Monarch Update

Here are a few more Monarch nominees to add to the list.

 

Chicken Big by Keith Graves

The humor in this picture book is hilarious.  When a “humongous” chicken pops out of her enormous egg the other chicken don’t know what to make of him. He is just so big; certainly, it cannot be a chicken…maybe an elephant, a giant squirrel, or an umbrella. Whatever this thing is it is not a cute little chicken, but little by little everyone in the coop starts to love him.  Our giant chicken uses settle humor to deal with her fellow chickens as they “run for their lives” every time something new happens.  The greyish background brings our chickens closer to us and the text bubbles help us discern each chicken’s personality. 

Say Hello to Zorro! by Carter Goodrich.

Mister Bud is a happy dog. He has everything right the way he likes it- his naps, his toys, his dish, his own bed, and his perfect schedule. That is until Zorro arrives. This little pug has different ideas about Mr. Bud’s schedule and trouble soon follows. Until they realize that they something in common, they have the same schedule! Double the fun for this pair of mismatched dogs.  Goodrich illustrations make this book perfect. The settle looks between Mr. Bud and Zorro, the rised eyebrows, Zorro’s fierce look, the easy colors creating snapshots of their home all create the perfect reading experience.

Clever Jack Takes the Cake by Candace Fleming, illustrated by G. Brian Karas.

These are two of my favorite author & illustrator working together to tell a beautiful story about a boy’s quest to deliver the perfect birthday present. Jack finds himself in a tough spot when he is invited to the princess 10^th birthday party and has no means to bring her a present.  Don’t despair, Jack is clever boy and he figures a way to make the perfect present for her royal majesty. But on his way  to the castle he  encounters all sorts of challenges and his perfect present is no longer so. Will he save the moment?  A must read.  I love the soft tone of the illustrations, the little details, and eager expressions. The illustrations layout follows the text leading us down the path to the castle. The text is succulent and musical, engaging the reader and listener alike. 

Balloons OverBroadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade by Melissa Sweet.

This is a unique book telling the story of Tony Sarg, the boy who grew up to become the puppeteer of Macy’s parade. I found Tony’s life fascinating, his creativity and ingenuity were amazing.  The artwork in this book is unique as well with Sweet's carefully created collages using different materials, illustrations, photographs, and even toys and puppets she created during her research.  The book includes a nice bibliography and sources section as well as personal notes from Sarg's family.  

Waiting for the Magic

Waiting for the Magic

Patricia MacLachlan, Illustrated by Amy June Bates. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2011.

This Bluestem nominee is the lovely story of four dogs, a cat, a boy and his sister, and how they saved their family. After their father leaves them without saying why or whether he is ever coming back, their mom takes them to a shelter with the intention of adopting a dog to cheer them up. After meeting Neo, Bitty, Grace, Bryn, and Lula the cat their mom decides to take everyone one home. Their little house is now full of dogs, with dogs and cat selecting a family member as their main companion. Slowly they start to learn about each dog’s personality as we can hear them talking, however, for this to happen you have to believe that magic surrounds you and to do that you have to know who you are and what you are willing to fight for in order to save your family. I loved the sketch like pencil illustrations, their softness and details support the story as it leads the reader to believe in the magic surrounding us.

New Picture Books for Babies & Toddlers

 We just received some great new books for babies and toddlers.

 










First Words by Caroline Davis, Armadillo Music, 2012.
This book is adorable and so shiny! Each spread focuses on a particular place like the garden or the city with five items you can spot on the next page like a tree or a city shop. Perfect for playing a game of "I Spy".

These next two books are published by the Smithsonian Institution and are a Touch & Feel books. They are a great introduction to a new language, a fun way to learn new vocabulary while enjoying a tactile experience. 



First Animals English & Spanish


First Words English & Spanish

 
Dig In! by April Jones Prince, illustrated by Michelle Berg, Abrams Appleseed, 2013. This is a beautifully illustrated board book about an industrious mice construction crew.  The short rhyming text is supported by the movable parts, which are perfect for toddlers little fingers.


Butterfly Colors and Counting by Jerry Pallotta, illustrated by Shennen Bersani, Charlesbridge, 2013.  A beautiful book for counting and learning colors. The glossy images represent a number and color using different butterflies you can find in nature. 



Itsy Bitsy Spider illustrated by Nora Hilb.

I know I will be using this book with my baby group. It is a great version of the traditional nursery rhyme with slightly different verses and interactive pages for little ones to count and touch.


Hello, Doctor by Michael Escoffier, illustrated by Matthieu Maudet, Price Stern Sloan, 2012.
Perfect size board book for little hands about a doctor's busy office until Mr. Wolf shows up.  

Emily's Fortune a Bluestem Nominee with possibilities

Emily's Fortune by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, Delacorte Books for Young Readers, 2010. 

