Format: Picture Book Fiction

This Baby. That Baby.

This Baby. That Baby.This Baby. That Baby. by Cari Best, Rashin Kheiriyeh
Published by Anne Schwartz Books on 2024
ISBN: 0593564634
Genres: Babies/Infants, Emotions & Feelings
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

Two charming babies are growing up in urban apartments that face each other. In this adorable book, illustrated with acrylic & oil on paper, This Baby and That Baby experience similar but sometimes opposite activities in their daily schedules. They both eat, play, nap, and go out to the park with their parents. However, where This Baby goes to sleep easily and wakes up sad, That Baby is reluctant to nap and wakes up grumpy. Throughout the book, the boy’s mother and the girl’s father, each caregiving alone, are portrayed as loving, joyful parents. When they meet at the park at the end of the story, the babies recognize each other and play peekaboo together while the exhausted parents collapse on a park bench in the amusing final picture. With its gentle humor and positive attitude towards a range of emotions, this book would be a fun read-aloud for pre-school to first-graders.

Reviewed by Crystal Wilder, University of Southern Maine, Gorham Campus Library

five-stars

Maxine Gets a Job

Maxine Gets a JobMaxine Gets a Job by Alexandra Garyn, Bryan Reisberg, Susan Batori
on May 7, 2024
ISBN: 0593642910
Genres: Animals
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Apparently Maxine the Fluffy Corgi is an internet sensation with six million followers. However, I have never hear of her. In this book, Maxine is adorable and talented – she just doesn’t know what her talent is. She  searches the internet (Of course she does! She is an internet sensation after all.) about dogs with jobs: a lifeguard at the beach, a guard dog, a truffle sniffing dog, a sled dog, a racing dog. None of those jobs suit her. Then she realizes that they’re all doing what they love. What does Maxine love? Turns out the answer is a stand-up comedian! Based on the authors’ actual dog, Maxine is a winning protagonist who teaches a sound lesson. Batori’s digitally created illustrations of adorable cartoon pooches are delightful. This will be a hit at Story Time. The end page shows how to follow Maxine on Instagram.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

four-stars

Piper Chen Sings

Piper Chen SingsGenres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
five-stars

Phillipa Soo, star of Hamilton, writes about a young girl who loves to sing but is confronted with stage fright. Piper Chen sings and twirls through her days. When Mr. Harris, her music teacher, asks Piper if she’d like to sing a solo in the Spring Sing, she is excited at first, but later, she fears she’ll fail. Piper’s grandmother, Nai Nai notices that something is wrong. Piper explains and Nai Nai understands. She explains that she experienced “húdié” (Chinese for butterflies) at her first piano recital. “Now, when they greet me, I greet them back. ‘Hello, húdié. Ni hao.’” The night of the show, Piper feels the butterflies flapping their wings. She hums to herself, “Hello, húdié” and sings.

Soo and Pasquale Doran sensitively capture the joy of singing and the anxiety of performing. Parallels are drawn with other life challenges. Leng’s delicate, expressive illustrations capture Piper’s enthusiasm and uncertainty. Chinese words and culture are seamlessly woven into the story. Grandmother is central to the story but we are not really sure about her parents. The butterfly lesson gives readers a concrete way for addressing their own “butterflies.” Piper Chen and Nai Nai are Chinese American. Mr. Harris has brown skin. Share this book with everyone, but especially anxious children.

Nominated for Cream of the Crop

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

five-stars

Don’t Trust Cats: (Life Lessons from Chip the Dog)

Don’t Trust Cats: (Life Lessons from Chip the Dog)Don't Trust Cats: Life Lessons from Chip the Dog by Dev Petty, Mike Boldt
on January 2, 2024
ISBN: 0593706781
Genres: Animals, Humor
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Chip the dog from Don’t Eat Bees is back with more “wisdom” to share, including some hard-won life lessons about cats. Chip advises that there are plenty of things we can trust but don’t trust cats: “Nohow, no meow.”  Boldt’s adorable wide-eyed pooch with a massive nose who enthusiastically rolls in muck, shreds the mail as it drops through a slot, and bounds up to a porcupine and then a skunk in expectation of meeting new friends will delight preschoolers. The comedy is implied rather than direct so probably best read as a lap book so you can discuss why it is funny. A sly-looking gray cat and an olive-skinned human family add comical background reactions to this hilarious canine.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

four-stars

My Mother’s Tongues: A Weaving of Languages

My Mother’s Tongues: A Weaving of LanguagesMy Mother's Tongues: A Weaving of Languages by Rahele Jomepour Bell, Uma Menon
Published by Candlewick Press on February 13, 2024
ISBN: 1536222518
Pages: 32
Genres: Languages, Immigrants, Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

Mixed-media illustrations give this book a textured appearance, as though every page should have the feel of woven fabric. The young girl who tells the story is very proud of her mother’s two languages. Malayalam from Kerala, India, was her native tongue, while English was the language the mother started learning when she was twelve years old. The family migrated to America, where the daughter was born and she, in turn, grew up speaking two languages like her mother: Malayalam at home and English in her American neighborhood. One of the girl’s aunts speaks four languages, so the girl reasons that she can talk to four times as many people. By the end of the book, the girl says she wants to learn “dozens of languages” and thinks “[h]aving a tapestry of tongues will be [her] superpower”.

This book is a beautiful ode to the immigrants’ experience of languages in the United States. Suggested reading age is 4-8 years old.

