Format: Picture Book Fiction

Ghost Cat

Ghost CatGhost Cat by Kevan Atteberry
Published by Neal Porter Books on June 11th 2019
ISBN: 0823442837
Pages: 32
Goodreads
five-stars

“Ghost Cat”  is a quietly, haunting picture  book about “moving on.” A boy once had a cat that has now passed away.  But,  still, on occasion,  the boy catches glimpses of his cat following him around the house.

“I’ve only seen it out of the corner of my eye, but I think it’s a cat.  I know because I used to have one.”

In fact, at times, beyond catching glimpses of his former pet, the boy can also feel the weight of the cat on his bed,  and even hear  him playing with cat toys  in the house. One day the boy sees the cat sitting by the door, and after a few minutes,  “. . . it (the ghost cat)  ” . . . turned and leapt right through the door.”  Much to the boys’ surprise, when he opens  the door, there is a kitten sitting on his doorstep – just waiting to be claimed.

Soft colors, with boldly delineated characters and expressions.  This book serves as  wonderful metaphor for letting things go of  things one cannot change (the ghost cat leaving) and being ready and willing  to open  the door to  new possibilities.

Could be used to share after loss.   A lesson for folks of any age,

Reviewed by Connie M. Smith 

five-stars

Daddy-Sitting

Daddy-SittingDaddy-Sitting by Eve Coy
Published by Clarion Books on May 7th 2019
ISBN: 1328489892
Pages: 32
Goodreads
three-stars

This book is a sweet ode to an adorable father-daughter relationship. From the perspective of the child, she is the one caring for her daddy all day, and it is her responsibility to meet his needs (much like How to Babysit a Grandma/Grandpa). The illustrations are colorful, easy to follow, and support and enhance the story. This book will be enjoyed by young kids and their fathers, but it’s missing that wow factor. It’s a cute story, I like that it features a stay-at-home dad, but it’s not a unique story line, and there’s nothing that really grabs me about it. It would be best shared with kids ages 3-6, and could be used for a Father’s Day story time.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

three-stars

Get Me Out of This Book!

Get Me Out of This Book!Get Me Out of This Book!: Rules & Tools for Being Brave by Kalli Dakos, Deborah Cholette, Sara Infante
Published by Holiday House on June 11th 2019
ISBN: 0823438627
Pages: 40
Goodreads
five-stars

What are the three basic rules for being brave? Ask any Navy SEAL, or any child who has read this book!

Max, a bookmark, used to be scared of images in books, like snakes. He went back to school to learn “rules and tools for looking right at scary.” After that, he used these to face down the scariest images, like sharks, cockroaches, and skeletons.

What are these rules & tools?

  1. Breathe deeply
  2. Make a plan
  3. Think good thoughts

Anyone can employ these for any situation – this book is entertaining and a great teaching tool!

Plenty of white space separates the images and text. Simple black font in several sizes emphasize emotions, like SHOOK and SCREAMED.

Author’s Note includes critical information about the influence of the Navy SEALS training methods.

Includes an actual bookmark in the image of Max attached to the back endpaper. 

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

five-stars

You Can Make a Friend Pout-Pout Fish!

You Can Make a Friend Pout-Pout Fish!You Can Make a Friend, Pout-Pout Fish! by Deborah Diesen, Dan Hanna
on April 9th 2019
ISBN: 1250064287
Pages: 24
Goodreads
three-stars

Pout-Pout Fish is feeling sad as he doesn’t think he has any friends, and he feels like he doesn’t know how to make friends. To his surprise some of the undersea creatures, help Mr. Fish to see that there is nothing to be afraid of in getting to know someone new and making friends.
This is a wonderful book for the Beginning Reader.

Reviewed by Melissa Madigan

three-stars

I Want to Be a Pilot

I Want to Be a PilotI Want to Be a Pilot by Laura Driscoll, Catalina Echeverri
Published by HarperCollins on November 5th 2019
ISBN: 0062432508
Pages: 32
Goodreads
four-stars

I Want to Be a Pilot is part of the My Community series by Laura Driscoll, illustrated by Catalina Echeverri. A little girl with tan skin and long dark hair is on her way to Air Fair, a festival all about air travel. With her aunt, an air force pilot, she sees a variety of airplanes and learns a bit about what they do. The text is clear and shows a number of different types of aircraft. Echeverri’s bright and stylistic illustrations show pilots of a wide variety of skin and hair colors and even distribution of male and female pilots.

A fantastic addition to an early-reader collection.

