Format: Picture Book Fiction

Hug?

Hug?Hug? by Charlene Chua
Published by Kids Can Press on September 1, 2020
ISBN: 152530206X
Pages: 32
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

On the first page of this book, a cat coughs up a hairball. It then says it doesn’t feel well, so it’s person asks if it wants a hug. The cat says yes, and this hug is followed by a litany of animals appearing on the page asking for hugs. The first few are sweet but by the end, the girl is exhausted and the requests feel more like demands. She says she doesn’t feel well and is comforted by a hug from her cat.

The premise of this book is cute and somewhat funny, but I’m always wary of books that imply kids are required to give hugs. There’s some semblance of consent early on, but by the end, the poor girl is hugging animals she’s not totally thrilled to be hugging. It does offer an opportunity for discussions about the importance of consent and spekaing up for oneself. The illustrations are vibrant and bring the emotions and the trepidations of the girl to the forefront. Recommended for readers 3 and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

three-stars

Pout-Pout Fish Goes to the Doctor

Pout-Pout Fish Goes to the DoctorThe Pout-Pout Fish 8x8 (Doctor) by Dan Hanna, Deborah Diesen
Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) on February 25, 2020
ISBN: 0374310505
Pages: 24
Genres: Adventure, Animals
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

This new addition to the Pout-Pout Fish series contains information concerning a visit to the doctor.  Although Mr. Fish is pouting about his upcoming doctor visit, he manages to put others at ease.

The illustrations are detailed while being amusing.   Various ocean characters reveal their emotional state; readers can determine their feelings by glancing at the facial expressions. Young readers will be reassured by the content and delighted with the stickers.

As a paperback, Librarians might not include this tile in their collections.  The Pout-Pout series will be welcome in primary grade classrooms but the stickers may create a problem.  Families may want to purchase for home reading .

 

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

three-stars

A Girl Like Me

A Girl Like MeA Girl Like Me by Angela Johnson, Nina Crews
Published by Millbrook Press (Tm) on February 4, 2020
ISBN: 1541557778
Pages: 32
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

A lovely powerful poem complimented by vibrant active illustrations combine to make this book a winner.  Not only do we learn of the dreams of each character but we feel a sense of their spirit. Three girls have places to go and things to achieve; the first dreams of flying; the second of walking over tall buildings; and the third dreams of swimming deep in the ocean.   Johnson’s poem is simple yet powerful and Crews has provided a dramatic bird’s eye view of each dream using her stunning collages.   Readers will identify with the primary and secondary characters who are brave and strong girls on their way to future success.

Girls from the age of 4 to adult will cheer for the individuality shown in the photos and introductions of each character.  The interaction between the various girls is playful and dramatic especially against the stunning backdrops.  Purchase this book for primary school media centers and add to public library collections.  Consider this as a gift of an art teacher and for any future strong women that you may know in your family or social circle.

Cream of the Crop

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

five-stars

Old Rock (Is Not Boring)

Old Rock (Is Not Boring)Old Rock (Is Not Boring) by Deb Pilutti
Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers on February 4, 2020
ISBN: 0525518185
Pages: 40
Genres: Adventure
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

How could an old rock have anything BUT a boring life? Although it might look boring to Tall Pine, Spotted beetle, and Hummingbird, Old Rock has a story to tell. He takes them back to the time he flew out of a volcano, then seeing dinosaurs, and more recently, watching a small seedling grow into a tall pine.

This story serves as a quick geographical history of the world, and could be used with lower-middle school students as an intro to the earth. A chart on the last page identifies each of Old Rock’s experiences with the time frame: 18 billion years ago when the earths’ crust was formed, 66 million years ago seeing T. Rex, up to the present day of sitting in a forest with a hummingbird, a beetle and a pine tree, and “They are not bored.”

Simple but full-color illustrations keep the focus on the text.

This book could also be used for point of view and opinion writing with lower and middle elementary readers.

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

four-stars

Follow Your Breath! A First Book of Mindfulness

Follow Your Breath! A First Book of MindfulnessFollow Your Breath!: A First Book of Mindfulness by Scot Ritchie
Published by Kids Can Press on October 6, 2020
ISBN: 1525303368
Pages: 32
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

How can we use our senses to help calm ourselves? Pedro is anxious about moving to a new house, so his mom guides him and his friends through various situations to learn about mindfulness. Told as a story, each page also has explicit instructions on how to use your senses, your breath, certain environments, even your pet, to slow yourself down and notice what’s around you.

Simple font can be easily read by middle elementary readers, but would be very useful in the hands of an adult to introduce mindfulness or extend and develop a regular habit of learning how to slow down oneself and take notice of what’s around you.  One page says, “…pay attention” in an encouraging way with specific actions to take which could be very helpful to students who hear that phrase in an not-so encouraging tone.

