Format: Picture Book Nonfiction

Brave Volodymyr: The Story of Volodymyr Zelensky and the Fight for Ukraine

Brave Volodymyr: The Story of Volodymyr Zelensky and the Fight for UkraineBrave Volodymyr: The Story of Volodymyr Zelensky and the Fight for Ukraine by Grasya Oliyko, Linda Elovitz Marshall
Published by Quill Tree Books on 2023
ISBN: 0063294141
Genres: Biography/Autobiography
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

With a gentle sense of humor and large-eyed digital illustrations, Linda Elovitz Marshall and Grasya Oliyko simply and clearly intertwine the modern history of Ukraine with Volodymyr Zelensky’s life story.  The author does an excellent job of showing the influences on young Volodymyr’s life that shaped his world view. He was an only child in a Jewish family who spent his first thirteen years in a Ukraine under Soviet rule. Then, while a young man attending university to become a lawyer, he met his future wife and eventually decided to become an entertainer in order to make people laugh. His television show about an honest high school teacher who gets fed-up with the political corruption within his country, runs for president, and actually wins, was prophetic. The author explains that in 2019, Zelensky realized making people laugh wasn’t enough and ran for president in real life. As the Ukrainian President, he has not only refused to leave his country, but has led his people in an extended effort to repel the Russian invasion that began in Feb. 2022 and continues to this day (Aug. 9, 2024).

This colorful, positive book ends with an author’s note, timeline, and a brief bibliography.  It is recommended for 4-8 year-olds.  I think it would make an excellent introduction to both Zelensky and Ukrainian current events.

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

five-stars

Imagine Counting All the Stars

Imagine Counting All the StarsImagine Counting All the Stars by Gabriel Evans, Raewyn Caisley
Published by Candlewick Press, Candlewick Press (MA) on June 4, 2024
ISBN: 1536228311
Genres: Non-Fiction, Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Maddie loves math and learning about it from her father. Her mind loves thinking and figuring in mathematical terms. The way she feels and thinks about math sometimes separates her from her friends in her class who are interested in seeing things in different ways. When a new girl, Priya, arrives it challenges Maddie to try even harder to be the best she can. Through the process she realizes that Priya is very similar to herself and during a long-awaited trip to the observatory with her father the girls realize their special bond.

This is a book about math, about love, and about finding friends you can be yourself around encompassing both non-fiction and fiction. Beautiful illustrations depict not only the solid facts of the math functions described in the text but also the feelings the characters explore and the world they live in.While math is about facts the illustrations softly guide the reader through the story.

This book could be used for many purposes; be it an introduction to the math principals, an exploration of how differently people think and how they approach the world, the love of family, or the joy and challenges of friendships.

Reviewed by MaryAnn Lopes, Lewiston Public Schools, Lewiston

four-stars

I Was: the Stories of Animal Skulls

I Was: the Stories of Animal SkullsI Was: The Stories of Animal Skulls by Katherine Hocker, Natasha Donovan
Published by Candlewick Press ISBN: 1536223131
Genres: Animals, Non-Fiction
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

First of all, GREAT cover! The book is about what animal skulls can reveal about their previous users’ senses and behaviors. The writing is first person (first animal?) and poetic. The backmatter gives more expansive descriptions of what the size and placement of these skulls’ might suggest about the eyes, noses, and diets of the six once-living creatures. (Seven if you count the human skull.) I’d give the writing and the information conveyed a starred review. I do not care for the dark, blue renditions of the skulls. I found it difficult to recognize what the text was conveying. I wished the illustrations were more distinct and colorful like the rest of the book. Nevertheless, I highly recommend it for the lesson in deductive reasoning for ages 7-10.

Reviewed by Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

four-stars

Great Gusts: Winds of the World and the Science Behind Them

Great Gusts: Winds of the World and the Science Behind ThemGreat Gusts: Winds of the World and the Science Behind Them by Khoa Le, MEGAN BENEDICT, Melanie Crowder
ISBN: 1536224510
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

This is an informational picture book that uses brief poetry, evocative illustrations, and detailed sidebars to explain and describe fourteen winds, specific to their geographic location and climes. The poems are rhythmic  and vivid, mostly free-verse but occasionally following the traditional patterns of the geographic area they represent, such as Papagayo Jet, written in the copla form (folk poetry of Central and South America):

Even fierce, howling winds bring
hope, remake this world.
Rest, fragile beasts, where algae
blooms in cooling swirls.

Each wind has a double-page spread that includes a poem, a sidebar that explains how the unique geography forms the wind and its accompanying weather system, and an illustration that brings these  elements together, using “wind lines” to show how the winds blow over landscapes and seascapes.

The back matter contains a world map pinpointing wind locales, glossary, explanations of what makes the wind and how winds are named.

It is an extremely browsable book, with accessible poems and illustrations that strengthen the concept of how and where the winds take shape. Highly recommended for public and school library collections where patrons are keen on geography and weather.