Emily has been sheltered all of her life living in big Ms. Luella’s house until her crazy driving kills her and her mom. Now all Emily has is little Rufus, her little pet turtle as she is trying to figure how to get to her Aunt Hilda’s house.  Traveling by stagecoach is not fun especially when you have never done anything outdoors or been wild. Moreover, there are the Child Catchers and her evil Uncle Victor trying to get her after finding she has a large inheritance from Ms. Luella.  During her travels, Emily meets Jackson, also an orphan who will try to teach her how to survive in the Wild West, but can she really trust him?  Could he be working for Uncle Victor?    

This historical fiction is a great read for American Girl followers.  I liked this book a lot more than I thought I was going to and found myself cheering Emily and little Rufus.  Naylor does a fantastic job at creating remarkable characters with distinct personalities and traits. The book includes lovely sepia drawings and each chapter end with big bold cliffhangers. Check it out at our library. 

A Great Monarch Picture Book

Same, Same but Different by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw Henry Holt & Company, 2011.

“Same, same but different” is a saying Nepal natives use to compare cultures and it is the perfect title for this beautiful picture book.  The author/illustrator shows readers how two kids from different countries- United States & India- can experience the same events in different ways. From going to school to having pets, Elliot and Kailash show us in their pen pal letters how they are similar and different at the same time.  The illustrations are colorful and full of details made with acrylics, crayons, pencils, collage and tissue paper.  This is a great book to start a conversation about our unique differences and similarities.

Rogue

Rogue by Lyn Miller-Lachmann, Penguin Young Readers Group, 2013. Copy provided via inter-library loan.

Kiara has struggled all her life with making friends and controlling her emotions. Now that her mom has left and she has been suspended from school, all she has is Mr. Internet to make sense of her world.  When Chad moves next door Kiara tries to figure how to become friends but his trouble past will lead them to risky decisions.  Would Kiara endanger herself and others to keep a new friend? 

This is a great book with the unique perspective on Asperger’s syndrome, friendship, and acceptance.

 

Half Way Throrugh Summer Reading

It has been a busy summer attending my first ALA conference, implementing online summer reading, and catching on my juvenile and YA reading. As I start to look towards Fall planning I realized that lately I have abandoned my picture books- I am still reading picture books to my youngest but I haven’t been grabbing the newest arrivals, well that changed yesterday when I managed to snag a couple new picture books. And of course they were great!

Lazy Daisy, Cranky Frankie by Mary Ellen Jordan and Andrew Weldon Albert Whitman & Company, 2011. 

This is no ordinary rhyming farm, none of the animals do what they are supposed to do like “my pig, she’s called Nancy. She should like mud, but she’s too fancy.” And while none of our farm friends follow their animal instincts they are all good at one thing…what would that be?  The illustrations are cartoonist with thick black lines and white backgrounds.  I loved the surprisingly funny rhyming and the silly illustrations.Check it out at our library.

 

I Spy on the Farm by Edward Gibbs, Templar Books, 2013. 

This was a lovely surprise that is going straight into my Baby Bloomers story time. I loved the oversized pictures and the simplicity of the book- great to review colors and letters, animals and sounds.  The reader has a spread to guess what animal is peeping at them thru a circle followed by the next spread with a full view of the animal looking back at you.  The circles are cleverly positioned to capture the animal’s eye to continuously look at the reader. I am already thinking of a fun game of “I Spy” to play with my babies and tots. Check it out at our library.

So what else have I been reading….

Three Ring Rascals The Show Must Go On!   Kate Klise, illustrated by Sarah Klise. Release date Sept. 10, 2013
I got this galley copy at ALA and if you have read any of Kate and Sarah Klise work you know they are funny and quick paced.  This new series is sure to be another success like 43 Old Cemetery Road with a combination of drawings, letter exchanges, and witty narration. 

W.A.R.P. The Reluctant Assassin by Eoin Colfer, Puffin Books, 2013. 

I read this book for a possible fall program and I must confess that I wasn’t crazy at first as it was a bit confusing and slow paced, but as you start to figure where you are in time- present or past- it gets better and ends with a new villain lurking in the shadows.  The story revolves around Chevron, a special FBI Teen assigned to a secret location in London, and Riley,  who was abducted as a child by a magician turned assassin for hire. These two orphan tales connect when a witness in a very special witness protection program tries to use time travel technology to travel back from the past.  Chevron and Riley must figure how to use a wormhole to travel back in time and set things right in our present. Check it out at our library.

The Planet Thieves by Dan Krokos, Starscape, 2013.  
This was another one I read thinking of a possible program, the first installment in a new middle-grade series dealing with futuristic societies and space cadets. Copy provided by borrowing library.

 

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo, Henry Holt & Co., 2013.

This is the sequel to Bone and Shadow . In the first book we meet Alina and Mal, orphans whose past and future are linked to Alina's powers. In the second book, we experience Alina's transformation as a Grisha- humans with magical powers to command natural elements- as she learns to use her powers and battle against the Darkling. There is a love story, power struggle,  forbidden magic, and much more. Check it out at our library.

 

The Sasquatch Escape. The Imaginary Veterinary Book 1 by Suzanne Selfors, Little Brown Books for Young Readers, 2013. 

I enjoyed this fast pace adventure/mystery.  I especially like the suggested activities and book discussion questions. Copy provided by borrowing library.