This picture book biography a little known figure (who was not so little) will make for a good bit of reading for those who feel awkward, and as if they don’t quite fit in. Anna never did fit in — she was taller than her mother by the age of six — but she had a definite sense of adventure and found a way to use her unusual height to help her see the world. I like the way the book gently describes the ups and downs we all face, regardless of our individual struggles, by sharing the differences between good days and glum days. The author’s note in the back offers additional details as well as photos to remind the students that this is indeed a true story.

It’s packed with information, and both the cartoonish illustrations and the chatty writing style make it very approachable for young readers. I kind of have to like it because it makes clear to students a misconception that I carried with me until I got to college: that the sun isn’t bigger than other stars, it just looks that way because it’s so much closer. Though it covers lots of aspects about the sun and its place in our solar system and our solar system’s place in the greater universe, it can’t go into great depth, given that it is a picture book. One element I thought was over-simplified a bit was when, in explaining that the tilt of the earth gives us seasons, it declares that there are four seasons (spring, summer, fall, and winter), where it would have been more accurate to say that much of the earth has those four seasons; not everywhere has the same four seasons and North America and Europe.

Glitter on the cover is always a draw, but these books have substance to their stories, too. I’ve yet to meet a Tallulah story I didn’t appreciate. This one does a nice job of balancing the dual messages that it takes practice and persistence to get good at something, while simultaneously reminding readers that it’s not always important to practice and succeed — sometimes you’re allowed to just have fun. As an added bonus, the super skilled ice skater who gives Tallulah tips and reminds her that it will take time to improve, is a boy, avoiding what could have been a sexist stereotype.

I really enjoyed this one. The illustrations fill the animal characters with personality and spirit. The story opens with a chipmunk receiving a note from Bear to “Please come at once!” Imagining Bear in distress, since Bear never asks for anything, little Izzy sets out to brave a coming storm in order to help her friend. When she finds herself unable to continue, a squirrel comes to her aid, and they continue on until the storm is even too much for the two of them, when a duck in a knit cap and scarf try to fly them through, but eventually the three must accept the help of a sweater-clad raccoon too. As they persevere through each new struggle, we read again and again the refrain, “No matter how steep or tough the climb, a friend is worth it, every time.” When they finally reach their destination, it turns out Bear wasn’t really distressed — he just wanted to wish his small chipmunk friend a happy birthday.

On the one hand, the book got my hackles up right off the bat when it begins by telling about Gideon and Audrey’s tradition of building a sandcastle together every summer: “Gideon made sure each tower stood straight, every wall was level, and all the castle sides were smooth. Audrey made sure the castle sparkled with shells, sea glass, ad a starfish on the top.” Seriously? Are we still allowing children’s picture books to blatantly pass on gender stereotypes that the boy cares about the engineering of the castle and the girl is all about decorating? And yet if it wasn’t for that one page, I like how the story continued with Gideon deciding one summer that he was going to build one all on his own, and after many attempts that get destroyed by waves or wind or others on the beach, he does indeed succeed in building a structurally impressive sand castle, admired by many strangers, only to discover his success is a bit hollow when he sees his sister and parents joyfully laughing together over a much more lopsided structure. I like the message of valuing togetherness and joy over independent glory. I feel like the publisher let the author down here: if it had been big sister v. little sister or big brother v. little brother, it could have avoided the whole sexist flaw easily enough.

As a general rule, I am not really a fan of abridgments and adaptations. I find it a bit disrespectful to the original work of the author. That being said, this one does have really charming illustrations that invite the readers in. Since the original work has sat on my library shelves for years without circulating, this may be a good way to introduce students to the idea that the story came before Disney, even if the picture book format allows for only a taste of the full story.

The text is in phrases, rather than sentences — a rhyming poem describing a series of transitions in a small child’s life, from saying goodbye to last year’s favorite coat that’s now too small and moving on to a new one that fits just right, to a trip on an airplane which requires saying goodbye to the familiar in order to say hello to the grandparents at the other end of the journey; from giving away one’s preschool trike in favor of a big kids’ bike, to saying goodbye to velcro-covered toes when one learns to tie their own shoes. It culminates with saying goodbye to mom and dad in order to head out for the first day of school and all it holds. The illustrations are vibrant and simple and graphic, offering support to the limited text to make the meaning clear.

It’s a lovely glimpse into Japanese culture, as well as the sharing of traditions across generations, and the transformation of traditions as life changes. It begins with Mayumi as a young child, describing her annual visits to her grandfather who lived half a world away, and the time they spent together in the garden he built when she was born. She describes his garden as unlike any other gardens with which she was familiar: instead of flowers or vegetables, it is a rock garden. She shares what she learned as they worked together, and how much she enjoyed raking patterns in the small stones. She describes the small tin of souvenirs she kept from the garden to remember her visits when she was back at home. And then she tells of the year they visit, and find the garden overgrown and untended; the illustrations show her parents packing boxes and grandfather in a wheelchair as she learns he cannot live there anymore. Remembering how her tin of souvenirs comforted her when she was far away, she makes both her grandfather and herself miniature rock gardens in bento boxes so they can take a piece of their memories with them when they must move away.

It’s a fine story, a loving tribute and memoir of a girl’s outings with her grandfather, who she knew as Toppy, and the world knew as Charles R. Knight, a famous wildlife artist, responsible for many works at the American Museum of Natural History. Told from the granddaughter’s perspective, she shares how her grandfather began visiting the museum and the zoo when he was only five years old, and how he taught himself to observe closely the animals he loved, despite his poor eyesight. He was the first to paint prehistoric animals, based on his study of their fossils.

I like it. It acknowledges that it’s okay to have mixed feelings about big events, like starting school for the first time: Lena wakes up excited about her first day of kindergarten, but when she goes to get dressed, she discovers her shoes are nervous. She encourages her headband and her shoes to have a heart-to-heart talk, and after the shoes explain that school is big and loud and different and they’d really rather not go, the headband reminds the shoes about other times they were all scared but decided to be brave together (the illustrations indicate doctors’ visits, ending with a lollipop, a scary movie that turned out funny, and meeting a big dog who turned out friendly). Shoes still aren’t quite convinced until Lena threatens to wear her slippers instead, at which point they decide to be brave together. When they reach the playground, the shoes get a little nervous again, causing Lena to walk slower than usual, but not for long. I like that it is told in a way that is respectful of all the feelings churned up by this new experience.