Picture Book Roundup #4

It's been a little bit, so it's time for a picture book roundup! Here are ten new picture books I have been reading and loving lately.

  

Bear Goes Sugaring by Maxwell Eaton III (Neal Porter Books, 2020). We're a bit past maple syrup season, but grab this one to be ready for next year. It's a fun, cartoony look at where maple syrup comes from. This nonfiction picture book goes through all the details, from how does the sap get into the trees to the finishing steps to creating perfect maple syrup. This would make a perfect book to read before visiting a maple syrup farm and purchasing your local maple syrup. Or just pair it with a stack of pancakes.

Being Frog by April Pulley Sayre (Beach Lane Books, 2020). This poetic rumination on frog life features stunning photos taken by the author and wonderful vocabulary words (spelunk, lunges, gaze, mossy) making this a great choice for early literacy storytimes. In her author's note, Sayre explains that she and her husband often observe the local frogs and have learned to tell some of them apart. She gives the differences between this type of anecdotal evidence and the broader evidence that scientists use to study frogs as a species. This is a great book to include in STEAM units (particularly about frogs) and I love the combination of poetry and science as the book considers frogs as living beings, as animals, not just as characters in a story. Hand to lovers of science and poetry alongside books by Joyce Sidman.

  

Child of the Universe by Ray Jayawardhana, illustrated by Raúl Colón (Make Me a World, 2020). This is an affirming book, perfect for bedtime, that describes all the beautiful ways a beloved child is like the wonders of the universe. The illustrations are muted but dazzling and absolutely gorgeous.

Help Wanted, Must Love Books by Janet Sumner Johnson, illustrated by Courtney Dawson (Capstone, 2020). This darling bedtime story is perfect for young kids who are big fairy tale fans and I think it can span a range of ages. Shailey has a good routine going with her dad and bedtime, but when he starts a new job, time for bedtime stories gets cut down and Shailey fires him. But as she starts interviewing new candidates, it's harder than she thought to find a good fit. The applicants are all fairy tale characters from the three little pigs (scared off by the fierce competition) to the gingerbread man (runs away with the book) to Captain Hook (hygiene lacking). The text is simple enough for a preschool readaloud, but older kids who are more familiar with traditional tales will really get the jokes in the illustrations. Super cute. Pick it up for bedtime reading and share widely.

 

Lilah Tov Good Night by Ben Gundersheimer (Mister G), illustrated by Noar Lee Naggan (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2020). In this beautiful lullaby, a young girl and her family wish lilah tov (good night) to everything around them as they leave their home and journey to make a new home by cover of darkness. This can definitely be read as a simple bedtime story, but it's also got another layer as the family are presumably refugees (packing their belongings and leaving by cover of night, undertaking a long and dangerous journey in which they sleep outside). It's a quietly stirring book that will work with different audiences who are ready to understand different parts of the story.

One Earth by Eileen Spinelli, illustrated by Rogélio Coelho (WorthyKids, 2020). Add this to your storytime shelves for Earth Day or any time that you're exploring the environment. In simple, bouncy rhyming text, this book counts up naming plants and animals that are part of our Earth ("One wide sweeping sky / Two honeybees / Three bunnies in a nest / Four redwood trees") and then counts back down with ways that kids and families can help save our Earth ("Ten scraps of litter? Toss them in the trash. / Nine empty bottles? Turn them in for cash."). Short and simple enough for preschoolers and the potential for some great conversation starters as you're talking about ways that kids can help the environment.

The Paper Kingdom by Helena Ku Rhee, illustrated by Pascal Campion (Random House, 2020). Tonight, Daniel has to tag along with his parents at work as they clean a giant office building. There they start to tell him about the Paper Kingdom and the King and Queen who rule over the building and the dragons that make messes. This is a moving story about a hardworking family and a clever look at a modern office all in one.

