Marcus, Leonard. Mr. Lincoln Sits for His Portrait: The Story of a Photograph That Became an American Icon. Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 01/2023. 128pp. Biography. Trade $19.99. 978-0-374-30348-8. GRADES 6 – 8. HIGH ADDITIONAL.         

This well-documented account focuses on the depiction of Abraham Lincoln through paintings and photographs of the era. Although the title references a single portrait (Anthony Berger’s touching photograph of a bespectacled Lincoln reading to his son Tad) several others are discussed including Francis Bicknell Carpenter’s epic painting of Lincoln presenting the Emancipation Proclamation to members of his cabinet. The book conveys the power of the media, even back then, highlighting Lincoln’s savvy in using images to build support and buoy confidence during the Civil War. Key elements of Lincoln’s life and legacy receive only brief mention, making this a book best paired with other biographies such as Lincoln and His Boys (Wells, Candlewick, 2015) and Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass: The Story Behind an American Friendship (Freeman, Clarion, 2012).                             

 Jenny Andrus—Independent

Buitrago, Jairo. Afterward, Everything Was Different: A Tale from the Pleistocene. Rafael Yockteng, Illus. Translated from the Spanish by Elisa Amado. Greystone, 05/2023. [64]pp. Picture Book. Trade $19.95. 978-1-77-840060-5. GRADES Preschool–4. OUTSTANDING. 

A stunning visual storytelling about the emergence of visual storytelling, this nearly wordless book traces the perilous life of a small nomadic tribe in the Pleistocene Age and the emergence of the first cave paintings. Striking double-spreads of detailed line illustrations guide us through the harrowing dangers faced by our determined protagonists—animal attacks, hunting mishaps, falling rocks—all while searching for a safe home. Alternating between dramatic landscape perspectives and up-close predicaments, the graphite-and-white-ink drawings imagine a world that blends scientific accuracy with a measure of fantasy, to vividly capture the harsh reality of prehistoric life and the earliest attempts at sharing those experiences through art. Back matter shares information about the nature and significance of cave art, but it is through the thrilling visual experience of the dynamic art that we reflect upon how art came to be . . . and how it changed our lives forever.                       

Alexandre Petrakis—San Francisco Public Library

Aberg-Riger, Ariel. America Redux: Visual Stories from Our Dynamic History. Balzer + Bray, 05/2023. 304pp. Non-Fiction. Trade $24.99. 978-0-06-305753-1. GRADES 9–12. OUTSTANDING. 

An engaging narrative of America’s dirty history, highlighting how white minorities used various means of control—notably violence, law, and media—to suppress, remove, or nullify the rights of majority populations, and the efforts of those populations to resist their oppressors. The book uses shock tactics to great effect, undermining preexisting historical narratives through riveting storytelling, archival primary source materials, and expertly-timed factual data. Alternating between the narrative, a plethora of graphics, and visual representation of many of the individuals and places mentioned within, the book is more accessible for teachers and those wishing to dig deeper while inviting readers to take a break to process the information, and dive back in for more. The selected bibliography includes podcasts and newspaper articles alongside the traditional academic titles. This book is perfect for introducing reluctant middle school students to history and connecting the past to the present by showing the continuity of various civil rights movements throughout the decades.         

Tyler Livy—San Francisco Public Library

Romero, Libby. Animal Doctors. National Geographic Readers : Co-Readers, You Read I Read Series. National Geographic, 01/2023. 48pp. Nonfiction. Paper $4.99. 978-1-4263-7364-0. PLB $14.90. 978-1-4263-7438-8. GRADES Kindergarten–1. OUTSTANDING.

This Level 1 co-reader is designed to be read aloud with an experienced reader and the emerging reader. Pages are marked “You Read” with smaller text and more details for the adult or experienced reader, then the same concept is repeated in the “I Read” section with fewer words and larger-type text. High quality, full-color photos accompany the text descriptions of what a veterinarian does for pets, farm animals, wild animals, and even ocean animals. Each chapter ends with a suggested activity; these books are high interest and can be used with English language learners of all ages.

Rachael Reiley—Hillcrest K-8 / Oakland Unified School District

Lang, Heather. Animal Heroes: Supermoms! Jamie Harper, Illus. Candlewick, 03/2023. [32]pp. Non-Fiction. Trade $17.99. 978-1-5362-1797-1.  GRADES Kindergarten – 2. ADDITIONAL.

Supermoms can be found all over the animal world. This informational title uses fast-moving, flowing narrative text to show many different animal moms taking care of their young.  Collage- and-digital illustrations show off each animal’s different mothering skills—each of which makes them a great mother. Speech bubbles between the moms and their young provide a humorous way for readers to engage with the animals and more fully appreciate the lengths these animal moms go to for their babies.                                         

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Montgomery, Sy. Book of Turtles, The. Matt Patterson, Illus. Clarion, 05/2023. [40]pp.  Non-Fiction. Trade $19.99. 978-0-35-845807-4. GRADES 2 – 6. OUTSTANDING.

