friends

3 Fantastic New Picture Books about Making Friends

| Tasha

Don’t Eat Eustace by Lian Cho (9780063321847)

Bear lived alone in a lighthouse. He spent his days fishing for lunch until one day he caught Eustace who begged him not to eat him. Bear also caught a colorful sail at the same time and almost threw it back into the sea. But when some other creatures need help, Bear finds himself helping out with Eustace’s encouragement. He makes a new wing for a heron, a coat for a shark, and a new sweater for himself. When evening comes Bear is very hungry and Eustace is already in the pot. What’s a bear to do? Cho has created a picture book that begs to be shared aloud. It has a wry sense of humor as Bear makes promises he has no intention of keeping. Meanwhile Eustace is trying to stay alive but along the way the two form a strong connection.

A book of new friends, crafts and funny fish. Appropriate for ages 3-6.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by HarperCollins.

Field Trip to Dinosaur Valley by John Hare (9780823459575)

A teacher takes a class of children back in time using a time machine. Once back in the time of dinosaurs, the machine transforms into a dino-like structure that walks the landscape giving the kids a perfect view of the valley. The teacher lectures along the way. When one student decides they need a snack though things get a bit wild. A stolen lunch box turns into one student falling out of the machine and getting left behind. As they make the best of it by sitting down and eating their lunch, a variety of dinosaurs emerge to share the lunch or potentially having the student FOR lunch! 

This nearly wordless book is great fun, offering a humorous look at a visit to the past that will have young children creating a story to go along with the pictures. The illustrations are full of bright colors, leaving the old green dinosaurs in the past in favor of bright dinos covered in patterns. The students and teacher are in protective suits and goggles, adding to the modern feel of the story.

A visit to the past with a slice of pizza and other snacks to share. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Margaret Ferguson Books.

Make New Friends by Joshua David Stein, illustrated by Mariachiara Di Giorgio (9781949480559)

Tomasso is a new kid in school. He doesn’t know anyone at all. His father keeps asking him if he’s made any friends yet and Tomasso admits, not yet. Then he discovers two old balls in the school playground. He gives each one a face and names them Roland and Barry. Eating along in the cafeteria, he gives his carton of milk a face and the name Coco. When his dad asks again about friends, Tomasso tells him about Roland, Barry and Coco, describing them like classmates. Soon he is finding new friends everywhere, including erasers, socks, rocks and paper bags. His father wants to meet all these new friends and insists that Tomasso invite them over. What will his father do when he finds out the truth? 

A lovely look at shyness and newness and the power of art and creativity to save the day. Stein writes with such sensitivity and understanding about Tomasso’s situation. There is a joy in discovering the new toy friends he creates. While I don’t want to spoil the ending, it is that part of the book where it all comes together and is very special indeed. The art adds to the joy of the toy friends and the found family story that is so powerful. 

Satisfying, art-filled and an antidote to loneliness. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Edelweiss and Abrams Books for Young Readers.

3 Superb Snowy New Picture Books

| Tasha

A Snow Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead, illustrated by Erin E. Stead (9781250324733)

Amos McGee loves the snow, but all he has gotten so far is rain and wind. Then finally there is news that the first snow of the year is on its way. Happily, he has just finished his knitting and offers all of his zoo friends scarves, hats, socks or clothing to keep them warm in the snow. Everyone waits for the snow that day, but it never comes. However, overnight the snow arrives starting with just one flake. By the morning, the snow is deep enough for snow angels, snow art and shoveling. It’s just right for one more thing too: sledding! The day ends with cocoa for everyone with extra marshmallows.

This third Amos McGee book is just as charming as the first two. Amos and his animal friends share the glee of small children when the first snow comes and invite readers to join in the joy of playing in the snow with them. I appreciate how Stead creates a world where the quiet of snow is also part of the beauty of it for children. The illustrations are lovely with their fine lines and details. They make an elephant and rhino deep in the snow immensely believable. 