Reviewed by Sarah Cropley, Scarborough Public Library

four-stars

Otter: What Pet is Best

Otter: What Pet is BestOtter: What Pet Is Best? by Sam Garton
Published by Balzer + Bray on October 15th 2019
ISBN: 0062845136
Pages: 32
Goodreads
four-stars

Otter is back in her latest “I Can Read” (My First) adventure! Sure, her life is plenty full already with Otter Keeper, plenty of toys, as well as many friends. But Otter wants a pet! She and Otter Keeper consider which pet really is the best choice for young Otter. Paired with cute, attractive illustrations, Otter practices her logical reasoning and decision making going through option after option to figure out what pet really is best for her. A fun book for emergent, young readers! 

Reviewed by Savannah Sessions, SAD 17 Elementary Librarian, Oxford Hills.

four-stars

The Couch Potato

The Couch PotatoThe Couch Potato by Kerry Lyn Sparrow, Yinfan Huang
Published by Kids Can Press on September 3rd 2019
ISBN: 1525300059
Pages: 32
Goodreads
four-stars

When a problem potato takes over the couch of the Russet family, stay-at-home dad Mr. Russet throws in the towel. Tired of tidying up for his family of four (and canine companion), Mr. Russet refuses to take care of the tuber and he sequesters himself in potato-free spaces elsewhere in the house. Each of his family members, though, finds a unique use for the potato amidst a home growing less and less tidy by the minute. Though a bit hard to swallow, Mr. Russet deals with the potato (and the mess), once and for all after five frustrating days. Huang’s illustrations, simply drawn in colored pencils, gouache, and watercolor, nicely illustrate the growing chaos and Mr. Russet’s frustration. This book would make a fun, silly read-aloud best suited for children in preschool – grade 2. 

 

Reviewed by Savannah Sessions, SAD 17 Elementary Librarian, Oxford Hills.

four-stars

Sammy Claws: The Christmas Cat

Sammy Claws: The Christmas CatSammy Claws: The Christmas Cat by Lucy Rowland, Paula Bowles
Published by HarperCollins on September 17th 2019
ISBN: 0062959115
Pages: 32
Goodreads
four-stars

Sammy Claws, beloved kitty of Santa Claus, is very sleepy. As Christmas draws near, Sammy is eager to help…after a cat nap. Fearing he will oversleep, Sammy settles into a cozy box for a quick snooze in the workshop. Misadventure after misadventure ensues, and Sammy finds himself helping Santa on delivery night in an unexpected way. When a pair of robbers tries to ruin Christmas by stealing the presents from Santa’s sleigh, Sammy jumps at his chance to finally give Santa a hand. Back at the North Pole, Santa recognizes Sammy’s efforts and he wakes up Christmas morning to find the perfect gift for him under the tree. Delightfully illustrated and written in rhyme, this tale of friendship, helpfulness, and personal growth is a great choice for a holiday season read-aloud. Children ages 4-10 will find it particularly enjoyable. 

 

Reviewed by Savannah Sessions, SAD 17 Elementary Librarian, Oxford Hills.

 

four-stars

Amelia Bedelia Gets the Picture

Amelia Bedelia Gets the PictureAmelia Bedelia Gets the Picture by Herman Parish, Lynne Avril
Published by Greenwillow Books on October 8th 2019
ISBN: 0062935259
Pages: 32
Goodreads
three-stars

In the latest Amelia Bedelia adventure, Amelia is super excited for picture day only to be disappointed when the photographer has the flu. Amelia doesn’t dwell on the situation though; she takes initiative and turns her day around.  This is an early reader for kindergarten through second grade and would be great for kids who need help dealing with disappointment. Some kids will get a kick out of the humor in Amelia’s interpretation of language and her literal imaginings of idioms. A nice, upbeat book.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath

three-stars

Home Is a Window

Home Is a WindowHome Is a Window by Stephanie Ledyard, Chris Sasaki
Published by Neal Porter Books on April 23rd 2019
ISBN: 0823441563
Pages: 40
Goodreads
five-stars

A family learns what home really means, as they leave one beloved residence and make a new home in another.
Home can be many things—a window, a doorway, a rug…or a hug. At home, everything always feels the same: comfortable and safe.
But sometimes things change, and a home must be left behind.
Follow a family as they move out of their beloved, familiar house and learn that they can bring everything they love about their old home to the new one, because they still have each other. This heartfelt picture book by Stephanie Parsley Ledyard is richly illustrated by former Pixar animator Chris Sasaki.

An ode to home and the comfort and feelings of safety it produces, Home is a Window is beautiful in its simplicity. The patterned, warm illustrations are relaxing and the prose is sparse but kind. The first half of the book embraces home while the second half explores the emotions involved in moving to a new one. As someone who moved several times as a kid I appreciated how the book validates the sadness and anxiety about moving but then reassures the reader that home is, in fact, more about  where your loved ones are than a particular building. A good read aloud book for pre-k through second grade or anyone who might be facing either a move or a big family change.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath

five-stars