The remarkable turtle (which includes tortoises and terrapins) is the focus of this engaging book for a wide age range. One of the oldest animal classifications still living on earth, with lifespans exceeding two centuries, turtles are fascinating to children and a great way to begin learning about animals, since they exist all around the world. Sibert Award-winning author Montgomery (Kakapo Rescue, 2010), uses a conversational style for the brief text, often one to three paragraphs per spread. Acrylic illustrations depict turtles quite realistically, using white backgrounds, captions, and showing the animals in close-up. Both casual readers and researchers will find this book engaging and useful. The book ends with a list of things people can do to help turtles, a glossary, and lists of recommended books and websites.     

Penny Peck—San Jose State University iSchool

Sorosiak, Carlie. Books Aren’t for Eating. Manu Montoya, Illus. Candlewick/Walker, 09/2022. [32]pp. Picture Book. Trade $17.99. 978-1-5362-1496-3. GRADES Preschool–1. HIGH ADDITIONAL.

Leopold the goat owns a bookstore and he loves to pick out books for others to read. Leopold is overjoyed to see another goat come into the store (all other customers are humans), but dismayed when the goat sets out to eat the books instead of reading them. Montoya’s detailed gouache˗and˗digital illustrations convey Leopold’s love of reading, his dismay at seeing books eaten, and the new goat’s joy of reading. Great for sharing why reading is important, no matter who the reader is.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Thomas, J. E. Control Freaks. Levine Querido, 06/2023. 320pp. Fiction. Trade $18.99 978-1-64614-305-4. GRADES 5 – 8. HIGH ADDITIONAL.

Frederick Douglass Zezzmer (a Black middle schooler) arrives at his Colorado college prep school ready for class, only to be surprised with a school-wide team competition called STEAMS taking over for the week. As the main protagonist he naturally has strong reasons to win, but has all kinds of obstacles including lack of teammate cohesion, his recently returned father (a retired pro football player) who is pushing sports over brainiac inventing, and a step- brother who needs academic help. Zezzmer and his STEAMS team somehow end up working together, he makes new friends, and develops a better relationship with his dad and stepbrother. A broad range of issues affecting middle schoolers were deftly worked into the storyline, which is told by multiple characters (including his stepbrother, teammates, teachers, and even the principal). Reviewed from an ARC.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Ferry, Beth. Crab and Snail: The Evil Eel. Jared Chapman, Illus. Crab & Snail Series; bk. 3.
Harper Alley, 04/2023. 62pp. Reader. Trade $14.99 978-0-0629-6219-5. Paper $8.99. 978-0-0629-6220-1. GRADES Preschool – 2. ADDITIONAL.

In the third installment of the Crab and Snail series, Evil Eel washes in with the tide and bites sweet Snail who turns into evil Snevil. Lots of silliness ensues when Crab steps up as Gladiator Crabinator and teams up with Golden Jellyfish of Goodness to save them all from evil. This early reader comic features minimal text printed in a clean, but sometimes surprisingly small font on some pages, especially for an early reader. The digitally created art matches the text with uncluttered, easy-to-follow panels. A solid choice for emerging independent readers looking for comics.

Cindy Gullikson—Joaquin Miller School, Oakland Unified School District District

Messner, Kate. Fergus and Zeke for President. Heather Ross, Illus. Fergus and Zeke Series; bk. 4.
Candlewick, 05/2023. 56pp. Reader. Trade $15.99. 978-1-5362-1831-2. GRADES 1 – 3. HIGH ADDITIONAL.        

This is the fourth book in the Fergus and Zeke series. These early chapter books follow two mice as they learn along with the human students in Miss Maxwell’s class. While learning about the past presidents, it is pointed out that U.S. history has not been fair to women, African Americans, or Native people—none were treated equally. The mice and students are shown researching presidents, creating projects, and discussing what makes a good and fair leader. Illustrations accompany the text on nearly every page, the large font includes some challenging words and serious concepts along with silliness and humor. The teacher is white with blond hair and the class is made up of children with a variety of both white and brown skin tones and a variety of hair styles.                        

Rachael Reiley—Hillcrest K-8 Oakland Unified School District

Pinkney, J. Brian. Hey Otter! Hey Beaver! J. Brian Pinkney, Illus. Greenwillow, 02/2023. [36]pp.  Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-0-06-315982-2. GRADES Preschool – 2. HIGH ADDITIONAL.    

