In this humorous retelling of the well-known fairy tale Goldilocks and the Three Bears, the Scare family and their blue dog Plasma live in a haunted hIn this humorous retelling of the well-known fairy tale Goldilocks and the Three Bears, the Scare family and their blue dog Plasma live in a haunted house with room for four. As Papa Frankenstein makes some soup, he wishes there were a fourth person to eat the fourth portion, Mama Mummy wishes for a lab assistant as she mixes up a potion, and Baby Scare, a vampire, wishes for a playmate. When the soup turns out to be too hot to eat, they take Plasma for a walk while it cools. Enter Moldilocks, a zombie who has been without a family for a long time. Yes, she tries the soup, and eats Baby Scares portion, tries the chairs and breaks Baby Scare's, tries the beds and naps in Baby Scares just right bed. What happens when the Scares return? They see what Moldilocks has done, and finds her still asleep. And it looks like everyone's wish has come true, and Moldilocks finally has a new family. For a retelling, this was a lot of fun to read. There's all kinds of word play going on, and the illustrations, done with pencil in Halloween colors, are more humorous than scary. But is carries a nice message about blended families, acceptance, and just being who you are. I read this to my young readers last Halloween, and a number of times since then. ...more
On the first day of school, the four Manning kids line up for their Annual Kid Photo, just like always. But by November, things were no longer "just lOn the first day of school, the four Manning kids line up for their Annual Kid Photo, just like always. But by November, things were no longer "just like always" when the family gets a phone call that college student Gabriel Manning is in the hospital after having a car accident. Not only that, but Gabriel has also been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and his siblings - Scarlett, 16, Zinia called Zinny, 12, and Aiden, 8, are asked to keep it private.
After he is transferred from the hospital to a residential care facility, it doesn't take long for Gabriel and his diagnosis to take over the lives of all the Mannings. Mom takes a leave of absence from her teaching job and spends her time on the phone dealing with Gabriel's situation. Dad begins staying at work longer and longer, rarely even eating dinner with his family. Scarlett's moodiness increases, pushing Zinny out of her life and the often out the room they share, and Aiden becomes obsessed with the How To project his teacher has assigned his class. And Zinny, who has a real interest in marine biology, begins to hang out in the lab with her science teacher, Ms. Molina, during lunch as her relationship with friends Maisie and Kailani begins to deteriorate because she refuses to talk to them about Gabriel.
When Zinny is invited to join the Lunch Club held by the guidance counselor, Mr. Patrick, Maisie is adamant that she not go, but Zinny decides to go just once. Then, Ms. Molina tells Maisie she can only hang out and set up the fish tanks for the class crayfish study if she also goes to Lunch Club. Once her friendship with Maisie and Kailani ends, Zinny figures why not? There, she discovers that she isn't the only one with family troubles, problems and issues. And slowly, Zinny even begins to become friends with some of the Lunch Club kids while still keeping Gabriel's bipolar diagnosis a secret.
Meanwhile, things at home aren't much better. Zinny finally takes things into her own hands and begins to buy groceries and make dinner for her family. She also tries to help Aiden with his How To project by leaving humorous suggestions for him, but he can't decide what to do and the teacher rejects his most outlandish suggestions.
The Mannings occasionally visit Gabriel as a family, but Scarlett refuses to go. Then Zinny discovers that Scarlett is seeing a counselor and has told friends about Grabriel's bipolar diagnosis. In the middle of all this, Ms. Molina recommends Zinny for a place in a competitive camp to do marine biology research for four weeks - all expenses paid.
There is a lot happening here, including Zinny that worries, understandable so, that she might also be bipolar. Can the people in her life, including her new friends in Lunch Club and Mr. Patrick, help Zinny move on with her life without feeling like she is betraying Gabriel?
My Life in the Fish Tank is a family story that looks at how mental illness is not just about the person with the diagnosis, but impacts the family in all ways. I liked that it was narrated by Zinny, whom I thought old enough to observe what she sees and feels, but young and inexperienced enough to not always understand it all.
I thought Dee really captured the way the Manning parents shut down. So often when something like mental illness happens within a family, parents seem to forget they have other children who still need them. Zinny's parents are clearly depressed and kudos to Scarlett for getting her mother to go to counseling. It is interesting how quickly the family becomes isolated from friends and neighbors, and then from each other, even though they are all concerned and worried about Gabriel. Should people be open about mental illness when it happens to a family member? Each family must decide that for themselves. Family dynamics differ and what may be ok for one may not be for another family.
I particularly likes Dee's treatment of time. It does seem that when bad things happen, time does funny things. As Zinny says: "...one thing you notice, when those bad things happen, is that calendars and clocks stop making any sense...It was like, after it happened, we were in a different time zone from everybody else." And Zinny's narration does jump back and forth in time, as she recalls different times she observed Gabriel's bipolar behavior - times when he was feeling on top of the world and taking dangerous risks, other times when he was depressed and sleeping too much.
Barbara Dee really knows how to handle some very difficult topics, like sexual abuse (Maybe He Just Likes You) and mental illness, but in the end, she always offers hope to the reader that when life turns you upside down, with help, you can turn right side up again.
This book is recommended for readers age 9+ This book was an eARC gratefully received from the author....more
It's 1938 and Papa has been in Cuba for three years, working to save money to bring the rest of his family there from Poland and away from the increasIt's 1938 and Papa has been in Cuba for three years, working to save money to bring the rest of his family there from Poland and away from the increasing Nazi threat to Jews. Normally, it would be the eldest son, Moshe, who would be the first child to join his father, but 11-going-on-12-year-old Esther Abraham, the eldest daughter, makes such a convincing case to Papa, that she is chosen to join him, much to her mother's consternation. But, on her own, Esther travels through Poland, Nazi Germany, and Holland, boards a ship to cross the Atlantic, only to learn that the first stop is Mexico, not Cuba and that she will be the only passenger when they leave port. But Esther, being a naturally friendly girl, has made friends with the animals on board, spending time with them until they reach Havana, Cuba and the next delay.
In the end, Papa is there and, before they head to the town where he lives, he has to conduct some business, introducing Esther to Zvi Mandelbaum. It turns out Papa's job in Cuba is as a itinerant peddler, not the shopkeeper his family thought he was, and he gets his wares from Mandelbaum, who immediately gives Esther a pair of sandals so she can take off her hot woolen stockings.
From the moment Esther began her trip, she decided to write down "every interesting thing that happens" in letters for her younger sister Malka. That way when the rest of the family are finally in Cuba, they can read the letters and it will be as if they had been together the whole time. (pg 2) The result is detailed descriptions of the people Esther meets, the places she goes, and her daily life with Papa.
