Picture Book Pick: You Are My Pride

 

You Are My Pride: A Love Letter From Your Motherland

by Caldecott Honor Book author

Carole Boston Weatherford

Illustrated by Coretta Scott King Illustator Award winner

E.B. Lewis

Astra Books for Young Readers 

2023

40 pages

ISBN: 9781635923872

Weatherford captures the voice of Mother Africa and speaks to the readers as, "Child" in this powerful, lyrical beautiful story of the beginnings of us: humans. Evocative and captivating, readers will be enchanted by the prose and the glorious illustrations of the first humans throughout our history until today. 

Humans encounter fierce storms and even fiercer predators to the oceanbound sailing ships that set off to search the unknown. The final spread features the ocean and the words, "Here are your beginnings. Here is your home." 

Pages follow titled "Our Beginnings" and feature a timeline of early human evolution and developments from the first creature that walked upright on two legs to the Homo sapiens or modern humans. Young readers will be fascinated by the voice of the narrator, Mother Africa. What a joy to read!

You Are My Pride: A Love Letter From Your Motherland received starred reviews and editorial love from major book review sites. A must-have, must-read for every child. A lovely book for storytime.

Highly, highly recommended ages 4-8. Do not miss this book! 

Picture Book Pick: Remember

 

Remember 

by Joy Harjo, Poet Laureate

Illustrated  by Michaela Goade, Caldecott Medalist

Random House Studio

Penguin Random House, LLC

2023

40 pages

ISBN: 9780593484845

Remember is a poem by U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo captured in full color illustrations by Michaela Goade. It is a poem of remembrance but more importantly, a tribute to the earth, the sky, and the universe which we are all a part of. 

Animals have tribes and families and histories, so we should remember, "Talk to them, listen to them. They are alive poems." Living poems! Aren't we all? It's a great message to young readers and to all ages. We have only one planet, as we are increasingly aware of. It's up to humans to remember and to preserve for all living things. 

This beautiful picture book is a must have for well-balanced collections for all ages. Every child will love the message. 

Highly, highly recommended ages 2 and up. 

Picture Book: Dark Cloud

 Dark Cloud

by Anna Lazowski

Illustrated by Penny Neville-Lee

Kids Can Press

2023

32 pages 

ISBN: 9781525306570

Abigail has a dark cloud that follows her everywhere. Sometimes it is a cloud or fog or a shadow, but everywhere she goes, the cloud is there. Everything she does, the cloud hangs about. 

Illustrations by Penny Neville-Lee capture Abigail's feelings and mental outlook. When she goes to the library, she finds a book about a blue ocean and visits the beach afterwards. She traps her dark cloud in a sand castle. She realizes that she is not the only person who can have a dark cloud. Sometimes adults have them also. 

As she begins to manage living with her cloud, the book's illustrations erupt in full color and blooming flowers. Even though Abigail's cloud is still there, she sits among the flowers. She is able to escape her cloud and play with new friends. 

The author's note is helpful and will open the talk with young children about their emotions. Abigail's story will help them understand that it is okay to feel things and it is okay to talk about emotions. Endpages in the front are in black and white. Endpages in the back are in glorious full color and show how Abigail grows and accepts her feelings and emotions. 

Dark Cloud is a must-have for every child's bookshelf. Every library should have several copies. 

Highly, highly recommended ages 4-8. 

Picture Book Pick: My Cat Does Ballet

 

My Cat Does Ballet

by Robert Heidbreder

Illustrated by Matt Schu

Atheneum Books for Young Readers

an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division

2023

32 pages

ISBN: 9781665917032

A boy shares his love of dance with his pet cat in this cute pas de deux of a picture book. He talks to all his friends who are cat lovers. Each friend's cat has a unique skill like riding on the running vaccuum cleaner, hiding socks, shredding toilet paper or climbing curtains. The boy thinks all his friends must be jealous because his cat does ballet. 

In an attempt to show them, the boy invites all his friends with their cats to his Corps de Chats to teach all the cats ballet. The music begins and the cats dance, all except the boy's cat who falls asleep on the couch. 

Recommended for any lover of dance especially ballet. Ballet terms are used in the text and movements are gracefully illustrated by Matt Schu who has the cats leaping and moving into ballet poses. Famous ballet dancers' short biographies follow the story as well as a glossary of ballet terms with a cat showing the movements and poses. 

A winner of a picture book and must have for dancers. The opportunity to design beautiful end papers was overlooked. When readers open the book, they are greeted by dull, drab green papers. The publisher missed a huge design element which is a fail. Otherwise, My Cat Does Ballet is highly entertaining and informative, 

Pre-school to grade 3. 

Bugumentary Pick: In a Patch of Grass

 

In a Patch of Grass 

by Fran Hodgkins

Illustrated by Dan Tavis

directed by Steven Spielbug

starring David Antenborough

Tilbury House Publishers 

2023 

32 pages 

ISBN: 9780884484639

In a Patch of Grass is a clever "bugumentary" directed by Steven Spielbug and starring David Antborough. The two bug stars direct and narrate the makings of a small ecosystem populated by grasshoppers, ants, worms, spiders and other insects and creatures. 

Steven Spielbug directs the action of each bug actor and David Antenborough hosts the film shoot until a nosy, friendly dog interrupts and breaks up the set, sending bugs scurrying hither and yon. 

The bug actors are featured on the front cover giving readers a hint what they'll discover inside. The endpapers are lively and buggy, The cast and crew are explained in detail in order of appearance. The quotes from various "publications" on the back cover are from the International Film Crickets Society, The Daily Mantis, The Hollywood Rolypoly and The New York Treehopper. 

