Every Monday Mabel does the same thing. Mabel thinks Mondays are the best day. She drags her chair down the hall and outside to make sure she does not miss her favorite thing. Her family doesn’t seem to understand, but Mabel doesn’t want to miss it and neither does Mikey and many more people. The illustrations are bright and colorful. The changes in font, the onomatopoeia, and the illustrations make you feel the excitement of Mabel about her Monday routine. I can’t wait to read this book aloud and maybe because I was one of those kids excited about the garbage truck!
Author Archives: Amy Covey
Fierce Aunties by Laurel Goodluck
A celebration of the women who help support and the young girl in the story. Aunties do not need to be related to you, but are the people in your life that you can turn to for advice, adventure and support. The illustrations are bright and colorful depicting a wide variety of aunties. The author’s note at the end tells about her Fierce Aunties.
Elvis & Romeo by David Soman and Jacky Davis
A story of an unlikely pair becoming friends. Elvis and Romeo are two dogs on their way separately to the dog park. Romeo is very excited while Elvis is reluctant. Romeo is excited to run and play. Elvis wants peace and quiet. Romeo decides he is going to make friends with Elvis. Eventually Elvis and Romeo bond over sandwiches. The illustrations in the book show the movement and emotions of the dog and add to the story.
Maybe Just Ask Me! by Katie Mazeika
On Mazie’s first day at her new school, she put on her favorite scarf and prettiest eye patch. She was nervous but ready. The other students whispered stories about her. Maybe she was in the circus. Maybe she joined pirates. Maybe she lost her hair being scared by a shark or a tiger. Finally she has had enough. She tells them that they just needed to ask and she tells the story of what really happened. The illustrations of the book are bright and colorful. Mazie’s emotions show on her face.
The book is based on the author’s real life experience of having cancer and 3 and having her eye removed. She talks about why people may be afraid to ask and just look away, but to her this feels ruder and makes her feel invisible.
Gecko Girl/Lagartijita by Daniel Chacon
A young girl falls asleep while her father tells her a story and dreams that she wakes up as a gecko. She sets off to find out what she is. The cat says she’s a toy, the dog says food, the spider says danger. Eventually the girl wakes up to realize that she is still a child.
The book is bilingual with the text on top in English and the text at the bottom of the page in Spanish. One side of a two page spread is text and the other is the illustrations which fill the page.
Wonder & Awe by Annie Herzig
A little girl makes a snowman and names her Wonder. She and Wonder spend so much time together, but when spring comes it is time for Wonder to go. The girl is sad until she finds something else that sparks wonder. The color change in the illustration highlights the girl’s feelings. When she is happy and can see the beauty around her, the illustrations are colorful. When she is sad the illustrations are shades of gray and white. A sweet story of friendship and finding joy in everyday things.
The Wire Zoo: How Elizabeth Berrien Learned to Turn Wire into Amazing Art by Natasha Wing
A look at the life of artist Elizabeth Berrien and how she became a wire sculptor. Elizabeth has a special way of seeing the world, she sees lines flowing across the surface of animals bodies. She wanted to draw it, but she couldn’t recreate the beautiful lines. She tried other kinds of art, but it wasn’t until she learned wire sculpting that things seemed to click for Elizabeth. It is text heavy, making it more suitable for upper elementary. The author’s note at end includes more information and photographs of Elizabeth’s work.
Snow Is… by Laura Gehl
“Snow is the feeling the moment you wake. Snow is a stillness before the first flake.” Through rhyming text, this book takes a look at the joy found in snow as a young boy and his family enjoys a day in the snow. The main colors in the illustration of blue, gray and white take on the feeling and look of snow, while the pops of red in the family’s house and clothing stand out. A sweet celebration of snow.
Roar-Choo by Charlotte Cheng
Dragon tries to explain how fierce and frightening they are, but everytime the roar, they sneeze. Each sneeze becomes more powerful and dangerous. Phoenix tries to get Dragon to rest, but Dragon persists. Eventually Phoenix ends up sneezing too. The colorful, expressive cartoonish pictures bring the characters to life. The author’s note at the end explains the Dragon and Phoenix significance in Chinese mythology.
Planting Hope: A Portrait of Photographer Sebastião Salgado by Philip Hoelzel
Sebastião Salgado grew up on his family’s farm in Aimorés in the forests of Brazil. He spent time in the forests and loved his home but eventually moved away. He soon discovered his love of photography and how he could show what he saw and how it made him feel through pictures. He took photographs for different news stories, but the weight of what he saw made him no longer want to take pictures. After moving back to his family farm and seeing the destruction caused by cutting down the forest, Sebastião and his wife Lélia decided to rebuild the forest of his childhood.
This beautifully illustrated book takes you through the life and work of Sebastião Salgado. Also offering the reader a chance to think about and reflect on human’s impact on the earth. The author’s note at the back offers further information.