Picture Book Pick: Who's Writing This Story?

Who's Writing This Story?

by Robin Newman

Illustrated by Deborah Zemke 

Creston Books, LLC

2024

32 pages

ISBN: 9781954354296

A brilliant take on "The Three Little Pigs" features an author who is writing the story and the characters, the three little pigs, who step in and take over! What happens to a writer when the characters steer the ship? 

Comic-book like illustrations by Deborah Zemke will enthrall as young readers laugh their way through the pages as the silly antics of the three little pigs unfold. Even the Big Bad Wolf has his own "take" on the story. He's tired of being the bad guy and wants to be the good guy, the protagonist. He wants friends. As each character steps up, the writer changes the setting and the story, but she takes a stand on the five elements of a story: plot, setting, characters, conflict and resolution. The pigs and the wolf disagree and, "...wrote the writer right out of their story." 

Creative and funny, Who's Writing This Story is a standout among all other picture books. It's likely both the author and illustrator will earn awards for this one. Anyone teaching any writing class or English class needs this book. Every writer needs this book to remind them of the basics while entertaining them with a new twist to an old story.  Never as "The Three Little Pigs" been both winsome, necessary and funny. 

Highly, highly recommended. You NEED this book for every collection and writer's desk. A fantastic gift for any budding writer; furthermore, even a seasoned author like David Baldacci or Stephen King will enjoy the storytelling. 

Ages 7 and up and recommended as a gift for everyone who is writing. 

Picture Book Pick: Still My Tessa

 

Awards:

Award Winner, CBC Kids Reads, 2024

Commended, Best Books for Kids and Teens, Canadian Children's Book Centrre, 2024

Nominated, OLA Blue Spruce Award, 2025

My Review: 

Still My Tessa

by Sylv Chiang

Illustrated by Mathias Ball 

North Winds Press

Scholastic Canada Ltd. 

2024

32 pages 

9781443196239

Younger sister Evelyn misses her older sister Tessa, but Tessa doesn't want to play or talk. She stays in her room or wears her headphones everywhere. When Tessa confronts her older sis, Tessa tells her that she is not her sister anymore. Tessa instructs Evelyn to refer to her as her sibling, not sister nor brother. 

Tessa explains that pronouns are important, and she uses "they" or "them." It takes about a week, but Evelyn learns the correct pronouns, and Tessa seems happier. When the family goes on a bike ride and gets ice cream, their parents warn the siblings that it's not necessary to tell everyone Tessa's gender. Evelyn disagrees, knowing it is important. Later, Mom uses "non-binary" as she refers to Tessa and Tessa smiles. Readers see the personal growth of the entire family of four: Tessa is much happier when people use her pronouns and understand that she is neither a boy nor a girl, Evelyn becomes her sibling's ally and instructs others about how important pronouns are, the parents use the correct pronouns and introduce Tesssa as "non-binary." 

Included in the book are pages defining the terms: non-binary, ally and pronouns as it refers to gender and tips to become a "pronoun ally." 

Still My Tessa is a powerful story about a family learning to use pronouns and understand how important being an ally is for any person, young or old. 

This picture book is a must-have for all library collections. Ages 3 and up. 

Middle Grade Pick: Camp Twisted Pine

 Camp Twisted Pine 

by Ciera Burch

Margaret K. McElderry Books

An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division

2024

256 pages

ISBN: 9781665930574

Camp Twisted Pine is a spooky middle grade read with just the right amount of the elements kids love about summer camp. The author dedicates the book to, "...all the kids who wanted to go to summer camp but weren't allowed to...," and those readers will visit Camp Twisted pine through the eyes of eleven-year old Naomi. 

Although she doesn't want to go to camp, she finds out that she and her twin younger brothers are being shipped off for the summer while her parents sort out their separation and impending divorce. While Naomi was ready to hate camp, once she's there, it's not so bad. The counselors are okay, the cabin is decent and she gets along with the other campers and becomes friends with Jackie. Jackie is hard of hearing and teaches Naomi ASL (American Sign Language) as the girls become closer. 

There's something amiss in the woods, and the scary stories told at the campfire has Naomi on edge. When a kid goes missing, Naomi convinces Jackie that they better solve the mystery of just what is out there in the woods. Could the Jersey Devil be real? 

Readers will cheer for Naomi as she unravels the mystery: she's fearless, smart and driven. For all those readers who have never been to camp, Camp Twisted Pine is the answer. 

