This is the Spanish Language version of Patchwork. It is one of those picture books I think has a place in the libraries serving adolescents as well, as it will be read differently by people at different places in their lives. It’s a poem celebrating the way we all grow, and reminding us all that the talents and interests we exhibit as children may evolve into all sorts of different possibilities as we grow. As the poem tells us, we each have a symphony within us — we are not a single note played again and again. It’s a rather philosophical book that I think would speak well to the youth who struggle to define themselves and decide on futures to pursue.

This is one of those picture books I think has a place in the libraries serving adolescents as well, as it will be read differently by people at different places in their lives. It’s a poem celebrating the way we all grow, and reminding us all that the talents and interests we exhibit as children may evolve into all sorts of different possibilities as we grow. As the poem tells us, we each have a symphony within us — we are not a single note played again and again. It’s a rather philosophical book that I think would speak well to the youth who struggle to define themselves and decide on futures to pursue.

This is a beautiful and touching book. The text is simple, and yet poetical, with only a single sentence or phrase per page, and the illustrations are bright and rich and full of details that make them relatable as they bring the text to life. It shows a family grieving the loss of a beloved pet dog, building an ofrenda for De de los Muertos as a means of holding onto and honoring their memories. One of the details in the illustrations that I especially like is that all the framed photos of beloved pets show their subjects reaching out beyond the frames, reminding us all that in remembering we keep them with us.

It is both beautiful and informative. It can be read on two levels: large font provides only a single sentence, or a few, per page, written in almost a poetical tone; a smaller font provides more details for curious readers. The focus of the book is on how the pack works together, with different roles for each member, and it’s written in a cyclical manner, beginning with a mated pair getting ready for pups, and continuing through until grown wolves are ready to set out on their own to begin a pack of their own. It does a good job of describing the dangers the wolves face along the way, without getting overly gruesome. The soft illustrations pay tribute to these beautiful animals. It touches the heart even while informing the brain.

It is about time a new children’s book with up-to-date information on recycling has been published! Jennie Romer explains what happens to the items we place in our recycling bins and promptly think we’ve done our part. Most paper, glass, metals, and #1 & #2 plastics are easily recycled because there are buyers for these materials. Other items may or may not be recyclable depending on the local area where a person lives and depending upon whether there is a buyer for the sorted out items.

Romer describes how the recycling is sorted with the help of Christie Young’s illustrations.

She goes onto to mention “wishcycling” – ” placing non-recyclable items into recycling bin because you hope they’ll windup getting recycled anyway. (Unfortunately, this doesn’t work!)” ( 37) I’m guilty of this.

And Romer finishes with everybody “can’t do all these things ( reducing, recycling and reusing) all the time. Try your best, and do what you can!”

Submitted by Mary Pong