Kellee Moye of Unleashing Readers and Jen Vincent of Teach Mentor Texts decided to give Kathryn’s (at Book Date) “It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?” meme a kidlit focus, reviewing books in children’s literature (picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, or anything in the world of kidlit). If you enjoy this type of reading, join us every Monday to share what you’ve been reading!

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Maybe He Just Likes You
Barbara Dee
October 1, 2019
Aladdin

Seventh grader, Mila, is experiencing unwanted attention by a group of boys in her middle school. They bump up against her, ask for hugs, subtly rub by her backside, and giggle or high-five with each other after each incident. She begins feeling nervous about going places and sensitive to the clothing she owns — even choosing to wear the same sweater a few times each week because its the one that covers her developing body, best. What makes matters worse is that a female friend of hers seems to think Mila is overreacting and doesn’t give her the support she really needs. She’s scared to report the contact and comments because the person she would have to talk to is also the basketball coach (so she fears he’ll automatically take the boy’s side since they’re basketball players). Barbara Dee writes so sensitively, revealing all the awkward feelings puberty brings and the fear of having no adult to trust. And the book was almost 90% finished before the phrase “sexual harassment” even came up. Before that time, Mila didn’t know how to describe the behavior. I’m so happy this book exists. There aren’t nearly enough middle grade books written on this topic.

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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The Hundred-Year Barn
Patricia MacLachlan
Kenard Pak, illustrator
September 17, 2019
Katherine Tegen Books

Ah, this book is sure to make one long for a better sense of community:

The hundred-year barn was built one summer in our meadow with a small stream running through.
  It was built by townspeople:
fathers and daughters,
mothers and sons,
grandmothers and grandfathers,
and friends.

Written from the point of view of the son whose father built the barn, he takes the reader through the process of building the barn, how it was used over the years, and we discover he’s a grown man by the last few pages. And much to his surprise, something that was once lost during the building of the barn is finally found. ❤ The artist used watercolor, gouache, pencil, ink, and digital media to create the illustrations for this book. I’ll provide one page-spread as an example, below:

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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Octopus Stew
Eric Velásquez
September 17, 2019
Holiday House

Ramsey’s grandma sees her grandson’s drawing of an octopus and it puts her in the mood to make some octopus stew. So off to the store they go to pick out an octopus to cook. But they’re certainly in for a shock when they get back home and begin cooking up their octopus. Then, right smack dab in the middle of the picture book, there’s a four-paged spread that lets us in on the fact that this is a fantastical story being shared with Ramsey’s family, after the fact. At the end, in an Author’s note, Velasquez shares more about his family’s gatherings where they would tell stories or play music for one another. He also shares that his family spoke non-standard Spanish at home, which is reflected in the English and Spanish usage in this story. The illustrations were painted in oil on Fabriano 300 lb. hot press watercolor paper. I’ll provide one example, below:

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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A Place to Land:
Martin Luther King Jr. and
the Speech That Inspired a Nation
Barry Wittenstein
Jerry Pinkney, illustrator
August 27, 2019
Neal Porter Books

This beautiful picture book focuses on the events surrounding Martin Luther King’s speech on the National Mall during the march on Washington, August 28th, 1963. There were so many tidbits in these memories and it surprised me to learn of how many people attempted to influence his famous speech. I also wasn’t aware that most people don’t believe he intended to use his memorized “I Have a Dream” segment (which he had used several times, before, but not with as much national attention — primarily from white America). The seven pages of back matter are well worth the read, including a lengthy Author’s Note, Artist’s Note, a full page about the Willard Hotel Advisors, information on other voices and speakers for the march, sources, and a selected bibliography.

The artwork for this book was made using graphite, color pencil, watercolor, and collage on Arches watercolor paper. I’ll provide one page spread as an example, below:

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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Let’s Scare Bear
Yūko Katakawa
July 9, 2019
Holiday House

This cute little tale is based on a classical Rokugo story that is traditionally performed onstage by a storyteller. Based on the cover, it appears that bear is scared. However, we quickly learn that bear isn’t scared of sharp teeth, sticky webs, a coiling snake, or being yelled at. Nope, he says Manju cake could very well be his downfall. Children will definitely enjoy this surprise ending!