Esther is friendly, outgoing, and smart, picking up Spanish quickly. And she is also quite enterprising, helping her father sell the items he is given by Mandelbaum. Despite being the only Jews in the town of Matanzas, almost everyone friendly and giving, accepting her and her father. But after Esther sews herself a new dress to wear in the hot Cuban weather, she soon begins a successful trade as a dressmaker to help make money to bring her family to Cuba.
Their lives in Cuba are basically pleasant and enjoyable, filled with new friends of diverse backgrounds, including Manuela and her Afro Cuban grandmother, and the Changs from China, as well as the local doctor and his wife, Señora Graciela. It is she who gives Esther a sewing machine that helps her begin her dressmaking business. But Cuba are not without its Nazi sympathizers, including the doctor's brother, Señor Eduardo. He wants to start a Nazi party in Cuba with an anti-immigrant agenda to get rid of the Jews there.
As the situation in Europe becomes more perilous for the Jews there, it becomes more and more imperative to get the money to bring the whole Abraham family to Cuba.
Esther's letters to Malka are quite detailed. And though the story may not be the kind of exciting tale we are accustomed to from this period in history, it is still a wonderful window into a life we don't often read about. Small wonder it reads so authentically. Behar based this novel on her grandmother's experience of traveling to Cuba in 1927 to join her father. Like Esther, her family had lived in Govorvo, Poland. And like Esther, one beloved family member didn't make to Cuba.
I enjoyed reading Letters from Cuba a lot. Sometimes I just don't want a lot of action and an epistolary novel like this is just the ticket for an evening of reading during COVID-19 time. Esther is a great character - a bold feminist yet respectful of her elders, especially Papa, and her religious traditions. I can't even imagine letting an 11-year-old girl travel from Poland to Cuba, part of the way in Nazi territory, all by herself. She is a character with perseverance, fortitude, and a maturity beyond her age, as well as a pretty good business woman.
Behar includes an extensive and very interesting Note from the Author about her family and how they settled in Cuba, and her research for writing this book. There is also a list of Resources for further reading.
This book is recommended for readers age 10+...more
The country may be at war, but on the morning of the dedication and opening of a new children's library in Belle Beach, Long Island, Julie Sweet, 11, The country may be at war, but on the morning of the dedication and opening of a new children's library in Belle Beach, Long Island, Julie Sweet, 11, has baked an angel food cake (her first cake ever). And even though George, the dog, helped himself to some of it, enough was rescued and so Julie and her younger sister Martha, 6, are heading over to the library with it and that's when they find an abandoned baby - left in a basket on the library steps.
On the same morning, Bruno Ben-Eli, 12, is heading for the train station without his parents permission or knowledge, to travel the 70 miles to NYC. His older brother, Private Benjamin Ben Eli is counting on him to find someone and to deliver a message to her. And it is a request Bruno has every intention of carrying out despite his mother being the head librarian at the library and in charge of the day's celebrations.
By the time Martha waves Bruno over to the library steps, Julie has already fallen in love with her found baby, whom Martha has named Nancy. When Bruno asks what she's going to do with the baby, Julie decides to take off down the beach carrying the baby in the basket, Martha in tow. And even though he has something else to do, Bruno, really former friend Bruno, follows them, convinced Julie is heading for Camp Mitchel, an army base a few miles away.
As this is going one, each kid recalls how they got to this point. Julie and Martha are summer visitors to Belle Beach, brought there with their dog George, by their widower father who is working on a book, and who has also taken an interest in a woman from the army base. Julie, who remembers her mother Eleanor, thinks about her a lot this summer, and because of her name, she had written a letter to Eleanor Roosevelt inviting her to the library dedication. Martha, who has grown quite attached to Mrs. Ben-Eli, is always asking Julie for stories about the mother she never knew. And Bruno, who looks up to his brother, thinks about his enlistment and the girlfriend he had before he left for the army and to whom he wants Bruno to deliver his message.
All this results in a wonderful historical mystery novel. The story is told in twenty short chapters and within each chapter, told from the alternating perspectives of Julie, Martha, and Bruno. Filled with many sweet moments, Ms. Yingling was right to compare it to Cynthia Rylant's Rosetown. That's just what it reminded me of, too. While the story unfolds with the same kind of slow and easy gentleness, it is never boring. In fact, it felt like a warm summer day at the beach towards the end of the season, and that is one of my favorite kind of days. It kept me reading. Well, that and the several mysteries that peaked my curiosity.
Mysteries like: Who is the baby and why was she left on the library steps? And why is Bruno a former friend of Julie's even though she and Martha are so friendly with his mother? What is the message Bruno is supposed to deliver? Who is Tess and was that really Eleanor Roosevelt who showed up at the library dedication and enjoyed some of Julie's dog-tested cake?
The Summer We Found the Baby is a beautifully crafted story about family, loss, hope, and possibility in the midst of war. When I read it, I approached it without any expectations, by the time I finished it, I actually felt uplifted. I hope you do, too.
This book is is recommended for readers age 10+ This book was gratefully received from the publisher, Candlewick Press...more
The thing about robotics and coding that nine-year-old homeschooled Sutton Jensen likes is that is it always black and white - if you code correctly, The thing about robotics and coding that nine-year-old homeschooled Sutton Jensen likes is that is it always black and white - if you code correctly, your program responded as expected. Not like a mom and dad who marry and then get divorced, or a mom who's always off studying emperor penguins in Antartica and who sometimes misses big events in Sutton's life. Hopefully, she'll make it home for Sutton's upcoming 10th birthday. And now her dad Martin is dating a woman named Elizabeth and it's starting to get serious. He's finally taking her out for a fancy dinner. To ask her something?
Elizabeth's son Luis is also a bit uncertain about his mom dating Martin. But their first big dinner date does mean he gets to go on his first ever sleepover. Luis, who lost his dad to cancer when he was two, has serious, very serious food allergies and ends up in the hospital in the middle of his sleepover, ending his mom's date thanks to some guinea pig food. Luis is a regular at the hospital, and everyone knows him. Back home, his mom suggests a visit to the Museum of Pop Culture, one of Luis' favorite places. And Luis suggests they invite Martin and Sutton. But as much as Luis enjoys the MoPOP, Sutton is totally disinterested, after all, Luis' favorite Star Wars exhibit is science fiction, not real science.
