My First I Can Read Pick: Fox Plays Ball

Fox Plays Ball

by Corey R Tabor 

Illustrated by Corey R. Tabor

Greenwillow (My First I Can Read)

32 pages 

Oct. 2024 

ISBN 9780063370913

This review appeared in School Library Journal.  

A fun read about a mixed group of animals who are competitive no matter their size. Fox wants to play ball, and soon is joined by Elephant, Bear, and Rabbit in a game officiated by Penguin. Snail does not want to miss out, even though he is such a small creature. Elephant kicks the ball to start the game. It soars. Illustrations show the ball going far away, into the mountains and trees, and the animals scurry to claim their prize. Fox is elated when he gets to the ball first. Little does he know the punishment his body is about to take: Rabbit, Bear, and Elephant pile on top of him, causing the ball to squirt out. Snail claims victory, proving that underdogs can win, even if the odds are against them. Readers will love seeing unlikely friends playing together.

 Lively illustrations capture the game and the players’ emotions as they chase the ball. A spread with the animals chasing the ball as it repeatedly goes “boing” off trees, rocks, and hills is laugh-out-loud funny. The expression on Bear’s face as he concentrates while trying to catch the ball is phenomenal. For further whimsy, Rabbit uses a kitchen colander as a football helmet.

 This book will appeal to parents and caregivers as a solid teaching tool. A note before the story offers guidance on using I Can Read titles for shared reading, reading with help, beginning reading, and reading alone.VERDICT A must-have for all elementary collections.

Picture Book Pick: The Quiet Forest

 

The Quiet Forest

by Charlotte Offsay

Illustrated by Abi Cushman 

A Paula Wiseman Book

An Imprint of Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

2024

40 pages

ISBN: 9781665926423

A mischievous mouse sets this story in motion in a cumulative tale about a not-so-quiet forest. The mouse rattles the rabbit which bothers the beaver who soaks the deer who bumps a giant moose which wakes the bear from her den.

The hero of the story is the bear cub who quiets his mama who then calms down. The forest gets a little more quiet but not too quiet. The animals "sing" in their lovely forest. 

Beautiful illustrations by Abi Cushman capture each animal's personality and feelings. The deer looks startled, the bear looks angry with her "serious side-eye," and the moose looks miserable indeed. 

Readers will love the interactions of the animals with each other and the fact that they are all friends in the forest. Parents can follow up with a few non-fiction (but fun) picture books on forest creatures mentioned in The Quiet Forest. Readers who live near forests can attest that forests are not usually quiet at all.

Recommended pre-K to grade 2. Ages 3 and up. 

Humorous Pick: Peg Gets Crackin'

 

Peg Gets Crackin'

by Jo Renfro

Illustrations by the author

Beaming Books

2024

32 pages

ISBN: 9781506492070

Peg is an egg, and is quite happy to be an egg. It's safe inside her shell surrounded by all the other eggs, but one morning Mama says it's time to wake up and get out in the world. Peg is afraid. There might be danger lurking out  there in the world. 

She hears cracking all around her as the other chicks bust free. Then it's scary quiet. She wonders what to do next. She stays in the egg, safe. Soon Peg begins to outgrow her shell. Suddenly it's not comfortable, she's squished. She has no choice but to break free. 

The world is bright, the sun is shining, Peg has LEGS! She's excited to see what the world is all about. She searches for her mama and the other chicks while enjoying freedom and the outside. Peg is no longer afraid to be outside her shell. 

Colorful and joyful illustrations bring Peg's personality to life. Readers will love Peg and empathize with her struggle to be safe or to take a risk. Savvy children may realize that Mama chicken would not put her babies in danger, and even savvier children will point out that Peg becomes brave when left alone. The mama chicken doesn't coddle Peg nor baby her. Parents may learn a lesson from Peg Gets Crackin'. 

The fun story told with heart and gorgeous illustrations are stand-outs. 

Highly, highly recommended ages 4 and up. 

Picture Book Pick: Abuela's Library

 

Abuela's Library

by Lisette Norman

Illustrated by Jayri Gomez

Harper 

An imprint of HarperCollings Publishers

2024

32 pages

ISBN: 9780067530

Alfonso goes to the library every week with Abuela (his grandmother). She loves books, and was, in fact, a librarian. She believes that there is no such thing as too many books. Abuela and Alfonso sit under their favorite tree and read each week. 