The artwork in this book was created with mixed media. I’ll provide one example, below:

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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Bear Out There
Jacob Grant
June 4, 2019
Bloomsbury Children’s Books

Bear does not like to go outside with a filthy ground, itchy plants, or pesky bugs. But his friend, Spider, needs help finding his kite after it flies away. This is a sweet story of friendship and the importance of persistence. If we don’t give up, we’ll often be successful! The artwork in this book was made with charcoal, crayon, and ink and then colored digitally. I’ll provide one page spread as an example, below:

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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Mary Engelbreit’s
The World is Yours
Mary Engelbreit
April 2, 2019
HarperCollins

This precious keepsake book will be enjoyed by everyone from preschool through their wisdom years. It’s an illustrated collection of Mary Engelbreit’s favorite quotes. For example:

“Do not allow yourselves to be disheartened by any failure as long as you have done your best.” -Mother Teresa
“The only way to endure the quake is to adjust your stance.” -Oprah Winfrey
“We must not allow fear to stand in our way.” -Nelson Mandela

Some are just so adorable that I want poster-sized copies to frame for my walls.  I’ll provide one page spread as an example, below:

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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Puddle
Richard Jackson
Chris Raschka, illustrator
March 26, 2019
Greenwillow Books

When you’re trudging through the rain, do you ever take a moment to consider what the puddles think of you? Well, that’s precisely what this picture book makes us ponder. Puddle has low self-esteem, wondering if his sisters and brothers are better than him. A seagull swoops by, sneakers splash through, and a dog pees in the puddle. But in the end, puddle is quite happy for the way he mirrors the beautiful colors around him. With bright, bold artwork and onomatopoeia, this book will make excellent discussion for young readers.

Watercolor and gouache paint on paper were used to prepare the full-color art. I’ll provide one page spread as an example, below:

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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To Be Read:

I just got a new pile of picture books to read this week and I’m also looking forward to finishing The Eye of Ra by Ben Gartner and New Kid by Jerry Craft.

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Reading Challenge Updates: 

Goodreads Challenge 2020 – 49/200

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Kellee Moye of Unleashing Readers and Jen Vincent of Teach Mentor Texts decided to give Kathryn’s (at Book Date) “It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?” meme a kidlit focus, reviewing books in children’s literature (picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, or anything in the world of kidlit). If you enjoy this type of reading, join us every Monday to share what you’ve been reading!

I’m running late this week, but should be able to slip in to the #imwayr link-up just in time. If you made it to this post, thanks so much for visiting!

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Clean Getaway
Nic Stone
January 7, 2020
Crown Books for Young Readers

I absolutely, positively loved Nic Stone’s Dear Martin. Additionally, I was mesmerized by her short story in Snow in Love (an anthology of four short stories) — it was clearly the best one of the book. And I appreciated what she was doing in Odd One Out, even if I wasn’t my favorite type of story. So it was a no-brainer to pick up her middle grade debut this week: Clean Getaway. Eleven-year-old William (AKA “Scoob-a-Doob”) is a young black boy and his G’ma is white. One day he’s taken on an unexpected road trip with G’ma. As they travel through important historical places (ex: Medgar Evers home in Jackson, Mississippi), William learns about the Green Book which was used back in the day to keep black traveler’s safe. Along the way, he picks up bits and pieces from G’ma’s past, including the story of how his grandfather ended up in jail. However, he begins to wonder if G’ma is losing her mind and if he might be in real danger after having lost all contact with his father. This story addresses multiple topics ranging from biracial families to being a single parent to segregation to incarceration and to aging parents. I’ll look forward to seeing its impact on middle graders, everywhere!

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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Holes
(Holes #1)
Louis Sachar
August 20, 1998
Scholastic

This week, I finished reading Holes as a read aloud with all five of my kiddos. It was what my 11 year old wanted to read since they loved 24 Hours in Nowhere by Dusti Bowling — both titles have a similar setting and a few things in common. It was a HIT!! Stanley Yelnats is sent to a make-shift juvenile detention center digging holes at Camp Green Lake, which is in the middle of nowhere. As he works with the misfits in his group, they begin to uncover the real reason they’re tasked with digging hole after hole. (SPOILER: It ain’t to prepare the soil for gardening). Filled with mystery, adventure, and friendship, Holes will definitely remain a favorite in my family. We finished reading it on Friday and then watched the movie for our weekly family pizza movie night. I’m thinking we’ll start Scar Island later this month. I read it a couple years back and think it might work well just after reading Holes — yet another young boy being held in a detention center.

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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Night Job
Karen Hesse
G. Brian Karas, illustrator
September 11, 2018
Candlewick Press

I was entranced by this “night in the life of” story about a young boy who goes with his father to his night job. There was something that felt so cozy about peeking in on these two:

On Friday nights, when the sun goes down, I snap the clips shut on Dad’s lunch box and climb onto the back of his bike. We zoom over the darkening bay, riding the dusky highway.

