieline, movie rights for the series have been acquired by Good Universe. The second book in the series is expected next fall.
Lemonade in Winter by Emily Jenkins, illustrated by G. Brian Karas
Pauline is the one who looks out on a blustery winter day and thinks of running a lemonade stand. Her little brother John-John immediately thinks it’s a great idea, but her parents are sure it won’t work. So the kids set out to collect enough money to open their stand. They dig in the couch, search pockets, and look in their piggy banks. At the store they spend 24 quarters or six dollars on supplies. They rush back home to make the lemonade, the limeade and the lemon-limeade and then out onto the street to set up their stand. But no one comes. Then they decide to start marketing their stand more, and surprisingly, there is a market for lemonade in the snow.
Jenkins has taken a picture book and inserted math in places that make sense of the story. This is one book where the math really works, the counting of coins, the discounting of items, and the profits made. It’s a book that can be read just for the cheery enjoyment of lemonade and snow too. The writing is clever with the adults constantly warning the children that it won’t work and an ending that is realistic, warm and refreshing.
Karas’ illustrations are done in his signature style. I enjoyed seeing children with brown skin in a story that is not about their brown skin at all, it’s just the way they look. Karas’ art is lively and rich with small details. The careful counting of the quarters at the grocery store is just one example of how he too skillfully melded in the math with the story.
A winning picture book with math at its heart, this is a story that will have you asking for some more lemonade on a winter’s day. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
Reviewed from copy received from Random House Children’s Books.
Binky Takes Charge by Ashley Spires
Binky has now been promoted to lieutenant in first against the aliens. It means that he is now in charge of training new recruits. But his first recruit is definitely not what he had been expecting. To start with, he isn’t a cat! He’s a dog! Binky sets out to train the new cadet anyway, trying to ignore the fact that he pees on the floor, won’t use the litter box, doesn’t respect the idea of a cat nap, and is unable to pounce a fake alien on a string. Soon Binky is questioning more than his cadet’s skills, perhaps he’s really a spy for the aliens! Now Binky sets out to prove what he suspects, but he’s in for a few surprises along the way.
The Binky series is one of my favorite graphic novel series for children. It is a treat to see our alien-fighting (actually insect fighting) hero reach new ranks here. The addition of a dog into the series is brilliant, especially one who may be a spy for the flies. Add in the farting and the physical humor, and you have a series that is bound to appeal to reluctant readers as well as eager readers.
Spires’ art is done in a limited color palette. Her black and white cat lives in a sepia-toned world that has bursts of color. This palette could read as vintage, but here the modern lines and modern story keep it up-to-date and great fun.
This is another strong book in a great series. It’s a must-have for all children’s graphic novel collections. Appropriate for ages 5-8.
Reviewed from copy received from Kids Can Press.
I’m Bored by Michael Ian Black, illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi
The dreaded boredom has set in in this very funny picture book. A little girl is so bored she is flat on her back moaning when she notices a potato. When she tosses the potato away, not knowing what to do with it, the potato says that it too is bored. The potato goes on to tell the little girl that kids are boring. She insists that no, kids are fun and the potato challenges her to prove it. She shows the potato all the physical things she can do, then demonstrates using her imagination, but through it all the potato stays unimpressed. There is a great twist at the end of the book that you will have to read for yourself. A funny read that will have even the most bored child enjoying themselves.
Done entirely in dialogue, this is a fast-moving picture book. It begs to be read aloud with a grungy, dusty potato voice. The ever-bored potato is a great foil to the little girl who despite herself loses herself in her imagination and actions. It’s a lesson that kids are anything but boring, even when they themselves are bored.
The illustrations have a great rough feel to them. Done digitally, there is a feel of the organic roughness of a block print. I particularly enjoy seeing a little girl not in pink or done up cutely. This little girl is a real one, one that throws herself into things and that includes being willing to argue with a potato.
This is one book that is anything but boring. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
Reviewed from copy received from Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.
The Second Life of Abigail Walker by Frances O’Roark Dowell
Abby has always been on the outskirts of her group of friends, considered the fat one who could be teased endlessly about her weight. She has to be careful not to give her real opinion and to always toe the line set by the group leader. Privately, she considers them to be “medium girls” and nothing special, but they are her friends. As Abby starts to investigate the abandoned lot across from her house, she gets gently bitten by a fox. It is from that point on that she is no longer content to be a medium girl herself. Following the fox and then a dog, Abby discovers a creek she never knew was in her neighborhood and then a farm on the other side. A boy lives there with his grandmother and his father who is recovering from battle in Afghanistan. As their friendship grows, Abby gains self confidence and is able to give a lot back too.
