Don’t we all have someone we compare ourselves to, and come away feeling like we don’t measure up? The story is a series of parallel descriptors comparing the famous King Kong to his not famous cousin, Junior. There’s no value statements given, but the reader can just feel Junior’s sense of inadequacy. When his mother assures him that he’s just as special as his cousin, Junior doesn’t believe her. But in the end, when his beloved cat needs rescuing, it’s Junior who came to the rescue, and he’s left feeling warm and happy and maybe just a bit bigger. The illustrations are fabulous! Though they’re all in shades of gray, they are full of warmth and personality and feeling.
Category Archives: Recommendation
Angelina on Stage
Another installment for Angelina Ballerina fans, this one is as cute and frilly and sparkly as is to be expected. This time Angelina is honored to be invited to join in with a performance of real grown-up dancers. Her young cousin, Henry, is invited to participate as well, but he struggles with remembering where he’s supposed to be and what he’s supposed to do, and Angelina has to help him a lot. She’s jealous when he’s given a speaking part, but she helps him anyway, and on opening night he flubs up again, changing is line from, “There goes my friend the magic fairy,” to “There goes my best friend, the magic fairy,” as he points to Angelina, showing that mistakes can be sweet.
Love is Loud: How Diane Nash Led the Civil Rights Movement by Sandra Neil Wallace
Growing up in Chicago’s South Side, Diane’s high school included everyone. When she moved to Tennessee to attend Fisk University she encountered racism and segregation. Diane decided to change this wrong and fight racism in a peaceful way. The book highlights Diane Nash’s leadership throughout the Civil Rights movement and hits upon some of the sexism she faced within the Civil Rights movement. The end includes an author and illustrator note giving more background information. There is also a timeline of events not only in Diane Nash’s life, but events in the Civil Rights movement and resources to learn more. The watercolor/collage illustrations complement the text.
I Can’t Draw by Stephen W. Martin
Max can’t draw. He especially cannot draw like his friend Eugene. Max decides to ask Eugene to teach him to draw, but that didn’t go so well. Finally Eugene comes up with the idea that Max should trace and then his drawings look exactly like Eugene’s. Max thinks the drawings need a little flavor like butts shooting lasers. Eventually he forgets about drawing like Eugene and decides to just be his creative self. At the front of the story is how to draw a cat and the end of the story is how to draw a cat by Max. The illustrations by Brian Biggs carry the story along and are vital to the telling of the story.
You So Black by Theresa Tha S.O.N.G.B.I.R.D.
You So Black is a picture book based on the author’s spoken word poem, You So Black. “You so Black, when you smile, the stars come out.” The book is a celebration of Blackness and encourages readers to embrace who they are. The mixed-media illustrations are eye-catching with their vibrant colors and reinforce the celebration of Blackness.
Mi Ciudad Sings by Cynthia Harmony
A young girl and her dog enjoy the sounds and music of her city as they make their way to her Mama’s flower shop. Suddenly the city rumbles with an earthquake, the sounds change and for the first time the city becomes silent. As she hurries to find her Mama, she notices a new rhythm with all the people that are helping the neighborhood and city recover. The illustrations are colorful and help tell the story. Spanish words and phrases are seamlessly woven into the story and there is a glossary at the back defining them. Although this is a fictional story, in the author’s note at the end, the author describes two devastating earthquakes in Mexico City and their experiences that inspired the story.
Holding On by Sophia N. Lee
A Filipina child visits her grandmother, Lola, in the summers where music fills there mornings, afternoons, and evenings. When they are separated in the winter, the little girl remembers all of the ways Lola holds on. “It’s important to remember, Lola tells me. So I listen to her stories and remember with her.” As Lola’s memory starts to fade the little girl decides to remember for her and sings the songs for Lola and let’s her know that she will remember for her. The mixed-media/collage illustrations reinforce the gentle message of love and caring for a family member whose memories are fading. I highly recommend this book.
Good Morning, World I Love You So: A Little Book of Gratitude
Eight little rhyming phrases accompanied by large simply drawn pictures young children will recognize.
“i love you wind i love you trees i love you honey made by bees” might depict nature, while “i love you food i get to eat i love you friends i get to meet” might depict an every day occurence?
The phrase’s rhyme but do not relate well to each other by topic, other than gratitude.
Submitted for Annette McQueen by Mary Pong
How do Meerkats Order Pizza? : Wild Facts about Animals and the Scientists Who Study Them
Seventeen scientists and their seventeen different research projects are very briefly introduced mixed in with animals cracking jokes all along the way. I should have guessed from the book’s title that this book was not going to be giving mountains of valuable information. Each of the seventeen scientists has an average of ten pages dedicated to them and their work. I wished for more information and less humor.
I did like the diversity of animals being studied and their diverse locations throughout the world. I liked the listing of equipment being used, for example: sunglasses, waterproof notebook and pencil, and waders. I enjoyed the mentioning of the scientists’ early interests as a child.
The is no Table of Contents, no Index, no numbered pages. There is a 17 word Glossary.
Submitted for Annette McQueen by Mary Pong.
Twinkle Makes Music
Not all people who love music can play an instrument well. The same is true for fairies( (and this reviewer) .
Twinkle, the fairy, loves music as do her friends Pippa and Lulu. When Fairy Godmother announces she is having a celebration party and wants all of the fairy students at The Fairy School of Magic and Music to play at the celebration, they are all happy but Twinkle. The notes from Twinkle’s flute are never anything but “strange noises”. Pippa and Lulu help her with extra practice, but Twinkle’s flute is still only makes “funny whistles and squeaks.” Their teacher tells Twinkle to “ask your forest friends to help. There are many kinds of music we can play.” Tweeter the bluebird’s song gives Twinkle her inspiration to sing instead of playing her flute. Perfect solution.
Submitted for Annette McQueen by Mary Pong