The story engages the reader with the sounds, sights, tastes, and even the temperatures experienced during the night. I love the writing and the artwork — really want a copy of this one for my personal home library! The illustrations were done in mixed media. I’ll provide on page spread as an example, below:

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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Planting Stories:
The Life of Librarian
and Storyteller Pura Belpré
Anika Aldamuy Denise
Paola Escobar, illustrator
January 15, 2019
HarperCollins

What a lovely nonfiction picture book about the life of Pura Belpré. With Spanish words and phrases woven into the English text, we see her dedication for planting story seeds (just like Johnny Appleseed did). She shares stories she grew up listening to and eventually has them printed so they can be shared again and again. I so enjoyed the details of the artwork. And the back matter includes a wonderful author’s note, a bibliography, and more. The artist used Adobe Photoshop to create the digital illustrations for this book. I’ll provide one page spread as an example, below:

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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What a Cold Needs
Barbara Bottner
Chris Sheban, illustrator
February 12, 2019
Neal Porter Books

This book would be a perfect gift for so many in our community who are currently under the weather with the flu. What sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touch do YOU like when you have a cold? Perhaps warm socks, a kiss on the forehead, soft music, and a nice book would help any reader feel some comfort. The story will bring up many ideas to consider. And the ending has a slight twist that might bring a few giggles from young readers, too! The artwork was created using watercolor, colored pencil, and graphite. I’ll provide one page spread as an example, below:

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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Gloria Takes a Stand:
How Gloria Steinem Listened,
Wrote, and Changed the World
March 12, 2019
Bloomsbury Children’s Books

This nonfiction biography is about the work of Gloria Steinem that kickstarted the women’s lib movement.  She was/is diligent and never gave up hope on a future where life would offer equal opportunities to women. The back matter contains an author’s note, an illustrator’s note, a timeline, and a bibliography. The artwork in this book was created with black sumi ink, gouache, and watercolor on paper, and then digitally composited in Photoshop. I’ll provide one page spread as an example, below:

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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How to Two
David Soman
March 19, 2019
Dial Books

While this might initially be viewed as a simple counting book, there’s much more going on here story-wise. “How to one” is just one boy sliding down a playground slide by himself. Then “how to two” is two children on a seesaw together. On and on the story goes until it reaches 10 and starts back over at “how to one” when the young boy who started the book heads home to read with his mother. Similar to a wordless picture book, readers can discuss all sorts of things happening within each page spread. The story may take different directions as every reader interprets the thoughts and feelings of each character. Such fun! The artwork in this book was done with watercolors, ink, and colored pencils on paper. I’ll provide one page spread as an example, below:

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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To Be Read:

I’m still reading and enjoying The Eye of Ra by Ben Gartner, which was just published this month, and I just started listening to Maybe He Just Likes You by Barbara Dee on audiobook.

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Reading Challenge Updates: 

Goodreads Challenge 2020 – 41/200

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Kellee Moye of Unleashing Readers and Jen Vincent of Teach Mentor Texts decided to give Kathryn’s (at Book Date) “It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?” meme a kidlit focus, reviewing books in children’s literature (picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, or anything in the world of kidlit). If you enjoy this type of reading, join us every Monday to share what you’ve been reading!

Later this week will mark two years since I started this new blog (after losing my entire website, built from 2000 to 2016). I’ve not missed a week of #imwayr since moving to WordPress and I’ve purposefully read and commented on every single blog that links up, every week. I can officially say I feel very connected with this community and always look forward to seeing what each of you read and what you think about it. Thank you for sharing this weekly space with me!

This week I am happy to be reviewing an ARC of Chirp by Kate Messner. And I was so lucky to get my hands on a variety of other books that were published in the last year (or that have come highly recommended). Whether it’s a new book or older title, I hope you find something to add to your reading list.

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Chirp
Kate Messner
February 4, 2020
Bloomsbury Children’s Books

Mia’s family is moving to Vermont at the end of her 7th grade year, where she’ll be closer to her aging grandmother who runs a cricket farm. Once an accomplished gymnast, Mia isn’t sure where her new interests lie now that she is healing from a balance beam injury (which required surgery on her arm). So she agrees to attend two summer camp opportunities in her new city — launch camp (a maker space for kids) and Warrior camp. At the maker space camp she makes a new set of friends and builds a team of people who rely on one another’s strengths. Mia’s big maker space project will hopefully boost her grandmother’s cricket farm by using robotic technology and social media hashtags. At the warrior camp, Mia must face her inner fears and take baby steps as she regains muscle strength and endurance.

As the maker space team works on their project, they soon discover someone is attempting to sabotage the cricket farm. This means a little dangerous undercover work for Mia in an attempt to uncover the culprit and prevent future damage. But as different people become potential suspects, it’s easy to jump to conclusions. In the meantime, Mia learns of the importance of opening up about uncomfortable experiences she’s had with an adult in her previous town. She learns that inappropriate touch and sexual harassment happen far more than we realize and that speaking out can be healing for yourself and helpful for others who may have experienced the same pain.

With the development of valuable friendships, learning how to communicate with parents, the inclusion of technology and social media, the mystery of sabotage, and deciding on whether to report an abuser, this book is very full and yet quite well-rounded. I was so pleased that it ended on a very happy and comforting note. And I just know it will be loved by so many middle graders who will relate to Mia’s arsenal of experiences, in one way or another. It would also make a wonderful read aloud, but be sure to order some edible crickets to share with listeners! My thanks to Netgalley and to Bloomsbury for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Chirp will be released tomorrow, so go out and pre-order your copy TODAY!

