guitars

2 New Picture Books about Learning from Grandparents

| Tasha

A Knot Is Not a Tangle by Daniel Nayeri, illustrated by Vesper Stamper 

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: November 25, 2025

Reviewed from Edelweiss e-galley

ISBN: 9780593809693

An Iranian boy is woken up by his grandmother. They have breakfast together on the old frayed rug before taking a meal out to Grandpa in the field where he is herding sheep. The three start planning to make a new rug. They wash the wool and card out the tangles. They spin it into wool that is dyed with local flowers. Then the design is plotted out on graph paper. Next they start weaving on the loom, creating Persian knots to hold tight. The boy learns to create knots and not tangles, until midway his grandmother adds the Persian flaw to keep it from being perfect. The new rug is finished and ready for new memories to be made.

Nayeri shows the art of Persian rug making through the eyes of a child, making not only the art itself accessible but also showing the love of grandparents along the way. The boy learns the craft and also the heart of making rugs, with specific emphasis on the Persian flaw and the lack of perfectionism. The art in the book captures the colors of the wool, the beauty of the flowers, and the lovely designs of both rugs that the family uses. 

Family, warmth and art combine in a winning title. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

The One About the Blackbird by Melanie Florence, illustrated by Matt James 

Publisher: Tundra Books

Publication Date: October 21, 2025

Reviewed from e-galley provided by publisher

ISBN: 9781774882665

Jack lived with his grandfather in a house filled with music. There was music on the record player plus his grandfather played several instruments, including the guitar. Jack particularly loved it when his grandfather played the guitar, especially the song about the blackbird. Jack asked his grandfather to show him how to play the blackbird song, but first it took a lot of help and practice to even play a single chord. With encouragement from his grandfather, Jack kept at it and learned to play the guitar. As Jack got bigger and the guitar got smaller, he left home and played music all over the world. When he returned, his grandfather was different and this time it was Jack who showed him how to play. 

Throughout this book, I could hear the song about the blackbird in my head, haunting and lovely. Children will want to hear that song after reading this book. The touching relationship between the two characters comes full circle by the end of the story as the grandfather grapples with dementia. The power and connectivity of music is on full display throughout the tale. James’ art is deeply organic yet accessible, showing the two characters as their relationship evolves and changes in the small blue house. 

Sure to strike the right chord. Appropriate for ages 5-7.

Review: Blackbird Fly by Erin Entrada Kelly

| Tasha

blackbird fly

Blackbird Fly by Erin Entrada Kelly

Apple just doesn’t fit in. Her Filipino mother cooks food that no American kids eat. Plus she is so strict that Apple isn’t allowed to take any music classes at school because it might impact her other more important grades. Apple though desperately wants to learn to play the guitar. When they left the Philippines, she took just one picture and a tape of the Beatles that had belonged to her dead father. Apples does have friends, but once they discover that she is on the Dog Log, a list of the ugliest girls at school, they stop hanging around with her. Apple decides to start saving up for a guitar and as she does that she starts to make new friends, other kids that have been singled out as odd or different. But one misstep with a teacher’s wallet marks Apple as a thief and that is all it takes for her former friends to really turn against her. Apple has to figure out how being different can actually be a very good thing.

This tween novel has a strong mix of a multicultural main character combined with middle school popularity and racism. Kelly does not flinch away from the blatant racism that teenagers can engage in as well as the casual hate that they throw at each other, particularly kids who are different from them. Kelly’s writing has a friendly, straight-forward tone even as she deals with the drama of both middle school and a parent who is over protective. Using music as a language that bridges new friendships and new understandings works particularly well and serves as a backbone for the entire novel.

Apple is a character with lots going on in her life. She faces racism on a daily basis at school and in turn takes it out on her mother, turning her back on much of their Filipino culture. She is embarrassed by her mother and angry at her lack of support for Apple’s musical dreams. As Apple puts together a misguided plan to run away, readers will hope that she finds a way to live in the life that she already has, particularly because they will see how special she is long before Apple can realize it herself.

A great tween read, this book offer complexity and diversity in a story about individuality and friendship. Appropriate for ages 10-13.

Reviewed from digital galley received from Edelweiss and Greenwillow Books.