Space Matters

Space MattersSpace Matters by Jacque Lynn, Lydia Nichols
ISBN: 1328801470
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

Space matters, spaces matter. This is a fun book about perspective. Spaces make sentences, they help you to see the whole picture, they keep pudding from tasting like pickles. The text is simple and easy to follow when paired with the illustrations. The illustrations are mixed media with clean lines and bright colors. Without the illustrations, the text wouldn’t make sense at all. They are critical to the story. The premise of this book is a good one, but the concept will be lost on the youngest of readers. Recommended for readers 4 and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

three-stars

Trowbridge Road

Trowbridge RoadTrowbridge Road by Marcella Pixley
Published by Candlewick Press on October 6, 2020
ISBN: 1536207500
Pages: 336
Genres: Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

It’s the early 80s, and June Bug Jordan’s father has recently died from complications from AIDS. June Bug’s mother is having a really hard time with the loss and has all but ceased functioning as a parent. She is overcome with grief and fear and spends the entirety of each day locked in their house. She requires June Bug to disinfect any time she ventures out. The more June Bug ventures out, though, the more she connects with other people, and the more she longs for those connections. She befriends a young boy, Ziggy, and he and his grandmother become a pivotal part of June Bug’s life and her mother’s road to recovery.

This is a beautiful and gut wrenching story of family, loss, grief, and mental illness. June Bug’s mother is rapt with anxiety and fear about the HIV and the potential to get it. The story is set in the early 80s, so the fear and misunderstanding about HIV/AIDS is appropriately represented. Some of her mother’s practices border on child abuse, though, so sensitive readers beware. The author does a great job capturing the hold that mental illness and grief can have on someone. This book is a great read albeit sometimes a hard one. Recommended for readers 5th grade and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

four-stars

Dear Earth…From Your Friends in Room 5

Dear Earth…From Your Friends in Room 5Dear Earth…From Your Friends in Room 5 by Erin Dealey, Luisa Uribe
Published by HarperCollins on December 1, 2020
ISBN: 0062915320
Pages: 32
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

The kids in Room 5 write a letter to the Earth asking what they can do to help. They’re surprised when they get an answer! This begins a dialog between the kids in Room 5 (later referred to as “Earth Heroes”) and our planet. The kids talk about small changes they’re making—turning off the lights, using reusable water bottles, recycling/reusing paper, etc. As the year goes on, the seasons change, but the kids’ enthusiasm for helping the planet does not.

The text is presented entirely as letters between the class and the Earth. It is a fun way to tell the story and to share important information about helping the planet that will keep readers engaged. There are bits of humor and wit woven in as well to lighten the mood. The digitally rendered illustrations are colorful and detailed enough to bring the story to life. They include a classroom of kids diverse in race and physical ability, and all kids are shown helping the efforts together. This is a fun book about how little changes can make a big difference in the health of our planet. Recommended for readers 3 and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

four-stars

The Boy and the Gorilla

The Boy and the GorillaThe Boy and the Gorilla by Cindy Derby, Jackie Azúa Kramer
Published by Candlewick Press on October 13, 2020
ISBN: 0763698326
Pages: 48
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

A young boy is mourning the death of his mother. He begins a relationship with an imaginary gorilla who helps him process his emotions and who answers many questions young kids have about death in general. The gorilla helps the boy to know it’s ok to be sad, and that the things the boy once enjoyed with his mother will eventually feel less sad and instead a way to remember the good times he had with his mom.

The text is simple and clear. The gorilla’s text is italicized so it’s clear who is talking. the mixed media illustrations are simply gorgeous and carry the heavy emotion of the book with ease. The gorilla exudes kindness and empathy while simultaneously being strong. This is a wonderful book on a very difficult topic. Recommended for wide purchase, for Cream of the Crop, and for readers of all ages dealing with grief.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

five-stars

Rocket Science

Rocket ScienceRocket Science: A Beginner's Guide to the Fundamentals of Spaceflight by Andrew Rader, Galen Frazer
Published by Candlewick Press on November 3, 2020
ISBN: 153620742X
Pages: 64
Genres: Non-Fiction
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
three-stars

This nonfiction picture book is perfect for the budding space scientist or those looking for a bird’s eye view of the science behind space travel. The text is informative without being overwhelming. The digitally rendered illustrations are colorful and help bring some context to the facts presented. They’re colorful and will engage young readers. This is a great launching point for further research into space and space flight. The back pages include a glossary and a list of links for further reading. Recommended for space explorers 5 and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

three-stars

Eyes That Kiss in the Corners

Eyes That Kiss in the CornersEyes That Kiss in the Corners by Dung Ho, Joanna Ho
Published by HarperCollins on January 5, 2021
ISBN: 0062915622
Pages: 40
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