Reviewed by Deanna Contrino, SLMS/MLIS, Young School Librarian, Saco

five-stars

The Earth Book

The Earth BookThe Earth Book by Hannah Alice
Published by Candlewick Press ISBN: 1536234281
Genres: Non-Fiction
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
three-stars

The Earth Book offers plenty of facts about the planet combined with layered, acetate illustrations. It’s a cool-looking book, and many kids will love the way the pages work and fit together. The text is heavy enough that it might turn some readers off, especially since there is so much to look at. The text is also somewhat mismatched with the format; it has a board book feel to it but the reading level is ages 7-10, though the pages are intriguing enough so that might not matter. A decent choice for visual learners.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath

three-stars

Un Plato de Esperanza

Un Plato de EsperanzaUn plato de esperanza (A Plate of Hope Spanish Edition): La inspiradora historia del chef José Andrés y World Central Kitchen by Erin Frankel, Paola Escobar
Published by Random House ISBN: 0593711335
Genres: Biography/Autobiography
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
three-stars

“Un Plato de Esperanza” is the Spanish edition of “A Plate of Hope” written by Erin Frankel and illustrated by Paola Escobar, a picture book biography of José Andrés,  chef and restaurateur. The book starts with José as a boy in Spain helping his father cook paella and goes through him growing up, creating his own restaurant, and helping provide food to people where natural disasters have happened. The phrase “no es solo” is used many times in the book to emphasize that there is a deeper meaning behind everything. José Andrés wants to feed everyone and help them. The prose is almost lyrical and the Illustrations are bright and colorful. There is an author’s note and a selected biography list at the end of the book. Recommended where Spanish language picture book biographies are popular. Recommended for ages 4-8.

Reviewed by Kate Radke, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook ME.

three-stars

Have You Seen an Elephant?

Have You Seen an Elephant?Have You Seen an Elephant? (Alex's Field Guides, 1) by Elina Ellis
Published by Kids Can Press ISBN: 152530674X
Genres: Adventure, Animals, Non-Fiction
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Have You Seen an Elephant? is the first in a series of humorous non-fiction picture books of “Alex’s Field Guides,” by Elina Ellis.

We open the book to find that our fictional explorer guide named Alex has a whole journal dedicated to Elephants. She takes us on an expedition in the book to find a real elephant. What follows is a series of pages where Alex is searching for elephants in the wild, asking many animals in the elephant’s habitat, “Have you seen an elephant?” In many of the illustrations, we can see parts of an elephant or elephants right out of Alex’s vision, which gives readers that amusing feeling of being able to spot something that the character can’t find. Within this type of dialogue, Alex will open her “journal” of elephant information that gives the reader the non-fiction facts.

The format of this book is highly entertaining for kids who may have trouble engaging with non-fiction texts. The Chickadee Nominee, Chickadee: Criminal Mastermind was illustrated by Ellis; for fans of that book, I would highly recommend this as well since it has a very similar style.

Reviewed by Gia Pilgrim Charles, Patten Free Library, Bath

four-stars

The Great Lakes: Our Freshwater Treasure

The Great Lakes: Our Freshwater TreasureThe Great Lakes: Our Freshwater Treasure by Barb Rosenstock, Jamey Christoph
Published by Random House Children's Books on 2024
ISBN: 0593374355
Genres: Non-Fiction
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Learning about the formation of the Great Lakes, and their importance in the ecosystem through this informational picture book was entertaining. The Great Lakes: Our Freshwater Treasure opens with a double-page spread of a map of North America, and a conversational narrative that engages the reader immediately: “Can you find them on this map? The Great Lakes . . . . .  How did they get there?” 

Also helpful are the combination of concrete numbers and vivid comparisons, to help readers wrap their heads around the scope of the subject. It is well researched, with a balance of important and interesting facts about the Great Lakes that young readers will love to share.

The accompanying  watercolor illustrations are pleasant and usually support the information presented, but aren’t a strong contribution. This could be a good read-aloud for middle grade students learning about geographical features. Recommended for larger library collections.

Reviewed by Deanna Contrino, SLMS/MLIS, Young School Librarian, Saco

four-stars

Come and Join Us! 18 holidays Celebrated All Year Long

Come and Join Us! 18 holidays Celebrated All Year LongCome and Join Us!: 18 Holidays Celebrated All Year Long by Chaaya Prabhat, Liz Kleinrock
Published by Harper on Oct. 17, 2023
ISBN: 9780063144477
Genres: Cultural / African American, Holiday, Non-Fiction
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars
The author explains in a note at the end of the book that she wants “to encourage people who celebrate what I call ‘dominant culture holidays’ to be inclusive and respectful of holidays beyond their own” and she accomplishes this goal admirably. The text for each holiday names a child of that culture then gives examples of ways they celebrate their respective holidays which occur throughout the year. Riotously colorful illustrations show examples of clothing, food, and activities for each holiday. Some of the celebrations include Holi (Hindu), Passover (Jewish), Juneteenth (African-American), and Obon (Japanese), as well as many others.

Throughout the book, the themes that join all these holidays are the gathering of communities and the joy of celebrating together, via parades, dances, feasts, and other events. The glossary at the end of the book defines terms that may be unfamiliar to readers. This book provides a colorful, joyful glimpse into other cultures and would serve as an excellent starting point for further conversation. (Ages 4-8)

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

four-stars

Cosmic Wonder: Halley’s Comet and Humankind

Cosmic Wonder: Halley’s Comet and HumankindCosmic Wonder: Halley's Comet and Humankind by Ashley Benham Yazdani
Published by Candlewick Press ISBN: 1536223239
Genres: Cultural / African American
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars
First recorded traveling overhead in 240 BCE, Halley’s Comet returns every seventy-six years. In this book, Halley’s Comet is depicted as an anthropomorphized shining orb with a long, flowing tail, with the landscapes that change over the years.  From C. 200,000 years ago to 13th-century Mongol warriors charging down a hill (1222) until two children (one dark-skinned, one light-skinned) watch from a beach beneath an industrial city in 1986, when the comet was barely visible in the smoke-filled sky. She asks what will the Earth be like in 2061 when Halley’s Comet next returns? The illustrations are lovely with the comet lighting the landscapes through the years. However, the reader may be disappointed that the book is less about the comet and more about humankind. Author and illustrator Benham-Yazdani does explain who Edmond Halley was and the back pages explain comets along with an Author’s Note and Bibliography. Ages 7-10.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

three-stars