Comic relief, silly puns, Hollywood movie making, cartoon speech bubbles and captivating illustrations make this whimsical picture book a must have. For insect lovers everywhere ages 2 and up. 

Highly, highly recommended. 

LOL Alphabet Board Book Pick: G Is for Gross

 

G Is for Gross

A BabyLit Book 

by Greg Paprocki

Illustrated by the author 

BabyLit

2023

32 pages 

ISBN: 9781423664963

Hilarious illustrations and giggle-worthy text will delight both toddlers and adults. Author/illustrator Paprocki uses mid-century modern colorful illustrations in a throwback nod to cartoons and Mad Magazine comics. 

Some of the gross whimsy included are: "D is for dirty diaper," "F is for fart," "O is for outhouse," and of course, "V is for vomit," In almost every page spread, characters are seen holding their nose, looking a little queasy, screaming and/or running. 

Pages include the trusty pet dog or cat, and even one pet octopus peering out of a fish tank. What a fun read-aloud! Young readers will laugh and love saying the words out loud: poop, vomit, toxic, and zombie are lovely examples. 

If only Paprocki had written this decades ago! Today's toddlers get to have all the fun, but their parents and adults can have fun reading this uproariously clever book. Sturdy board design will last hours (years) for little hands turning the pages. Kids will probably memorize their favorite page spreads and shout out, "P is for poop!" for example, whenever this book is opened. 

Highly, highly recommended. If you buy one alphabet book, G Is for Gross needs to be the book. Never have I ever had this much fun reading an alphabet book. 

ages 18 months to 3 years.  

Clever Non-Fiction Board Book Pick: Copy That, Copy Cat!

 

Copy That, Copy Cat! Inventions Inspired by Animals 

By Katrina Tangen

Illustrations by Giulia Orecchia

Barefoot Books

2023

34 pages 

ISBN: 9781646869992

 Copy That, Copy Cat! will entertain and delight young readers. With its clever lift-the-flap interactive design and fun facts, kids will have a great time guessing the answer to each rhyming riddle. The science behind each invention inspired by animals is concise and easy to understand. 

This sturdy board book will stand up to hours of love and learning in little hands. Although the design is for much younger kids, the information inside will appeal to all levels of elementary school through middle school. Lifting the flap on each invention reveals fascinating details about how scientists use biomimicry to design new inventions. The term biomimicry gets a full page of information. The animals featured on the cover appear again on the last page with their own flap. Readers lift the flap to reveal how animals inspired inventions such as robot arms and better light bulbs.

Fun rhyming text and colorful illustrations make this book a sure winner. Highly recommended for any reader who loves non-fiction and science. Beginning readers will love lifting the flaps and figuring out each riddle. 

Ages 2-middle school. 

 

Board Book Pick: Sneak! A Slide-and-See Book!

 

Sneak! 

A Slide-and-See book!

by Beatriz Gimenez de Ory

Illustrated by P:aloma Valdivia

English translation by Lisa Rosinsky

Barefoot Books

2023

18 pages 

ISBN: 978888590195

What a fun book! Interactive pages "hide" animals. As the readers turn the page, each animal is revealed. The creative slide-and-see design is a genius design in engineering. A chameleon becomes a leaf. a leopard hides in a tree, a sea dragon looks like seaweed until readers turn the page, and an owl butterfly looks like a pair of eyes until young readers discover it is the markings on the butterfly's wings. 

New animals kids may not have seen before include: an arctic fox hiding in the pristine snow, a patoo, a bird that looks like a dead tree branch. and a leaf insect looks exactly like the plants it hides in. 

A page is included with a description of each animal and how they use camouflage to hide and survive. Sneak! is the cutest and most brilliant board book in recent memory. You must buy this for every tiny reader you know. 

Highly, highly recommended 10 months and up. If you're a school librarian at an elementary that has preK or K, you must buy several copies. One for check-out (which may not age well) and one to share at story time. Kids will love to guess what animal is hiding. The text gives clues to help them out. 

Breathtaking Picture Book: Brindlefox

 

Brindlefox

by John Sanford

Illustrations by the author 

Worthy Kids

a trademark of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

2023

32 pages

ISBN: 9781546003724

"To have a friend, one must be a friend." 

Brindlefox lives alone and likes it. He does not like company or noise, so he lives a hermit's existence in his messy house. He never has guests, so he does nor clean or tidy his house. Soon, leaves, vines, plants and limbs are growing into his house. In fact, one day, a sapling sprouts from Brindlefox's own back! 

The sapling grows exponentially in a few days until Brindlefox is aware of a rustling in his leaves. It's a heron! And not only that, a noisy, nosy heron. He scares the bird away, but is surprised to see it gathering berries from his limbs. The next day, a tasty pie appears on his windowsill. Brindlefox is surprised. Why would a bird leave him, a mean fox, a pie? The heron explains she made it "to eat." The fox is flummoxed. He goes to work on his house and cleans himself up. He invites the bird to his newly made dining table to share pie, and the two become fast friends who eat and visit together. 

One simple act of unexpected kindness turns around the fox's life and outlook. How simple is that? Focusing on friendship and loneliness, young readers will feel empathy for the lonely fox and love the kind heron. They will cheer the unlikely duo's friendship and revel in the gorgeous illustrations evocative of children's fairy tale books like Mother Goose and Grimms' Fairy Tales. 

A must have for every collection. This is one of the most beautiful picture books I've ever encountered. 

Ages 18 months and up. Simply lovely.