Another delightful book in a great series. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Roaring Brook Press.

Snow Kid by Jessie Sima (9781665966085)

A group of children make a snow kid on a winter day, giving them a carrot nose, stick arms, and a top hat. They name the snow kid, Twig. When Twig is left along in the snowy woods, a cold breeze takes their hat which makes Twig cry out. Twig had never spoken before and now wonders what else they could do! Twig is soon walking and talking, journeying down the hill, getting bigger and losing their carrot nose. But what makes them Twig? Are these changes making them into someone else? When Twig discovers a clearing full of unique snow people, they realize that there are many different ways to be and that they can decide who to be themselves.

Sima writes this picture book from Twig’s point of view and beautifully captures the existential questions that Twig has. Using gender-neutral pronouns and inclusive language, the picture book shows that embracing change is part of life and that transformation can be a way of finding one’s true self. The illustrations are a lovely mix of snowy delights and winter fun with wistful blues that give space for questions and exploration. 

Young children exploring their gender expression will find a kindred spirit in Twig. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Edelweiss and Simon & Schuster.

Wally Mammoth: The Sled Race by Corey R. Tabor, illustrated by Dalton Webb (9780063434912)

Wolf wants to win the sled race, so Wally says she hopes he does. Otto the auk wants to win too, so Wally says she hopes they both win! Soon they are at the starting line, but Otto and Wolf crash almost immediately. Wally sails on past, suddenly winning. But the two fallen friends are sucked up into a huge snowball that comes after Wally. Perhaps she was right about not having to win all along! Told in speech bubbles, this picture book reads like a large-format graphic novel. The three friends are a great mix of characters just right for a silly sledding sequence. 

Share this one at winter story times. Appropriate for ages 3-6. 

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Edelweiss & Greenwillow Books.

Simon and Chester: Super Detectives by Cale Atkinson

| Tasha
Cover image.

Simon and Chester: Super Detectives by Cale Atkinson (9780735267428)

First introduced in Sir Simon: Super Scarer, this new graphic novel continues the partnership of Simon and Chester. Chester is bored, there’s nothing to do and Simon refuses to play clowns with him. But when Chester is digging in the items in the attic, he discovers a hat that is just right for being a detective. Simon, the ghost, wants to be the lead and Chester happily acts as his assistant. They set up their detective agency in the attic, complete with the right sort of lighting. Now all they need is a mystery to solve. They search for one, and then hear a strange “snork” noise coming from the kitchen. They discover a pug dog there, and now must solve the mystery of who owns him. There are lots of false leads, some fake legs, and dreams of a rich reward before the mystery is ultimately solved.

Full of lots of humor, this graphic novel is ideal for new readers who will love the format and the engaging storyline. The two characters are marvelous together, each happily playing along as the other takes their ideas in a new direction. The results are a hilarious book with a good mystery at its center but lots of silliness along the way. The writing is strong and the two characters are great fun to spend time with.

The art in the book is immensely inviting. It is richly modern with plenty of humorous visual jokes. I particularly guffawed when Simon tries to have fake legs and then doesn’t quite understand how to use them successfully. The question of whether the pug is a real dog is also a hoot as is their searching the kitchen for clues. There’s so much to love visually here.

A funny mystery for new readers to solve. Appropriate for ages 5-8.

Reviewed from copy provided by Tundra Books.

The Yawns Are Coming! by Christopher Eliopoulos

| Tasha

The Yawns Are Coming! by Christopher Eliopoulos

The Yawns Are Coming! by Christopher Eliopoulos (9781984816306)

A sleepover is great fun as long as you can avoid the yawns! This is the story of two children and their sleepover where they planned to stay up all night long. They even had a long list of things to do like playing hide-and-seek, board games, soccer, and trampolining. The yawns started to appear while they were playing cards together. Soon there were hundreds of them. The kids ran, climbed and hid from them, but it was no use. Soon they were yawning and then suddenly a Doze landed on their heads, Snores came, and finally a Sleepie covered them up! Next thing, it was morning, but there was still fun to be had.