The power company must cut down their tree as it is leaning and will cause major problems. Both of them are sad to see their tree go until...Alfonso asks if they can use the tree stump to build a library inside. The entire family helps and soon, there is a cute library where neighborhood kids can come and take or leave books. 

Making something positive for the good of the community out of what could have been a dismal experience is Alfonso's superpower. When he sees all the kids reading, he decides he will become a librarian, too. 

A sweet story about a grandmother's love of reading and the time she spends with her grandson is wonderful. There is no mention of Little Free Libraries or the program or how to build one in your neighborhood. I feel this is a page that needed to be included, and the publisher clearly missed an opportunity to support a wonderful program. 

Recommended ages 4 and up. You can find more information about Little Free Libraries and maybe you'll be inspired to start a group in your neighborhood to build and support reading for everyone. 

Early Reader Pick: Sketty and Meatball (published in School Library Journal )

 

FICTION

Sketty and Meatball

by Sarah Weeks (text) & illus. by Alex Willmore

HarperCollins. (I Can Read Level 1). Jul 2024. 32p. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780062431622; pap. $5.99. ISBN 9780062431615.

COPY ISBN

Gr 1-3–A lovable duo that will charm young readers. Sketty and Meatball are the best of dog friends. They do everything together: run, play, bark at the cat, and curl up under the lemon tree for a nap. Aptly named Sketty is a bigger dog with long, spaghettilike hair. Meatball is a round, brown dog who looks like a meatball. Readers will love their names and their friendship. When the friends go to a dog show, they see dogs of every kind. After spending the day making new friends, Meatball curls up with Sketty to nap under their favorite tree. Repetition shows how close the two dog friends are and is good for new readers. For example, one will often always ask, "Are you thinking what I’m thinking?" and the other replies, “I hope so.” Then, Sketty and Meatball will blurt out the same answer together. Willmore captures the fun personalities of the dogs with colorful and playful illustrations. A note to parents at the beginning offers tips on shared reading, beginning reading, and reading alone, and a helpful web link promises more information.

VERDICT A must-have for early readers.

Reviewed by Pamela Thompson McLeod , May 01, 2024

Wordless Picture Book Pick: The Last Zookeeper

 

The Last Zookeeper 

by Aaron Bccker

Illustrated by Aaron Becker 

Candlewick Press

2024

40 pages

ISBN: 978`536227680

In this sweeping, breathtaking artistic masterpiece, NOA, a robot with a huge heart for creatures, steps up to save what is left of the world. There has been a catastrophic flood or tsunami that destroyed everything but an abandoned zoo. A few buildings still stand, but the only life seems to be the animals. NOA plans to save them somehow and take them to dryer and better land. 

He plans and designs a small boat, testing the waters. NOA transports the animals to higher ground as he builds a huge boat (ark) to sail to a better location and possibly find others like him and them. NOA sets sail with the animals, and they encounter a terrible storm and become shipwrecked on a beautiful island that is not underwater. Things are looking up...literally...as a friend shows up in a hot air balloon. It's someone NOA is happy to see. 

The Last Zookeeper has no text, no words, and none are needed. The gorgeous watercolor art tells the story, and readers are able to make the story up for themselves. There is so much to discuss about NOA's behavior: he, a robot, who has empathy and feelings for living, breathing creatures, so much so, he risked hurting himself to save them. He has hope of finding a better place, of saving all of them, of discovering what is still "out there." He works tirelessly, using his skills to plan and design a boat capable of bearing the weight of all the zoo animals. He is thrilled to see a new land where the animals can thrive. 

Genius storytelling through art has never been so masterfully done! Kudos to Aaron Becker for a true WIN! The Last Zookeeper is a book I'll never forget, and I'll bet young readers will remember it always. 

So highly recommended if you don't get this book for a young reader, you'll wish you had. The story is ageless and will withstand the test of decades. This is a true classic that will be on every single library shelf everywhere. 

For all ages, even pre-readers. 

Own Voices Pick: I Am a Masterpiece!

