BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ADVISABLE
APPEALS TO: SEVERAL
As Little Owl flies through the forest looking for Raccoon, he sees many animals who are displaying different kinds of opposites.
I enjoyed the little story, but Srinivasan’s illustrations are so clear that she could have also chosen to only have the opposites on each page. I need some Little Owl merch, he is so cute!
Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE
APPEALS TO: SEVERAL
Monster is not interested in walking to school today - even with the promise of pepperoni pineapple pizza pancake Breakfast Day. Reluctantly he starts on his way, finding excuses and methods to avoid going any faster.
Monster will appeal to any student who wants to sleep in rather than go to school today. He is very silly, a bit sarcastic, and Collier’s illustrations give him just the right atmosphere.
Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE
APPEALS TO: SEVERAL
It's time for a young girl to go to bed. Her Father asks her to grab a blanket, a stuffed toy, and then snuggle in tight for a bedtime story. The father soothes his child and talks about how day changes into night. He then tells her how sleep is so good for her, and that while she is sleeping, her body is growing. He tells her many other things that her body does while she sleeps. How does someone fall asleep?
A Feel Better Book For Little Sleepers is intended to teach kids about the importance of sleep, and presents simple, concrete strategies that support falling asleep, staying asleep, and feeling secure at bedtime.
PGPowers
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL
Dave the Walrus loves disco, but he cannot dance. It’s a disaster every time he tries! He even takes some dance lessons to no avail. He decides he is going to quit disco forever. However, when the disco club’s jockey unexpectedly quits, Dave steps up and spins some sweet tunes for his friends, making sure disco doesn’t die.
I thought this was a sweet story about trying new things and failing, but still being OK in the end. There is a helpful reader’s note at the end from a psychologist specializing in treating anxiety & OCD with discussion points on how to talk to kids who struggle with not getting things right the first time they try something. Overall, I thought it was a cute story with a positive message presented in a low-stakes way. I recommend it for elementary school libraries or for counselors who might work with kids who deal with these anxieties a lot.
Kiera, ELA teacher, #bookswithbeddes
BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE
APPEALS TO: MANY
Four young kittens try to think up something special to give to Mama on her special day. They realize that Mama loves flowers. They couldn't find any flowers, so they decided to be creative and make flowers. Oleander planted a seed in dirt and a can. Tulip drew flowers with orange chalk. Others found bits and scraps to make yellow sunflowers and pink tulips. Blossom made up a song. Will Mama like their gift?
Flowers for Mama encourages creativity, and is a heartwarming story of patience and love.
Freedman's illustrations are very charming.
PGPowers
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE
APPEALS TO: MANY
Evie believed in magic words and magic tricks, but they had no effect on her three younger siblings who she wished would be quiet and leave her alone. Evie found a magic wand, said some magic words, and disappeared down through the ground, but her siblings followed. They found themselves in a fantastical world blending the deep sea and outer space. When her siblings are in peril, she helps them. After they help a baby whale tangled in a net of constellations, they wonder how they will ever get home.
The Great Escape is an imaginative adventure touching on coping skills in a noisy family, and how peace can be found in chaos. Marcero's illustrations are beautiful featuring digital illustrations with real photographs from the James Webb Space Telescope. I liked how the book's orientation changed as the story progressed.
PGPowers
Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: G
BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS – ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: MANY
With over 100 player profiles, Goal! is a nonfiction young readers guide to soccer that has all you ever wanted to know about the global obsession with the “beautiful game.”
This is obviously going to be a popular book in your library, just because of the nature of the topic material. I liked the general overview of the game, the different positions, player profiles and the sports trivia. However, I could have been just as happy with a book that was half as long. As someone who isn’t a sports fan, I got bored reading about player stats, especially when not every profile had a photograph. For being one of the most popular sports in the world, you would think there would be at least one photo of each player featured! Regardless, I would recommend this for your school’s library, especially with the World Cup this year, this book will see some traction.
Kiera Beddes, ELA teacher, #bookswithbeddes
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE
APPEALS TO: MANY
Steven loves to make everything even. Steven likes to share by splitting something like noodles in half. But sometimes that doesn't work, so he learned that on a slide kids need to take turns. He's happy as long as it's fun, and fair, and still even. But what happens when some things are fair but not even?
Finison has a humorous story about always trying to share and make things fair, and the life experiences that make fair impossible. I enjoyed the semi graphic novel format and cute illustrations.
PGPowers
BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE
APPEALS TO: SEVERAL
It's time to leave the house. Daddy rushes around trying to get all the things for his toddler. He asks the toddler to hold the water bottle. "Hold, please, "he says. The toddler begins to say, "hold" to everything he wants. Soon he can't hold everything and it all falls out of the toddler's arms. But then the toddler realizes what the most important thing is to hold.
Ribay gives us a humorous, relatable story with a heartwarming message about what is truly important to hold. I liked the bold art style.
PGPowers
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE
APPEALS TO: SEVERAL
Dzovinar lives with her family in Armenia. One day she and her sister are out doing chores picking herbs along the shore. On the way home, they hide when they see soldiers destroying their village. When the soldiers leave they come back to an empty house. With their parents gone, they are forced to flee across the desert. Will they find a new place where they can live safely?
Mooradian’s words and Yim’s pictures combine for a beautifully illustrated story about one girls' heartache during the Armenian Genocide, and her hope and heart even amid unspeakable tragedy.
PGPowers
BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS, HS - ESSENTIAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL
The title may be slightly misleading as there is no literal magic involved, just lots of talent and heart, but Marie’s Magic Eggs details the true story of how one Ukrainian immigrant woman preserved the art of pysanky, intricately decorated eggs using beeswax and dye, for the whole world to appreciate.
I loved this informative, well-researched biography of Marie Procai’s life and artistry. I vaguely remember seeing a PBS feature on pysanky as a child, so it was a real treat to read the story of the history behind this art form. I also loved the illustrations because they felt like pysanky art on each page telling the story. I could see this being used in a history class unit on immigration, or in an art class as an example of folk art.
Kiera, ELA teacher, #bookswithbeddes
