Fly Flies by Ziggy Hanaor - ADVISABLE

Fly Flies by Ziggy Hanaor, illustrated by Alice Bowsher. PICTURE BOOK. Cicada Books, 2019. 9781908714619

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

All sorts of flying animals try to teach Fly how to fly. The blackbird, the starling, the stork, and the hawk all have different ideas that don’t work for Fly until a butterfly suggests Fly is doing just fine. 

This is a simple book with a good message. Do your own thing and don’t worry about the differences between your way and others’ ways. The simplicity might lose some readers especially given the black and white illustrations on a matte recycled paper. 

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher

Parker Looks Up: An Extraordinary Moment by Parker Curry and Jessica Curry - ESSENTIAL

Parker Looks Up: An Extraordinary Moment by Parker Curry and Jessica Curry, illustrated by Brittany Jackson. PICTURE BOOK. Aladdin (Simon and Schuster), 2019. $18. 9781534451865

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Parker’s mom takes her and her little sister to the National Portrait Museum where they meet up with friends. Parker walks the halls and is taken by the different colors and subjects until she looks up at one point and sees a portrait of Michelle Obama. She is inspired and thinks about all the things she can become. 

This is a beautiful book for a couple of reasons. First of all is the way this book highlights the experience of seeing your skin color represented in art and how important it is to have models that look like you do. The second reason I loved this book was the way it treated an ordinary moment as a moment that can have great impact on a life, reminding us all to be aware of our experiences.  

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher

Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’o - ESSENTIAL

Sulwe by Lupita Nyong’o, illustrated by Vashti Harrison. PICTURE BOOK. Simon & Schuster, 2019. $18. 9781534425361

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Sulwe has skin that is darker than anyone in her family. She is the color of midnight while her mom is the color of dawn and her father the color of dusk. Sulwe wishes and prays to have lighter skin until one night a star from the sky whisks her away and tells her the story of the Night and the Day and how they needed each other. Sulwe returns to her room and feels a renewed appreciation for her skin color. 

This is a beautifully illustrated book that gives words to an experience that is not often discussed. Skin color is a difficult subject and this book approaches it gently and with great compassion. The book does not turn away from how idealized light skin is and the complicated feelings young readers of color may feel about this.  

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher

It Feels Good to be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity by Theresa Thorn - ESSENTIAL

It Feels Good to be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity by Theresa Thorn, illustrated by Noah Grigni. PICTURE BOOK. Henry and Holt and Company (Macmillan), 2019. $18. 9781250302953

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

By introducing us to a variety of characters, the reader is also introduced to a variety of ways to experience gender and gender identity. One character is non-binary and another is transgender, while others still are cisgender. The book includes a glossary of helpful terms and a note about pronouns.  

This is an important primer for how to talk about gender identity. There are many terms that can seem confusing and even overwhelming, but this book makes them accessible and instils confidence to use terms with accuracy and some a little more understanding toward those around us. 

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher

Cell: An Owner’s Handbook by Carolyn Fisher - ADVISABLE

Cell: An Owner’s Handbook by Carolyn Fisher. PICTURE BOOK/NONFICTION. Beach Lane Books (Simon & Schuster), 2019. $18. 9781534451858

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

This book is narrated by a cell that is on a dog’s backside. It walks the reader through all the basics of what a cell is what cells do. The information is conveyed in small text bubbles, captions to illustrations, and traditional text passages. 

The colors are very bright and the information is easy to consume. I loved the simplicity and passion conveyed for such an important and sometimes dry subject matter. The fact that the cell was on a dog’s behind was a little too silly for me, but will be humorous to young readers. 

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher

The Atlas of Amazing Birds by Matt Sewell - OPTIONAL

The Atlas of Amazing Birds by Matt Sewell. PICTURE BOOK/NONFICTION. Princeton Architectural Press, 2019. $20. 9781616898571

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

This is a catalog of birds from around the world divided by continent. Each page has a simple watercolor illustration and a paragraph of description about that bird. 

I like the clean look and feel of this book, but it would rather difficult to use. If you are bird watching, there is too much information here given breadth of regions and if you are reading for general information it would become tedious to read start to finish.   

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher

A Life Made by Hand: The Story of Ruth Asawa by Andrea D’Aquino - OPTIONAL

A Life Made by Hand: The Story of Ruth Asawa by Andrea D’Aquino. PICTURE BOOK/NONFICTION. Princeton Architectural Press, 2019. $18. 9781616898366

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Told in a very no-nonsense sort of style, this is the story of Ruth Asawa and the art she created. The book covers the different mediums she used in her work (wire, paint, leaves, etc.) and the reactions people had to her art. 

The primary problem with this book is that we don’t see the actual art that Ruth created and it is unclear how much of the illustrations are accurate replicas or interpretations in a far different style. I wish picture books about artists always showed the actual artwork of the subject. 