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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A Man Called Ove
Fredrik Backman
Henning Koch, translator
July 15, 2014
Atria Books

Ove is an irritable widower who is a stickler for following the rules. He has no problem going out of his way to correct anyone who is out of line. He likes his routine and doesn’t seem to be able to function if it’s broken. With flashbacks to his past, we witness how people and experiences have impacted who he is, today. We especially learn of his great love with his wife, Sonja. It was so beautiful and, yet, left a great big hole in his life.

Ove had never been asked how he lived before he met her. But if anyone had asked him, he would have answered that he didn’t.

The people in his neighborhood were absolutely lovely — those relationships and the ways we connect and serve one another are exactly what life is all about. For example, having never had children of his own, Ove becomes a beloved adopted grandfather to his neighbor’s children, giving him purpose and a reason to keep going.

For some reason I really struggled to get into this audiobook. I had heard so many wonderful things about the story, but I just felt so depressed seeing how visibly unhappy Ove was. Over time he grew on me as he built new relationships with others on his block and in the end I was sobbing my eyes out. I mean, absolutely bawling!

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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Giant Tess
Dan Yaccarino
April 2, 2019
HarperCollins

I’m convinced that Giant Tess is the human equivalent of Clifford the Big Red Dog. 🙂 She’s adopted as a baby and grows into a giant of a child. She can’t fit or blend in anywhere, but that doesn’t mean she cannot discover a purpose. This book will provide an interesting discussion about finding ways we can each function, even when we don’t believe we belong. Sadly, this feeling isn’t uncommon among children. The artist used brush and India ink on vellum and Photoshop to create the illustrations for this book. I’ll provide one page spread as an example, below:

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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If I Was the Sunshine
Julie Fogliano
Loren Long, illustrator
May 7, 2019
Atheneum Books for Young Readers

With breathtaking, dreamlike artwork, this picture book is quite an experience. There’s so much to see and discuss with children about each new stanza. Three lines are always found on one page spread while the fourth is found after turning the page.  The pages go through various seasons and weather conditions and also include a variety of locations ranging from a meadow to a mountain to the sea. I very much enjoy looking at the pictures and reading each verse! NOTE: This book bothers some people because of the avoidance of subjective mood (“If I was/were the sunshine…”) and for the fact that it uses all lowercase letters and no punctuation. I guess I can more easily overlook this, especially when it comes to poetic license. Almost 25 years ago, I married a Professor of Rhetoric who diligently studies and teaches linguistics. And if I’ve learned anything from his profession, it’s that language is constantly evolving. For years, the subjective mood has been slowly disappearing from the English language. I refuse to get emotional about it as long as I understand what’s being conveyed in the poem. 🙂 I’m guessing Fogliano and her editor knew precisely what they were doing when they published the poem this way. But it might make an interesting discussion for those willing to debate these choices. 🙂 The illustrations for this book were rendered in acrylic paint. I’ll provide one page spread as an example, below:

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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Power Up
Seth Fishman
Isabel Greenberg, illustrator
March 19, 2019
Greenwillow Books

This nonfiction picture book could serve as a motivational text for children attempting to live up to their academic or athletic potential OR it could be a great way to dive into a science lesson on energy or the body. There are a number of facts and figures, but it’s also just an exciting read when considering how much we can accomplish if we take care of our bodies and tap the power inside each of us. The Author’s Note in the back explains both the scientific and mathematical components of E=mc² for children who haven’t yet encountered this. Then it ends with the challenge to go out and grow, rest, gain strength, and ask “what if?” and “why?” The full-color art was prepared digitally. I’ll provide one page spread as an example, below:

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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Poetree
Shauna LaVoy Reynolds
Shahrzad Sliney, illustrator
March 19, 2019
Dial Books 

This precious picture book is about a lonely, young girl named Sylvia who takes great comfort in her friendship with a tree. The book goes back and forth between poetry and prose as we see Sylvia in class and out in nature, all while attempting to navigate this friendship with a tree that appears to write poetry. In the end, her tree gives her more than she anticipated — a real friendship with another child her age. And sometimes good friendships come from where we least expect them. The beautiful artwork in this book was created by using graphite pencil and watercolors. I’ll provide one page spread as an example, below:

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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You Are My Happy
Hoda Kotb
Suzie Mason, illustrator
March 5, 2019
HarperCollins

In rhyming text, a loving mama or papa bear (there’s no indicated gender) shares all the things that made him/her happy that day while the baby bear does the same. And each stanza ends with “That’s what made me happy” and eventually, “You are my happy.” Most of the scenes are the closing of the day with the sun going down, which made even me feel like cuddling up in bed. It will be a wonderful nighttime book. In fact, we’re told that the book was inspired by the author’s bedtime routine with her daughter. The artist used Adobe Photoshop to create the digital illustrations for this book. I’ll provide one page spread as an example, below:

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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To Be Read:

I’m right in the middle of The Eye of Ra by Ben Gartner and I’m currently listening to Clean Getaway by Nic Stone. The kids loved 24 Hours in Nowhere last September, so I started reading Holes by Louis Sachar with them as our read aloud, this week. My oldest and I have both read it, but we’re all enjoying it together this time.