An otter and a beaver meet up at the river and approach it from different perspectives. Otter wants to play, and beaver wants to build, in a brief story filled with repetition. During storytime presentations, young children will join in on repeated phrases, and look for the duck and turtle in each spread. The energetic watercolor˗and˗acrylic illustrations focus on the two main characters with swirling pastel shades for the water, greenery, and sunshine, on white backgrounds, giving the suggestion that it takes place on a sunny day. A nice look at how friends can have different priorities but agree to work together.                                                                                                                                                                           

Penny Peck—San Jose State University iSchool

Ponweera, Thushanthi. I am Kavi. Holiday House, 09/2023. 272pp. Fiction. Trade $18.99. 978-0-8234-5365-8. GRADES 4 – 6. ADDITIONAL.        

Ten-year-old Sri Lankan Kavi is angry and adrift. She grieves her father’s death and resents her mom’s remarriage. Now she’s away from her village, on scholarship at an elite city school and living in her aunt’s employer’s mansion. But she feels like an invisible fish out of water, which is why pretending to be a rich, beloved child comes so easily. Told in narrative verse, Kavi lays out her feelings and the events that build up to her deception and involvement in a scheme that could have disastrous results. The setting during the Sri Lankan Civil War is unique but the themes of belonging, friendship, and popularity are universal. The prose is direct and accessible, describing and telling more than showing. While several characters feel flat, Kavi, her aunt, and Sasha, the employer’s spoiled, lonely, and honest daughter, stand out as complex and dimensional. Back matter includes an afterword providing historical context and a glossary. Reviewed from a digital ARC.                                                                                                  

Melissa McAvoy—Retired

Vanderlee, Lana. I’ll Be a Chicken, Too. Mike Deas, Illus. Orca, 05/2023. [22]pp.  Picture Book. Trade $10.95. 978-1-4598-3555-9.  GRADES Baby/Toddler – Preschool. OUTSTANDING.

In this board book, the rhyming text is made up of dialogue from various parents, telling their children how much they are loved: “If you can bark and wag your tail, well, then I’ll be a dog. And if you live on lily pads, of course, I’ll be a frog!” Similar to Margaret Wise Brown’s classic Runaway Bunny, (Harper, 1942), this features a variety of human caregivers representing different ethnicities, instead of animal parents. The full-color illustrations resemble gouache artwork in a cartoon style, showing both the children and parents as well as the animals they are imitating by swimming, hopping, playing, etc. A great choice for a readaloud; the publisher may want to reissue in a larger size to make it more accessible for group sharing.                                                                                                          

Penny Peck—San Jose State University iSchool

Sheinkin, Steve. Impossible Escape: A True Story of Survival and Heroism in Nazi Europe. Roaring Brook, 08/2023. 256pp. Non-Fiction. Trade $19.99. 978-1-250-26572-2.  GRADES 8 – 12. OUTSTANDING.  

Sheinkin’s exemplary research and cinematic writing capture the layers of horror experienced by two teens caught up in Hitler’s holocaust, and the life-saving historical impact of one of their actions. At thirteen, Gerta had a crush on fifteen-year-old Rudi. He thought her pom-pom hat made her look like a little kid. Two years later, in 1942, they are both on the run. Following the pair’s intertwined stories gives Sheinkin incredible scope for emotionally engaging readers in a thrilling, horrifying, astonishing, and absolutely appalling true story. Crucial historical background is delivered when needed. Readers become immersed in the action, learning, as Rudi and Gerta did, that close observation, adaptation, and luck might permit survival. Sheinkin excels at bringing to life ancillary individuals, deepening the story immeasurably. The detailed account of two˗and˗one-half years inside Auschwitz is unforgettable and brings home how important the exposure of the death camp secrets was, and is. Back matter includes an epilogue, author’s note, detailed source notes, and a robust bibliography. Reviewed from a digital ARC.                                                                                                                                             

Melissa McAvoy—Retired

Sayre, April Pulley with Jeff Sayre.  In Between. Beach Lane, 03/2023. [40]pp.  Non-Fiction.
Trade $18.99. 978-1-5344-8781-9.   GRADES Preschool – 3. HIGH ADDITIONAL.  

In dramatic, close-up color photos, animals are shown “in between,” from coming out of a chrysalis to being half asleep, demonstrating that the title can have various meanings. The poetic text rhymes, and has an ethereal quality: “Paws may pause. Eyes may stare. But creatures lean in. Breathe. Prepare.” This will be useful to begin lessons on the metamorphosis process or how animals grow and learn in general. The photographs are outstanding examples of nature photography at its best.                            

Penny Peck—San Jose State University iSchool

Lanan, Jessica. Jumper: A Day in the Life of a Backyard Jumping Spider. Jessica Lanan, Illus. Roaring Brook, 04/2023. [44]pp. Non-Fiction. Trade $19.99. 978-1-250-81036-6.  GRADES 1 – 5. OUTSTANDING.