Eliopoulos’ picture book has a great look and feel that is made all the more fun by the humor of the story. Using cute monsters as the yawns, snores, dozes and sleepies was a great idea, especially when they appear in droves or drop from the sky. The book captures the great plans made before every sleepover and how they never quite manage to be achieved.

In the illustrations, it’s great to see a picture book that features diverse characters who are close friends. I also appreciate that the narrator and their friend “Noodles” are not given genders in the book and could be whatever the reader chooses. The use of hooded pajamas and then daytime hats to keep them clearly identified but also gender neutral is a great touch.

A funny and marvelous bedtime (or staying up late) book. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from ARC provided by Dial.

Review: Little Mole’s Wish by Sang-Keun Kim

| Tasha

Little Mole’s Wish by Sang-Keun Kim

Little Mole’s Wish by Sang-Keun Kim (9780525581345)

Little Mole was heading home alone on the first day of snow, when he met a snowball on the path. He brought the snowball along with him to the bus stop. He waited for a bus, but the driver wouldn’t let him on with a snowball. So Little Mole sculpted the snowball into a bear. But the next driver realized it was still a snowball. So Little Mole gave the snow bear a backpack. The two waited a very long time together for the next bus, long enough that Little Mole shared his hat in case the bear was cold. That bus allowed them both to board. On the warm bus, Little Mole fell asleep and when he woke up his friend was gone. The bus driver urged him to head home, saying his friend must have gotten off at another stop. Little Mole got home and told his grandmother all about his day. When he went to bed, he wondered where his friend had gone. In the morning, his grandmother called him with a big surprise!

There is so much magic about this picture book that was originally published in South Korea. Little Mole is an entirely winning character who problem solves along the way, creating a bear just as charming as he is. The words and illustrations work seamlessly together here as Little Mole builds a friend from snow. Readers will have a series of surprises as the book goes on, including the two riding the bus together and then the final surprise that ensures everyone will know that wishes come true.

Kim’s illustrations are soft and dreamy, done in colored pencil, pastel, pen and digital. They are full of small touches that bring the entire world to life with an owl sleeping in the hollow tree, Mole having a similar teddy bear to the bear he builds from snow, and each bus matching its driver in design, including the final bus having deer antlers.

A perfect read for the first snow. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Schwartz & Wade.

Review: Albert’s Quiet Quest by Isabelle Arsenault

| Tasha

Albert's Quiet Quest by Isabelle Arsenault

Albert’s Quiet Quest by Isabelle Arsenault (9781101917626)

In this second book in the Mile End Kids series, Albert is looking for a quiet place to read. His house is way too noisy, so he heads to the alley behind his house. There he notices a painting of the sea at sunset and imagines he is reading on a quiet beach. But the alley starts to get busier as he sits there. Some children are working on potting a plant. Others begin a badminton game. Another girl asks Albert to watch her doll while she gets her cat. Someone else plays music and kids start to dance. It gets too be way too much for Albert, who slams his book shut and yells at the kids to be quiet. The others sneak away and quietly bring out their own books, finally shushing Albert when he tries to apologize for his outburst.

Told only in speech bubbles in the illustrations, this story is about wanting to find a bit of solitude and quiet. The building of the noise around Albert is done well, layering on top of one another. The ending though is a pleasure and a surprise as the other children get books and read too, with the picture book ending with laughter together.

Arsenault’s illustrations are wonderfully ethereal and unique. Done in a limited color palette, they have a quiet nature to them. She plays nicely with Albert’s imagination taking up double-page spreads and showing all of the children on the beach together. The cacophony takes over the pages, a brilliant show of noise and activity on the page.

Just right for quiet and loud kids alike. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Random House Books for Young Readers.