Clearly, Sutton and Luis have nothing in common, but Martin, who was very unhappy with Sutton's behavior at the museum, and Elizabeth decide to try getting the kids together again, and take them on an outing hiking in the woods at Discovery Park. Not really wanting to go, both kids nevertheless try a little harder to make the outing less disastrous than the first one. Then Luis spots a "narrow opening in a dense thicket of bushes," and imagines it's a secret passageway to another world. The opening is too small for adults, but the parents encourage the kids to explore it, and head to what they think will be the other side to meet them.
But when Luis and Sutton take a wrong turn at a dead end and get lost, will they be able to join forces to find their way out and back to their parents?
A Field Guide to Getting Lost is narrated by both Sutton and Luis in alternating chapters, so that readers know each child's thoughts and reactions to their parents increasingly serious relationship, and to each other. And they couldn't be more different. Sutton is logical, all science and robotics, and a Ravenclaw. Luis has a great imagination which he turns into stories, and, like Martin, is a Hufflepuff. Despite also being a Ravenclaw, I didn't really like Sutton at first, but as she grew, she also grew on me and I began to see that change is hard for her, and she retreats into science as a way of dealing with disappointment. Sutton is apparently white, but lives in a diverse neighborhood, including Muslim, Chinese, and Indian neighbors. And I would love to try some of Mrs. Banerjee's golden milk when things get rough.
I did like Luis right off the bat. Despite his life-threatening allergies that really limit what he can do, Luis is not homeschooled as you might expect for a person with his health problems, but he does carry an epipen. Luis also has a great attitude and I liked how he used his imagination to take him to places he couldn't otherwise visit through his character Penelope Bell. Luis is part Guatemalan on his dad's side, and part white on his mom's side. And even though he doesn't speak Spanish anymore, he keeps in touch with his abuelos who live there.
On the whole, I thought Sutton and Luis' story was delightful to read, and even when they were lost, they weren't in real danger, just enough to let them get to know each other better and learn to appreciate and respect their differences. This very relatable book will definitely appeal to the younger age middle graders.
This book is recommended for readers age 8+ This book was gratefully received from the publisher Simon & Schuster...more
Meet Lulu, short for Luliwa which means "pearl" in Arabic. Lulu is part of a loving family, in fact her last name is Lovington. Lulu has an older brotMeet Lulu, short for Luliwa which means "pearl" in Arabic. Lulu is part of a loving family, in fact her last name is Lovington. Lulu has an older brother named Zane, a mom who always wears the black pearl earrings her mother in Kenya gave her, and a dad who coaches Zane's hockey team. The Lovington family is biracial, which means that people who don't know them very well always think mom is Lulu's sitter and ask "What do you charge?" or dad has adopted her to give "her a good home."
But inevitably, Lulu tells her readers, there is always THAT question, the one she just hates, that hurtful, insensitive question people are always asking: "What are you?"
When Lulu wants to know if Zane is asked that question, he tells her that since he is more that his skin, he answers them with his power phrase - "I'm magic made from my parents." Zane's right - the question is not what Lulu is, but it should be who she is. Now all she needs is her own power phrase, one that will absolutely capture who Lulu is in all her uniqueness. Sure enough, when a boy in her class asks her what she is, Lulu answers "I'm Lulu Lovington, the one and only!" and makes a new friend.
Lulu the One and Only is such an important book to share with young readers right now. With all that is happening in our country around the Black Lives Matter protests, young kids are sure to have lots of questions and this is a book that can help parents and teachers open discussions about racism.
Lulu's story is upbeat and friendly, and she's a happy character who is very proud of her heritage, but her dismay at being asked what she is instead of who she is is very apparent. Rather than just becoming withdrawn and angry about it, she turns to her older brother for advice, demonstrating the power of family for support, as well.
Jennie Poh's colorful illustrations strike just the right balance between playful and serious. What are you? is just one kind of microaggression that people of color face on a daily basis. Lulu the One and Only is a book that can empower young children who are dealing with people's reactions to their biracial identity, and it is a book that white people, adults and children, can benefit from as well, helping them understand what it feels when people of color are asked insensitive questions, the kind that white people are not usually asked.
Lulu the One and Only is a book that should find a place in every school, classroom and home library.
This book is recommended for readers age 4+ and everyone else This book was gratefully received from Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media...more
Dan Sumner, 13, and Nate Templeton, 12, have been best friends since elementary school and their two favorite things in the world are playing baseballDan Sumner, 13, and Nate Templeton, 12, have been best friends since elementary school and their two favorite things in the world are playing baseball for the Mira Giants and comic books, but not just any comic books. They are devoted readers of Captain Nexus. In fact, each month, on the day the newest issue hits the stands, Dan, Nate, and the rest of their team gather in the Templeton basement along with Nate's younger brother Ollie and Ollie's new friend Courtney, the only girl.
But one afternoon, when Nate takes a fly ball to the head during a game, he suffers a traumatic brain injury, and ends up being put into a medically induced coma. Dan and Ollie are suddenly at odds ends with themselves and each other, sharing a sense of helplessness that at times feels overwhelming. Dan blames himself for what happened to Nate. They had been talking about how Captain Nexus might escape the Nexus Zone where he was stuck with his arch enemy the Hollow and get back to his family in New Mexico when the ball hit Nate.
Then Dan discovers that Ollie and Courtney are working on a fan-fiction Captain Nexus comic to surprise Nate for his upcoming birthday, hoping he'll be awake by then. Dan has been invited to join them because of his excellent printing skills. Ollie isn't athletic like his brother but he is already an accomplished artist, and Courtney is the talent behind the storyline. Dan begins to really get into the comic's creation, impressed by Ollie's art. Soon, though, Dan convinces himself that if Captain Nexus can escape the Nexus Zone, it would show him the way to help Nate come back from his coma. It may be magical thinking, but it's all he has and Dan is desperate for answers. When he hears about a fan art contest sponsored by Tall Ship Comics, publisher of Captain Nexus, Dan talks Courtney into submitting Ollie's work, sure it will lead them to a meeting with comic's creator George Sanderson and the answer to Captain Nexus's escape.
As if Captain Nexus magical thinking weren't enough, Dan is convinced that if the Mira Giants win the championship that will also help bring Nate back. And he actually manages to convince the team that winning is the thing to do.
No one is more surprised that Ollie when he wins the fan art contest and George Sanderson, who was blown away by Ollie's art, delivers the news in person. But as they get to know him and he gets to know them, some very painful secrets and truths are revealed. In addition, old relationships are renewed and new ones begin. But will any of this help Nate?
