Dragonfly by Aimee M. Bissonette - OPTIONAL

Dragonfly by Aimee M. Bissonette, 32 pages. PICTURE BOOK. Albert Whitman and Company, 2020. $18.

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

They start life in the water, without wings. After months of preparing, they finally leave water behind, unfurl their grown wings, and fly. In the sky, they really become dragonflies.

While interesting, there isn’t a story being told. Dragonfly narrators tell readers about their life cycle, and there are several side-note-like facts on each page. The illustrations are vibrant and eye-catching, but the book itself feels niche for young bug lovers who can handle the vocabulary.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Bear is a Bear by Jonathan Stutzman and Dan Santat - ESSENTIAL

Bear is a Bear by Jonathan Stutzman, illustrated by Dan Santat. PICTURE BOOK. Balzer + Bray (Harper), SEPT 2021. $16. 9780062880512 

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Bear is everything a little girl needs to love – a friend ready for every adventure, every joy, every sorrow. But little girls grow up. 

Ready to cry? If you and your kids/students can make it through the Toy Story movies, then you can make it through this. Sad, yes, but also hopeful. Santat adds the just the right tone with his lovely illustrations, showing Bear as a bigger than life companion – truly thru the eyes of a child. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Baz and Benz by Heidi McKinnon - ADVISABLE

Baz and Benz by Heidi McKinnon. PICTURE BOOK. Simon and Schuster, 2019. $18. 9781534468023 

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Baz and Benz are two little owls that are best friends. Baz wonders if Benz will always be his friend. Benz assures him that they will always be friends. Benz is a good friend to Baz, even when Baz get really annoying.

 Super cute story! Sometimes children do not like some things that their best friend does. but when all is over, they are still best friends. Cute story and darling, vibrant illustrations.

 Ellen-Anita, Librarian 

Alley Cat Rally by Ricky Trickartt - OPTIONAL

Alley Cat Rally by Ricky Trickartt. PICTURE BOOK. Flying Eye Books, JULY 2021. $17. 9781838740306 

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Astra Alley Cat sees a poster for a rally car race and decides to enter. The other competitors are a wide variety of cats and vehicles. Can Astra win? 

The bold, linear illustrations are very eye-catching. It’s one of those books that I may be too old to “get”. I probably need to find a 5yo to try it on. Hs someone else read it? 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Ten Animals in Antarctica by Moira Court - ADVISABLE

Ten Animals in Antarctica by Moira Court. PICTURE BOOK. Charlesbridge, 2021. $17. 9781623542320 

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Court takes us on a counting trip of some of the animals of Antarctica. 

I love Court’s collage illustrations, which sine on the page. The back matter includes a bit more info about Antarctica and about each animal. Cute and informative. It will definitely be reread for the illustrations. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

The Joy in You by Cat Deeley and Rosie Butcher - ESSENTIAL

The Joy in You by Cat Deeley, illustrated by Rosie Butcher. PICTURE BOOK. Random House, 2020. $19. 9780593181416 

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

 The book follows a little koala bear as he discovers the joy of being alive. He can do anything, there are so many possibilities already inside of him. He finds joy and happiness in everything he does. If things should go wrong, someone will be there to catch him and he can be on his way again.

 A most delightful and happy story, with the most beautiful illustrations. It teaches children to explore new things, new feelings, new ideas, just try new things and never be afraid to be who you are. Just keep being awesome and wonderful you!

 Ellen-Anita, Librarian 

Summertime Sleepers: Animals that Estivate by Melissa Stewart and Sarah S. Brannen - ESSENTIAL

Summertime Sleepers: Animals that Estivate by Melissa Stewart, illustrated by Sarah S. Brannen. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Charlesbridge, 2021. $17. 9781580897167 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL, MS, HS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

We all know about hibernation for some animals during the winter. But did you know that during the summer, some animals ESTIVATE? That’s right. Whether a few days or a few weeks, during the hot, dry summer, there are some animals which sleep away their time. 

