Format: Picture Book Fiction

Why?

Why?Why? by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Published by Neal Porter Books on August 13, 2019
ISBN: 0823441733
Pages: 32
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Rabbit is always asking Bear, “Why?” Bear almost always has an answer. The beautiful watercolor illustrations in this book are crucial to understanding what Rabbit is asking Bear about. Each page simply has the words, “Why?” followed by Bear’s one sentence answer, “Because…” This book is a great explorartion of why we do some things, and why certain things just happen. Why do we fall? Gravity. Why does my belly hurt? Because I ate too much. Young kids will stay engaged with the simple and clear text, and there are plenty of opportunities for more discussion about why things happen. This book would be a great read aloud and would be good for a younger kids’ story time. It is best for PreK-K but could also be used for very early readers. Overall, it’s a sweet story of exploration and friendship.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

four-stars

Stardust

StardustStardust by Briony May Smith, Jeanne Willis
Published by Nosy Crow on February 12, 2019
ISBN: 1536202657
Pages: 32
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
two-stars

A little girl dreams of being a star, but she always seems to take the back seat to her older sister. No matter what she does or how hard she tries, her sister always seems to do it better and get all the attention. Her grandfather tells her a story about how the stars were made and how each star shines in its own way. This book attempts to encourage kids to be themselves and do what makes them shine. It just misses the mark. The story rambled too much, and the end is confusing, abrupt, and just doesn’t quite work. This book would be best for PreK-2 grade and would be best shared one-on-one.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

two-stars

I knew you could do it

I knew you could do itI Knew You Could Do It! by Nancy Tillman
Published by Feiwel & Friends on October 15, 2019
ISBN: 1250113776
Pages: 32
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
two-stars

This is a typical Nancy Tillman style book — whimsical, magical, colorful, vibrant illustrations combined with rhyming text designed to build up young children. The rhyming in this one felt pretty forced, however, and it just didn’t move me like I wanted it to. I was really hoping for a book to recommend to parents to help with kids’ confidence, and it just falls a little flat on that front. The illustrations are the best part of this book. There are several nods to classic fairy tales and fairy tale characters, and the colors are brilliant and crisp. This book would be best for PreK-2 grade and is best for one-on-one sharing.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

two-stars

A fox found a box

A fox found a boxA Fox Found a Box by Ged Adamson
Published by Schwartz & Wade Books on October 29, 2019
ISBN: 1984830538
Pages: 40
Genres: Animals
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

One day, Fox found a box — only his box is actually a radio. Every day, Fox and his forest friends danced to the music from the box. One day, the box stopped singing. It was only then that the animals really began to listen to the music all around them in the forest.

This book has a good message about music appreciation, and it opens up opportunities for discussions about how music is everywhere.The colorful, simple watercolor illustrations support the story well and don’t distract from the overall message. This book would be best for Pre K – 1st grade, and would be a great read aloud. It would make a wonderful story time where you then make music with ordinary objects.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

four-stars

Raj and the best day ever

Raj and the best day everRaj and the Best Day Ever by Sebastien Braun
Published by Templar Books on April 9, 2019
ISBN: 1536205702
Pages: 34
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Raj and his dad are planning what’s sure to be the best day ever — a trip to the library, to the farm, the art gallery, a café, and finally a bus ride home. When they go to check out their library books, his dad realizes he’s forgotten his wallet. Raj is sure the day is doomed, but rather than letting this (and the now pouring rain) ruin their day, he and his dad get creative.

This book is a really great exploration of all the fun things you can do without spending money. I love the creativity that both Raj and his dad show in the ways that they check things off their list — making their own art at the park instead of going to look at pictures in a gallery, for example. The illustrations are brightly colored and very detailed. It’s the sort of book where you may discover some new witty illustration with each subsequent reading. I also love that the entire story is Raj and his father — it’s not as common as mother/child stories so it’s a refreshing and inclusive change. This book would be best for Pre-K – 1st grade and could be a good read aloud with an older group.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

four-stars

Fairy Science

Fairy ScienceFairy Science by Ashley Spires
Published by Tundra Books (NY) on September 10, 2019
ISBN: 0735264252
Pages: 40
Genres: Fantasy
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Esther believes in the scientific method. All the other fairies believe in magic. Though Esther tries to show them the things she discovered through science, they still resolutely believe in magic. When a tree is wilting, can Esther show them how to really fix it?

Part of me felt like the book came down really harshly on believing in magic. However, in a day when people believe facts are optional, maybe in some ways we do have to come down harshly on what truth is. Additionally, how many fairy STEM books do you have? Especially with such cute fairies that have different shades of skin.

Reviewed by Samantha Cote, Windham Public Library, Windham

four-stars

Llama Destroys the World

Llama Destroys the WorldLlama Destroys the World by Heather Fox, Jonathan Stutzman
Published by Henry Holt & Company on May 7, 2019
ISBN: 1250303176
Pages: 40
Genres: Humor
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads

Llama Destroys the World is about a llama who overindulges in cake one day. This leads to his pants being too small, although he forces them on anyway, and when they rip, they create a black hole that sucks the universe through it. This, to me, sounds like a fat joke expanded into picture book form. The illustrations are colorful and simple. The llama doesn’t talk much beyond a few phrases such as “I am Llama!”  This book doesn’t deliver on its delightful title, although I must be in the minority, as the publisher has ordered a sequel.

Reviewed by Samantha Cote, Windham Public Library, Windham

The Big Book Adventure

The Big Book AdventureThe Big Book Adventure by Emily Ford, Tim Warnes
Published by Silver Dolphin Books on September 4, 2018
ISBN: 168412378X
Pages: 32
Genres: Adventure
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Two friends, a pig and a fox, share their adventures they encounter in books at a Book Club in the root of an old tree. The most fun about this book is identifying the books by the illustrations in their described adventure. Some are quite easy to identify – Alice in Wonderland, Red Riding Hood, Peter Pan – while others are not so identifiable (at least to me). I was disappointed that the library was not featured as a source for their adventures, although the sharing of each others books was featured so they could share their adventures at the end.

Reviewed by Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library.

four-stars

Mine, Mine, Mine said the Porcupine

Mine, Mine, Mine said the PorcupineMine, Mine, Mine Said the Porcupine by Alex English, Emma Levey
Published by Lerner Publications (Tm) on January 1, 2019
ISBN: 1541541731
Pages: 32
Genres: Animals
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
one-star

Tells the story of a porcupine who learns to share. Why a porcupine? Only because it rhymes with “mine” as far as I can tell. What kid is going to say, “Shall we play with this?” There are much better early readers and books about sharing.

Reviewed by Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library.

one-star

Frank and Bean

Frank and BeanFrank and Bean by Jamie Michalak, Bob Kolar
Published by Candlewick Press on October 8th 2019
ISBN: 0763695599
Pages: 48
Goodreads
three-stars

Frank is quiet, serious, and solitary. Bean is loud, gregarious, and social. When Bean suddenly arrives in Frank’s space, it seems like the two might never be able to get along! This mild and humorous fare from Jamie Michalak takes an odd couple pair similar to the classic Bert and Ernie and adds a dash of Captain Underpants funnies (Bean is very musical after all). A good addition to most early reader collections.

Reviewed by Sarah Cropley, Scarborough Public Library

three-stars