The combination of baseball and comic books in Dan Unmasked is sure to please young readers. And Dan, Ollie, Courtney, and even George Sanderson are very individualized and fleshed out characters, but I found the other characters are somewhat nebulous, including Nate, the reason everyone is pulling together, though we do learn more about him as the story goes on. I have to admit it did take me a while to warm up to Dan. In the beginning, I found him to be obnoxious and selfish, so it was nice to see him change over the course of the novel. I did think it was interesting that Sanderson only planned on publishing 16 Captain Nexus issues and stuck to that. Usually, a comic needs a little more that one and a half years to catch on. And I did like the way he incorporated his own life story in his comic, producing an exciting work, but without much cathartic benefit for him.
I'm not a baseball fan, and there was a lot of baseball talk in Dan Unmasked, but I suspect I'm in the minority on this point. Also, I took a hard ball on a fly hit by a grown man when I was ten and it left me with permanent damage to the right side of my head and ear. As a result, I have a real fear of speeding baseballs. Naturally, I could feel Nate's pain and wondered he would have baseballphobia, too, when he woke up. I am more of a fan of comics, having grown up on a diet of Archie, Superman, and Little Lulu, so I did like that aspect of Dan's story.
Dan Unmasked is an excellent story about hope, friendship, family, and learning to come to terms with the things we cannot change. Ultimately, what really got me was the strength of Dan's magical thinking, which was as strong as his feelings for his best friend.
This book is recommended for readers age 9+ This book was gratefully received from Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media...more
It's the beginning of summer and twelve-year-old Mia Barnes couldn't be happier about moving away from Boston with her family. Mia had been a talentedIt's the beginning of summer and twelve-year-old Mia Barnes couldn't be happier about moving away from Boston with her family. Mia had been a talented gymnast until she fell off the balance beam, broke her arm, and lost interest in gymnastics. While on the mend, Mia had binged on American Warrior, a reality TV show to avoid thinking about gymnastics. Now, there would be her beloved Gram and her Green Mountain Cricket Farm, the dream business she had begun a few years ago as an alternative source of protein, to think about. Because of a mild stroke, however, Gram is supposed to retire.
No sooner do they arrive, and Gram tells them her cricket farm is being sabotaged probably by a guy named Chet Potsworth, who wants to buy the cricket farm. Instead of selling and retiring, though, Gram introduces them to her new employee Daniel and her new dog Syd. Knowing that her Gram's retirement and the sale of the cricket farm are going to be an obsession with her mother, Mia agrees to attend two different summer camps. One is Launch Camp, a young entrepreneur program, and other, Warrior Camp, a place for Mia's body to heal and strengthen again. It doesn't take long and Mia has made two new friends - Anna, a computer whiz, and Clover, who is a warrior whiz.
Mia believes her Gram when she says her cricket farm is being sabotaged, after all, it's just too much of a coincidence that seagulls, beetles, and fruit flies, enemies of the crickets, suddenly invade the farm, or when most of them die from someone tampering with the temperature controls. Clover, a Nancy Drew fan who loves solving mysteries, is gun-ho about getting to the bottom of this mystery. And while Mia and Clover are working on that, they are also working with Anna to come up with an entrepreneurial plan for increasing business at the cricket farm.
But as much as Mia is enjoying being in Vermont and getting to know her new friends, she has a secret of her own, one she can't bring herself to talk about. Little by little, readers will piece together just what happened to Mia in gymnastics in Boston. But, when Launch Camp has a field trip to UVM to hear a successful businesswoman, Anne Marie Spangler, talking about launching her business, Mia overs her talking afterward about how a former boss has sexually harassed her. Here was a strong, successful woman who had faced the same kind of inappropriate behavior in a man that Mia had faced with her gymnastics coach. After talking to Mia, Anne Marie advises her to talk to her parents or another trusted adult. But can Mia find the strength within herself to do that? It becomes an easier decision when she hears that her younger cousin in Boston is signed up with the same gymnastics coach.
When readers first meet Mia, she's subdued, fearful, and distrustful, no longer the strong, fearless gymnast she was before she broke her arm. At first, it seems that this is all the result of Mia's fall from the balance beam, but slowly readers begin to realize the fall might not have been completely accidental as Mia allows herself to begin thinking about her coach's inappropriate behavior more and more. Messner has done a masterful job of building up the full story of his violation. I felt Mia's shame, her self-blame, her questioning - did it really happen the way she remembered it? Did coach give her that Olympic pin because she was a truly gifted gymnast or to buy her complicity?
Little by little the fearful girl Mia once was begins to come back, thanks to new friends, new achievements and a loving family. But as she discovers, her #MeToo story has changed her forever and she can never really be the same girl she once was. But, as her Gram tells her:
"You've been carrying around what happened all this time, getting up every morning, going to school, going to camp, making friends. Do you realize how brave that is?...That's what brave women do. We keep going.Somehow we manage to grieve over things that have happened to up at the same time we're saving the world and running businesses and practicing law and raising families."
Chirp is kind of a mixed bag. It's a book about family, friendship, and the mystery of who is trying to ruin Gram's dream. But it is also a #MeToo story about finding your voice and the courage to speak up. And it is also a story about hope. That may sound like too much going on for a Middle Grade novel, but this is a well crafted story and nothing is gratuitous.
And yes, the girls solve the mystery of who is sabotaging the cricket farm. It was fun to read about and it was not who I expected at all.
This book is recommended for readers age 9+ This book was an eARC gratefully received from NetGalley...more
Ernestine is beyond excited when she is invited to go camping with her Aunt Jackie and cousin Samantha. She's never been camping before but luckily AuErnestine is beyond excited when she is invited to go camping with her Aunt Jackie and cousin Samantha. She's never been camping before but luckily Aunt Jackie has given her a list of things she will need to bring with her. Then she and her dad make some trail mix to take. It's a long drive to the campground, but Ernestine and Samantha find things to do in the car to make the trip go faster. Setting up camp isn't exactly like the blanket tents Ernestine builds at home, it's hard work. Everyone is hot and sweaty afterwards, so they decide to take a swim. But lake swimming isn't like pool swimming, and Ernestine isn't comfortable sharing the lake with all those fish and decides to sit the swim out. Later, it's off for a hike, but hiking in nature isn't exactly what Ernestine thought is would be - it's much harder than "hiking" to school everyday. But there's lots to explore and the downhill trip is much easier. Back at camp, Tofu hot dogs for dinner aren't a hit with Ernestine, but the s'mores sure are. And when night comes, Aunt Jackie and Samantha fall right asleep, but not Ernestine - homesickness and missing dad make her want to go home. What to do? Wise Aunt Jackie takes the girls stargazing until she hears some yawns. The next day, a very different Ernestine wakes up, one who can't wait to go camping again next year. Narrated by Ernestine, this is a wonderful book about some of the realities of camping for the first time. But Mann wisely shows readers Ernestine's growth as she faces and overcomes her fears and learns to enjoy these new experiences. All this is wrapped in the warm family love of her single father, her aunt and her cousin. The humorous pencil illustrations are digitally collaged and painted, really capture what camping is all about from the individual items packed to the night sky full of stars. I can't wait to share this book with my young readers when we are able to be together again. I know they will love Ernestine....more
Twelve-year-old Bea looks back over the last 4 years, recounting her parents divorce, her father's engagement to another man, and getting to know her Twelve-year-old Bea looks back over the last 4 years, recounting her parents divorce, her father's engagement to another man, and getting to know her new stepsister.