Readers could use the Table of Contents to select various topics, and it could be read as a story. Full color, cartoonish illustrations capture the intent of each page.

Very good purchase for children’s health collections, but adults: Beware! Adults may find some ideas YOU could use!

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

five-stars

Louis

LouisLouis by Julie Rowan-Zoch, Tom Lichtenheld
ISBN: 1328498069
Genres: Animals, Fantasy, Humor
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

We read lots of stories about teddy bears, but in “Louis” we hear from the bear himself. He thinks his life has been ‘downhill…from day one.”  He describes all the mistreatment and intends to leave…just as soon as…the party and show-and-tell are over, and the light is turned off in his boy’s bedroom. However, when he is scooped up and cuddled, he decides “a bear could do worse.”

Large, simple full-color illustrations show Louis’ disgruntled face amidst the day’s activities.

Use for humor, 1st person, and figurative language for lower-middle elementary, but most of all, read and enjoy it with a preschooler!

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

five-stars

Monsters 101

Monsters 101Monsters 101 by Cale Atkinson
ISBN: 0593122801
Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Humor
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

We often fear what we don’t know, so knowledge with a bit of humor thrown in can reassure most of us, especially when we find out the object of our fear is often more afraid of us than we of it!  Engaging ‘facts’ in 10 ‘chapters’ describe and explain monsters in the most kid-friendly way. The reader learns about their diet, activities, habitats, and even their fears!

Full of silly, colorful illustrations, graphs, side bars, charts, the opening endpaper shows a scientific-looking graph that actually identifies the chapters. The last page offers a “Monstronomy Diploma” for successfully finishing this ‘course’ and identifies the reader now as a ‘Monster Scientist.’ Format lends itself to either reading through or skipping around, but busy pages encourage taking time to scour the illustrations.

A fearful child could be encouraged to identify ‘their’ monster’s attributes throughout this book, and if not found, could make their own little book showing and describing their own monster. If monsters aren’t your thing, you might be interested in the author’s 2019 book “Unicorns 101.”

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

five-stars

Snow Birds

Snow BirdsSnow Birds by Jenni Desmond, Kirsten Hall
Published by Harry N. Abrams on November 3, 2020
ISBN: 1419742035
Pages: 40
Genres: Animals, Fiction in Verse/Poetry
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Carefully crafted poems and illustrations so real you can almost feel the cold, they work together to make this book a seasonal top pick. 

These short poems flow off the tongue and are written in a variety of formats, with one double-page spread per bird. Each page also has that bird’s unique vocal sound written across the page. “Meet the Birds” section in the back gives a brief look at each bird and describes how they have adapted to survival in cold habitats. 

Add this to your units on migration to show that not all birds migrate. It could also be used for adaptation, seasonal, poetry forms, bird identification, or just the joy of reading aloud to early and middle elementary youngsters – and adults may find themselves also enjoying the sights and sounds of these hardy birds.

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

five-stars

Everybody’s Tree

Everybody’s TreeEverybody's Tree by Barbara M. Joosse, Renée Graef
Published by Sleeping Bear Press on September 15, 2020
ISBN: 1534110585
Pages: 32
Genres: Fiction in Verse/Poetry, Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

How does a small spruce seedling get to be the centerpiece of the city square on Christmas? This seasonal book describes 3 phases in points-of-view from the boy who first planted it, to the workers to select, transport, and set it up, and lastly, the tree speaks to the reader.

Overall it is a narrative, but in free-verse form with some rhyming, lots of descriptive words and phrases. Some of the phrases lack rhythm, but other places build anticipation and energy: “We creak around the corner, we chug up the hill, we’ll make it to the city-we will! We will!” Full color illustrations perfectly match the text. Bonus: the dust jacket glows in the dark!

Great addition to the holiday section, and could be used for descriptive language, adjectives, and to answer a youngster’s question, “How did that tree get here?”

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

four-stars

Outside in

Outside inOutside In by Deborah Underwood; Cindy Derby
Published by HMH Books for Young Readers on April 14, 2020
ISBN: 1328866823
Pages: 40
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Recommending for cream consideration.  In an ode to nature and being outside, Underwood weaves descriptions of how the Outside influences us in everyday ways enhanced and nuanced with the beautiful watercolor wash illustrations by Derby.  Following a dark haired girl from the car into the house, The Outside beckons  her (and us) with flashes through the window, “tap-taps on the roof” and smells.  It feeds us, clothes us, provides a natural clock and steals inside with the help of spiders, bugs and snails.  The illustrations demand more than one reading to see the changes in space, details and the emotion within each scene.  Underwood uses the simple amount of text to entice readers to think about how the outside calls to us and the girl goes outside to nature in the end.  Satisfying, thought- provoking and art inspiring.  Suitable for readers in prek-3.

Reviewed by Sheila Dube, Youth Services, Springvale Public Library

 

five-stars