This book had me from the very first page. Told from the point of view of the fox, the first short chapter invites readers to speaks to the power of story, the role of fabled characters in our lives, and moments when the real world and myths intertwine. It sets the stage perfectly for what is to come. This is a realistic story that has magic and myth moments. The writing is outstanding, bringing magic into our world through empty lots filled with weeds, foxes who live in urban settings, edges of suburbs, and newfound friends.
Abby is a great character. She is chubby and ridiculed for it by not only her friends but her parents. Yet she has a quiet strength, an underlying confidence, that allows her to withstand those opinions and grow into the person she really is. She is a wonderfully normal child, not the brightest, not the strongest, but one who is willing to see beyond the weeds to the flowers.
This is a radiant book that celebrates the quiet, the mythical, the connections that are too often missed in our rush. Appropriate for ages 9-12.
Reviewed from copy received from Atheneum Books for Young Readers.
Little Chick and Mommy Cat by Marta Zafrilla, illustrated by Nora Hilb
Little Chick has been raised by Mommy Cat since she was still in an egg. When Little Chick was very small, he thought that he was a cat too. He tried to be a cat, but it didn’t work. He couldn’t meow, or lick his paws or flick his tail. His mother explained to him that he was not a cat, but a chick and his real mother was a hen. When the two of them would go out, others would stare at them because they were different. His mother told him that it’s not bad to be different, what is bad is to want to be like everyone else. His mother also made sure to give him time to be with other chicks by taking him to the Bird School so he could learn everything he needed to about being a chicken. The other chicks asked him all sorts of questions because his mother was so different from the others. Little Chick though is happy to be part of his different but very loving family.
This picture book speaks directly to the issues of diversity and different types of families. It will also be happily embraced by families who have adopted children, because it manages to explain clearly and with no hesitation the basic love and acceptance of diversity in adoptive families. Small children will respond to the animal characters but easily also draw connections to themselves.
Zafrilla’s text is straight forward, tackling larger issues and bringing them to a level that small children will easily understand. She builds an unlikely family and happily shows the love and attachment between a cat and a chick. This is a book that is unlikely to be read as a straight animal story, because the connection to adoption is so clear. That said, the clarity and honesty here is what makes it shine.
Hilb’s illustrations add a colorful touch to the story. The colored pencil illustrations use delicate lines and soft colors to tell the story. The feathers and fur beg to be petted with their textures. Hilb maintains the size difference throughout the story, further emphasizing the differences between the cat and her chick.
This picture book focuses on diversity, love and the many forms it can come in. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
Reviewed from copy received from Independent Publishers Group.
Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jane Chapman
The Bear series by Karma Wilson continues to impress with its latest entry. There are only a few children’s picture book series that have maintained the quality of both writing and illustration as this series has. In this latest tale, Bear has an idea to create a big feast and invite his friends over to share. The only problem is that Bear has nothing in his cupboard at all. Mouse shows up with a pie to share, and Bear says “Thanks!” Bear continues to fret that he has nothing to share when Hare pops by with a batch of muffins to share. Badger then arrives with fish, Gopher and Mole bring warm honey nuts, and Owl, Raven and Wren have herbs for tea and pears to munch. But with no food to offer at all, what in the world can Bear give his friends?
I’ve always enjoyed the rhythm of this series and the repetition that makes them ideal to read aloud to toddlers. There is also a wonderful friendly warmth to the books, captured both by the colors of the illustrations and the story itself. That same warmth is here, friends offering food and sharing time with one another with no expectations. Chapman’s illustrations stay true to the series, offering pictures large enough to share with a group.
While this book is perfect for Thanksgiving story times, I’d also use it throughout the year when talking about sharing. This is a bear’s den that any of us would love to crawl into and spend some time in no matter what time of year it is. Appropriate for ages 2-4.
Reviewed from copy received from Margaret K. McElderry Books.
