It’s essentially an illustrated list of different kinds of cats, and when I say kinds, I’m not talking breed, I’m talking about color and attitude and pose, etc. Yet it works in opposites and rhyming and adjectives in a way that makes it a great support for emergent literacy. The illustrations are full of personality and act as a support for the text, all while capturing some classic cat moments that will be very recognizable to cat families.
Category Archives: Recommendation
The Little Book of Joy
Okay, so I hate to be down on joy, and I’m not even really down on this sweet little book, I just don’t think it is meant to be a library book. It’s meant to be part of the decor in a nursery or children’s room, where it sits on display all year long and is occasionally pulled down to peruse for an idea. I almost even marked it as “reference,” but then that didn’t really seem to fit it, even though I imagine it being used kind of like a reference book for a bored kid. It’s got a page for every day of the year, with ideas for things to try, along with bits of information about that day’s topic and questions for kids to ponder. The illustrations are really sweet, but kind of keep the target audience young, even though older kids would be able to make more independent use of the information. My “additional purchase” recommendation is really kind of a compromise choice: I have a hard time recommending it for library use, but would absolutely recommend it as a gift for a baby shower.
Solitary Animals: Introverts of the Wild by Joshua David Stein, art by Dominique Ramsey
The lyrical text describes animals that live in groups and using the collective nouns and then names an animal that lives alone. I like the use of collective nouns and the text is engaging. I was expecting to learn more information about the solitary animals, but I did learn which animals live in groups and what the group names are called. There is a page at the back that answers some questions about why some animals live alone. The artwork in the book is bright and vibrant and is eye-catching.
Light for All by Margarita Engle illustrated by Raul Colon
Margarita Engle weaves immigration with how the light from the Statue of Liberty welcomes us all. Even though we are different, come from a variety of places, and have many reasons for coming to the United States we are the same in that we have a love for the home that we have left and the place that we now call home.
While I appreciate and think it is important that Engle included that land was taken from Indigenous People and others were forced to come here on slave ships, it felt disjointed with how it was incorporated into the book. The author’s and illustrator’s notes at the end add their own personal stories to the book.
Because Claudette by Tracey Baptiste, illustrated by Tonya Engel
On March 2, 1955 Claudette Colvin was arrested for not giving up her bus seat to a white person. She was 15 and this occurred almost a year before Rosa Parks famed refusal. Through the lawyer, Fred Gray, Claudette met and befriended Rosa Parks and started to attend meetings with the NAACP. These events led up to the Montgomery Bus Boycott. the book does not focus solely on Claudette but mentions others who were instrumental in the changing of the bus law. Told in a cause and effect style, the author shows how small events can lead to bigger events that lead to changes.
Tonya Engel’s paintings complement the text. There is an author’s note at the end that details how the idea for this book came to be and provides suggestions for further reading with books and websites.
The Great Paint by Alex Willmore
Frog is an artist but he needed some inspiration for his art because his swamp was dull. He went around to his friends in the forest and adds his artistic interpretations. His friends do not appreciate him beautifying everything. He realizes he got carried away and returns to his swamp to create his own art show. He invites his friends to his art show so he can apologize.
Frog is fun and his personality comes through in the illustrations. He learns that he needs to respect other’s spaces. I do wish it had shown Frog helping his friends clean up the messes that he made.
The book was originally published in London, so there is some spelling differences in the book that kids might notice (colour/color). The text changes between black and white, but sometimes the page is dark and the text is still black which makes it a challenge to read.
Pig and Horse and the Something Scary by Zoey Abbott
Pig is scared of something but she is trying to ignore it. Her friend, Horse, tries to get her mind off of her fear with bike rides, swimming, and making her laugh. Pig realizes that ignoring it does not make the problem better. They decide to talk about it and face her fear together. Pig’s fears are things that are very common for children (night, being alone, and a character from a story she read). Horse supports her friend in talking about and facing what is bothering her.
The book offers a gentle way to help children name their feelings and to realize that talking about their feelings may be better than ignoring them.
The animals are anthropomorphic in the way walk on two legs, they cook, and they use floaties in the pool. The illustrations are colorful and add to the story.
When Winter Robeson Came, by Brenda Woods
During the summer of 1965, Eden gets to hang out with her cousin from Mississippi in Los Angeles where she lives. Winter is on a secret mission to find his father who went missing many years ago. With Eden’s help, they investigate his old neighborhood in the Watts area of LA for clues. In the midst of this, the folks in the Watts neighborhood and the police clash for 6 horrible days and much of Los Angeles goes into lockdown. This verse novel is a sweet story of cousins investigating their own family history while intense history is playing out around them. It’s especially interesting for today’s young readers living in new times of racial clashes with modern day police around the country. As the mystery of Winter’s father unravels, readers come to see that all is not what was assumed. As it is often the case, there is so much more to the story.
Piece by piece: the story of Nisrin’s hijab, by Priya Huq
This graphic novel is a powerful story of friendships, tragedy, inclusion, nationalism, multi-generational trauma, and hope. It packs a lot into its pages and, because of that, it sometimes feels rushed. Some of the most traumatic scenes flash by in harsh, bold colors that might confuse some readers. This is the story of Nisrin’s decision to wear an orna, or scarf, to cover her head, as she explores what it means for her to follow Islam. It is a complicated decision because her family does not follow the practice of an orna or hijab. Her decision also brings up old family wounds from a regime change in Bangladesh and the reason for the family’s immigration to the United States. It’s also a story of changing friendships and the ways we sometimes reconcile conflicts. Raw and compelling, Piece by Piece would be a graphic novel that might be a mirror for some readers and a window for many others willing to take on a challenging story.
Right Where I Left You by: Julian Winters
Reviewer: OHS Student, Ffiona
Right Where I Left You is a fantastic book by Julian Winters (Who is a WONDERFUL LGBTQIA+ author.) It shows a great bond between an introverted gay boy, and his outgoing bisexual best friend. It emphasizes the vast difference between expectation versus reality in a friendship. And shows the difficulties of the next finding your path in life, and the people you want to share it with. Right Where I Left You is 5 stars and a 10/10 in my book.
