Counting to Bananas by Carrie Tillotson and Estrela Lourenco

 

Need a picture book that will have you grinning ear to ear? Did you enjoy Z is for Moose written by by Kelly Bingham, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky?

Then you want to read Counting to Bananas written by Carrie Tillotson and illustrated by Estrela Lourenco (Flamingo Books, 2022)! Stuffed with fruit and rhyme, this book’s twist ending (no spoiler!) reminds us all why it isn’t always the best idea to be the center of attention.

Two thumbs up for this fun read aloud and counting book.

I'm a Hare, So There! Book Review

     My friend Julie Rowan-Zoch is an extremely talented illustrator. Check out her work in Louis by Tom Lichtenheld! 

     I had seen a bit of the idea for her author/illustrator debut, but was blown away by the final product.

Do you like picture book characters with attitude? Check! Do you like to learn a little bit about desert creatures? Check! Do you wonder if some animals that look alike are as similar as they appear? Check!

Julie's illustrations convey emotions with simplicity and style. For those of you who have a "no violence" policy, note that there is a Roadrunner/Coyote type moment (an old cartoon to check out for those of you who aren't old enough to know the reference!) of comedic violence near the end to save Hare and Squirrel's lives. For me, it's two thumbs up for I'M A HARE, SO THERE. 

Note: I learned that Google Blogger is no longer supporting Feedburner subscriptions as of July, so I may have to migrate my blog elsewhere. It's disappointing that tech companies do this. I'll try to give everyone a heads up as I figure this out.

MAXIMILLIAN VILLAINOUS and HAMMERING FOR FREEDOM recommended!

A slew of great picture books have released in the last few months. I'm highlighting just two of them today, one fiction, and one nonfiction.

First up - for all the upcoming Halloween story times!

Title: Maximillian Villainous

Author: Margaret Chiu Greanias          

Illustrator: Lesley Breen Withrow
Publisher: Running Press Kids, 2018
Intended Ages: 4-8
Themes: Monsters, Humor, Kindness

Opening Line: "Maximillian Villainous came from a long line of famous villains. But Max was different from his family."

Synopsis: When a monster chooses a friendly bunny sidekick, he has to decide whether to follow his family's directive to embrace their evil nature or his own inclination to be good.

What I like about this book: The first reason is that the author is one of my critique partners and a friend! I love to see her great story-telling flair out in the world. More than that, this story is FUN! Sure, there's an underlying theme of being true to yourself, and good triumphs over evil, but the language is playful ("evil up!") and the characters' attempts to "reform" and become evil are delightfully silly. Paired with adorable illustrations, this book is a winner. The "monsters" are cute and shouldn't scare your little ones.


Resources and Activities:

• The author has an extensive teacher's guide on her website, and two crafts.
• The website PLAY IDEAS has a great compilation of easy monster crafts (I LOVE the paper roll monsters!) 
• Would you want to be part of Maximillian's family? Why or why not?
• Design a monstrous Halloween costume 
• Read more monster books and compare-what makes a monster a monster? (some of my favorites include Tara Lazar's THE MONSTORE, Tammie Sauer's MOSTLY MONSTERLY and Anne Marie Pace's VAMPIRINA series)

 The second book I've got in the spotlight today is totally different in tone, but no less exciting. 

Title: Hammering for Freedom  

    

Author: Rita Lorraine Hubbard          Illustrator: John Holyfield

Publisher: Lee & Low, 2018
Intended Ages: 7-10
Themes: Slavery, Perseverance, Family

Opening Line: "One starry night in 1810, William "Bill" Lewis was born on a plantation in Winchester, Tennessee."

Synopsis: The true story of a slave who learned the blacksmith trade and worked to try to earn enough money to free his family.

What I like about this book: Inspiring true stories make my heart glad. Throughout history there have been people who toiled without need for public recognition or celebrity to achieve something amazing. I'd like to think these are the real celebrities that deserve our attention. The author and illustrator bring a time in history to life in an accessible story without glossing over the horror of people as property yet keeping a hopeful thread to pull young readers through those "bone-weary years." Readers will also get a feeling for how important a blacksmith was to the community during this time.

Resources and Activities:

• Compare this book with DAVE THE POTTER by Laban Hill.
• Google teaching resources for slavery to find resources available for your reader's age level
• Brainstorm what you would want to do to earn money at your age now, and when you are in your twenties (like Bill).
• Estimate how many tools a blacksmith could make in a day and then watch the TV show Forged with Fire to see modern day forgers in action (does it look easier or harder than you expected?). 
• Find out how much $1000 in 1830 would be today

I hope you enjoy my reviews and look up these books for yourself!