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher

A Map into the World by Kao Kalia Yang - ADVISABLE

A Map into the World by Kao Kalia Yang, illustrated by Seo Kim. PICTURE BOOK. Carolrhoda Books (Lerner), 2019. $18. 9781541538368

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

A Hmong family with a young girl moves into a new neighborhood. As the seasons pass they meet a couple across the street that are elderly and after more time passes the wife, Ruth, dies. The main character, Paj Ntaub, wants to offer comfort and draws a world of memories in chalk for her neighbor. 

The illustrations of this book are a lovely balance of playful and realistic and match the story well. Students could use this as a model for drawing their own map into the world. This would also be a great book for any school with a Hmong American population as their stories are so rarely told.   

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher

Cookie and Milk: A Scientifically Stunt-tastic Sisterhood by Michele Mcavoy - OPTIONAL

Cookie and Milk: A Scientifically Stunt-tastic Sisterhood by Michele Mcavoy, illustrated by Jessica Gibson. PICTURE BOOK. Cardinal Rule Press, 2019. $17. 9780997608588

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Cookie and Milk might be two very different people but they are the best of friends and a good team. Cookie is a young girl of color and likes all things scientific and Milk has light skin and likes all things adventurous. Together they use their skills to learn and explore with the greatest possible success. 

While I like the idea that we all have different talents and those talents can compliment each other, I don’t like the idea of narrowing an individual to a type. No one is just smart or just adventurous and it seems problematic to have readers think of themselves as such.  

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher

The Night Is Yours by Abdul-Razak Zachariah and Keturah A. Bobo - ADVISABLE

The Night Is Yours by Abdul-Razak Zachariah, illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo. PICTURE BOOK. Penguin Young Readers Group, 2019. $18. 9780525552710

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

As a father watches his daughter playing with friends in the courtyard of their apartment complex, he reflects on not only his love for her, but the many life lessons that can be learned in simple acts of daily living.  The Night Is Yours follows a young girl named Amani as she learns about life, friends, beauty and strength.  In a simple game of hide and seek she laughs, she realizes differences and likenesses in her friends, she gets frustrated and a little upset, but finds the determination to continue on her quest even though some things aren’t easy.  She learns patience and eventual success and celebration.  She is thoughtful and peaceful.  All the while her father is watching, waiting and also learning from the example of his sweet daughter. 

The Night Is Yours will be a great springboard for many discussions about life and happiness.  We enjoyed the illustrations, especially the facial expressions.  The story is sweet and tender.  The Night Is Yours can be used in a unit on family, on differences, or on feelings. 

Reviewer: SL

Where Do Speedboats Sleep at Night? by Brianna Caplan Sayres and Christian Slade- OPTIONAL

Where Do Speedboats Sleep at Night? by Brianna Caplan Sayres, illustrated by Christian Slade. PICTURE BOOK. Random House Children's Books, 2019. $17. 9781524765750

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Where Do Speedboats Sleep at Night? explores various water crafts: sailboats, canoes, tugboats, etc. to determine how or where these machines may sleep at night.  Do they turn off their motors because it’s time for bedtime reading? Do they “begin to dream of their own trips to the beach?” Perhaps their moms say, “Tow in your toys, kids- Toy Harbor’s almost full”? The final page depicts a young child sleeping in his bed while the bath water craft toys are “docked by Bathtub Pier” waiting for fun and play another day.

This nautical bedtime tale will delight children who are familiar with water crafts.  There is an adorable little mouse hiding on each page that children will have fun searching for.  We liked the story but not in rhyming form.  The flow and pace of the wording was sometimes difficult to follow. 

Reviewer: SL

The Tale of the Tiger Slippers by Jan Brett- ESSENTIAL

The Tale of the Tiger Slippers by Jan Brett.  PICTURE BOOK. Penguin Young Readers Group, 2019. $19. 9780399170744

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

The Tale of the Tiger Slippers is a wonderfully illustrated and tenderhearted tale of a tiger cub and his adventures wearing a pair of red slippers made by his loving mother.  The story centers on appreciating where we come from and how life shapes us as individuals.   Tiger Cub works hard every day to help with the daily chores. His mother sees him working and walking on sharp thorns and stones.  She makes him a pair of red slippers to protect his feet. “And there is room to grow.” she says.  Throughout the years Tiger Cub continues to work hard, creating a prominent living for himself and his own family.  Many times he encounters others who make fun of or ridicule his worn, dirty, red slippers. Each time he tries to dispose of them yet somehow they make it back into his possession.  The slippers eventually end up in a central place in his home where he can reflect and remember his fortunate life. 

The Tale of the Tiger Slippers is another brilliant Jan Brett picture book.  The story is heartwarming and reflective.  The illustrations are detailed with boarders and bright colors.  Hours can be spent looking at the story within the illustrations as well as discussing the many life lessons this book explores.  We enjoyed this Jan Brett book! 

Reviewer: SL