If Your Babysitter is a Bruja by Ana Siqueira and Irena Freitas - ADVISABLE

If Your Babysitter is a Bruja by Ana Siqueira, illustrated by Irena Freitas. PICTURE BOOK. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (Simon & Schuster), 2022. $19. 9781534488755

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (4-6) – ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

What would you do if your new babysitter may be a bruja - a witch? Only have the best night of your life! With potions and flying brooms and bubbling cauldrons, our niña protagonist learns how to befriend her witchy babysitter and have a most memorable night at home.

This bright and happy picture book is a delightful addition to the Halloween story shelf. It has the added benefit of Spanish sprinkled liberally throughout the story, perfect for beginning dual language immersion learners.

Kiera, BookswithBeddes

Happy Again by Igor Plohl and Urška Stropnik Šonc - ADVISABLE

Happy Again by Igor Plohl, illustrated by Urška Stropnik Šonc. EARLY READER. Holiday House, 2021 $16. 9780823453764 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Lucas fell from a ladder. Now he cannot walk and must use a wheelchair. He had to learn new ways of doing things. Now he teaches others. Illustrated with Lucas as a lion, Happy Again is an independent read that shows how someone can adapt to a new life. Includes photographs of Plohl doing some of the things the book talks about. 

Based on the real-life experience of the author, it is the early reader version of Plohl's picture book "Lucas Makes a Comeback". I have also read the picture book - I found Happy together to be a much easier read, as this edition is designed for the beginning reader to be able to access independently.

Lisa Librarian

Smash by Adam Schafer and Noel Tuazon - OPTIONAL

Smash by Adam Schafer, illustrated by Noel Tuazon. PICTURE BOOK. Red Deer (Fitzhenry/Whiteside), 2022. $20. 9780889956353 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

A child likes to smash stuff. It's loud and exciting. He can't seem to do anything else. He can't read, write, or draw and he's very frustrated, but then, he discovers the joy of building things! 

Hmm - I'm very happy the child found a different way to channel his energy because breaking everything was a problem. Expressive illustrations and limited text combine for a fun easy read. I liked that the illustrations read like a comic, and I hope the reader takes away the joy of building rather than the excitement of smashing.

Lisa Librarian

Moonlight by Stephen Savage - OPTIONAL

Moonlight by Stephen Savage. PICTURE BOOK. Neal Porter Books (Holiday House), 2022. $19. 9780823450848

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

A mystery, only if you didn't read the title or the last page, as the author hints at something on the move through the forest and landscape, over hill and dale, into a child's bedroom.

The most interesting piece of the book is the linocut artwork. It's different from what I've seen in other picture books and could serve as an interesting mentor text for an art class or a creative writing prompt.

Kiera, BookswithBeddes

 

Me and the Boss: A Story about Mending and Love by Michelle Edwards and April Harrison - ADVISABLE

Me and the Boss: A Story about Mending and Love by Michelle Edwards, illustrated by April Harrison. PICTURE BOOK. Anne Schwartz (Random House Children's Books), 2022. $19. 9780593310687

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Lee, an African American little boy, has to go wherever his big sister, Zora, goes and follow her instructions. One day she takes him to the library, where the librarian teaches them to embroider. It is harder for Lee because he is younger. He keeps trying at home and when he is good enough, he repairs the ear on Zora's teddy bear.

Edwards shows how sibling relationships can be tough sometimes but that acts of love can smooth over the rough patches. The illustrations are stylized and colorful. Snapshots of the characters alternate with closeups of the embroidery projects until the end has directions to do a moon embroidery, just like Lee.

 J. Smith, Teacher Librarian 

Stillwater and Koo Save the World by Jon J Muth - ADVISABLE

Stillwater and Koo Save the World by Jon J Muth. PICTURE BOOK. Scholastic Press (Scholastic), February 2023. $19. 9781338812312 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Stillwater and Koo, adult and child pandas, have so much to do today! Koo wants to save the world. After eating waffles for breakfast, they clean Koo's room, take care of the cat, and visit the fishpond - where they spend some time clearing leaves and feeding the fish. They make a cake for their neighbors, take a bike ride, and talk about ways to save the world. Koo wonders if it's even possible. 

I really liked the message of kindness and caring. A bit odd that Stillwater and Koo have human neighbors, but it didn't detract from the story. I can see using Stillwater and Koo Save the world to teach children that doing something small can make a difference.