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

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

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

NEW SHOES - Perfect Picture Book Friday recommendation #PPBF

     Today is a two review day! It's like the bonus features on a CD and I hope you have time to view both. :) It's also the last day of Perfect Picture Book Friday until autumn while our inspiring, illustrious leader, Susanna Leonard Hill, enjoys a peaceful summer vacation. :))
     Summer won't be a complete hiatus. I hope you're a regular subscriber and continue to receive my summer posts. For me, summer is time to take advantage of some kidlit conferences and I will be posting about those. I will also post reviews that beg not to wait! Like today's.

Title: NEW SHOES

Author: Susan Lynn Meyer
Illustrator: Eric Velasquez
Publisher: Holiday House, 2015
Intended Age: 6-9 (I believe it is suitable for younger readers)
Theme: Segregation, Historical Fiction, shoes
Opening Line:   My cousin Charlotte hands me the package
                           as we stand outside Johnson's Shoes.
                         "If you could have any shoes in the window,
                          I ask, "which ones would you choose?"
Synopsis: An African American girl, Ella Mae, and her cousin find a creative solution after Ella Mae learns that African Americans can't try on shoes at the store like the white customers do.
What I Like About this Book: The author took the tough subject of Jim Crow laws and made a beautiful, believable story. No preaching, just a wonderful thoughtful look at life in the southern United States during the mid-twentieth century. The story doesn't attach a specific date to the narrative, but the characters' clothing and a car in the first spread suggests the 1950's.An author's note on the final page gives historical perspective.
Best of all, Ella Mae is an engaging, curious, and proactive character. Her solution to a bad situation isn't to whine or complain, but to make a positive change for the community.
Resources:

• The publisher has an educator's guide and four classroom discussion questions with Common Core Standard references.
• Read an interview with the illustrator here. What life lesson does he hope you take from the story NEW SHOES?
• Ask the reader if they would buy new shoes without trying them on? Why or why not? (I bought a pair of Mexican huaraches through the mail using the same foot outline technique that Ella Mae's mother demonstrates in the store!)
• Talk about different ways you can react when someone discriminates against you.
• Older readers may be curious to learn more about segregation and Jim Crow laws. Scholastic has an article for teachers. The website "Ducksters" also has information for kids.
• Discuss what you do with old clothing and shoes. Do you treat "grown-out" and "worn-out" clothes differently?
• Think of something that is important enough to want to earn money for it. What kinds of things can a child do? Kids who are old enough may enjoy hearing about Alex's lemonade stand.

 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
Thanks for stopping by!

Max and the Dumb Flower Picture - #PPBF

     I had to flip a coin to decide on this week's recommendation. I got lucky at the library this week. There are two great ones shouting for attention. :)
Interestingly, they are both on the same theme, but very different in style. I hope you come back next week for #2!

from Publisher's website

    
Title: Max and the Dumb Flower  
         Picture

Author/Illustrator: 
           Martha Alexander 
   with James Rumford 
 (Ms. Alexander passed away and Mr. Rumford finished the book from her sketches)

Publisher: Charlesbridge, 2009

Theme: Individuality 

Intended Age: 3-8





Opening Line: "Max didn't want to color the dumb flower picture. 
                     Miss Tilley wanted him to."

Synopsis: When a boy's teachers asks the class to color a flower picture that she reproduced for all of them as a Mother's Day gift, the boy decides he wants to make his own picture instead.

What I like about the book: I was already hooked by the endpapers. Martha Alexander's family, friends and colleagues drew flower pictures that are scattered across the endpapers plus one additional spread.There is a square left blank on the opening endpaper for the reader to draw their own flower (amazingly, the library copy is still clean!). The small 7x7 trim size means it falls to the bottom of the picture book bins, and I hope it isn't passed over because of that. There is one scene when Max runs out of the classroom, out of the building that may require parental comment (don't do that!) but I think younger children who feel the urge to "color outside the lines" will identify with the emotion and resolution.

Resources:

• Take a page from a coloring book and color it how you think the creator of the book intended. Then color another picture with similar subject matter on a blank piece of paper. Which do you like better? Why?
•  Make 3-D flowers with chenille stems and paper using a lesson on the Smile Makers website.
• Go to the store and select cut flowers for a bouquet. Why do you select the ones you do?
• Type flower crafts for toddlers in your search box and see hundreds of choices!
• Bookit Program curriculum page available here.
• Parents/teachers can talk to children about using words to express feelings (instead of running away!)
• If you are a member of a Story Before Bed, you can access a recording here. (NOTE: I did not test this)

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