Reviewed by Crystal Wilder, University of Southern Maine, Gorham Campus Library

five-stars

King Lion

King LionKing Lion by Emma Yarlett
Published by Candlewick Press ISBN: 1536231495
Genres: Animals
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

From the first time readers see this cover, they will be eager to open it up and devour the pages of King Lion. The illustrations are truly a standout aspect of this title; they are stunning, bright, and captivating. As readers begin the story, they’ll empathize with the lion who is misunderstood by his entire kingdom. Despite his many attempts at friendship, all his citizens see is a dangerous lion roaring at them. One day a girl hears his sorrowful roars and decides to befriend him. Through her, the lion is able to befriend the townspeople. This will be a great read-aloud as every reader will want to keep turning the pages, waiting to see more of the engaging illustrations and find out if the lion and the girl become friends. This would pair well with Meesha Makes Friends as both are about the difference one friend who sees us for who we truly are can make. While readers will love the big idea of friendship, it does wrap up fairly quickly and simply: the lion finally finds a friend who helps him make more friends and then he’s happy “from that moment on.” While this is a great introduction to friendship, readers might benefit from other texts that demonstrate the ongoing work of friendship and the challenges they may face. This title would be a good fit for PK-Gr. 2.

Reviewed by Katy Jones, Gardiner Area High School Library, Gardiner

four-stars

Joyful Song: A Naming Story

Joyful Song: A Naming StoryJoyful Song: A Naming Story by Lesléa Newman, Susan Gal
ISBN: 1646143701
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars

Zachary can hardly contain his excitement; today is his baby sister’s naming ceremony. A tradition in the Jewish faith, Zachary’s family will stand before their community and share their child’s name for the first time. On the way to the ceremony, they pass a myriad of friends. Everyone is excited to meet the baby, and it seems challenging for Zachary to keep the secret for just a little longer (though he manages to!).

With lots of repetitive text and bright illustrations, this book will draw younger readers in. Diverse characters are represented throughout; a wide variety of skin tones can be seen and the main character’s parents are two women.

Recommended for libraries looking to add more Jewish representation to their picture bookshelves.

Reviewed by Kristi Favaloro, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta

 

 

three-stars

Nana in the Country

Nana in the CountryNana in the Country by Lauren Castillo
ISBN: 0544102177
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

A young child is eager to show their visiting city grandmother around the country, but it seems that Grandma already knows everything about it. Later that night a crack of thunder startles a sheep, who then gets loose. Grandma doesn’t know what to do, but the child remembers a special trick. The two spend the following day exploring and enjoying the beauty and wildness of the country.

A lovely blend of beautiful illustrations and sweet storytelling, this charming book is recommended for libraries looking to add more picture books about families to their collection.

Reviewed by Kristi Favaloro, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta

four-stars

The Elephant and the Sea

The Elephant and the SeaThe Elephant and the Sea by Ed Vere
ISBN: 0525580905
Genres: Adventure, Animals, Juvenile Fiction / Action & Adventure / General
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

The Elephant and the Sea by Ed Vere is a simple, but beautiful, story about overcoming barriers and making room for those who are different. We start the story with Gabriel the Elephant who is now old and wrinkled, reminiscing about his time when he was a young elephant by the sea. He would run down to the beach and watch the lifeboat crew practice their rescues. Gabriel wanted to join in, but, “You’re a bit young, my boy. Come back when you’re older. Come back when you’re stronger.”

After dedicating himself to practicing, he comes back to the lifeboat crew where he discovers that he’s grown too large for their lifeboat. Gabriel knows that there’s only one thing he wants to do, so he collects driftwood and makes a plan to make his own boat. When the fishing boats and the lifeboat crew are caught in one of the biggest storms, there is a strong Elephant who comes to rescue them all. It’s Gabriel! And now Gabriel sits by the sea, an old elephant. “Not everyone knows how brave he’s been, but we do.”

With beautiful illustrations, and simple, but poetic, prose, Gabriel’s story is a lovely lesson on grit and gumption and going for what you desire in life. The author’s note at the back describes a memory on the shore of Cornwall where Vere lived for a bit that inspired the setting, Gabriel’s character, and his story on the wild waves. A five star bedtime story for ages 3-6.

Recommended for Cream of the Crop.

Reviewed by Gia Charles, Patten Free Library, Bath

five-stars

Taxi, Go!

Taxi, Go!Taxi, Go by Maria Karipidou, Patricia Toht
Published by Candlewick Press ISBN: 1536231533
Genres: Juvenile Fiction / Action & Adventure / General, Vehicles
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Taxi, Go! is the energizing new picture book by Patricia Toht with digital illustrations by Maria Karipidou.

We start the day with our Taxi who is all fueled up, tires checked, and ready for hire! The taxi picks us the first passenger and takes them to their first stop. We see from the perspective of the taxi and all the stops it makes throughout its day. “A soccer game. A dance. A play. Taxi help them on their way.”

Toht is a master of rhyming, and particularly with the way she uses turning the page to get to the next rhyme is such a unique way of her work. There are lots of opportunities for children to chime in with “Stop!” and “Taxi, Go!” repetition throughout the book. Children with a love for vehicles will ask for this one again, and again. Perfect for children in Pre-school to Kindergarten, and read-aloud storytimes.

 

Reviewed by Gia Charles, Patten Free Library, Bath

four-stars