Lisa Librarian

Here We Are: Book of Colors by Oliver Jeffers - NO

Here We Are: Book of Colors by Oliver Jeffers, illustrated by author. BOARD BOOK. Philomel Books (Penguin Random House), 2022. $10. 9780593527887

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K – NO

AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW

This board book is a really simple introduction to many of the colors found in our world. 

I prefer to have something more to the text than just the color word and a handful of disparate illustrations. There should be at least a poem or rhyme to connect each color. Apparently, this board book is connected to another by the same author, so maybe it is better in context paired with Here We Are by Oliver Jeffers.

Kiera, BookswithBeddes

Baby Alligator by Aubrey Lang and Wayne Lynch - ADVISABLE

Baby Alligator by Aubrey Lang, Photography by Wayne Lynch. PICTURE BOOK/NON FICTION. Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2022. $8. 9781554555864

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

A female alligator realizes the swamp is warming up and it is spring. She can now leave her den and venture out to hunt for food. She finds a male alligator and soon she will be a mother. She digs a hole to lay her eggs and covers them with grass. She always stays close by and protects them. When she hears them hatching, she uncovers the nest. Mother alligator is gentle, caring and leads her babies to shallow water where they can hide and she can watch over them. Alligator babies immediately have to feed themselves. The babies stay with their mother for a year.

I really enjoyed Baby Alligator. The photographs were interesting, and amazing. Lang describes the danger and success of a growing baby alligator. Children will be intrigued to see such fearsome and cute creatures in real photographs.

PGPowers 

Black-Eyed Peas and Hoghead Cheese by Glenda Armand and Steffi Walthall - ESSENTIAL

Black-Eyed Peas and Hoghead Cheese by Glenda Armand, illustrated by Steffi Walthall. PICTURE BOOK. Crown Books for Young Readers (Random), 2022. $19. 9780593486146

PG Content: (slavery discussed)

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Frances is a 9yo African American girl helping her grandma prepare the family New Year's Day meal. As they prepare the traditional cuisine, her grandma tells her stories about her ancestors and how all the dishes became part of their culture. The book contains sidebars with vocabulary and historical facts that contribute to understanding the nuances of the text, and at the end the author's mother's recipe for Pralines is included. 

I love the artist's portrayal of the characters. I felt like they must be based on actual people she knows because they are so individual. I love how easily the story flows between the present day cooking to the events of the past. I felt that this book gave me insight into the African American cuisine and culture that I was missing. Young students will enjoy seeing a young girl cook with her grandma and gain understanding about an important chapter in our nation's history.

J. Smith, Teacher Librarian 

Polar Bear by Candace Fleming and Eric Rohmann - ESSENTIAL

Polar Bear by Candace Fleming and Eric Rohmann PICTURE BOOK, NON-FICTION Neal Porter (Holiday House). 2022. $19. 978823449163 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

A mother Polar Bear cares for her two young cubs, but as spring turns to summer and the ice melts, she finds it increasingly difficult to hunt. 

AJ loved Polar Bear so much. There's a good amount of text, and it was so engaging she read the whole book, first to herself and then to me. Rohmann's illustrations are very realistic. Don't miss the labeled drawing of a polar bear, telling about all their adaptations and the few "cool" facts. Fleming has included a thorough author's note describing the plight of these giant bears brought on by human-caused climate change.

Lisa Librarian

This Little Rainbow: A Love-Is-Love Primer by Joan Holub and Daniel Roode - ADVISABLE

This Little Rainbow: A Love-Is-Love Primer by Joan Holub, illustrated by Daniel Roode. BOARD BOOK. Little Simon (Simon & Schuster), 2021. $8. 9781534475601

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K – ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

This Little Rainbow highlights 10 historical and contemporary LGBTQIA+ figures and their contributions to society, with 15 additional spotlights in the back of the book. 

The book is meant for very young readers with its bright and happy illustrations, but the content has a lot of room for growth for older kids to use it as a starting off point for researching these historical figures themselves. 

Kiera, BookswithBeddes

Whales (New and Updated) by Gail Gibbons - ESSENTIAL

Whales (New and Updated) by Gail Gibbons. PICTURE BOOK/NON FICTION. Holiday House, 2022. $19. 9780823451753

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

This is the New and Updated version of Gibbons' book on Whales originally published in 1991. This is a great summary book introducing different types of whales to young readers. The book shows descriptions of sizes, skeletal and muscle systems, and talks about the different features of different whales. 

I loved how engaging this book is. The facts about whales are super interesting and the images are captivating, making the reader want to learn more about whales.

Mariah Gerlach, MLS