Bea is 8-years-old when parents tell her that they would be getting a divorce, not because they don't love each other, but because her father is gay. And, they reassured her, although she would now have two homes and two rooms, some things would never change. In fact, they were so sure of that that they gave her a notebook in which they has listed all the Things That Will Not Change and green pen (Bea's favorite color) for additional entries.
Bea is 10-years-old when her dad, a chef and restauranteur, announces that he is going to marry Jesse, who works with him. Bea, who adores Jesse, is especially excited when she discovers that he has a daughter, Sonia, who is the same age and lives in California.
But Sonia's first visit to New York doesn't turn out as Bea had hoped. Sonia misses her family in California and doesn't seem very interested in anything Bea proposes, including the upcoming wedding. But Bea perseveres, writing letters and emails to Sonia, even when there is silence on the other end. Meanwhile, plans for the upcoming wedding go forward, and when Bea discovers the Jesse has a brother, she is sure he would want to be invited to the wedding, despite being told that the brothers are not on speaking terms. She decides to send him an invitation anyway, telling no one, and thinking it will be a wonderful surprise.
Throughout all these changes, Bea struggles to navigate her life around big and small challenges and upheavals, like being a poor speller in school, outbreaks of eczema, learning to trust her therapist, incidences of homophobia, a guilty conscience, and the seeming rejection by Sonia, the sister she wants to have so badly. One way of coping with all this is to add to the List of Things That Will Not Change. Knowing there are people and things that are concrete and unchanging and that she can hold on proves to be the security blanket Bea carries wherever she goes.
I began this blog back in September 2012 with a review of Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead, about which I wrote "...the story started to worm its way into my thoughts and the more that happened the more I began to really appreciate the incredibly clever way the story is woven together, each part adding to the whole picture, and the wonderful subtleties of Stead's writing." And that is the beauty of Stead's plotting and character development. She gives us characters that are easily relatable and puts them in seemingly unconnected situations and then you finish the book and, voilá, there is the whole picture, clear as could be.
And Bea is certainly relatable, simple because she is a flawed character in the way middle schoolers are flawed. She's impulsive, angry, sometimes unthinking and inappropriately physical, but always well-meaning, and she has a secret that causes major guilt feelings. She reveals her story slowly and in anecdotes that at times seem completely unconnected. In fact, she begins her narrative with one about her dad and his brother listening to the corn growing, an account that seems to have nothing to do with anything, but at the end of Bea's tale, has everything to do with everything. Each part of her narrative adds to the whole picture.
Bea's slow narration also gives readers the opportunity to get to know the people who are part of her world, all of whom are supportive and loving, but also flawed, and to see how her family's dynamics work. By the end, we see that all is not without disappointments, and there are plenty of ups and downs. But throughout it all, there is family, forgiveness, personal growth, and, of course, the list of things that will not change.
The List of Things That Will Not Change is at times poignant, funny, angsty but always real. It's a book that shouldn't be missed by tween readers, and one that should probably be read by their parents. I can't recommend it highly enough.
This book is recommended for readers age 9+ This book was an eARC gratefully received from NetGalley...more
"Garden ready / garden new / Garden so much / work to do!" Yes, gardens are a lot of work, but in the end they can be so rewarding. And that is exactl"Garden ready / garden new / Garden so much / work to do!" Yes, gardens are a lot of work, but in the end they can be so rewarding. And that is exactly what this simple rhyming text picture book imparts to young readers. In this community garden, a group of diverse neighbors of all ages work all spring and summer for make this a successful garden, coming together at the end to enjoy the fruits of their labors. The text is repetitive and it only took a few reading for my kids to memorize the words and chime in. But despite the simple rhyme, there is much to explore here. The acrylic, watercolor, and Photoshop illustrations are done in a palette of garden greens and browns and have a somewhat folk art style to them. This is geared toward readers about age 3 and up and is a great opportunity to open a discussion with kids about being grateful for and appreciating the food they eat without being preachy. ...more
The gentle rhyming text in this book celebrates the diversity of life in a community garden throughout the year, beginning in spring "In the earth / aThe gentle rhyming text in this book celebrates the diversity of life in a community garden throughout the year, beginning in spring "In the earth / a single seed / sits beside a millipede." through summer "Blooms of every shape and size / call to bees and butterflies," to autumn, winter and finally back to spring, when "Time goes by / and by / and then... / life returns / to start / again." McCanna shows young readers that there is so much activity in a garden, bugs and insects, their activity often unseen and unnoticed, are as busily at work as the children and adults. Flowers, insects and bugs are all named within the rhyme. My young readers and I were luckily enough to read this before we had to shelter at home, and they loved exploring each page and talking about everything there is to see. For example, one two page spread shows a mama bird bringing a tasty worm to her newly hatched babies in their nest, a squirrel running down the tree, a bird enjoying some green growing treats, and a butterfly going about her business all unnoticed by a little girl walking her dog. The seasonal illustrations are done in watercolor, ink, charcoal and Photoshop and the people are as diverse as the depicted vegetables, flowers and creatures. This book was rated A+ by my young readers....more
Twelve-year-old Lalani Sarita lives on the mythical island of Sanlagita, a place where birds do not sing, the prick of a sewing needle while mending fTwelve-year-old Lalani Sarita lives on the mythical island of Sanlagita, a place where birds do not sing, the prick of a sewing needle while mending fishing nets can mean death, and the people are ruled by the menyoro, who doesn't know that he doesn't know much but his word is still law. Sanlagita is dominated by two mountains. The people of Sanlagita must offer up daily benedictions to dark Mount Kahana in the west in order to avoid trouble from the strange beast that lives there. To the north of Sanlagita is sunny Mount Isa where life is beautiful and bountiful, but whenever men sail off into the Veiled Sea to find it, they are never seen again. Lalani's father had been one of those chosen to try to reach Mount Isa. After he disappeared, she and her mother were forced to live with her mean uncle and his cruel son.
