Christopher Pumpkin! By Sue Hendra, Paul Linnett, and Nick East - ESSENTIAL

Christopher Pumpkin! By Sue Hendra and Paul Linnett, illustrated by Nick East. PICTURE BOOK. Little Brown, 2019. $18. 9780316427555

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

A witch is busy getting ready for her ghastly party, so she conjures for pumpkin minions to help her.  The last pumpkin, however, is Christopher – who has very different ideas of what makes a good party.  But perhaps his way is what would be truly scary for ghoulish guests.

Delightful! A great mix of Halloween creepy with a surprise twist end. It has been a while since I’ve seen a truly unique new Halloween book.

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS

The Battle by Ashling Kwok and Cara King - ADVISABLE

The Battle by Ashling Kwok and Cara King. PICTURE BOOK. EK (Exisle), 2020. $`9. 9781925820409

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Edward is in full armor and off to his first day of knight school. Hiding in the back he makes it through class, but is terrified of the dragons and ogres he’ll encounter during recess.

A sweet twist comes to end the book on a helpful, hopeful note – a respectable read to help alleviate first-day jitters. I just wish the illustrations were more appealing.

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS

How to Care for Your T-Rex by Ken Baker and Dave Coverly - ADVISABLE

How to Care for Your T-Rex by Ken Baker, illustrated by Dave Coverly. PICTURE BOOK. Henry Holt and Company (Macmillan), 2019. $18. 9781250137517

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

A pet T-Rex needs special care.  What kind of special care you might ask?  Everyone, including a T-Rex, needs exercise. Watch out!  A T-Rex needs extra space to move around.  And what about food?  A T-Rex will need lots of food!  A T-Rex will make mistakes like everyone else and need to be treated with kindness.  The day is full of adventures when caring for a pet T-Rex.

There are many silly moments when a boy and his T-Rex interacted during a summer day. However, there are facts to learn about the real dinosaur, T-Rex and in the back are included more fun T-Rex facts.  Young readers will love the silliness of a pet T-Rex.

Diann, Media Specialist

Chirp by Kate Messner - ESSENTIAL

Chirp by Kate Messner, 240 pages. Bloomsbury, 2020. $17.

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG (sexual harassment); Violence: PG (mild self harm).

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

12yo Mia has moved back to Vermont with her parents so they will be closer to her aging grandma. Mia has recently recovered from a broken arm and has spent the last several months watching television, so she is not thrilled that her parents are making her enroll in 2 different summer camps. Mia is excited to help her grandma at her cricket farm, but it seems that someone may be sabotaging? Can Mia and her new friend Clover (who is in both of her summer camps) solve the mystery and save the farm. Mia is healing both physically and emotionally; while she hasn't shared what happened, Mia was subjected to a gymnastics coach's inappropriate touching and contact and is living with the secret.

I loved the #metoo aspect - not only was Mia's story there, so were the stories of other women - framed for a middle school reader. The content is perfectly appropriate - the harassment in gymastics as well as an experience of her friend Clover are related sensitively. I also appreciated the mystery - it was fun to try to spot the clues and red herrings. Some fun cultural references to books and Broadway show tunes makes this so easy to recommend to 7th grade girls.

Lisa Librarian

Crocodiles Need Kisses Too by Rebecca Colby - OPTIONAL

Crocodiles Need Kisses Too by Rebecca Colby, illustrated by Penelope Dullaghan. PICTURE BOOK. Viking (Penguin Random House), 2020. $18. 9780451480071

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Starting with crocodiles, but including gorillas and snakes and other dangerous and scary animals, this book explains that all these creatures need love. The book concludes by talking about children, a sometimes scary creature, and how children need love too. 

I really wish there was accurate information here about how animals show love. Sharks don’t really kiss. This silliness undermined the message that every creature deserves love. The illustrations are darling and very compatible with the good night story genre.  

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher

Woodpecker Girl by Chingyen Liu - ADVISABLE

Woodpecker Girl by Chingyen Liu and I-Tsun Chiand, illustrated by Heidi Doll. PICTURE BOOK. Reycraft Books, 2020. $18. 9781478869542

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Told in the first person, this is the true story of a girl who can’t communicate easily or move freely and wonders if she can ever have an impact on the world. Through a teacher, she discovers a method of painting using a band tied around her head and a whole world of expression opens up to her. 

This is an inspiring story and that alone carries the book. I found the illustrations a little dull and I was unsure how to react to the fact that her nickname, Woodpecker Girl, was originally a way other kids made fun of her. 