Snail Crossing by Corey R. Tabor (Balzer + Bray, 2020). Ahhh, adorable! When Snail spies a field of plump, crisp cabbage across the road, he sets off to get him some, but a journey for one small snail across a big, busy road is not as easy as it may seem. This is a fun and funny book about determination and kindness and bugs and it would make a great readaloud. Grab this one for your next bug-themed storytime.

The Society of Distinguished Lemmings by Julie Columbet (Peachtree, 2020). The Society of Distinguished Lemmings is very old-school and very rules-oriented. So when Bertie brings back a bear for induction to the society, it causes quite a stir. With hilarious, detailed illustrations, this is  a book that kids will enjoy poring over. I loved all the funny little speech bubble comments from the lemmings as they contemplate adding a newcomer to their distinguished society. Wacky and funny, hand this one to fans of Tacky the Penguin or Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed.

When My Brother Gets Home by Tom Lichtenheld (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020). This is such a sweet and fun book about siblings eager to spend time playing together. A younger sister highly anticipates when her brother will get home from school, imagining all the fun things they will do together. This story perfectly captures that childlike excitement for after-school imaginative play and it celebrates a wonderful bond between sister and brother. If you're looking for books that model a positive sibling relationship, this is a great one.

Picture Book Roundup #3

It's time for a picture book roundup! Here are ten of my favorite recent picture books. Need more picture book recommendations? Check out my prior picture book roundups.

 

Are Your Stars Like My Stars? by Leslie Helakoski, illustrated by Heidi Woodward Sheffield. (Sterling, 2020). With gorgeous, rich illustrations, this book asks if the colors one person sees around them are like the colors another person in a different part of the world sees. Each spread or two features a different color and compares, for example, the gold in a bright field of sunflowers to the gold in a shining arrangement of candles or the pink of a sunset to the pink of cotton candy. This is a celebration of life and families around the world and could be used in storytimes about multiculturalism or colors.

The Brain is Kind of a Big Deal by Nick Seluk. (Orchard Books, 2019). Your brain is kind of a big deal. Not only does it control all the body stuff you never have to think about (like your heart beating or how to feel sad), it controls all your muscles, makes memories, and thinks! This hilarious, cartoony book will tell you all about it and give you plenty of laughs as you go along. Hand this to kids curious about the human body or young readers who are interested in science and biology.

   

Double Bass Blues by Andrea J. Loney, illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez (Knopf, 2019). Almost completely written in onomatopoeia, the surreal illustrations and sounds of the city tell a story of a boy playing an instrument bigger than himself. Nic plays the double bass, both in the school orchestra and jamming at his grandfather's apartment with his buddies. After an arduous trip through the city lugging his giant instrument, Nic finds the sounds of the city influencing his music. This is an ode to the lengths that young musicians will go to for their art and a great book for aspiring orchestra members.

Feast of Peas by Kashmira Sheth (Peachtree, March 2020). This is a super cute and funny story about a simple farmer named Jiva who is very much looking forward to eating the peas he is growing. Each day his friend Ruvji stops by to admire the peas and each time the peas are ripe, Jiva comes out to his garden to find all the pea pods picked! Could it be rabbits? Ghosts? Hmmm. With its repetitive refrain and silly situations and pictures, this is a book that begs to be read aloud and I would definitely try it on an elementary school audience.

    

Fix That Clock by Kurt Cyrus (HMH Books for Young Readers, 2019). Adorable! In fun, rhythmic rhyming text that partially matches the cadence of Hickory Dickory Dock, this picture book shows a crumbling old clock and the steps that a group of builders take to fix it. This is sure to be a hit with young construction fans, but also add it to units or storytimes on Mother Goose. My favorite part is at the end when the builders use their scraps to build houses for all the previous critter occupants of the clock (bats, swallows, mice).

Hosea Plays On by Kathleen M. Blasi, illustrated by Shane W. Evans (Sterling, 2020). A celebration of the power of music, this book is a tribute to a real street musician from Rochester, NY who used his talent to spread a love of music by playing and by encouraging other musicians. Playful, colorful illustrations set the scene for this joyous book as Hosea reaches the day he's earned enough money busking to purchase a trumpet for a neighbor who's been wanting to learn to play.