One day, Lalani returns home to find her mother, a mender, scrubbing her finger. Her needle had pricked deeply and dangerously and she soon falls ill with mender's disease. Sadly, a drought has killed all the plants that might be used to cure her mother. One day, Lalani, while chasing a runaway shek, finds herself far up Mount Kahana, where she finds an eyeless man living, who uses his magic token to bring rain to Sanlagita. The rain lasts for weeks and weeks and Lalani, who was seen leaving Mount Kahana, is blamed for it. But when she returns to Mount Kahana, the eyeless man refused to stop the rain unless she gives him her eyes.
Deciding that is a too high a price, Lalani returns home, asks her friend Veyda to move her mother to her house, choses the first boat she sees and sets off across the sea that has already taken the lives of so many men, including her father, to find a cure for her mother and a way to make things right again. After all, it is rumored that there is a bright yellow flower that has the cure nestled inside its petals growing on Mount Isa. Can Lalani survive a journey that others have failed at?
Lalani of the Distant Sea is an interesting book, so different from Erin Entrada Kelly's previous novels. It is a fantasy inspired by her Filipino culture, folklore, and oral tradition, resulting in a story that is as dark as it is hopeful - just like the two mountains dominating the lives of the Sanlagitans.
Lalani is one of my favorite kidlit heroines. She's kind, honest, curious, and I particularly like her fearsomeness even in the face of fear. Imagine setting off into the unknown to find a way to help her mother, in a little boat that isn't even reliable. Though her best friend Veyda may be outwardly rebellious, refusing to do her daily benedictions, Lalani plays by the rules, but quietly goes her own way to help those she loves.
Interspersed throughout Lalani's narrative are short tales about different creatures, complete with black and white illustrations. Do not skip these, thinking they have nothing to do with the plot. This is a well-crafted novel (as are all of Kelly's novels) and she pulls it all together when the plot needs it.
Lalani of the Distant Sea is a multilayered, creative novel, richly and vibrantly written with themes that touch on family, friendship, bravery, bullying, and power, a should-read for everyone whether they are fans of fantasy or not.
This book is recommended for readers age 9+ This book was an EARC gratefully received from Edelweiss+...more
When I was young, my best friend and I found a secret place inside the dense bushes that grew outside the Prospect Park police station. It was a gloriWhen I was young, my best friend and I found a secret place inside the dense bushes that grew outside the Prospect Park police station. It was a glorious open space where we would spend summer afternoons eating a picnic lunch we'd packed in a shoebox, reading books, drawing, or just talking. It was a place that got us away from parents and siblings and any problems at home.
Naturally, as soon as I began reading My Jasper June, I found my empathy level increasing for the protagonist, Leah Davidson, 13, from the start. Summer vacation has just begun in Ormewood Park, Atlanta, a place seeped in community traditions, all of which the Davidson family used to happily participate in. But now, a long empty summer looms for Leah. It's only been a year since younger brother Sam died as a result of a drowning accident, and since then, her parents, consumed by overwhelming grief, has been shadows of their former happy, vivacious selves. This summer, her mother forgot to make arrangements for Leah to go to camp, and though her dad suggests she take a class, nothing comes of it. Which is fine by Leah.
After spending the first days of vacation hanging around the house, Leah decides to go for a walk, following a path leading to Red's Farm, a place where she and her family used have picnics. It's there, lying on a rock in the nearby creek, that Leah first sees Jasper. The two girls chat a bit, exchange names, and Leah heads home.
Feeling a strange connection to her, Leah returns to the creek every day, hoping to see Jasper again, and finally she does, running into her while washing her clothes in the creek and wearing a nightgown. Leah invites Jasper home to use their washing machine, and a real friendship begins to form. But when Jasper finally takes Leah to her home, it is nothing like she had expected. Jasper lives alone, in a tiny abandoned house with no electricity or running water, hidden behind vines, shrubs, pines and a veil of morning glories. Jasper's hideaway from the world feels magical to Leah, a adventure right out of the books she loves, but Jasper is quick to let her know there is nothing fantastical about her situation, her homelessness is the stuff of the real world and a painful home situation.
The two girls find support and solace with each other, but Leah has promised Jasper not to reveal her secrets to anyone. A terrible storm that hits while she is visiting Jasper becomes a game change, however, when Leah's dad shows up in the middle of the night. Jasper and her circumstances become the catalyst for all the pain, the secrets, the guilt, and the grief to finally be brought out into the open, resulting in a much needed dialogue in the Davidson household. Jasper's homelessness pulls Leah's parents out of the grief-induced lethargy. Which is great, but what about Jasper? What will happen to her?
I have to admit, as I read, I thought this book would go in one of two directions, either it would be a coming out novel or maybe a story with roots in speculative fiction of the haunting variety. And it does have a feeling of fantasy about it, but without crossing that line. Reality always intrudes, as when Jasper reminds Leah that her life "...isn't a game. We aren't playing Narnia or Hogwarts. This is my real life." It doesn't go in either one of those directions, rather, it is reality fiction plain and simple and it deals with some pretty serious realities - death, grief, guilt, abuse, and homelessness. But it handles these in ways that are thoughtful and Snyder tempers these harsh realities with friendship, healing and hope.
Both Jasper and June are such well-defined, sympathetic, believable characters. Coming from very different backgrounds, each finds themselves in circumstances made difficult by the adults who should have been there for them, but weren't. Their friendship becomes a real godsend, providing them with a secret place to work through their feelings on their own.
Snyder draws wonderful characters, but she is also a master at setting. She has a way of taking her readers into her story and, though careful, vibrant description, makes them feel as if they were an invisible part of the story, watching the action unfold while sensory details wash over them. I know I could smell those morning glories outside Jasper's hideaway. I had the same sensation when I read Orphan Island.
My Jasper June is a satisfying story, and one that is sure to become a middle grade classic.
This book is recommended for readers age 10+ This book was an EARC received from Edelweiss+...more
It's a cold, snowy day outside, but inside Ti Gran's kitchen, it is warm and busy. As the beats of traditional Haitian kompa music and dancing fills tIt's a cold, snowy day outside, but inside Ti Gran's kitchen, it is warm and busy. As the beats of traditional Haitian kompa music and dancing fills the kitchen, so does the aroma of traditional Haitian Freedom Soup. And today, Belle, who "has a heart made for cooking," is getting her first lesson on how to prepare her Ti Gran's secret recipe for this celebrated New Year's Day soup.
