Category: Cream of the Crop Nominees

Cannonball

CannonballCannonball by Josh Morgan, Sacha Cotter
Published by Sourcebooks Wonderland on June 1, 2020
Genres: Adventure
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

A dream turned to embarrassment. Trying to fit in. Trying others’ ways. Not giving up. Finding a way – my own way. The young unnamed narrator wants to make a perfect, blooming, slapping, splashing, dripping cannonball. After a few of his own failures, he tries everyone’s suggestions, which also end in embarrassing results. Finally, after consulting his Nan, (who gives him just the right encouragement to “listen to (your) heart), the book concludes with his spectacular splash.

Bright, inviting colors supply amusing details, especially on the endpapers (don’t miss the orange octopus hiding here and there). Published in 2018 in New Zealand as “The Bomb”, the brief glossary includes two Māori words.

Pair with many other stories of perseverance, such as “Great” (Glen Gretzky, 2016). Use wherever perseverance and individuality stories are called for. A creative writing exercise could have youngsters producing a mantra for one of their own dreams.

Reviewed by Lynn Mayer, Retired Librarian, Old Town Elementary School, Old Town

five-stars

The Voice That Won the Vote: How One Woman’s Words Made History

The Voice That Won the Vote: How One Woman’s Words Made HistoryThe Voice That Won the Vote: How One Woman's Words Made History by Elisa Boxer, Vivien Mildenberger
on March 15, 2020
ISBN: 1534166734
Genres: Biography/Autobiography, Historical Fiction
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Most new lawmakers don’t have much influence, but most new lawmakers don’t have Febb Burn as their mother. After reading his mother’s recent letter, Harry Burn changed his tie-breaking vote from Nay to Aye, which allowed women in Tennessee the right to vote. Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment thus allowing all women in the United States the right to vote.

Full-color illustrations are adequate, and facial expressions and images of newspaper headlines add to the emotional atmosphere of this crucial vote. Text in various sizes, colors, and boldness help the reader grasp some of the important details.

What did his mother say in her letter? “Hurrah and vote for suffrage and don’t keep them in doubt.”

Use this book anytime you need a story on courage, speaking up, Suffrage, or women’s history in the US. Be sure to pair this with “I Could Do That: Esther Morris Gets Women the Vote” (Linda Arms White, 2005).

Reviewed by Lynn Mayer, Retired Librarian, Old Town Elementary School, Old Town

five-stars

Over in the Woodland: A Mythological Counting Journey

Over in the Woodland: A Mythological Counting JourneyOver in the Woodland: A Mythological Counting Journey by Nicole Abreu, Shar Abreu, Susanna Covelli
Published by Familius on July 21, 2020
ISBN: 1641702419
Pages: 32
Genres: Adventure, Fantasy
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

This version should top the shelf of your “Over in the Meadow” variations. The illustrations (Susanna Covelli) invite the reader to slow down and pour over them. The pacing and rhythm are highly polished. The selection of creatures will appeal to today’s fantasy fans. The “factual” descriptions about each creature in the back of the book are brief but will give the reader just enough information to give them bragging rights of being knowledgeable about each.

What’s not to like about this book??

Reviewed by Lynn Mayer, Retired Librarian, Old Town Elementary School, Old Town

five-stars

No Reading Allowed

No Reading AllowedNo Reading Allowed: The WORST Read-Aloud Book Ever by Bryce Gladfelter, Chris Carpenter, Raj Haldar
Published by Sourcebooks eXplore ISBN: 1728206596
Genres: Humor, Non-Fiction
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Homonyms made easy and fun, while building awareness, vocabulary and importance of carefully placed punctuation. Ptolemy the Pterodactyl is back from “P is for Pterodactyl: The Worst Alphabet Book Ever” (2018).  Now he’s helping readers see humor and how language can confuse, confound, and entertain.

Each side of the double-page spread has a sentence underneath a framed, full color pictures (Bryce Gladfelter, illus). Many known and silly creatures help describe each sentence. “The hair came forth” is opposite “The hare came fourth.” Many of the words are included in “The Worst Glossary Ever…Again!” 

Shelve this right beside “How Much Can a Bare Bear Bear?” (Brian Cleary, 2005), or mix it in with picture books as young readers will enjoy examining the illustrations. There are many opportunities with this book to extend learning into a variety of directions for elementary learners. Can you figure out the homonym for “No reading allowed.”?

Reviewed by Lynn Mayer, Retired Librarian, Old Town Elementary School, Old Town

 

five-stars

Show Me a Sign

Show Me a SignShow Me a Sign by Ann Clare LeZotte
Published by Scholastic Press on March 3, 2020
ISBN: 1338255819
Pages: 288
Genres: Historical Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Why was there a large population of deaf people on Martha’s Vineyard in the early 1800’s? And an ever higher rate in the small village of Chilmark? This part of the story is true, and the author has created an engaging historical fiction account of one attempt to find out. Prejudice and land ownership issues between the English and the Wampanoag worsen the relationship of the community to the outside world when Mary is kidnapped by Andrew – a man acting as a scientist to find out the reason for the deafness.

The author is deaf herself, and the in-depth backmatter she includes helps the reader understand the early settlement of this now popular island. Throughout the story she garners respect for the deaf and their families and friends, which includes freedmen and the Wampanoag. 

