Over and Under the Canyon by Kate Messner and Christopher Silas Neal - ESSENTIAL

Over and Under the Canyon by Kate Messner, illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Chronicle, 2021. $19. 9781452169392 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

A mother and child head down into a canyon, exploring and sighting animals of many kinds that live in the canyon, above the canyon, and under the canyon floor. 

Messner and Neal’s collaboration just get better and better. I hope so much that they continue long enough to cover every biome! 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

How to Haunt a House by Carolyn Crimi and Edward Miller - HIGH

How to Haunt a House by Carolyn Crimi, illustrated by Edward Miller. PICTURE BOOK. Albert Whitman, 2021. $17. 9780807534267 

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Their haunting teacher has challenged the ghosts to haunt three houses tonight. The first two houses are super easy, but house #3 has some surprises for the ghost students. They will have to do some research and all of their smarts to find the right way to haunt a house of ghouls. 

Crimi and Miller turn a bit about ghosts on its head with their fun look at Halloween and ghosts. The simple, cartoony illustrations make this less-scary and more accessible to a younger audience. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Jacob’s School Play: Starring He, She, and They by Ian and Sarah Hoffman and by Chris Case - ADVISABLE

Jacob’s School Play: Starring He, She, and They by Ian and Sarah Hoffman, illustrated by Chris Case. PICTURE BOOK. Magination Press, 2021. $17. 9781433836770 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

As Jacob and his classmates get ready for their school play, Ari, who is playing water, informs the others that Ari’s pronouns are they/their. When Jacob looks confused, Ms. Reeves, the teacher, talks to Jacob about how pronouns reflect how a person feels on the inside. As the play goes on Jacob recognizes the “they” in Ari. 

The Hoffman’s gentle look at a classmate choosing to use “they” pronouns is relatable for any age. 

 Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Spidernaut by Jodie Parachini and Dragan Kordic - ADVISABLE

Spidernaut: Arabella the Spider in Space by Jodie Parachini, illustrated by Dragan Kordic. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Albert Whitman, 2021. $17. 9780807504413 

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Based on a suggestion by a high school student, in 1973 Arabella, a spider, heads into space. Can a spider spin a web in zero gravity? Arabella and Anita were the first spiders to spin webs in space, but not the last. 

Students will have fun making predictions about Arabella’s ability to spin in space, plus there are other opportunities for prediction within the pages. 

 Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Norman Didn’t Do It! (Yes he did.) by Ryan T. Higgins - ESSENTIAL

Norman Didn’t Do It! (Yes he did.) by Ryan T. Higgins. PICTURE BOOK. Disney, 2021. $18. 9781368026239 

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

When Norman the porcupine’s best friend, Mildred the tree, shows signs of being better friends with a new tree in town, Norman gets very jealous. So jealous that he digs up the interloper and rehouses it far away. But when the guilt of his betrayal gets to him, he realizes that he needs to make things right. 

Higgins sure knows how to write books that get to the heart of what friendship looks like! He must be a really good friend. His look at the effects of jealousy is a conversation starter for sure. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Saturday at the Food Pantry by Diane O’Neill and Brizida Magro - ADVISABLE

Saturday at the Food Pantry by Diane O’Neill, illustrated by Brizida Magro. PICTURE BOOK. Albert Whitman, 2021. $17. 9780807572368 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

When Molly’s mom tells her they are going to the food pantry the next day, Moly doesn’t understand why her mom looks so sad. Even when she sees her school friend, Caitlin, in line, Caitlin also looks embarrassed to be there. Molly’s mom has always told her that everyone needs some kind of help sometime, so why is everyone around her look so sad? 

I love Molly’s of message of dignity in realizing that you need some help. As a teacher you should be sensitive to your audience if you read it aloud – you never know what secrets your students are keeping. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

A Vote for Susanna by Karen M. Greenwald and Sian James - ADVISABLE

A Vote for Susanna: the first woman mayor by Karen M. Greenwald, illustrated by Sian James. PICTURE BOOK. Albert Whitman, 2021. $17. 9780807553138

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

As they are baking a cake together, a young grandson confesses that his friends say only girls bake. Grandma proceeds to tell him the story of Susanna Salter, who was the first woman in the world to be voted the mayor of a town, even when all the men said that women couldn’t run government. 