Here are the links I shared on my Twitter and Pinterest accounts this week that you might find interesting:
CHILDREN’S LIT
The Believer – Interview with Maurice Sendak http://buff.ly/Qj9c0x
The Best New Middle-Grade Chapter Books Fall 2012: http://pinterest.com/pin/193021534000926161/
Devon Corneal: Mesmerizing Non-Fiction Children’s Books http://buff.ly/QkNb1p #kidlit #bfyr
How ‘Black Beauty’ Changed The Way We See Horses : NPR http://buff.ly/Qd02md
Inside the Caldecott with Steven Herb http://buff.ly/QkNCJk #kidlit #bfyr
Just in case you might need a reason to participate in the#SharpSchu book club head over to #nerdybookclub ASAP http://nerdybookclub.wordpress.com/2012/11/02/the-top-5-reasons-you-should-join-the-sharp-schu-book-club-by-niki-barnes-and-her-2nd-grade-students/ …
A Newbery Story by Karen Cushman « Nerdy Book Club http://buff.ly/UyuHXg #kidlit
Which children’s books show families with same-sex parents? | Children’s books | http://buff.ly/ooI9mF http://buff.ly/QkNfhC #kidlit
LIBRARIES
The League of Extraordinary Librarians: SLJ’s latest tech survey shows media specialists are leading the way – http://buff.ly/RICOQ3
Libraries Weather the Superstorm | American Libraries Magazine http://buff.ly/RMQaee
Ten reasons why I love my library | Children’s books | http://guardian.co.uk http://buff.ly/QnMWCN
PUBLISHING
Another one bites the dust: Macmillan drops its printed dictionaries to go online only – The Next Web http://buff.ly/RKEY1N
Micah Baldwin, Graphicly And The Future Of Publishing: You Think You Know, But You Have No Idea | TechCrunch http://buff.ly/SMCVyg
SOCIAL NETWORKING
Are your Twitter followers real? – Telegraph http://buff.ly/RGxdtG
The Best Social Media Advice You Never Hear http://buff.ly/Sl9lxj
Facebook Admits Too Much Facebook Probably Isn’t Healthy | TechCrunch http://buff.ly/SKSAvz
Get Thee Onto Tumblr Before it’s Too Late http://buff.ly/RzDHKU
Is Facebook “broken on purpose” to sell promoted posts? | Ars Technica http://buff.ly/QgPVx0
One-Third of Google Employees Haven’t Posted to Google+ in Past Month [REPORT] http://buff.ly/RWgl2g
TECHNOLOGY
Apple’s Tablet Market Share Drops to 50.4 Percent [REPORT] http://buff.ly/SMG1jv
Are eReaders Doomed? How Our Tablet Love Affair Is Putting The eReader In Jeopardy http://buff.ly/Shk2Rs
TEEN LIT
Cheryl Rainfield » Why We Need Diversity in YA Fiction http://buff.ly/RQacVa
Could The Hunger Games get published today? http://buff.ly/T4R2wz #yalit
Missed World Fantasy Con? Get a wrap-up from the YA perspective on @enchantedinkpot http://tinyurl.com/b6ktxsf #WFC2012
Stacked: So You Want to Read Contemporary YA?: A Flow Chart http://buff.ly/QkN9H4 #yalit
Why criminals are the new vampires in YA fiction | Children’s books |http://buff.ly/ooI9mF http://buff.ly/SRxLB9 #yalit
Yay! @EllenHopkinsYA signs for two more novels http://pwne.ws/Xmm3RF via @PWKidsBookshelf #YAlit (RT @CherylRainfield)
Hide and Seek by David A. Carter
My confession of the day is my love for pop-up books. It is exacerbated by my younger son’s equally adoration for them. That means that I have a small voice in my head pleading to open the pop-ups as soon as we get them, and then my son pipes in too. So I gave in and in this pop-up discovered a wonderful, colorful world to explore. Carter has created a landscape of objects to explore, ranging from black and white to wild punches of color that create a skyscraper. He manages to make a book that invites children to move things and look closely, but will also appeal to the aesthetics of adults. I just opened the book in my office and immediately had co-workers around my desk interacting with it.
Just as with most delicate pop-up titles, this book will not withstand being circulated in a library. But if you have a young pop-up fan at home the way I do, this would make a grand holiday gift or a great pick for a long holiday drive.
Appropriate for ages 4-7 (and adults).