Reviewed by Lynn Mayer, Retired Librarian, Old Town Elementary School, Old Town

five-stars

Helga Makes a Name for Herself

Helga Makes a Name for HerselfHelga Makes a Name for Herself by Eda Kaban, Megan Maynor
ISBN: 1328957837
Genres: Adventure, Humor
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Helga’s a farmersdotter, says her mother. Warriors don’t come from small mountain villages like theirs, says her father. But Helga wants to become a warrior for her favorite Viking, Ingrid the Axe. Ultimately, she earns her place, and becomes known to future young Vikings as Helga the Howler.

Amusing illustrations (Eda Kaban) give the reader much to enjoy along with the humorous text.

Viking facts and websites are included in the backmatter, but this is an entertaining picture book that holds its own to share one-on-one, small groups, or read alouds. 

Reviewed by Lynn Mayer, Retired Librarian, Old Town Elementary School, Old Town

five-stars

Awesome Man: The Mystery Intruder

Awesome Man: The Mystery IntruderAwesome Man: The Mystery Intruder by Jake Parker, Michael Chabon
Published by Quill Tree Books on September 29, 2020
ISBN: 0062875094
Pages: 40
Genres: Fantasy, Humor
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Awesome Man  has returned (The Astonishing Secret of Awesome Man, 2011); he’s heard there’s a new superhero in town. Children will relate to his feeling blue and worried about no longer being #1 in town. In the satisfying conclusion, Awesome Man discovers the new guy has his own superpowers such as his Supersonic Burp and Slime Blast, and will be a great new sidekick, aka Captain Stinky. If you haven’t guessed, Awesome Man and Sister Sinister are now the big siblings to a new baby.

Fun words that blend in well with the story: octolizard, thermovulcanized, and, returning from the first book, positronic.  Dynamic, bright, illustrations (Jake Parker) add to the intensity of the emotions described in the text. Some important hints about being the big brother are woven in as his mom tells him how the toddler will look up to him and want to do what he does.

A great story for those youngsters worried about a new baby in their home! And a great book to add to your superhero shelf for the preschool and early elementary crowd.

Reviewed by Lynn Mayer, Retired Librarian, Old Town Elementary School, Old Town

 

five-stars

Wondrous Rex

Wondrous RexWondrous Rex by Emilia Dziubak, Patricia MacLachlan
on March 17, 2020
ISBN: 0062940988
Pages: 88
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Grace lives next door to her Aunt Lily and spends a great deal of time with her as her parents, both doctors are often busy. Aunt Lily is a writer and Grace loves that writer’s world, the words her aunt has introduced to her, the stories her aunt has shared with her, her aunt’s writing group even the snacks served at writer’s group. With her vocabulary, Grace’s teacher urges her to use those words in a story, but Grace feels she is no writer, her journal remains empty.  When Aunt Lily falls prey to writer’s block, she puts a notice in the post office, the grocery bulletin and online- “wanted, an assistant, a coach, a helper, for inspiration and a bit of magic.” a magician appears the next day with Rex- his dog also in need of something new. Rex changes their lives.

The story invites the reader into a simple, magical story of the love of words and stories, and that each of us has a poem or story that needs to be written even if we don’t think we have it in us.

It is a  good story that brings a smile to the reader, you want to live next to Lily and Grace and share in their love of story and Rex.

Patricia Maclachlan has again offered a story to be enjoyed by readers of all ages but is especially for those readers new to the chapter book format. As she did in the Poet’sDog, My Father’sWords, Waitingfor Magic, and Word After Word After Word, she has written a bit of magic for us to share.

submitted by Kathy George

Gray Public Library, Gray Me

Cream

five-stars

The Radium Girls: The Scary but True Story of the Poison that Made People Glow in the Dark (Young Readers’ Edition)

The Radium Girls: The Scary but True Story of the Poison that Made People Glow in the Dark (Young Readers’ Edition)The Radium Girls: The Scary But True Story of the Poison That Made People Glow in the Dark by Kate Moore
on September 8, 2020
ISBN: 9781728210346
Pages: 408
Format: Chapter Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
five-stars

This is a young readers’ adaptation of Moore’s book The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women, which came in at a page count of over 600. This adaptation reduces that to just over 400 pages, so while easier to digest, it is still a meaty book so it might be best for readers in grades 7 and up. Filled with personal stories, primary sources, and copious notes and an extensive bibliography, this is a well-researched and well-sourced book. The story is heartbreaking and tragic. Moore brings to life all of the women affected by the duplicitous radium companies who might have had an inkling that radium was dangerous and yet did nothing to protect their young, female workers in their quest for increased profits. Some of the descriptions of the ailments and illnesses are tough to read, so if a reader is sensitive to gore, these sections can be skimmed. But the writing and the story are gripping;  this is narrative nonfiction at its best.  And the message is necessary; radium plants were still in operation with some harmful practices as recently as 1978 and cleanup from all of the radioactive industrial waste is ongoing as of 2019. Recommend for cream of the crop.

Reviewed by Jill O’Connor, Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth

five-stars

Overground Railroad

Overground RailroadOverground Railroad by James E. Ransome, Lesa Cline-Ransome
Published by Holiday House on January 7, 2020
ISBN: 0823438732
Pages: 48
Genres: Historical Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Beautifully presented historic fiction story of a family migrating north via train.  The term Overground Railroad may be new to many readers. Lesa Cline-Ransome tells the story using short lyrical poems as readers share the journey through the eyes of young Ruthie.  Hope and trust in the future are within these pages for more than one family moving north.  This is American history full of dreams and painful memories.

Each page is informative and engaging with illustrations that superbly assist the storytelling.  Intended for early grade students this book will find its way into middle school history classes and in art classrooms. It belongs on the shelves of all primary school media centers and in public library collections.

Submitted by Jan Hamilton, retired youth services librarian in Scarborough, ME.

five-stars