Operation Sisterhood - Middle Grade novel review

 From time to time I receive advance copies of new picture books and middle grade novels to review. I appreciate the publishers' trust in me! I read them all, but sometimes I don't post a review here. Why?

Well, my mom taught me that if you can't say something nice, don't say anything. And as a writer, I know how hard it is to put your work out into the world. So everyone who publishes a book deserves kudos! But sometimes I'm not the right cheerleader. Maybe I don't connect with the character(s) but other people would. Maybe I've read similar books I liked better, and I can't get that out of my head.

Sometimes, it's something specific I just can't get past. Earlier this year I received an early chapter book I was excited about. But the opening scene contained behavior that I couldn't condone. Maybe in an upper middle grade or YA, but not for the age reader I pictured. And I read the whole book, and really liked the rest. I returned to the book a few times, but decided there are plenty of other people who might be able to recommend the book without my reservations, so I moved on.

An early middle grade novel that I will recommend  (purchased myself) is Operation Sisterhood by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich (Crown Books, 2022).

Like the characters in the story, I grew up in a blended family. The fears and necessary adjustments that arise from moving into someone else's house that is now supposed to be your home were totally relatable.  Even the menagerie of animals was something I encountered too! The girls in the story are adventurous and fun to spend time with. The story takes place in Harlem, and I was a suburban/country girl so I enjoyed seeing this locale through the character's eyes. In the end I felt like I'd love to live on their block! The publisher's description is apt: a book "about the difficulties of change, the loyalty of sisters, and the love of family."

I have several great picture books that arrived while we were on vacation that I'll be reviewing soon!

Until then--happy reading, everyone!

CHICKEN in SPACE #PPBF

The author of the book I'm high-lighting today is a local author (local to me, anyway) who burst onto the scene in 2013 with his debut picture book, Warning: Do Not Open This Book, a zany madcap story of monkeys and mayhem. I think this one is even better!

Title: CHICKEN in SPACE

Author: Adam Lehrhaupt 
Illustrator: Shahar Kober
Publisher: Harper Collins, 2016
Intended Ages: 4-8 
Themes: Imagination, Animals, Friendship
Opening Lines:  "Zoey wasn't like the other chickens.
                             She had dreams. She had a plan. She had a pig."
Synopsis: Zoey the chicken finds a way to make her dream of space exploration come true.

What I like about this book: Just reading the title out loud, I hear an "announcer's" voice in my head--the melodrama, the echo. And that sets the scene perfectly for the imaginative main character who views the world through a rose-colored lens. Zoey's world is one where wishes can come true, if you look at things the right way. The illustrator nails the facial expressions that bring the barnyard characters to life and subtle details let the reader know this isn't your ordinary barnyard. It's one where satellite dishes are installed on doghouses. Melding hilarity and heart, there's a chicken in an aviator's hat.And there's pie.

Resources/Activities:

• Whet your appetite with the Chicken in Space trailer:
• Share a post-election moment. Read all of the author's books (four now!) and vote for your favorite.
• Eat pie! So many varieties . . . YUM!
• Brainstorm what you think Chicken's next adventure might be. 
• Brainstorm alternate (imaginative!) uses for common household items. What could be used undersea? What could be used in space?
• Take your own imaginative adventure. Examples: Build a couch-ship, a bed rocket, a sheet fort.
• Which friend(s) would you want to take on an imaginative adventure? Why?

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you enjoy my selection this week. 
This review is part of PPBF (Perfect Picture Book Friday) where bloggers share great picture books. Organized and curated by author Susanna Leonard Hill, she keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. #PPBF

WE FOUND A HAT - #PPBF

 High-lighting lesser known authors and artists is fun for me. I feel like I'm uncovering hidden gems. But sometimes the big names blow me away and I have to shout their praises.

Title: We Found a Hat

Author/Illustrator: Jon Klassen
Publisher: Candlewick Press, 2016
Intended Ages: 4-8 
Themes: Animals, Temptation, Friendship
Opening Lines: "We found a hat
                             We found it together."
Synopsis: Two turtles find a hat. It looks good on both of them. But there are two turtles, and only one hat.