 

Review: Fake Blood by Whitney Gardner

| Tasha

Fake Blood by Whitney Gardner

Fake Blood by Whitney Gardner (9781481495561)

AJ just doesn’t feel like he fits in with his two best friends anymore. They are always daring each other to do things and have fantastic lives where they take big risks and brag about them. In contrast, AJ feels short and dull. But then he decides to take a big risk and start talking to a girl he’s had a crush on for years. He’s just not sure how to get Nia’s attention. He knows she is way into vampire novels, so he starts to read them too. Perhaps all it will take is some fake blood around the gums to get her to notice him. However, when Nia does notice AJ, she thinks he’s a real vampire and she has dedicated her life to slaying them. What none of them can see though is that there is a real vampire in their midst! Something they might figure out too late.

This graphic novel for teens and pre-teens is just right for both Twilight fans and Twilight haters. Getting it into the hands of Buffy fans would also be a great choice. Gardner wisely plays on the tropes of vampire novels, using similar character names and book titles. Throughout there is a sense that the reader is in on the broader joke of it all, something that is entirely charming.

Readers will figure out that there is a real vampire long before the characters do and Gardner then lets that play out delightfully. There is no attempt to conceal it, either through the storyline or the art work. And the art work is excellent, offering large panels in a colorful vampire-filled world. It has a cartoon feel to it that makes it approachable and then the humor completes it nicely.

A great pick for fans and haters alike, this one would make a great graphic novel to book talk to middle-schoolers and teens. Appropriate for ages 11-15.

Reviewed from library copy.

3 New Picture Books Featuring Friends

| Tasha

A House That Once Was by Julie Fogliano

A House That Once Was by Julie Fogliano, illustrated by Lane Smith (9781626723146)

Two children head into the woods and discover an old house that is no longer a home. Once painted blue with an overgrown path, the house has a door that is stuck partly open. So the children enter through a broken window. Inside they find clues about the people who used to live there. There are art supplies, photographs, things in the kitchen for cooking, and beds that are still made. Could the owner have been a sea captain? Or perhaps a woman who painted in the garden? A girl or a boy? A king or a queen? And why did they leave this house waiting for them, never to return?

Such a gorgeous picture book. The writing is exceptional, the poetry invites readers to head forward slowly as if exploring an old house themselves. The writing looks at things from different angles, puts words together carefully and asks readers to think a bit before moving on. The pacing is delicious and just right, echoing the activities described on the page. Smith’s illustrations are layered and loose, the color on the page almost lifted by the breeze like pollen. It settles and lifts again.

Seriously one of the best picture books of the year. This is treat by two master artists must be shared with children!

Jerome by Heart by Thomas Scotto

Jerome by Heart by Thomas Scotto, illustrated by Olivier Tallec (9781592702503)

This beautiful, heartfelt picture book shows the incredible joy of having a true childhood friend. In this book, Raphael loves his best friend Jerome. He’s a friend who isn’t afraid to hold hands, picks Raphael as his partner at school, shares his snacks, and defends Raphael if anyone picks on him. When Raphael’s parents react rather rudely when he expresses his admiration and adoration of Jerome, Raphael heads to his room. There he looks for a great gift for Jerome, until he is distracted thinking about adventures that he and Jerome can have together. Because they will!

A French import, this picture book is childhood captured on the page. There is a merriment to the boys’ time together and an innocence inherent in the way they treat one another. And yet Raphael has beautifully concrete reasons that he loves Jerome and it’s all about how well he is treated and how Jerome makes him feel inside. The parents’ reaction may echo some of the reactions of adult readers who may wonder if there is more connection between the boys than just friends. That is neatly put in its place as Raphael heads off to be with his friend regardless of what that friendship may eventually mean for them.

Tallec’s illustrations are as masterful as ever. The pairing of the two boys is depicted with solid connections between the two of them. They have a lovely playfulness about them that capture the friendship of the boys and mimics the merriment that the boys feel when together. A delicate and touching story of friendship. Appropriate for ages 3-5. (Reviewed from copy provided by Enchanted Lion Books.)