Recommended grades 5 and up. A little spooky, but no gore. 

Picture Book Pick: We Are Definitely Human

 

We Are Definitely Human 

by X. Fang

Illustrations by the author 

Tundra Books

An imprint of Tundra Books Group

A division of Penguin Random House of Canada Limited

2024

48 pages

ISBN: 9781774882023

Finally, a positive picture book that shows humans for their humanity!

Mr. Li is startled awake by a loud crash in his yard. When he investigates, he finds three blue strangers who tell him, "We are definitately human." They say their car broke down and they need parts. It being the middle of the night and Mr. Li being a kind human, he offers to let them stay the night. 

In the morning, Mrs. Li finds the three strange visitors and can't help thinking something if a little "off" about them. They explain, "We are from Europe"--which is the funniest line of the story! Adults will laugh out loud at the precocious "not" humans who blame their idiosyncracies on being European. 

The town comes together (as kind humans always do) to help fix the strangers' "car." Soon, there's food and music and a party breaks out. The visitors are almost sad to leave, but they climb into their "car" and disappear into the sky. Mr. Li has the final say and it's hilarious! 

Children will laugh at the farm couple, Mr. and Mrs. Li, who somehow seem to "buy" the alients' story. Byt the conclusion of the book, readers see that Mr. Li is far more brilliant than he appears. 

A cute story with heart that shows humans in a positive light which is sorely needed RIGHT NOW! Empathy and kindness, belonging and inclusiveness, and friendship and community are topics children will see and experience. 

Highly, highly recommended. This is a sure front-funner for awards this season due to its heart and humor. Ages 18 months and up. 

Big and Little: A Book of Animal Opposites

 

Big and Little

A Book of Animal Opposites

Tiger Tales

Little Tiger Press Limited

by Harriet Evans

Illustrated by Linda Tardoff

2024

20 pages

ISBN: 9781664350953

Big and Little is the perfect size for baby and toddler hands, and is designed to keep young readers busy exploring the answers under each fold-over flap. The text reads "Day and night," and the illustrations offer extra depth using a chicken to represent day and an owl under the flap for night. Reading with a child in your lap, you (the reader), can lead the story any way you choose. For example, ask, "Why is there an owl at night?" or "What is this bird under the flap?"  

Favorite animals commonly featured in children's books are a mouse, a fox, a rabbit, a cat and a dog. Less common animals will open new discussions with children. Less common animals found in the flaps are a sloth, a ringtail cat, an armadillo and a meerkat. 

Truly entertaining yet with so little text, Big and Little is destined to be one of the most celebrated board books of 2024. The interactive flaps which feature fun illustrations and sometimes less obvious opposites allow for hours of learning. 

Highly, highly recommended for any grandchild or child who is 8 months and up. Lap reading is so important for brain growth and discovery,  so let's make it fun! 

Picture Book Pick: A Friend for Eddy

Picture Book Pick: The Day We Got Lost

 




The Day We Got Lost

by Faith Pray
Illustrations by Faith Pray
Little, Brown.
Aug. 2024.
40p.
ISBN 9780316541176.


This review appeared in School Library Journal Magazine.



PreS-Gr 2–Smudge’s family packs up the car and drives to the mountains for a picnic and a day in the great outdoors. His grandpa tells them that moss grows on the north side of trees and cautions him to stay on the trail because the paths are marked with trail markers and stones, but Smudge is a busy, playful child and moves the rocks as he frolics through the woods. He does not need markers, he claims. He is an explorer. Smudge ventures far away. It is not until he hears animals snorting and snuffling in the undergrowth that Smudge becomes afraid and realizes he is lost and alone. As fear sets in, Smudge tries to retrace his steps, but he is lucky his family is looking for him, too. When they reach each other, Mama, Grandpa, and Smudge work together to find the right path out of their predicament. Following the moss on the trees just as Grandpa taught them, they make their way back to the clearing and to where they left their car. Being lost isn’t such a bad thing after all, if they are lost together. Pray uses subtle watercolors and colored pencils to capture the beauty of the surroundings and the facial expressions of each character. Smudge is shown as a brave adventurer and a bit of a troublemaker. Baby Willa appears sweet and angelic, and Oni the dog is playful and joyous.


VERDICT An additional purchase, this is nevertheless a sweet book celebrating family, togetherness, belonging, and love.
Reviewed by Pamela Thompson McLeod , Jul 01, 2024

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.