A young girl notices her eyes are different than some of her friends’ eyes, and she knows her eyes are like those of her family members. The book walks the reader through the many ways the girl’s eyes are like her mother’s, her sibling’s, her grandmother’s. The text is far more poetic than can be depicted here—there are references to Asian culture throughout and this will lead to many great discussions and learning opportunities. This is an important windows/mirrors book. Some readers will see people who look differently than they do in this book, and some readers will see themselves. The digitally rendered artwork is gorgeous and colorful. It brings the emotions of a strong familial bond to life while weaving in the poetic details of the text effortlessly. Recommended for readers 4 and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

four-stars

I am not a penguin

I am not a penguinI Am Not a Penguin: A Pangolin's Lament by Liz Wong
Published by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers on January 19, 2021
ISBN: 0593127404
Pages: 40
Genres: Animals, Humor
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

A pangolin sets up a sign inviting other animals to come and learn about pangolins. Immediately, there is confusion among the other animals. ” Did somebody say “penguins”? Oooo! I love penguins!” The confusion continues as the pangolin attempts to explain that it is not, in fact, a penguin—or an anteater, or an armadillo.

This is a funny and informative book. Kids will love the silliness and wit throughout the dialog. The illustrations are cartoonish, and the animals are all anthropomorphized in that they stand on two feet. The text is presented in speech bubbles so it can be a bit tricky for super young readers to follow, but this is a great opportunity to help kids begin to develop the skillset of following the dialog. This would be a super fun read aloud, especially for someone who does voices well. Recommended for readers 3 and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

four-stars

The Blue Table

The Blue TableThe Blue Table by Chris Raschka
Published by Greenwillow Books on October 20, 2020
ISBN: 0062937766
Pages: 32
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

This simple book follows the life of a blue table. First, just one child is at the table, then one parent, then two parents, then another family. The people are never fully pictured. They are implied by the items on the table—a cup of milk and some paper and crayons, then a cup of coffee and a newspaper, then another cup of coffee and a book. The book also includes the table being covered in vegetables from the garden, an apple pie being constructed, and more tasks that go along with expecting company. When an extra leaf is put into the table, the feast is ready to begin. Again, none of the people are fully depicted, though we do see their arms and hands, and those illustrations have a variety of skin tones depicted. The text is very sparse with only one phrase per page. The illustrations are watercolor and paper cut collage, and completely carry the story. Since the text is so sparse, the illustrations are essential. Obviously, the blue table is at the center of each page, and there are many small but important details depicted on each spread. This would make a great read aloud and could be used as a story time book provided everyone can see the illustrations well (so maybe not the best for virtual reading). Recommended for readers 2 and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

four-stars

Tiny Monsters

Tiny MonstersTiny Monsters: The Strange Creatures That Live On Us, In Us, and Around Us by Robin Page, Steve Jenkins
Published by HMH Books for Young Readers on November 17, 2020
ISBN: 0358307112
Pages: 32
Genres: Animals, Non-Fiction
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
four-stars

This nonfiction picture book highlights small organisms that live in, on, and around humans. The subtitle is a bit misleading in that many of the animals found in the book live on the forest floor. Other than that misnomer, this is a great book that kids will enjoy. The illustrations are detailed and colorful, and each illustration is accompanied by an image of the actual size of the creature (sometimes just a dot because they’re so small) as well as the magnification scale of the drawing. This detail will help kids with perspective. Throughout the book, I wished there was information about where in the world each organism was found, and that information (and a little bit more) is included in the back pages. Overall, it is a fun exploration of often ignored or completely unknown organisms. From the more common mosquito to the little known eyelash mite, there’s something to pique the interest of most young readers. Recommended for readers 4 and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

four-stars

Sleeping with the light on

Sleeping with the light onSleeping with the Light On by Carlos Aquilera, David Unger
Published by Groundwood Books on October 27, 2020
ISBN: 1773063847
Pages: 96
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

This book is fewer than 100 pages long, but it packs so much into the short story. Davico lives in Guatemala with his family above the restaurant his family runs, La Casita. The beginning of the story is light hearted and depicts a warm and rich life. Things take a dramatic turn, however, when political unrest threatens Davico’s family’s livelihood. His parents leave him and his brother, Felipe, with their aunt and uncle so they may travel to the US to escape the violence and, hopefully, set up a new life. Davico and Felipe are miserable with their aunt and uncle, but Davico never loses hope that they will join their parents in the US. When that finally happens, it’s a different city than they had planned, and things are so different than what Davico ever expected.

This is a great book in a small package. The language is colorful, descriptive, and it’s just really well written. Davico is relatable and many young readers will connect with him. There are illustrations at the beginning of each chapter, and while they don’t add much to the story, the art is well done. Recommended for readers 3rd grade and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

four-stars