 While slightly fictionalized, Greenwald takes great care to keep all of Susanna’s words as her own through her extensive research. A great addition to a unit on women, on government, on elections for younger listeners. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

The Giggles are Coming! by Christopher Eliopoulos - ESSENTIAL

The Giggles are Coming! by Christopher Eliopoulos. PICTURE BOOK. Dial (Penguin), 2021. $18. 9780593109311 

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

It’s the first day of school in Miss Terri’s class and she introduces herself. When she says “pickles, but” the friends hear “pickle butts” and then here they come – the giggles! Try as they might, the kids can’t resist. Giggles become chuckles and soon the whole class is knee deep in laughs! 

Eliopoulos has created a laugh-filled look at unexpected giggles, anthropomorphizing all the different levels of laughter that any young one will love. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

The Girl Who Loved Giraffes by Kathy Stinson and Francois Thisdale - ESSENTIAL

The Girl Who Loved Giraffes and became the World's First Giraffologist by Kathy Stinson, illustrated by Francois Thisdale. 56 pages. NON-FICTION, BIOGRAPHY Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2021. $20. 9781554555406 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

When Anne Innis was a little girl, she saw a giraffe in a zoo and decided she wanted to study giraffes when she grew up. After attending University and winning prizes in Biology, she headed to Africa - an unbelievable journey for a woman alone in the 1950s. And there for a year, she studied the majestic and beautiful animals, becoming a leading authority on giraffes. Unable to get a University position when she returned (despite her PhD) she turned to writing, authoring books about animals, women's rights and other things. The pace and the amount of information was perfect - full page, photo quality illustrations are they background to 1 or 2 short paragraphs of biography, and then a few short notes about Giraffes. 

 Oh, I want to see the movie about her now - 10 minutes ago I'd never heard of Anne Innis and now I want to meet her and see her beloved giraffes. The author's note wasn't a retelling as much as it was a more telling. The publisher's note says she is thrilled with the book and hopes it will inspire young readers to love the giraffes - I'm sure it will.

Lisa Librarian   

The Sun Shines on the Sea by Michael Slack - ESSENTIAL

The Sun Shines on the Sea by Michael Slack. BOARD BOOK. Candlewick Press, 2021. $10. 9781536215694.

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Beginning with the sun heating up the ocean, the reader follows the food chain from the phytoplankton on up to the larger creatures like sharks and whales. As the chain moves on, readers can lift flaps to see which animals (ex. sharks) have eaten smaller creatures (ex. tuna). 

I really enjoyed this early introduction to a basic earth sciences concept. The illustrations are well done and the story isn't boring but not overtly flashy, either. This is a great choice for Pre-K audiences--especially those showing an early interest in science and the marine world. 

Reviewer: TC

Maisy's Garage by Lucy Cousins - ADVISABLE

Maisy's Garage by Lucy Cousins. BOARD BOOK. Candlewick Press, 2021. $10. 9781536216837. 

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Maisy, a mouse mechanic, is going to fix her friend's car. Inside her garage, the reader gets to push, slide and play with a number of interactive pieces while Maisy does her work. 

This is a cheerful little board book that kids will like for the interactive element. The illustrations are boldly colorful and the story exists in its simplest form just to serve the pushing, sliding and whatnot. Sure to be a winner with the youngest of readers. 

Reviewer: TC

Hop Aboard! (Baby's First Vehicles) by Elliot Kruszynski - ADVISABLE

Hop Aboard! (Baby's First Vehicles) by Elliot Kruszynski. BOARD BOOK. Candlewick Press, 2021. $9. 9781536217780.

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

In a board book clearly designed with babies in mind, readers discover a variety of vehicles from bikes to rocket ships. Each page has one line of text, some fun onomatopoeia, and boldly colorful illustrations. The final page has a mirror "surprise" for babies to see themselves in the vehicle. 

This is the sort of board book I'd recommend giving to young families--its got that comfortable, traditional feel to it and is straightforward in what it offers a reader. I loved pretty much everything about it--a winner of a board book!

Reviewer: TC