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher

Mayhem at the Museum illustrated by Luciano Lozano - OPTIONAL

Mayhem at the Museum illustrated by Luciano Lozano. WORDLESS PICTURE BOOK. Peguin Workshop, 2020. $18. 9780593093542

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

A young girl is headed to the art museum.  The signs tell her very plainly “NO TOUCHING THE ART”. But did anyone tell the art that IT should not touch the visitors?

Such a fun way to show that art doesn’t have to be stuffy old paintings. The only misstep here is that all of the art is from “old masters”, so they represent paintings by men from Western Europe.  Since children are probably not familiar with these paintings anyway, the illustrator could have very easily used a wider array of cultures and artists as his subjects.  Disappointing because of that. Perhaps a follow up is in order?

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS

Hey, Who Made This Mess? By Primo Gallanosa - ESSENTIAL

Hey, Who Made This Mess? By Primo Gallanosa. PICTURE BOOK. Putnam (Penguin), 2020. $17. 9780525517368

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Someone has left purple paw prints all through out the zoo and upset a variety of animals in an assortment of ways. What kind of monster could have wreaked this kind of havoc? wouldn’t you like to know!

Simple, silly detective story with a cute twist of an ending. Would also make a great board book.

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS

Salma the Syrian Chef by Danny Ramadan - ESSENTIAL

Salma the Syrian Chef by Danny Ramadan, illustrated by Anna Bron. PICTURE BOOK. Annick Press, 2020. $19. 9781773213750

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Salma is discouraged because her mom doesn’t seem as happy as she used to be before they immigrated to America. With the help of her teachers and friends at the language school, Salma painstakingly researches, shops, and prepares a traditional Syrian dish for her mother. The final ingredient is illusive and requires all their family friends showing up to help. 

I really enjoyed this book. I think it highlights how lonely being in a new country can feel, but also how people are all really very similar in our need to feel connected, despite speaking different languages or eating different types of food. 

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher

Lilah Tov Good Night by Ben Gundersheimer - OPTIONAL

Lilah Tov Good Night by Ben Gundersheimer, illustrated by Noar Lee Naggan. PICTURE BOOK. Nancy Paulsen Books (Penguin Random House), 2020. $18. 9781524740665

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW

With very limited text, this book shows more than tells the story of a family emigrating from their home land. The family packs up in the night and rows and hikes and finally ends up at a cute house with a fire burning. 

Honestly, I wasn’t sure if the family was emigrating or visiting family. I wish there were a few more details, visual or otherwise, to give context to the story. A lot of the pictures show a menorah, which was one clue that I still wasn’t sure exactly how to read - did this explain where they were leaving from and going to?  

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher

Oil by Jonah Winter - ADVISABLE

Oil by Jonah Winter, illustrated by Jeanette Winter. PICTURE BOOK. Beach Lane Books (Simon & Schuster), 2020. $18. 9781534430778

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

In short sentences and brief descriptions, this story moves through oil being pumped out of the ground, transported through the wilderness and loaded into barges. Then the barge hits an iceberg and oil spills out into the ocean, killing much of the sea-life. 

I feel a little torn with this book. It represents a very sad and true piece of history, but it also felt very villanizing toward oil production in general. I would have liked a little follow up about how oil is used and what precautions are necessary to be good stewards of the earth.  

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher

Desert Girl, Monsoon Boy by Tara Dairman - ESSENTIAL

Desert Girl, Monsoon Boy by Tara Dairman, illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan. PICTURE BOOK. G. P. Putnam’s Sons (Penguin Random House), 2020. $18. 9780525518068

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Two different Indian lifestyles are presented side by side. The type of clothing, dwellings, and activities are juxtaposed as we see how those from the dry migrating groups live opposed to those in towns likely to be affected by monsoon season.

I liked the visual nature of this book - there was a lot to be learned simply from studying the pictures. My kids were fascinated by the lifestyles depicted and wanted to learn more about the landscape of India because of this book.   

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher

Babbit & Joan, A Rabbit and a Phone by Denise Turu - OPTIONAL

Babbit & Joan, A Rabbit and a Phone by Denise Turu. PICTURE BOOK. Flyaway Books, 2020. $17. 97819478882023

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

When Babbit realizes how tired his phone has become, he decides to give her a break and adventure out on his own for a bit. At first he feels alone but then he makes friends. They get lost together, but do eventually find their ways back and Babbit decides to take more breaks from his phone. 