What I like about this book: Jon Klassen is the master of understatement and the power of single glances. His newest addition to his "hat cycle" of stories adds a layer of tenderness and friendship to his spot-on deadpan humor. This is another story that leaves the emotional inner story to the reader to fill in. Klassen is the master of what happens in the story, off the page. The limited, muted palette keeps the focus squarely on the text and those expressive eyes. Constructed in three chapters, the 56 pages fly by. I believe it's appropriate for even young toddlers, age 2 and up.

Resources/Activities:

• Read the author's hat trilogy (This Is Not My Hat, I Want My Hat Back and We Found a Hat). Discuss which you like best, and why
• Talk about things you have. Which would you share? Why or why not? Does it matter if it's something that can be returned, or something gets consumed (like cookies)?
• Brainstorm alternate endings for this book. Could they have taken turns wearing the hat? Made another hat? Could one turtle have taken the hat? How does the choice of an ending affect the characters' friendship?
• Share something with a friend.
• Buy a new hat for yourself or to donate to charity. Why do you pick the one you do?
  

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you enjoy my selection this week. 
This review is part of PPBF (Perfect Picture Book Friday) where bloggers share great picture books. Organized and curated by author Susanna Leonard Hill, she keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. #PPBF

OUT of the WOODS - A true Story of an Unforgettable Event

    First of all, I hope everyone had a relaxing Thanksgiving holiday. It used to be my favorite holiday, but now that family is scattered across the country and we can't always be together for this long weekend, I have to give the nod to Christmas when with end of the year vacations saved up we are able to spend time together. 
     My book recommendation today isn't a Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Kwanzaa or Christmas title. But it stopped me with a sense of awe and magic which is a wonderful thing to share at any holiday. And the generational story-telling aspect took me home.                                  
Author/Illustrator: Rebecca Bond
Publisher: FS&G, Margaret Ferguson Books, 2015

FICTION
Intended age: 5-9 
Themes: Animals, Memoir

First lines: "Antonio Willie Giroux lived in Ontario, Canada, in the town of Gowganda, on the edge of Gowganda Lake, in a hotel his mother ran. It was not a fancy place in 1914, but it was big--three stories tall."

Synopsis: A young boy who hopes for more than half glimpses of the forest creatures gets his wish when a fire tears through the surrounding forest and the animals and the people of a small town, prey and predators, have to find safety. NOTE: Spoiler alert: The amazon.com and bn.com description/summary of this book as well as Kirkus and many of the Goodreads reviews give the story away.

Why I like this Book: This book appeals to the rule breaker in me!
     The book tells a story, but it feels more like a mood piece (rule broken!). The fairly wordy text (rule broken!) is used for extensive description rather than action (rule broken!) And it works beautifully with muted, almost monochromatic illustrations. Based on a story passed down by the author's grandfather, the book's dreamy mysterious feel was compelling. Despite the author's note, and the subtitle that the story is true, the book is shelved in fiction leaving the reader to wonder--did this really happen? It is lovely to think that it did. Not a quick read, it's a story that begs for pages to be poured over thoughtfully. There are three spreads in the height of the action that took my breath away. A reminder that we share this world with many and we're all in this together.

Resources/Activities:
      I didn't want to give the story climax away--which made it hard to suggest activities!

• The Fire Protection Association has advice to create a fire plan for your home.
• Organize a family story night. Go around the table and let everyone re-tell their favorite story about a real event that happened to them. Include several generations, if possible!
• Draw pictures of favorite/memorable family moments
• Think about an animal's Thanksgiving. How would it compare to your own?
• Review the illustrations and compare life in the early 1900's to your own.
  

Let me know if this is on your reading list! I love to read your comments.

This review is part of PPBF (perfect picture book Friday) where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. Along with tons of writing wisdom, she keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. #PPBF