 

Magnificent Homespun Brown: A Celebration by Samara Cole Doyon, illustrated by Kaylani Juanita (Tilbury, 2020). This book is an encouraging and empowering love letter to many different shades of brown found on many different shades of people. The rich poetic text is powerful and I can see parents and teachers wanting a copy of this book on their shelves to impart a positive message to the kids in their lives. I don't know that it's a book I necessarily see kids reaching for themselves, but with the right adult to share it, I think it's an inspiring book.

Paper Son: The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist by Julie Leung, illustrated by Chris Sasaki (Schwartz & Wade, 2019). Here's an artist you didn't know you needed to know about. Tyrus Wong immigrated to the United States as a child, using forged documentation to get around the Chinese Exclusion Act. He went on to become an influential artist who revolutionized the art for Disney's Bambi but was only credited as a "background artist". This wonderful picture book biography is a sure bet for young artists.

 

Sulwe by Lupita Nyong'o, illustrated by Vashti Harrison (Simon & Schuster, 2019). Wow wowie wow! The illustrations in this book are simply stunning. Sulwe has always been self-conscious about the color of her skin - she's much darker than the rest of her family. After she prays to God to change her, she's visited by a night star who tells her a legend about day and night and why BOTH are important for the world. This is a powerful own-voices message of self-acceptance written by a woman who herself felt bad about having dark skin until she began to see dark skinned role models. Here's hoping that Sulwe may help more children who are feeling the same way.

Swim, Swim, Sink by Jenn Harney (Little, Brown, 2020). Storytime alert! This funny, rhyming book features a family of ducks who go out for a swim.... except one of them sinks. (I didn't know a duck COULD sink, did you?) Determined to join his family and to continue the sweetly rhyming story, this duckling tries many solutions to his problem. I love the rhythmic rhyming story that keeps getting interrupted, adding humor, and the funny things the duckling tries to join his family in the water. Use this for a storytime on sink or float or about ducks or swimming.

Picture Book Roundup #2

Hey, I'm an Amazon associate which means if you purchase items after clicking the links on my site I get a small commission. 

What better way to kick off 2020 than with amazing picture books? Here are ten of my recent favorites.

Around the Table That Granddad Built by Melanie Heuser Hill, illustrated by Jaime Kim (Candlewick Press, 2019). This bright and bouncy story features a diverse family gathering and sharing a meal together, celebrating in the inherited dishes, cooking vegetables they grew in their garden, and making traditional and non-traditional dishes. This is a great Thanksgiving book that's not overtly Thanksgiving-y but definitely fits with the season. The first part of the book follows the format of The House That Jack Built, but after the table's set the form deviates into listing the vegetables and dishes they're cooking. It's a little odd, but still a good readaloud and a great one to share when talking about family, food, or being thankful.

Bird Watch by Christie Matheson (Greenwillow Books, 2019). This would make a really great read for a family who likes to bird to introduce young children to some of the techniques and concepts involved. In each spread, there are things to find, whether birds (sometimes identified by their unique plumage) or other woodland creatures. It's not only a fun seek and find book, but a primer on how actual birders identify birds - with distinctive features, location of birds (on the ground, in a tree), etc. Back matter includes more information about birding and about the bird species seen in the book.



Borrowing Bunnies: A Surprising True Tale of Fostering Rabbits by Cynthia Lord, photographs by John Bald, illustrations by Hazel Mitchell (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2019). Could this book BE any more adorable? (Answer: impossible.) Newbery honor author Cynthia Lord here chronicles her adventures with fostering bunnies with super cute photographs and illustrations. When she took in Benjamin and Peggotty to foster them until they were ready for adoption, she got quite a surprise when Peggotty gave birth to four baby bunnies. This is a fun pet story that will really please animal lovers and educates readers about caring for bunnies and bunny behavior.

The Happy Book by Andy Rash (Viking, 2019). Camper (as in "Happy Camper") and Clam (as in "Happy as a") are best friends and they're happy. But when Clam bakes Camper a cake and Camper eats all of it without saving any for his friend, Clam gets sad and enters a new book. Instead of The Happy Book, Clam's spending some time in The Sad Book. And from there, the two friends experience a gamut of emotions as they work through their first fight. Not only is this book funny, but it respects the range of emotions that kids experience and how friends can work through those emotions to express their feelings when disagreements happen. Designed with cartoon dialog bubbles like a comic book, this book is fun for recreational reading, but it also passes along a positive message about the emotions we all experience.



Ho'onani: Hula Warrior by Heather Gale, illustrated by Mika Song (Tundra Books, 2019). Ho'onani doesn't feel entirely wahine (girl) or kane (boy), but somewhere in the middle. When her community announces that they are going to put on a traditional Hawaiian hula chant for kane, she feels drawn to audition, even though the chanters are traditionally boys. This is an empowering story bringing much needed representation to the page. Ho'onani is such a good chanter that she's chosen to lead the group. When her teachers warns her that some people might object to a wahine leading a group of kane, Ho'onani decides to do the show anyway. With her parents' support and her older sister's eventual coming around to it, this is a supportive story that features a nonbinary child in the starring role.''

Pluto Gets the Call by Adam Rex, illustrated by Laurie Keller (Beach Lane Books, 2019). Pluto LOVES being a planet, but when the call comes from Earth that he's no longer a planet, how can he go on? This fun and funny picture book not only pays homage to our favorite planet-that-was, but also introduces young readers to the solar system as Pluto takes a farewell tour and presents facts about each planet along the way. Hand this to fans of The Sun is Kind of a Big Deal or Laurie Keller's The Scrambled States of America for kids who enjoy learning but in a really fun, funny way.



Pokko and the Drum by Matthew Forsythe (Simon & Schuster, 2019). With gorgeous watercolor illustrations (what a color palette!) and a surprising, energetic and humorous story, this is a don't-miss picture book. When Pokko's drum gets to be too loud, her mother and father suggest that she play outside for a bit. She is soon joined by a posse of instrument-playing animals and a posse of music fans, all following Pokko, who is literally marching to the beat of her own drummer. I love the facial expressions on all the characters (how does Forsythe make a frog so expressive?).

Stormy: A Story About Finding a Forever Home by Guojing (Schwartz & Wade, 2019). This super sweet and evocative wordless picture book shows a stray dog and the woman who keeps visiting him, eventually giving him a home. Stormy is very afraid at first and won't let her come close, but she keeps trying, bringing a ball for them to play with. On one stormy night they are finally united and she brings him home. This is a great one for young dog lovers, but I can see strong parallels in human relationships, too, particularly in foster or adoptive situations.



Tiny Feet Between the Mountains by Hanna Cha (Simon & Schuster, 2019). Being little does not mean you can't do big things. Soe-In is a tiny person, but she finds ways to keep up with everyone in her village and pull her weight. When the sun disappears, village elders ask for a volunteer to investigate and Soe-In is the only one who raises her hand. When she discovers that the spirit tiger has accidentally swallowed the sun, she finds a way to help him and save her village with her creative critical thinking. This is a beautifully illustrated Korean tale starring a brave young girl who doesn't give up. I love that it shows different things Soe-In tries to save the tiger and when they don't work she doesn't give up but keeps thinking and trying new things. And the illustrations are just gorgeous.

What is a Refugee? by Elise Gravel (Schwartz & Wade, 2019). This kid-friendly introduction aimed at non-refugee children is a solid explanation of who refugees are and the situations that can cause people to become refugees (notably leaving out natural disaster, but otherwise touching on major causes). This is a good choice for explaining some of the situations kids might be hearing about in the news. Maybe my favorite part was the bit at the end in which the author asked a dozen or so refugee children to tell about themselves. It's obvious that refugee children are just children who have gone through something awful but are just trying to live their best lives.