I found this story a bit stressful, given that Babbit gets lost without his phone and has to spend the night in the forest. I also thought all his zombie-like friends from the city with their phones was a little bit unfair. I realize this is a moralistic tale, but a little balance would have been nice.  

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher

Everyone’s Awake by Colin Meloy - ADVISABLE

Everyone’s Awake by Colin Meloy, illustrated by Shawn Harris. PICTURE BOOK. Chronicle Books, 2020. $18. 9781452178059

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Told with sing-songy rhythm, this is the tale of a household that just can not fall asleep. Instead of bemoaning their awakeness, they each find things to do - often odd and whimsical things - and spend the night in their own worlds until morning comes and they can finally fall asleep. 

There were a few sentences that snagged against the rhythm and rhyme, but other than that this book was fun to read and will be a fun addition to any good-night routine.  

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher

Sorry (Really Sorry) by Joanna Cotler - ESSENTIAL

Sorry (Really Sorry) by Joanna Cotler, illustrated by Harry Bliss. PICTURE BOOK. Philomel Books (Penguin Random House), 2020. $18. 9781984812476

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Cow is mad because he is all muddy and he takes his anger out on Duck. This puts Duck in a bad mood and she is rude to Frog. This goes on until Dog sees through the bad behavior to their real relationships and each animal is then able to do something nice for another. 

I love these stories that reveal a universal emotion we are all so ashamed to admit to and treats it gently but with truth. Sure, we all get irrationally mad or frustrated, but we do indeed have the control over how we treat others. The illustrations are lackluster, but the story is universally useful.  

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher

A New Kind of Wild by Zara Gonzalez Hoang - OPTIONAL

A New Kind of Wild by Zara Gonzalez Hoang. PICTURE BOOK. Dial Books for Young Readers (Penguin Random House), 2020. $18. 9780525553892

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Ren is new to the city and not only that, but the place he moved from was a magical forest. He is having a hard time adjusting until Ava, his new neighbor show him how to appreciate the city by taking him to the roof of their building so everything isn’t so loud. 

I never really sunk into this story. I was taken aback by the magical creatures in the forest, when the rest of the book is so realistic. I also expected some sort of LGBTQ theme since there is a rainbow pattern on the front, but that wasn’t the case.  

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher

Little Turtle and the Changing Sea by Becky Davies - ADVISABLE

Little Turtle and the Changing Sea by Becky Davies, illustrated by Jennie Poh. PICTURE BOOK. Tiger Tales, 2020. $18. 9781680101997

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

From the moment she moves from her nest to the ocean, Little Turtle is in love with the water. She loves how it is always changing and full of life and color. When plastic bags start accompanying her on her swims she is disappointed and the plastic becomes a real problem when she get stuck in it. With the help of some divers and their friends, she is untangled and the ocean begins to look clean once again.

While perhaps a little oversimplified, especially the speed at which the ocean returned to heathy, this is a great pollution primer for any young reader. After the story there is a short informational section on ways to do your part and I found that connection meaningful.  

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher

How to be a Pirate by Isaag Fitzgerald - ADVISABLE

How to be a Pirate by Isaag Fitzgerald, illustrated by Brigette Barrager. PICTURE BOOK. Bloomsbury (Macmillan), 2020. $18. 9781681197784

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

CeCe wants to join in on the pretend pirate play, but the boys in the neighborhood tell her she can’t join them. Instead of giving up she consults her grandpa and her grandpa consults his tattoos that show just what a pirate needs to be. His panther tattoos means that a pirate must be quick and his dancer tattoo shows that you must be fun. CeCe decides she is indeed all of those things.

Cece and her grandpa are a darling pair - a strong tattooed man in a striped shirt with a gap toothed frustrated girl. I haven’t seen many books that use tattoos to talk about symbolism and I thought it worked quite well. 

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher

You Can Draw Manga Chibis by Samantha Whitten - OPTIONAL

You Can Draw Manga Chibis by Samantha Whitten and Jeannie Lee. HOW-TO BOOK. Quatro Publishing, 2020. $13. 9781633228627

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

The cover of this book indicates that it includes step-by-step instructions, but in reality this book has more tools and ideas rather than steps. Each figure drawing has no more than three steps, making the steps pretty big leaps. What this book does provide is explanations of what to focus on with chibis drawings - making the head bigger, sloping the shoulers - and provides examples of body parts and their portions. My ten-year-old lost interest pretty fast in this book because of lack of steps, but her drawings did turn out surprisingly cute and manga-like.    

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher