BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL
APPEALS TO: SOME
Lika’s shadow has started misbehaving and then one day it runs away, forcing Lika to come with it to the Circus of Shadows. The two pieces of Lika learn to find joy in each other.
A very atmospheric picture book - while it doesn’t make a lot of sense, it could be a good vehicle to talk about dark things and why we are sometimes afraid of them.
Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - OPTIONAL
APPEALS TO: SOME
See the floor from the perspective of a baby as they try to traverse the front room to their ultimate goal - mommy!
I wanted to like this book, but I am confused by who the intended audience is. Baby? Well, a crawling baby isn’t going to understand the words. An older sibling - maybe, but while they might like the idea of setting up a maze for a baby sibling to crawl through - the book is still too juvenile for them. A parent - could be. All I can see is that it is a mildly interesting book about perspective.
Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE
APPEALS TO: SOME
Join the party as a bromeliad fills with water in the rainy season and then nurtures life throughout the year, until it is time to start over again.
While very simple, Hevron stills brings enough information to the telling that I felt I learned a lot. Her illustrations have a child-like quality, while still feeling professional.
Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE
APPEALS TO: SOME
Come explore the wonders of a redwood forest.
Fleming and Graenick turn the picture book on its side to capture the majesty of the redwoods. The rhythm is based around “This is the church, this is the steeple”. You can also follow certain children from page to page - I always enjoy that. A book to enjoy the majesty of wandering through a forest.
Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (ADVISABLE) - ADVISABLE
APPEALS TO: SEVERAL
Jack is talking to the mayor and dreaming of the town he would build if he were in power.
Like the three other books before this, Jack’s imagination is wild and also full of hope. It is a lot of silly fun, with a few good ideas thrown in. Van Dusen has written in a loosely iambic pentameter rhythm, so it can be difficult, when reading aloud, to keep from getting stuck singing the words. THe illustrations are highly engaging.
Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE
APPEALS TO: SEVERAL
Go back in time to the origins of the La Brea Tarpits, on through the animals stuck by it and on to the discoveries still being made.
If you have never been to the La Brea TarPits it is worth a visit if you are ever near Los Angeles (or Disneyland). While La Brea might be the most famous, there are at least a dozen sites around the world. Kids love dinosaurs - I think this will be of interest.
Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ESSENTIAL
APPEALS TO: MANY
A young scientist and her little brother are going to teach us all about flatulence!
You know you probably need more than one copy of this book - farts are a very popular topic for elementary aged boys - and high school boys - and adult boys. Barton gives the humor and the facts about farts.
Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
It's the first trip to the salon for our young narrator and she is overwhelmed by all the options she sees on the street. What hairstyle would fit her best? Bobs, buns, coils, and fros and so much more!
I loved this story of our young narrator finding her own kind of beautiful, guided by the women in her life, like her grandmother, mom, and older sister. This book is a beautiful tribute to Black hair and shining the spotlight on one of the things that makes us unique. I think this could be paired really nicely with Hair Love by Matthew Cherry.
Kiera, ELA teacher, #bookswithbeddes
BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ESSENTIAL
APPEALS TO: MANY
Duncan wants to color, but all of the crayons are gone! It’s okay, though. Each of them sent Duncan a letter telling him about their new adventures.
I‘m so glad we get to revisit the crayons. Their adventures are so much fun.
Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE
APPEALS TO: SOME
Lynn loves her yearly visits to the family cabin - especially watching the fireflies come out at night with their 6 seconds on- 6 seconds off synchronous pattern. When Lynn learned that scientists thought that none of the fireflies in her area were synchronized, she knew she had to prove them wrong. Thus began her journey to becoming known as the Lightning Bug Lady.
I really liked how even though Lynn never studied to become an entomologist, she still put in the hours and has become an important part of the field. Citizen scientist and a woman. Look into it as a classroom support book.
Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ADVISABLE
APPEALS TO: SEVERAL
Oh No! A hungry monster is eating its way through Christmas!
I love a board book with a difference - in this case, holes of every page - including the covers! Nibbles is silly and the action is based around a countdown - so educational to boot!
Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Layla the inventor isn’t tired enough for bed, so she stays up to create not 1, not 2, but 3 new robot friends. They dance and design the night away before falling asleep in the wee hours of the morning.
Three is not a crowd in this book! I thought it was a cute STEM focused story with our girl Layla and her robot friends. I’m all about women in STEM. If you read it in your class, you can have everyone design their own robot friend as a connection to the story.
Kiera, ELA teacher, #bookswithbeddes