 Stewart introduces us to several such animals and Brannen brings the illustrations to create a very interesting look at this entirely new (to me and to my middle grade science teachers) concept! My 7th grade and my Biology teachers both want to share this book next year. 

 Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Branches of Hope: The 9/11 Survivor Tree by Ann Magee and Nicole Wong - ESSENTIAL

Branches of Hope: The 9/11 Survivor Tree by Ann Magee, illustrated by Nicole Wong. PICTURE BOOK. Charlesbridge, 2021. $17. 9781623541323 

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

In the rubble of the Twin Towers, a lone pear tree survived. For a decade it rested and regrew at a nearby plant nursery. When it was replanted at the new memorial site, it became a symbol of hope for people around the world. 

I have read one other book about this tree – I can sincerely say this is a much better, a much more accessible book - both visually and textually. An important addition to a 9/11 collection. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Where Do You Poop? by Agnese Baruzzi - ESSENTIAL

Where Do You Poop? by Agnese Baruzzi. BOARD BOOK. Mineditions, 2021. $12. 9781662650420 

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, GIFT - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Seven animal friends tell and show a little person what it feels like when they need to poop and where they go. AND the pull tab shows us what that looks like! 

OMG! What an utter delight! I showed this to every adult I could get me hands on around my school building today. It will definitely be read and reread by little friends! 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Liberty’s Civil Rights Road Trip by Michael W. Waters and Nicole Tadgell - ADVISABLE

Liberty’s Civil Rights Road Trip by Michael W. Waters, illustrated by Nicole Tadgell. PICTURE BOOK. Flyaway Books, OCT 2021. $18. 9781947888197 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Liberty and her family, plus several friends are on a bus trip around the American South. They are on their way to Selma Alabama to march across the Selma bridge. Along the way they will be stopping at other important landmarks of the 1960’s Civil Rights Movement, included the motel where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was murdered. Seeing this trip through the eyes of Liberty takes a little of the heavy edge off trip. 

 Waters has recreated in miniature the actual trip he and his family, along with faith leaders from Dallas, Texas, took in 2018. The back matter includes a paragraph of information about each stop. While I am not enamored with the illustrations, I do love the quick look through important places in the Civil Rights Movement. A teacher could limit the discussion to just the back matter, or use this as a springboard to researching the places in more depth and/or finding more significant sites. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Rocket Says Clean Up! by Nathan Bryon and Dapo Adeola - ADVISABLE

Rocket Says Clean Up! by Nathan Bryon, illustrated by Dapo Adeola. PICTURE BOOK. Random House, 2020. $18. 9780593118993 

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Rocket is full of excitement and energy as it is time to leave for vacation. They are going to the beach. When they arrive it isn't exactly as wonderful as Rocket thought. She finds a baby sea turtle stuck in some plastic. She bring it to her grandma hoping the turtle can be helped. As she looks around the beach, she notices all the trash around her. She quickly organizes a clean-up crew and they get the beach cleaned up in no time. They are hoping that by keeping the beach clean, and keeping the plastic out of the ocean, that more wild sea creatures will come back to the island. 

It is important to teach children, and adults too, that you pick up after yourself. It is easy to organize a clean-up crew to clean up the park, the street you live on, the beach you go to. Let us teach our children to be aware of the environment and how important it is to properly dispose of trash. Reading this book out loud to your class, your children, is a good way to start a quick clean-up in the halls at school, around the house, in the park or the beach. This book teaches a great lesson. I loved it!

 Ellen-Anita, Librarian 

Little Bird Visits the Big City by Dominico Granata - ADVISABLE

Little Bird Visits the Big City by Dominico Granata. PICTURE BOOK. Minedition, 2020. $18. 9789888342037 

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Often small children feel the need to take off on their own and explore. they do not understanding the dangers they sometimes will encounter. Little Bird is tired of just staying within the boundaries of his small forest where he lives. He wants to explore the big city he can see in the distance. The trees have been pruned back, it is noisy and confusing. He gets a little scared. Lucky for him, his friends have been keeping an eye on him. 