And as they mash the epis and the herbs, add the meat, the pumpkin, and the vegetables into a big pot, Ti Gran begins to tell Belle why it is called Freedom Soup and what it means to Haitians everywhere. And even though Belle has heard this story every year, she still wants to hear it again.
Ti Gran, who was born in Haiti, recounts how long ago the people in her country were enslaved, and forced to work hard for their masters. Part of that work was making Freedom Soup, a dish they themselves were never allowed to eat: "Freedom Soup was only for the free," Ti Gran tells Belle. But finally, the Haitians had had enough and rebelled, driving out the people who have enslaved them, and, having won their freedom, celebrated by making and eating Freedom Soup, because now they, too, were free.
And so every New Year's Day, Haitians prepare and eat Freedom Soup, remembering their past and their fight for freedom with every bite.
Some of the reason I really liked about this story of family, history and Haitian independence:
I love stories about traditions, both family and national traditions. Tradition is what connects people to each other, and when shared, has the power to inform and enlighten and add to the lives of others. That is just what this book does. And luckily, there is a recipe for Freedom Soup in the back matter and it looks as delicious as Belle and Ti Gran made it sound.
I loved the warm intergenerational relationship between Belle and her Ti Gran and how connected to each other they feel. Also, knowing important cultural traditions is one of the ways for a young person to feel connected to their past and understanding who they are, and Freedom Soup is a perfect example of just how that can happen.
I loved the dynamic pencil, marker, and gouache illustrations done in a palette of bright blues and yellows that reminded one of the warmth and brightness of Haiti and the surrounding Caribbean waters. Well, except for the last two pages, which bring the reader back to winter's cold and snow, but a look into the windows readers can see how everyone has their own way of celebrating the New Year, including Belle and Ti Gran.
Freedom Soup is such a beautiful story, and can't recommend it highly enough, not just for New Year's but for everyday.
What more can I say, except I wish you a very Happy New Year!
This book is recommended for readers age 5+ This book was gratefully received by me from Candlewick Press...more
Elly Cowan wasn't particularly happy when her mother moved her from Nashville, Tennessee to Eufaula, Oklahoma over the Christmas holiday to help her MElly Cowan wasn't particularly happy when her mother moved her from Nashville, Tennessee to Eufaula, Oklahoma over the Christmas holiday to help her Mema care for her grandfather, who is in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. Elly is confined to a wheelchair because of Cerebral Palsy and really doesn't want to go through the whole "new kid in school in a wheelchair" thing again. Plus they will be staying with Mema and Grandpa in their trailer, a small space for a wheelchair that requires her mother's help every time Elly needs to use the bathroom, which is more than embarrassing now that she's 12-years-old.
Elly has dreams of becoming a baker someday, and finds comfort in creating delicious cookies, cakes, and pies whenever the world becomes too much for her, including her overly protective mom and her absent father. So the one advantage to being in Eufaula is that now Elly can participate in the Bake-Off for the best pie held by Mema's church every year along with their fish fry and silent auction. And there's a $100 prize for the winner.
But first, Elly has to adjust to life in a trailer and a new school. And the first person she meets couldn't be more different. Coralee is a friendly, free-spirited girl with big blond hair who is on the beauty pageant circuit and she immediately invites Elly over to the trailer she lives in with her grandparents. a pit bull, and some cockatoos.
The next friend Elly makes is Bert Aikers, son of the grocery store owner. Her Grandpa had driven his car into the store, which is the event that brought Elly and her mother to Eufaula in the first place. It has been arranged that Mrs. Cowan would drive Elly, Coralee, and Bert, who also lives in the trailer park, to and from school each day.
Despite the other kids in school ignoring the three friends because they are trailer park kids, Elly finds she is enjoying living in Eufaula, realizing how lonely she had been in Nashville with no friends and just having the company of an overprotective aid all day long.
But as time goes by, and the decision is made for Grandpa and Mema to move into an assisted living condo, it looks like Elly and her mom will be heading back to Nashville. Well, not if Elly, Bert, and Coralee have any say in that decision. Besides, there is still the Bake-Off to win. Can they persuade Mrs. Cowan to stay in Eufaula?
There are just so many things I like about this book. To begin with, it isn't about a girl learning to live with CP. Elly has already accepted the fact that she has CP and will be in a wheelchair for the rest of her life. Instead, it's about a girl who happens to have CP dealing with many of the same issues any middle grader faces - being a new kid, making new friends, being snubbed by the other kids, but also being with people you like and who accept each other for who they are, doing the things you enjoy and that provide a great deal of satisfaction, and fighting to gain some amount to independence in your life. And over the course of the novel, Elly discovers just who she is and what her strengths and weaknesses are and then she rolls with it.
Elly is a great character. Even though she accepts the hand the life has dealt her, it doesn't mean she can't have some bad, frustrating, or disappointing days. Baking has become her coping mechanism and when she needs to, she will hole up in the kitchen and experiment. And while dealing with limitations and frustrations because of cerebral palsy may have matured her in some ways and made her self-involved in the past, now having friends and family around helps her mature more and to see others as individuals facing their own hurdles.
Sumner portrays the relationship between Elly and her mother so realistically, and it's not so different from most mother daughter relationships. After all, twelve is an age when kids want to be more independent and Elly is not different. Of course, her mother's fears can cause her to be little overly protective. I really enjoyed watching their relationship change and grow over the course of the novel.
Roll with It is a funny, sad, poignant novel and a book that all middle grade readers can benefit from reading.
This book is recommended for readers age 9+ This book was gratefully received from Atheneum...more
After a very busy Christmas Eve, I decided to take it easy on Christmas day and just spend the afternoon reading a book. And The Vanderbeekers of 141sAfter a very busy Christmas Eve, I decided to take it easy on Christmas day and just spend the afternoon reading a book. And The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street seemed the perfect book to spend the day with. It's a delightful New York story about a big biracial family and it begins five days before Christmas and ends on Christmas day.
The Vanderbeekers children, twins Jessie and Isa, 12, Oliver, 9 and the only boy, Hyacinth, 6, and Laney, 4 1/2, have occupied the basement and two floors of a Harlem brownstone most of their lives, along with Mama, Papa, Franz the dog, George Washington, a cat, and Paganini, a lop-eared bunny. Above them live Miss Josie and her husband Mr. Jeet, who recently suffered a stroke, and on the top floor lives Mr. Beiderman, their landlord. The Vanderbeeker children couldn't be happier living where they live. They know everyone in the neighborhood, and everyone knows them, with the exception of the reclusive Mr. Beiderman, whom they have never seen.