I Am a Masterpiece 

by Mia Armstrong

Illustrations by Alexandra Thompson

Random House Children's Books

a divisiion of Penguin Random House, LLC

2024

40 pages

A note from the author about Down Syndrome

ISBN: 9780593567975

Editorial Review:  “A celebration of self-advocacy, self-expression, and self-acceptance.” —Kirkus Reviews

My review: 

I Am A Masterpiece is a tribute to the genius, creativity and spunk of tween activist and actress Mia Armstrong and everyone like her. Mia was born with Down Syndrome, which makes her different from other people, but all humans have dreams and desires. While she may look a bit different, and her speech might sound different, she likes to do the same things other kids do: she likes to draw, she loves roller coasters and sleepovers. 

Sometimes grown-ups treat her like she's invisible, but her mother tells her to practice patience. Some people need to be taught that different is amazing. 

The actress herself believes her superpower is her Down Syndrome. It makes her empathetic and sweet. She knows when someone needs a hug or a kind word without them telling her. She may not wear a cape like a superhero, but she is one. This book is a celebration of acceptance and growth. It is such a positive message for all families and children with Down Syndrome. 

In her note, Mia explains that Down Syndrome is not the "r" word. People with Down Syndrome are intelligent and creative. The reason her voice sounds different is that the tongue is a muscle, and her muscles are "floppy." It doesn't mean she's not intelligent or that she can't speak. Different is not scary. Different is good. 

Highly recommended for all collections grades 3 and up. Inclusiveness, celebrating differences, Down Syndrome, educational, activism. 

Out of This World Pick Picture Book: Dalmartian

 

Dalmartian: A Mars Rover's Story

by Lucy Ruth Cummins

illustrations by the author 

Atheneum Books for Young Readers Children's Publishing Division 

2024

48 pages

ISBN: 9786659111955

One summer night some visitors land and begin collecting earth samples in Stepthen's backyard. When they were frightened off, one visitor got left behind. A little dog! Stephen invites the "dog" inside, and shows him where to sleep. The visitor is not having it. He enjoys the bed, not the floor.

They also have trouble at breakfast. It isn't until Stephen offers the dog bacon, that readers see the happiness erupt on the visitor's face. A tear of joy! Bacon! Later, on a walk to the park, the visitor insists on walking without a leash like a real "person." He is appalled when real dogs want to sniff his behind. 

The visitor waits for his ship to return, hoping to go home soon. A few nights later, his people do land and pick him up. On board the ship, the visitor questions "home." He should be happy to be where he belongs, but he misses his friend Stephen. He heads right back to Earth and grabs his favorite spot on the bed so that he's there when Stephen wakes. This is a true tail of intergalactic friendship! 

Dalmartian is quirky fun, and young readers will giggle at the visitor's antics which are very un "dog" like. Yellow, black and brown dominate the art, but the visitor and his ship are colored with green (a nod to Martian green). 

Highly, highly recommended for anyone who loves dogs, space and friendship. 

Picture Book Pick: Lighthouse and the Little Boat

 

Lighthouse and the Little Boat

by Katie Frawley

Illustrated by Ben Mantle

Quill Tree Books

an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers

2024

32 pages 

ISBN: 97800631114234

Lighthouse stands at the harbor: tall, strong and powerful, watching over everything in her harbor and guiding everyone to safety. When a little boat named Brightness visits, Lighthouse protects her. Brightness is happy to hang close to the harbor, but after a bit, she gets braver and wonders what is beyond the safety of her harbor. 

As the weather changes, suddenly Brightness is missing from the harbor. Lighthouse is lonely and sad. She continues to shine brightly with the hope that Brightness will see her beacon and find her home safely. Brightness makes it back and thanks Lighthouse for saving her, but Lighthouse tells her she merely lit the way. Brightness did the hard work. 

Beautifully written with illustrations that any young reader will connect with. Lighthouse and the Little Boat is destined to be an award winner this year and an instant classic. 

Ages 4 and up. 

Dragon Pick: Roar-Choo!