 A wonderful story about exploring, yet emphasizing that it is good to go with some friends. Things are less scary then. Children like the safety of home and their home surroundings even when they explore new things and new places. A really cute book with cool illustrations.

Ellen-Anita, Librarian 

Welcome to Arizona by Asa Gilland - ADVISABLE

Welcome to Arizona by Asa Gilland. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Doubleday (Random), 2021. $10. 9780593178218 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

 A non fiction book about Arizona written in easy to read language. Good information on Arizona. It made me want to visit there and see the sights the book talked about.

 I like the book and think it would be helpful to children learning about the different states in the United States. It opens possibilities of more research into all the different things the book talks about, like the Grand Canyon, Monument Vally, The Saguaro cactus, the cactus wren and much more. I would keep a copy of this book in my classroom library.

 Ellen-Anita, Librarian 

IntersectionAllies: We Make Room for All by Johnson, Council, Choi, and Ashley Seil Smith - ADVISABLE

IntersectionAllies: We Make Room for All by Chelsea Johnson, LaToya Council, and Carolyn Choi, illustrated by Ashley Seil Smith. PICTURE BOOK. Dottir Press, 2020. $19. 9781948340083 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL, MS, HS – ADVISABLE; ADULTS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

With poetic stanzas, the authors explore many different aspects of intersectionality. The illustrations are the right amount of exuberant and there is lots of great backmatter. Perfect for a talk about supporting each other and the back matter provides an education for parents, teachers, and students alike. My middle school teachers are looking forward to sharing it when school starts in August.

 Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Mix It Up! by Herve Tullet - ESSENTIAL

Mix It Up! by Herve Tullet. BOARD BOOK. Handprint (Chronicle), 2020. $9. 9781797207605 

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Tullet’s tour de force makes a perfect board book. The sturdy pages will stand up to many page turns. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Jabari Tries by Gaia Cornwall - ADVISABLE

Jabari Tries by Gaia Cornwall. PICTURE BOOK. Candlewick Press, 2020. $17. 9781536207163 

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Jabari is determined to build a machine that will fly clear across the yard. Time after time his machine crashes. Jabari has stick-to-it-ness and does not give up, even though he gets a little frustrated. He finally accepts help from his little sister. 

 What a fun book! It made me think of one of my sons who loved to make airplanes and rockets. He, like Jabari kept at it until their inventions worked, even if they both needed a little help sometimes. A great book for children that like to invent and make things and for teaching grit. I loved this book and I highly recommend it.

 Ellen-Anita, Librarian 

The Rock From the Sky by Jon Klassen - OPTIONAL

The Rock From the Sky by Jon Klassen, 96 pages. PICTURE BOOK. Candlewick, 2021. $19. 9781536215625 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Turtle is sure that he has the best spot to stand, but Bear is not convinced – for very good reasons it turns out. 

In four vignettes, Klassen explores irony, muleheadedness, vivid imagination, and then back to irony. The humor is more sophisticated than the previous books, with the same muted color palette. Adults will be very entertained, children only marginally so. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Habitats (Turn-Seek-Find) by Bea Newman - HIGH

Habitats (Turn-Seek-Find) by Bea Newman. BOARD BOOK. Twirl (Chronicle), 2020. $15. 9782408019693 

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, GIFT - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Newman takes us thorugh 5 habitats with a very clever seek and find. Choose and object or animal, then pick a color and then find it! Then change the object and/or change the color and do it again. 

 While not really great as a way to talk about habitat, it is a perfect seek and find fun, especially because there is such a large variety and so much interaction. 

 Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

The Imperfect Garden by Melissa Assaly and April De La Noche Milne - ADVISABLE

The Imperfect Garden by Melissa Assaly, illustrated by April De La Noche Milne. PICTURE BOOK. Fitzhenry and Whiteside, 2019. $20. 9781554554089 

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

 A mom and her son plant a vegetable garden. The boy is really excited to help plant, watch the plants grow and then harvest the vegetables. he marvels at the strange shapes of the vegetable, and realizes that they taste the same as the ones found at the store. He loves the carrots with their crazy shapes, and the curly cucumbers and the lumpy apples. 

 A great introduction to gardening. A good way to get children excited to help by first getting the garden area ready, planting seeds and harvesting, eating, baking and cooking the vegetables and fruit. It made me remember when my children and had a big garden and we all worked in it to produce our own vegetables. We had so much fun. Now is a good time to read this with your child and then you can start your own garden with your children. 

 Ellen-Anita, Librarian 

Welcome to Florida by Asa Gilland - ADVISABLE

Welcome to Florida by Asa Gilland. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Doubleday (Random), 2021. $10. 9780593178256 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Great information about Florida. It talks about places to go, things to see, animals to watch for and good food to eat. I loved it. I just visited Florida and got to see a lot of the animals and the sights that are described in the book. Full of good information and helpful if studying about the states in the United States. Librarians may want to choose certain states important to their region or get the whole set for beginning state reports.

 Ellen-Anita, Librarian 

Way Past Jealous by Hallee Adelman and Karen Wall - ADVISABLE

Way Past Jealous by Hallee Adelman, illustrated by Karen Wall. PICTURE BOOK. Albert Whitman, 2021. $17. 9780807586785 

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

When Debby’s picture gets a lot of attention from the teacher and from other students, Yaz is jealous. So jealous that she does something that really hurts Debby’s feelings. Now on top of her jealousy, Yaz feels awful about her behavior and isn’t sure what she can do to make things better, because she really only wants Debby to be her friend again. 

A good issues book for a face to face or classroom discussion about what fuels jealousy and also about how to apologize. Kids may not pick this up on their own, but it is excellent for a much needed attitude talk. 

 Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Peekaboo: Sun by Camilla Reid and Ingela P. Arrhenius - ADVISABLE

Peekaboo: Sun by Camilla Reid, illustrated by Ingela P. Arrhenius. BOARD BOOK. Nosy Crow (Candlewick), 2021. $10. 9781536217216 

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Nine cute peekaboos await little readers to find and reveal. The tabs and pop-ups are sturdy; the illustrations are fun and bright. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Jules vs. the Ocean by Jessie Sima - ADVISABLE

Jules vs. the Ocean by Jessie Sima. PICTURE BOOK. Simon and Schuster, 2020. $18. 9781534441682 

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Jules goes to the beach with her family. Her sister likes to surf and play in the water. Jules loves to build sandcastles. She wants to build the biggest and best sandcastle ever. She starts building a sandcastle but the waves wash it away. she starts over many times, but each time the water has other plans and washes it away. Jules gets frustrated and her sister tell her the ocean isn't doing it on purpose. Read to find out what happens when the two girls work together.

Now I want to go to the beach and build a most fantastic sandcastle. A most delightful book with darling illustrations. Jules does not give up easily, and she learns some valuable lessons along the way. This was a fun book and I highly recommend it. Then see if you can build a sandcastle with a child, even if it is in the sandbox in the back yard or at the park. 

Ellen-Anita, Librarian 

Dear Librarian by Lydia M. Sigwarth, illustrated by Romina Galotta - ESSENTIAL

Dear Librarian by Lydia M. Sigwarth, illustrated by Romina Galotta PICTURE BOOK Farrar Straus Giroux (MacMillan), 2021. $19. 9780374313906 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

5 year old Lydia moved from Colorado to Iowa with her 5 sisters, baby brother and her parents. While they were homeless, they lived with family - their grandmother, an aunt and their cousin, but none of those places were home. They didn't have their own things, it was crowded, and it was temporary. But one day, Lydia's mother took the family to the library. It was everything she needed at the time - so many things to do, lots of space to do it in, and best of all, a wonderful librarian who became a good friend. 