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Reading Challenge Updates: 

Goodreads Challenge 2020 – 33/200

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Kellee Moye of Unleashing Readers and Jen Vincent of Teach Mentor Texts decided to give Kathryn’s (at Book Date) “It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?” meme a kidlit focus, reviewing books in children’s literature (picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, or anything in the world of kidlit). If you enjoy this type of reading, join us every Monday to share what you’ve been reading!

This week I finally finished my final post for my #MustReadin2019, so if you’d like to see my final tally toward my 2019 goal, check that post out HERE. Is there a #MustReadin2020 community meeting up, this year?

It’s been a stressful week and I think we’re only in for more stress in the coming weeks. We thought we would be making an offer on a house today, but something came up last minute and we now might have to wait for more information. Sometimes it feels like one step forward, two steps back when house hunting.

ETA: Today is an exciting day as we watch the live coverage of the ALA Youth Media Awards!! If you want to keep up with the results, check updates out HERE.

I hope you’ve had a great week of reading! Here’s what I was able to finish…

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Lifeboat 12
Susan Hood
September 4, 2018
Simon Schuster Books for Young Reader

After reading Torpedoed: The True Story of the World War II Sinking of “The Children’s Ship” earlier this month, I really wanted to see how this historical fiction novel of the same experience, compared. From the perspective of one of the young survivors of the ship, this novel in verse was quite satisfying. There were many details shared between the two books, but this one felt far more personal since the reader is allowed inside the mind of thirteen-year-old Ken Sparks. It was devastating to sit in the lifeboat with this crew and feel the sense of hopelessness, day after day. The storyline was more emotional for me than Torpedoed, for sure. Highly recommend!

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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Black Girl Unlimited:
The Remarkable Story of
a Teenage Wizard
Echo Brown
January 14, 2020
Henry Holt & Company

Oh, my. This one is so powerful and yet quite painful. It deals directly with depression, sexual violence, racism, sexism, poverty, and so much more. I read that it is part autobiographical intermixed with magical realism. But I think it’s something that has to be experienced (by the YA and adult crowd) to understand how hard-hitting the storyline is. There’s such gravity and sincerity found within the two mother/daughter relationships.

Many people have called my mother strong–relatives, neighbors, friends, teachers. Those same people have called me strong, too. They have said wizards are unbreakable, but I’m not sure anymore. They call us warriors because we survive it and they call us strong because it doesn’t topple us. They call us magic because we manage to make miracles out of it. “Wow! Look at her take it all! She’s so strong!” But for us, it’s not a victory. It’s a blood bath. What happens after the blood bath, when we finally fall?

I am always so pleased when an audiobook is read by the author, as is the case with Black Girl Unlimited. The inflection in the narration provided such depth — including the Acknowledgements section where Brown’s voice was just on the edge of breaking into sobs as she named friends and family members who’d touched, inspired, and supported her. Yes, even then I cried.

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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Remarkably You
Pat Zietlow Miller
Patrice Barton, illustrator
February 5, 2019
HarperCollins

In rhyming text, this inspiring picture book encourages children to change the world, regardless of their personality type or interests. Everyone can make a difference by solving problems and sharing their gifts with the world. The soft, soothing illustrations are absolutely stunning and change enough between page spreads to keep the reader looking from face to face after each page turn. I also appreciate the fact that the artwork showcases diverse characters ranging from young to old and including a variety of ethnicities. The only thing I did not see among the 86 individuals illustrated was a child with a noticeable disability. However, I’d say this book is one of my very favorite picture book reads from 2019! Beautiful!

The illustrations in this book were created with pencil sketches and mixed media, assembled and painted digitally. I’ll provide one page spread as an example, below:

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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Max Explains Everything:
Soccer Expert
(Max Explains Everything #2)
Stacy McAnulty
Deborah Hocking, illustrator
February 19, 2019
G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books

Has Stacy McAnulty written a bad children’s book? I think not. This is book #2 of the Max Explains Everything series. Max has been playing soccer for three whole weeks, so he kinda knows a lot about the game.  He definitely knows about cleats and shin guards and how to stretch and how to tell who the ref is. But when it comes to actually playing the game, Max is noticeably distracted by ladybugs, posing for the camera, the clouds, the birds, Jose’s haircut, a loose dog, and even his own fingers! Max Explains Everything: Soccer Expert is an adorable little book that will be enjoyed by young and old, including any new soccer players in your life!