Rescue & Jessica A Life-Changing Friendship by Jessica Kensky

Rescue & Jessica: A Life-Changing Friendship by Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes, illustrated by Scott Magoon (9780763696047)

Written by two of the survivors of the Boston Marathon bombing, this picture book is the true story of one of them and their service dog, Rescue. It is the story of a dog learning to serve and a girl learning to survive after losing a leg. Both of them train long and hard separately until they are paired together. The two of them spend their days together and Rescue helps Jessica heal after she loses her remaining leg. After that, the training starts all over again, but this time they do it together. This picture book captures a story of resilience and survival after a tragedy and the difference a service dog makes in that recovery and life afterwards.

The writing here is told with a light tone where possible. It helps tremendously that readers can see Rescue training to be Jessica’s dog even as her story is deep in shadows and pain. The mirroring of their hard work is also very successful, showing the dedication they both had to have even before they meet one another. The illustrations are very effective, using white and black backgrounds to show hope and challenging times. Throughout though, there is hope, in the form on one black dog who stands strong against dark and light. A winning picture book that is inspiring and courageous. Appropriate for ages 4-6. (Reviewed from library copy.)

 

 

3 New Picture Books Full of Friends

| Tasha

100 Things I Love to Do with You by Amy Schwartz

100 Things I Love to Do with You by Amy Schwartz (9781419722882)

This is a companion book for 100 Things That Make Me Happy and uses the same charming format. Told in rhymes, the book shows children, adults, friends and family spending time with one another doing a variety of things. Activities range from whale watching to ice cream to stargazing to cloud watching. Throughout families of different types and children of a variety of races are depicted. There is a jolly tone to the book, a galloping rhyming form and lots to love. Spend time with this picture book and the children you love to do things with. Appropriate for ages 3-5. (Reviewed from library copy.)

Elmore by Holly Hobbie

Elmore by Holly Hobbie (9781524718640)

Elmore is a porcupine, a very friendly one, but he doesn’t have any friends. Porcupines are solitary animals, but even so Elmore got lonely at times. So he put up a sign on a tree saying “Friends Wanted.” But then he overheard the other animals talking about how prickly he is. Elmore never meant for anyone to be pricked by his quills, but it sometimes happened. So Elmore spent a rainy day up in his tree thinking about what would work. With some kind words from his uncle, he had an idea! There are many things to enjoy in this picture book. One of those is that Elmore does not lose his quills or start acting any differently. Instead he comes up with an idea where he embraces what makes him unique. It’s a clever idea, one that will surprise and delight readers. The illustrations are also delightful with a wonderful whimsical feel to them. Elmore himself is quite an approachable and cuddly porcupine, though you can see the quills poking through the back of his cardigan. A picture book about being yourself, prickly or not. Appropriate for ages 3-5. (Reviewed from e-galley received from Edelweiss and Random House.)

I Walk with Vanessa by Kerascoeet

I Walk with Vanessa by Kerascoeet (9781524769567)

This wordless picture book tells the story of a new girl in school who is bullied. The new girl spends her first day at school separated from the others, not joining in playing games, not interacting in class and leaving quickly when school is done. On the way home, she is bullied by another child, something that is witnessed by a girl in her class. The witness spends her entire evening thinking about what she can do to help. At breakfast the next day, she has an idea. She goes to the bullied child’s home and walks together with her to school. Friends join and soon the entire school is walking with Vanessa. This picture book takes the large issue of bullying and gives children a way to not only talk about the issue but to do something about it. The book ends with information for children about bullying and a guide for parents and teachers to talk more about it. The art is engaging and lively, the bullying not overwhelming at all, but clearly hurtful and wrong. The emotions on the faces of the children are reinforced by their body language as well. A great book to start class discussions about bullying and being brave. Appropriate for ages 5-7.  (Reviewed from e-galley received from Edelweiss and Schwartz & Wade.)