You can imagination the devastation the Vanderbeeker children must have felt when, five days before Christmas, they were told that Mr. Beiderman would not be renewing their lease and they would have to move by the end of the year. The children may be stunned, disappointed, angry, hurt, and perplexed, but it doesn't stop them from coming up with "Operation Beiderman," a plan to win the mysterious and mean landlord over in the hope of changing his mind. And Mr. Beiderman is an enigma to them. He hasn't left his apartment in the six years the Vanderbeekers have lived in his brownstone, he periodically has frozen meals delivered, and he keeps his windows covered with dark curtains. Papa is the only one who has seen Mr. Beiderman, since he does superintendent duties around the brownstone.
And Mr. Beiderman proves to be a hard nut to crack. Enticing him to change his mind with delicious chocolate croissants for the local bakery doesn't work, nor does the wonderful old Duke Ellington record they leave for him after learning that he likes jazz. Nor does Hyacinth's hand stitched holiday place mat, or the petition signed by everyone they know in the neighborhood. As the time until moving day gets closer and closer, will the Vanderbeeker children come up with a plan that will finally work? Or are they destined to leave behind everyone and everything they love about living in a brownstone on 141st Street in Harlem forever?
I have to admit I have a weakness for middle grade books about large, loving families like the Vanderbeekers (and of course, the Penderwicks). And I really enjoyed reading this book and I'm looking forward to reading more about the Vanderbeekers.
Some of the things I really liked about this book are: I thought all the characters were believable and well drawn. Everyone had just the right amount of eccentricity, so that who they are feels authentic and not forced. The kids felt like real kids. They know their way around the neighborhood and they know things about their home that the adults have not idea about - how to get up to the Roof of Epic Proportions via fire escape for secret meetings, the secret floorboard in the twins bedroom, how to avoid squeaky stairs.
I loved that there were no screens - none of the Vanderbeekers kids have a cell phone, and because of the move, even their Internet is turned off. Which means - no easy answers about the mysterious Mr. Beiderman. Learning he has once been at City College, they had to walk to the college in the hope of finding information.
The main message the Vanderbeekers learned is to never never assume a person is who they appear to be. Jessie has to learn this about her twin sister Isa the hard way, and all of the kids have to learn it about Mr. Beiderman.
My favorite part, however, is this - if it takes a village to raise children, this book shows us that the village can easily be the neighborhood right outside our front doors. This is a lesson I learned when my Kiddo was growing up and so many friends and neighbors added so much to her life. And Karina Yan Glaser depicted it so perfectly, it was like a gift on Christmas day.
If you haven't read The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street, you might want to give it a read. If you have already read it, lucky you. ...more
Fry bread is the story of family, friends, and food - specifically fry bread, a Native American tradition and a culinary delight. Told in short, simplFry bread is the story of family, friends, and food - specifically fry bread, a Native American tradition and a culinary delight. Told in short, simple free verse, the book begins with a group of diverse kids gathering around the kitchen table where their Nana is starting to prepare some fry bread. Each two page spread begins with the words "Fry Bread is..." describing not just the ingredients but also the shape, the sound, the color. But fry bread is also time spent with family and friends, and importantly, it is history, a new post-colonial bread created with what was made available: "Fry bread is history/ The long walk, the stolen land/ Strangers in our own world/ With unknown food/ We made new recipes/ From what we had." Maillard has written a modern story for today's Native Americans that stresses the importance of community, strength, and survival and all centered on a bread that is shared by indigenous people across the country: "Fry bread is us/ We are still here/ Elder and young/ Friend and neighbor/ We strengthen each other/ To learn, change, and survive." Maillard has included a family recipe for making fry bread, which sounds delicious, and an Author's Note that goes into more depth about fry bread and it's place in the lives of Native Americans. None of my young readers have ever had fry bread, but they could still relate to its importance because of traditional favorite foods in their own families. ...more
It's a very special day, a day when a little girl gets to ride along with her dad on his snow plow. Told in simple rhyming couplets, readers follow a It's a very special day, a day when a little girl gets to ride along with her dad on his snow plow. Told in simple rhyming couplets, readers follow a young girl as she wakes up one snowy morning, gets dressed, eats breakfast, and, all bundled up, she's off with dad to get the snow plow out of the garage. Plowing through fields and town until arriving at the train station. My young readers loved the fact that none of their predictions about why father and daughter ended up at the train station. Were they going to race the train? Trains are too fast for snow plows. I loved the look of surprise when we turned the page and saw the girl running towards an arriving passenger. Her mom? Her favorite auntie? Her beloved grandma? Then, it's a race home to a cozy warm house with mom AND dad. This was an exciting picture book to share with my kids because there was so much to speculate about based on other snow plow books we've read, but it turned out to be such a different story. The couplets are short but very expressive, capturing the little girl's excitement at riding in the plow with her dad, racing to the train station in time in such a heavy snowstorm, and greeting her mom. The illustrations are done in a pastel palette with ink and manage to evoke both the cold of the snow storm and the warmth of the family at the same time. We've read this book in F&G form and it's been loved a lot. Needless to say, I can't wait to get the hardcover available November 26, 2019 for our little library of favorite picture books....more
Told in a brief, playful rhyme, this book has quickly become a favorite with my young readers, none of whom, ironically, have ever skated, but want toTold in a brief, playful rhyme, this book has quickly become a favorite with my young readers, none of whom, ironically, have ever skated, but want to try it someday. In this story, a young girl and family head out to the frozen pond for a day of skating and family time. The young girl in a novice skater and when she falls, her dad gently reassures her that it's is part of the learning process. There are lots of other skaters on the ice, with varying degrees of skill, and everyone is having a good time. The family takes a break in the snack bar hut to eat and warm up, then it's back out on the ice - no falls this time. As the day comes to a close, the tired family heads home to a warm bath and a bedtime story. The watercolor and color pencil digital illustrations capture the cold day perfectly, especially the passing of time in the changing color of the sky, and the movement of the skaters. The skaters are a very diverse group, including kids of color, a girl in a hijab, and father wearing a yarmulka, and even a girl playing ice hockey. The ending is a pleasing picture of the forest animals taking their turn on the ice, so of whom you may notice watching the kids during the day as they had fun. I used to love ice skating and personally found this to be a really delightful family story....more
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