Children's librarians will love Dear Librarian. Sigwarth tells a heartwarming story in a beautiful love letter to her librarian, and to all the librarians who make the safe places the children can feel "at home" in. Romina Galotta's illustrations are realistic and charming. I loved the author's note talking about children's challenges and homelessness.

Lisa Librarian

Beaver and Otter Get Along . . . sort of by Sneed B. Collard III and Med Sodano - ADVISABLE

Beaver and Otter Get Along . . . sort of by Sneed B. Collard III, pictures by Med Sodano PICTURE BOOK Dawn Publications (Sourcebooks), 2021 

EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

When a Beaver moves into the valley, he builds a dam which creates a pond and becomes a healthy environment for lots of other wildlife. Otter moves in, too. He uses the resources too, he fishes in the pond and invites other otters. Even in the winter, Otter and his friends are very active, sliding down the Dam and making a lot of noise. They also made trouble, all the playing on the Dam broke it, and as often as the beaver would fix it, the otters would break it again, and they weren't helping with the repairs. 

In nature (just like in real life) everything doesn't go smoothly, and we still need to get along with our neighbors even though we do thing differently. The beavers turning a stream into a pond and all the different animals benefitting from it was great. I loved the illustrations. Includes an appendix with information about both otters and beavers, more details on the environment, plus literacy connections, social emotional learning ideas, STEAM activities and a short science lesson. This is more than a story about neighbors.

Lisa Librarian

The Traveler’s Tale by Luther Tsai and Nury Vittachi - OPTIONAL

The Traveler’s Tale (Magic Mirror #2) by Luther Tsai and Nury Vittachi, 131 pages. Reycraft Books (Newmark Learning), 2019. $8.

Language: G (0 swear, 0 “f”); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Miranda (12yo) and her brother Marko (10yo) are still alone after a month of their parents and grandfather, Ye Ye, disappearing. When half a letter is delivered by some odd men from Ye Ye, they tear it open for clues of where he is and read that he’s in danger! Once again traveling through the magic mirror, Mira and Marko hope to save their grandfather.

This adventure takes Miranda, Marko, and readers into the 1200s on a journey through the desert with Marco Polo. While the information about how to survive in the desert was interesting, the actual history part about the Khans in China and about Marco Polo was dry and harder to read than the historical information in the prequel. I still like the concept and hope that the following books in the series are more like the first one.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen 

The Big Bad Wolf in My House by Valerie Fontaine - NOT RECOMMENDED

The Big Bad Wolf in My House by Valerie Fontaine illustrated by Nathalie Dion translated by Shelley Tanaka. PICTURE BOOK. Groundwood Books, 2021. $19.

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - NOT RECOMMENDED 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW

A young girl describes what happens in her home when the Big Bad Wolf comes to stay. Fear and pain enter her life while she hopes to find a way to safety again.

Trigger Warning: This book contains writing about domestic violence. A sensitively written book, with lovely accompanying illustrations, that tells the story of a young girl’s experience with domestic violence. When her mother meets a new friend that moves in and brings fear and pain with him, the young girl chooses to view him not as a person, but as the monster that he is. A heartbreaking, but important, read that does end on a note of hope. Young readers should not read this book on their own. 

Reviewer: AEB

While You're Sleeping by Mick Jackson - OPTIONAL

While You’re Sleeping by Mick Jackson, illustrated by John Broadley. PICTURE BOOK. Pavilion Children’s, 2021. $20. 9781843654650

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3)—OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

When you go to sleep at night there’s so much activity that goes on beyond your cozy bedroom. People are hard at work, animals are flying and scuttling around the neighborhoods, and in other parts of the world there are children learning and playing. Settle down to rest in the darkness while others awaken to set to motion until the dawn.

Uninspired writing is greatly improved by fantastic illustrations. What could be a charming bedtime read is instead bland and unmemorable with oddly specific detail about babies’ nighttime routines and descriptions of other mundane activities. This book could work if read aloud by a reader who is dedicated to bringing much needed energy to the prose. Young readers, however, will delight in the beautifully rendered illustrations.

Reviewer: AEB