The illustrations in this book were created with gouache and colored pencil on Arches watercolor paper, then digitally manipulated. I’ll provide one page spread as an example, below:

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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Bird Watch
Christie Matheson
February 26, 2019
Greenwillow Books

Bird Watch is a lovely watercolor-based picture book that gives children something to look for on each page. Whether they’re hunting for sparrows or spying the stripy tailed wrens, they’ll be using their counting and i-spy skills. The back matter includes much more about birds and birding, so don’t forget to turn past the last page of the story!

The full-color art in this book was created with watercolor paints and collages. I’ll provide one page spread as an example, below:

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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This Little Piggy
James Serafino
January 8, 2019
Philomel Books

This picture book chronicles the mishaps of one very messy kid who made a promise to clean up their mess. But when the child seeks out a dog to help, it doesn’t work out. The goat can’t help, either. And not even an elephant can help. Ah, what about this little piggy? With a surprise ending in store for young readers, we all learn that perhaps it’s best to learn to clean up your own mess!

The artwork in this book was done in watercolor, graphite, colored pencil, milk and cereal crumbs on 300 lb. Lanaquarelle hot press paper. I’ll provide one page spread as an example, below:

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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Just Like My Brother
Gianna Marino
April 30, 2019
Viking Books for Young Readers

Awww! The sweet little giraffe in this picture book ADORES her big brother. He’s tall and spotted and fast and he’s very, very brave. In the end, she must consider the fact that she also has many of the same qualities that she admires in her big brother. ❤ These images are absolutely adorable!

The book doesn’t share how the artwork was created, but it looks like some pages with watercolor. I’ll provide one page spread as an example, below:

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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To Be Read:

I’m currently listening to A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman (and translated by Henning Koch) on audiobook. I hope to finish reading at ARC of Chirp by Kate Messner and I plan to start reading an ARC of The Eye of Ra by Ben Gartner.

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Reading Challenge Updates: 

Goodreads Challenge 2020 – 26/200

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I’m writing my final post for #MustReadin2019 rather late, but I figured that as long as I got it done within January, I’m good. 🙂

So in the end, I finished 37 books out of my list of 42. The main ones I did not finished were those I kinda viewed as textbooks. I think I just lacked motivation because I knew it would take more time and concentration. But I still plan to finish them in 2020. I also didn’t get to Six of Crows. And that’s just insane because it was probably one of the books I was MOST excited about.

Here are two images of the book covers from my list — the second image is what I finished:

I found that my Twitter post about my “must read” list received a lot of attention this year. In fact, it was my most viewed and retweeted post with over 20K impressions, 262 likes, and 132 retweets. Here are the stats as of today:

And this is a 40-second video clip of all the books I read through the entire year:

 

It’s been a great reading year, overall. I’m very pleased to have squeezed some important books into my reading plans and I look forward to creating my 2020 reading list!

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Kellee Moye of Unleashing Readers and Jen Vincent of Teach Mentor Texts decided to give Kathryn’s (at Book Date) “It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?” meme a kidlit focus, reviewing books in children’s literature (picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, or anything in the world of kidlit). If you enjoy this type of reading, join us every Monday to share what you’ve been reading!

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day! This is the first year that we have officially cancelled all classes and planned some bigger-than-usual events for students to attend. For example, in addition to our regular march up Main Street and open mic opportunities,  hip-hop artist Ali Tomineek will perform on campus this afternoon and then will give a keynote speech later in the evening. And we’ll also have a screening of the movie Southside With You which tells the story of the first date of Barack Obama and Michelle Robinson (Obama) and is “set against the back drop of community organizing and civil rights activities in Chicago.” Hopefully these and other events will inspire greater awareness and discussion about the Civil Rights Movement, modern racial discrimination, and ongoing nonviolent activism.

This week I’m sharing only one novel and a few picture books, including a review of an ARC I received of Cats vs. AI Pets by Lian Sommer. Whether it’s a new book or an older one, I hope you’ll find something of interest to add to your reading lists.

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Cats vs AI Pets
Lian Sommer
December 2019
Salinya Uhde

My thanks to Lian Sommer for providing a digital copy of this picture book. This is the story of a little girl named Anna. She lives in the year 2087 and relies heavily on her robot. The story shares how her body works differently from her robot’s body (he uses cameras to “see” and he is powered by battery, etc.), but she’s heavily invested in spending time on her robot rather than living in the moment with others. Eventually, Anna’s parents give Anna a cat. At first she doesn’t know what’s so special about a cat, it simply exists! However, over time she finds a warmth and connection with her cat that she couldn’t find in her robot. After spending a bit of time unplugged, Anna knows there’s a time and place for the use of her robot. But she also learns the importance of avoiding distractions and enjoying simple pleasures. Books like these are a great way to open the floor for family discussions about the ways we use technology and the types of real life interactions we might miss out on if we exclusively communicate online.

NOTE: Lian Sommer was working a stressful desk job, spending most of his days with only online interaction. He became compelled to quit his job and write books for children to help them learn to use technology in a responsible way. To find out more about his work or to join his mailing list, please check out his website at https://www.aipets.com.

The artwork was created using a Wacom tablet, Corel Painter and Photoshop. I’ll provide one page spread as an example, below:

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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I Can Make This Promise
Christine Day
October 1, 2019
HarperCollins

This debut middle grade novel is about a young girl named Edie who is desperate to learn more about her Native American heritage. She knows her mother was adopted when she was a baby, but her mom will not share anything about her family of origin. One day, Edie and two friends are rummaging around in her attic when they find a box of letters with a photo of a woman who looks nearly identical to Edie. Furthermore, they discover the woman’s name is Edith! Prepare yourself for a beautiful journey of self-discovery combined with the very sad history that ignited The Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978.

NOTE: In October of 2018, I reviewed an ARC of Beyond the Green by Sharlee Mullins Glenn. But after receiving feedback from reviewers, this title was pulled from printing by Charlesbridge. In a nutshell, the story was heavily based on Glenn’s real-life experience since her family adopted a 5 month old Native American child back in the 70s. Therefore, her book was written more from the perspective of a white family who was mourning their adopted child being “taken” from them, years later, and given back to a family she didn’t know. It was easy to see some similarities between these two stories, but the experiences were from complete opposite sides of the adoption experience. (And, scarily, the cover art to both books is actually kinda similar.) In any case, if you’re interested in reading Glenn’s unpublished book to learn about her experience and perspective, I’m told that Circle Dance, published in 1998, is an earlier version (20 years earlier!) of Beyond the Green.

You can add I Can Make This Promise to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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The Little Green Girl
Lisa Anchin
April 2, 2019
Dial Books

I need more picture books like this in my life!! In this imaginative story, “one bright morning” a seed blew into Mr. Aster’s garden. And while Mr. Aster didn’t appreciate unexpected things, but he decided to take on the new seed and nurture it. While he carefully tends to her needs, he talks to her, welcoming her to his home and garden, teaching her about the world around her. When he discovers that the garden is too small for the little green girls’ needs, he makes yet another change in his routine so that she can travel the world and find the satisfaction she so deeply desires. I would have never imagined this is Lisa Anchin’s very first book — it’s so wonderful! I’ll definitely be keeping my eye on her work!

The lush illustrations in this book were created with acryla gouache and pencil. I’ll provide one page spread as an example, below:

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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Hey, Water!
Antoinette Portis
March 26, 2019
Neal Porter Books

This nonfiction book is an excellent resource for children learning all about water in its many forms, including the water cycle. Additionally, it’s written in a way that both established readers AND emergent readers can enjoy. Amidst the prose of each page, a new word is shared to go with each illustration. Younger children can use context clues to decode the word while older children can read the details. The artwork is exactly what I love to see in a children’s nonfiction book — just enough details to thoroughly intrigue a young reader, but not overly complicated. Be sure to examine the back matter for more information on water forms, the water cycle, how to conserve water, and where to go for more reading.

The artwork for this book was made with brush and sumi ink. Color was added digitally. I’ll provide one page spread as an example, below:

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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Harold Snipperpot’s Best
Disaster Ever
Beatrice Alemagna
Edward Gauvin, illustrator
February 5, 2019
HarperCollins

Harold is turning seven years old, but his grumpy, emotionally distant parents do not like birthday parties. In fact, Harold has never had one before. This year turns out much different than normal, however, because his parents decide to hire Mr. Ponzio to arrange a party that will make their son happy. Mr. Ponzio is the person everyone goes to with their problems, so whatever he does should work out fine. Things quickly get wild and crazy!! However unexpectedly, the insanity that transpires solves more than just getting a birthday party. The story is completely unrealistic, but highly imaginative.

The artwork was created using gouache, oil, collage, and wax pencils. I’ll provide one page spread as an example, below:

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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To Be Read:

Ever since reading Torpedoed, last week, I’ve been wanting to dive into Lifeboat 12 by Susan Hood. I also just got a copy of Just Like My Brother by Gianna Marino, so I’m looking forward to reading it this week.

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Reading Challenge Updates: 

Goodreads Challenge 2020 – 19/200

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Kellee Moye of Unleashing Readers and Jen Vincent of Teach Mentor Texts decided to give Kathryn’s (at Book Date) “It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?” meme a kidlit focus, reviewing books in children’s literature (picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, or anything in the world of kidlit). If you enjoy this type of reading, join us every Monday to share what you’ve been reading!

I’m publishing rather late again this week, so I especially thank you if you made it to this post. Whether it’s an older book or new one, I hope you find something to add to your list.

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Farah Rocks Fifth Grade
Farah Rocks #1
Susan Muaddi Darraj
January 1, 2020
Capstone / Stone Arch Books

Holy Hummus!! This was a great middle grade story centering around bullying and (lack of) communication with adults. Farah Hajjar (which is Arabic for rocks) is a brilliant 5th grader, very hopeful to be accepted to a local magnet school with her best friend, Allie. However, she’s also fiercely protective of her little brother, Samir. So when the new bus bully begins poking fun at both her and Samir, Farah decides to overhaul her life plans to make sure she’ll be at the same school next year — close to her brother so that he can be safe. This was one of those stories I kept thinking, “Just go tell your parents. Tell a teacher. Go to the office and tell one of the administrators!!” But no. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always work out the way you hoped. Sometimes kids sometimes have to learn about communication the hard way. And as we witness in Farah Rocks Fifth Grade, sometimes the adults have to learn the same lesson about communication. With a positive, feel-good ending, this story will pull at the heartstrings. I was very pleased to know there’s a book #2 coming out. I can’t wait to see what happens next! Oh, and don’t miss the back pages where you’ll find Farah’s hummus recipe. I love hummus, so I just HAD to try it out. I like mine a little stronger in taste, so I added a large helping of garlic to mine. But this simple and mild recipe would be a fun way to introduce hummus to young readers who’ve not tried it, yet. NOTE: My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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Song of the Crimson Flower
(Rise of the Empress #2.5)
Julie C. Dao
November 5, 2019
Philomel Books

Lan, a wealthy nobleman’s daughter, is in love with her betrothed. He seems very shy in person, refusing to see her on a regular basis, but he quietly sails his boat to her window in the evenings to play a song written especially for her. It’s not too long before she discovers that the person actually visiting her each night is Bao, a poor physician’s apprentice who grew up an orphan. Enraged by this discovery, she loudly rejects Bao. In his hurt and embarrassment, he flees down the river where he meets a witch who curses him, trapping his soul in his flute. And WOW that’s barely even the beginning of this story. For being a fairly short book, this was a HUGE story filled with non-stop action, romance, sacrifice, and many magical elements. Sweet and tender, even if a tad predictable. This young adult fantasy is said to be a retelling of East Asian folklore. I did not read the first two books in this series, but since they are separate stories it didn’t impact my ability to understand.

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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Torpedoed: The True Story
of the World War II Sinking
of “The Children’s Ship”
Deborah Heiligman
October 8, 2019
Henry Holt and Co.

“Why does death choose some and not others?”

Heavily researched and showcasing numerous individual stories, this nonfiction book details the experiences of many who were aboard the SS City of Benares, a ship carrying almost 100 children to safety (from England to Canada) during WWII. After the torpedo hit, only 13 of the 90 children survived, half the British crew died, and more than half the Indian crew died. But Heiligman shares many personal stories of the passengers, as well as personal letters and details from survivor interviews. One of the most shocking portions of the book was when a lifeboat was missed during the rescue attempt. Families were contacted and told their loved ones had perished, but for at least a week, this little cramped life boat floated along with diminishing supplies, it especially lacked water. But they were finally rescued and lived to tell their tale. Sonya Beck is the oldest still living survivor at 90 years old. And one interesting tidbit shared at the end was the fact that the captain of the U-boat who ordered the torpedoing of the SS City of Benares suffered a mental collapse when he was informed the ship was carrying nearly 100 children. There was simply no way for them to know this fact, at the time.

AWARDS: YALSA Award Nominee for Excellence in Nonfiction (2020)

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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Sulwe
Lupita Nyong’o
Vashti Harrison, illustrator
October 15, 2019
Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers

This picture book is simply breathtaking. Sulwe believes there is something wrong with having such dark skin. Everyone in her family is lighter-skinned and so she does everything in her power to lighten her skin. She tries to rub off a layer or two of skin. OUCH! Then she tries make-up, eating only light colored foods, and even requesting a miracle from God. Her mother is able to share the story of the sisters: Night and Day. And it so perfectly explains the importance of having both light and dark and every color in between. The artwork is absolutely lovely. The characters are beautiful, but even the backgrounds are gorgeous and will keep your eye wandering each page spread.

The illustrations for this book were rendered using Adobe Photoshop. I’ll provide one page spread as an example, below:

You can add it to your Goodreads list HERE.
If you do not have a local bookstore, you may purchase it through IndieBound HERE.
You may also choose to purchase it through Amazon HERE.

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To Be Read:

This will be an insane week and weekend, so I don’t have much reading time. However, I’ve been reading I Can Make This Promise by Christine Day and I hope to have it finished by this weekend. I’ve also ordered another stack of picture books that should arrive by Sunday, so we’ll see how quickly I get them to my desk.

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Reading Challenge Updates:

Goodreads Challenge 2020 – 14/200

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