 

Roar-Choo!

by Charlotte Cheng

Illustrations by Dan Santat

Rocky Pond Books 

An imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC 

40 pages 

2024

ISBN: 9780593531754

Never has a dragon been more glorious, gorgeous, awesome, but imperfect! Roar-Choo! celebrates the power of the dragon and the beauty and kindness of the phoenix in this rambunctious tale of a dragon who tries to ROAR, but ends up sneezing and a phoenix who helps the dragon slow down, take a breath, sip some hot tea and take a nap. You see, even dragons need rest, especially when they are sick. 

Sweet Phoenix offers hot tea, bone broth and a nice nap. Dragon believes they must live up to to their hype: a dragon must be loud, a dragon must be strong, a dragon must be scary, a dragon must roar! Phoenix helps Dragon understand that even at their best, even a powerful dragon should learn to take breaks and rest. The friendship and the shared nap at the end is sweet. 

The note at the end about the dragon and the phoenix in Chinese mythology helps young readers understand what the two characters stand for. May everyone find their phoenix and their dragon. 

Art by Dan Santat is inspirational: Dragon is captured and brought to life, practically jumping off the pages and breathing fire. This is one dragon readers won't forget. Roar-Choo! MUST be read out loud with the loud roar-choos! and using two character voices. This book is likely to be a nighttime must before bed. 

Highly recommended and likely to win several awards this year. 

Graphic Pick: Nancy Spector Monster Detective

 

Nancy Spector Monster Detective: The Case of the Missing Spot

by Stephen W. Martin

Illustrated by Linh Pham

Algonquin Young Readers

an imprint of Workman Publishing 

Hachette Book Group, Inc. 

2024

208 pages

ISBN: 9781643750651

A fun graphic mystery adventure with a tenacious protagonist who happens to be the greatest girl detective, Nancy Spector Monster Detective is a gem. 

The invisible man has lost his dog Spot, so he turns to Nancy for help in finding him. There is just one problem that will complicate this case: Spot is also invisible. Nancy is a great detective and she knows detectives never give up. She goes on a mission with her grumpy dog Jinx (who is comic relief to Nancy's serious nature) is against the mission from the onset. The professor (the invisible man) tags along.

Nancy searches the professor's house and Spot's invisible dog house for clues, taking notes. Soon the trio sets off following Spot's scent. Jinx begins sneezing and Nancy figures he may be allergic to Spot's invisible fur. The more Jinx sneezes, the closer they are to their quarry. 

A fun map of Nancy's island features Frankenstein Monster's monster's castle, ice horns, deadly whirlpools and a pirate cove. What reader can resist a cartoon map? Illustrations by Pham are energy-charged and will appeal to an reader who loves superhero comics. 

Nancy Spector Monster Detective is fun frolic full of whimsy and creativity. Recommended for graphic novel readers, mystery lovers, comic book lovers and perfect for reluctant readers. Grades 4 and up. 

Non-Fiction Pick: Unknown New York

 

Unknown New York: An Artist Uncovers the City's Hidden Treasures

by Jesse Richards

Art by the author/artist

Workman Publishing

A division of Hachette Book Group, Inc. 

2024

240 pages

Publication Date: September 10, 2024

Jesse Richards discovers Manhattan and becomes a New York aficionado, exploring interesting places on her weekend walks. Always an artist at heart, she starts an art group to sketch in Central Park. As her group grew, she began to look for new places to sketch and found that many members kept returning because of the new locations she found. The group grew to over 8,000 member and  Richards found that she loved to delve into the history of the places she found.

In chapters like "Hidden New York," she includes The Daily News Building with its rich history and iconic placement in the Superman films of the 70s and 80s as The Daily Planet where Clark Kent meets Lois Lane. She includes the facades of buildings like the Cable Building and the Roosevelt Building and the Shinran Shonin Statue which was gifted to New York in 1955 by a Japanese industrialist. The statue has red burns marks on it from the atomic bomb at Hiroshima in 1945.

The art and historical details give rich descriptions of each choice in the book. Anyone going to New York should take notes from this gem of a book. Even New Yorkers will discover places they've never heard about or visited. 

An interesting tidbit is there are still buildings in New York that use mail chutes: over nine hundred, in fact. A pneumatic tube system connected all of Manhatten across the Brooklyn Bridge and all of Brooklyn. It was too expensive to run and by 1953, the city began using cars and carriers to move the mail. 

Other chapters include Humble Parks, On the Street, Central Park and Excursions. A section at the back of the book includes walks were you can see all the places mentioned in the text. For the seasoned adventurer or new New Yorker, Hidden New York is a treasure trove of information and unlikely places to visit. 

Highly recommended for anyone planning to visit or live in New York and those who love to read about travel and history.  

Dragon Pick: Rory The Remarkable Dragon

 

Rory The Remarkable Dragon 

by Katherine Rammell

Illustrations by the author

Orchard Books

an imprint of Scholastic, Inc.

2024

40 pages

ISBN: 9781546109976

Publication date: September 17, 2024

Rory is a remarkable dragon: she has a beak, she doesn't roar like other dragons, she has much smaller wings and is not good at breathing fire. On her first day at school, the other dragons see that Rory is different. When lunchtime comes, Rory loses her appetite when the dragons are served a chicken dinner. The principal senses something is off with Rory from the moment Rory enters the school, but lunchtime proves her point! Rory is a vegetarian dragon! She then declares that Rory can be the treasure guard, the youngest in history.

Rory takes her job seriously, guarding the treasure from plundering knights. In fact, one look at Rory and the knights run away. She is the scariest dragon they've ever seen. Young readers will love Rory, a chicken who is hatched alongside dragons' eggs. 

Rory the Remarkable Dragon is a whimsical picture book that celebrates standing out in a crowd and accepting your own differences. Young readers will smile at the chicken's moxie and laugh out loud at the runaway knights. 

Highly, highly recommended ages 18 months and up. The cartoon like drawings welcome readers in and the humor captures Rory's personality. 

Colorful Columbian Picture Book: I Am La Chiva: The Colorful Bus of the Andes

 

by Karol Hernandez

Illustrated by Lorena Alvarez Gomez

Dial Books for Young Readers

An imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC

2024

40 pages 

ISBN: 9780593529201

La Chiva is the colorful and fun bus of the Andes. Up and around mountains it goes, chugging its way to the town where the passengers will shop and sell their goods at the mercado (market). Each day, farmers, makers and bakers depend on the little bus to take them on the breathtaking ride through the picturesque Andes. 

There are farmers with pigs, ladies with big baskets of baked goods and meat pies, children riding to school and other people eager to go to town. A man plays an accordion and everyone sings along on their journey....until they have a flat tire. Now, it takes everyone to come together to save the day.

Once in town, La Chiva waits patiently outside the market for the people to close up their stalls. The little bus will take them safely to their mountain homes. 

Entertaining, rhyming verse and gorgeous colorful illustrations make La Chiva! The Colorful Bus of the Andes a strong contender for many book awards this year. The illustrations are sheer beauty and deserve the highest of praise. A handy glossary of Spanish words is included for young readers who may not know Spanish. 

Highly, highly recommended for any picture book collection and sure to be a hit in classroom read alouds. 

Picture Book Pick: Seoul Food

 

by Erin Danielle Russell

Illustrations by Tamisha Anthony 

Viking 

an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC

2024

40 pages 

ISBN: 978059346438

Every family, including found families, has foods and dishes with shared experiences and memories. When both sets of grandparents decide to visit Hana's family, she wants to do something nice for all of them. How does she bring two cultural identities together and blend them both into a yummy dish? 

Hana remembers eating gumbo in South Carolina with one set of grandparents and  she remembers the pot of kimchi-jjigae in her other grandmother's kitchen in South Korea. She wants to honor both sets of grandparents and begins by making a roux. She adds andouille and bell peppers and then adds kimchi and gochujang to make a delicious, aromatic stew. 

When the grandparents arrive, they are greeting by the delicious smell of the food. They guess it must be soul food. The others think it smells like Korean food. Hana tells them everyone is right, but it's not soul food, it's Seoul food. The two sides of the family bond over the meal and agree that even though they live a great distance apart, they should visit each other's homes and share their familial bond of love and food. 

Seoul Food is a lovely picture book that celebrates the love and laughter that happens over shared food. Different cultures can come together and make a fantastic recipe for happiness. 

Highly recommended for every picture book collection and every child, especially those with multiracial families like Hana's.