An engaging text describes what it is to be a regal jumping spider, one of the most common spiders in the world. The spider’s abilities to see, hear, jump, and sense things are described in a way that relates to human behavior, making it understandable to children. There is one gatefold spread that shows how the spider’s eight eyes allow for 360 degree vision. The full-color ink, watercolor, and gouache illustrations depict the spider and her surroundings realistically, living with a human family that presents as white. With just a few sentences per page, this works well as a readaloud for primary graders, and contains enough information for reports. The facts given in the back matter, which includes a glossary, description of the spider’s life cycle, and other details, will be of special help to young researchers.                                                                                                                                                         

Penny Peck—San Jose State University iSchool

Boyd, Marie. Just a Worm. Marie Boyd, Illus. HarperCollins / Greenwillow, 03/2023. [32]pp. Picture Book. Trade $17.99. 978-0-06-321256-5. GRADES Preschool – 2. ADDITIONAL.

Worm travels through his garden world trying to prove that he is more than “just a worm.” He feels unremarkable when he learns of the abilities of the creatures he meets. He finally takes stock of some of the ways he benefits the garden, from eating dead bugs to making castings that feed the plants. Colorful quilled paper art illustrations add a lot of depth and visual interest but because only very basic information is provided about earthworms, this book’s usefulness in a school setting is limited to preschool and kindergarten classrooms. The back matter contains some fun facts about worms and instructions for making quilled paper insects and flowers.

Cindy Gullikson—Joaquin Miller School, Oakland Unified School District

Kim, Erica. Kimchi, Kimchi Every Day. Erica Kim, Illus.Soaring Kite, 10/2022. [32]pp. Picture Book. Trade$18.99. 978-1-9538-5927-3. GRADES Preschool – 1. HIGH ADDITIONAL.

Each day of the week a young girl of Korean heritage eats kimchi prepared in a variety of ways. Each spread contains a rhyming couplet, most of which work except for “plump” and “up.” The back matter displays each day’s kimchi dish with the name written in English, Korean, and romanized Korean, and includes the main ingredients. The Kimchi Facts section lists some of the special equipment needed to make kimchi. The delightful illustrations and end papers are done in Hanji, a special Korean cut-paper technique. This book would pair nicely with Aram Kim’s No Kimchi for Me, which includes a recipe.

Cindy Gullikson—Joaquin Miller School, Oakland Unified School District

LaRocca, Rajani. Lucas’s Tricky Day: Looking on the Bright Side. India Valle, Illus. Chicken Soup for the Soul KIDS Series. Charlesbridge, 10/2022. [30]pp. Picture Book. Trade $12.99 978-1-62354-283-2. GRADES Kindergarten – 2. ADDITIONAL.

What happens when something you were really looking forward to gets cancelled? Kids (and everyone) tend to get upset and can have a hard time getting over their disappointment. This small size, text-heavy picture book follows brown-haired Lucas as he goes from a happy jokester to sad and mopey after finding out that his friend is sick and their long-planned sleep-over can’t happen. His other friends notice his unhappiness and set out to help him. Valle’s digital illustrations show the change in Lucas’s emotions and feelings, plus the humorous ways his friends try to help him out and how he responds. Includes five ways to spread sunshine and a short story from a child about a friend helping make a situation better. Useful bibliotherapy about friendship and empathy.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Day, Nicholas. Mona Lisa Vanishes, The: A Legendary Painter, a Shocking Heist, and the Birth of a Global Celebrity. Brett Helquist, Illus. Random House, 09/2023. 288pp. Non-Fiction.
Trade $19.99. 978-0-593-64384-6.  GRADES 4 – 8. OUTSTANDING. 

The Mona Lisa is the most famous painting in the world…but why? Welcome to the page-turning, revealing, irreverent, and utterly fascinating story of the greatest heist of all time. But wait, was it? Day, in his first foray into middle-grade nonfiction, has written a flawless book that is packed in equal measure with entertainment, information, surprise, and insight. We learn not only about the 1911 heist, da Vinci, the Mona herself, the oddity of fame, but also why myths are more persuasive than the truth and thus, why it is crucial to be able to see the world the way daVinci did. Day addresses the reader directly—his conversational tone manages to be both friendly and assured. Helquist’s illustrations, with their wealth of detail, wry sensibility, and vintage feel are a perfect match. Back matter includes an epilogue and extensive sources. Reviewed from a digital ARC.                                                   

Melissa McAvoy—Retired

Hokkanen, Mirka. Opposites Attract. Mirka Hokkanen, Illus. Kitty & Cat Series; bk. 1. Candlewick, 04/2023. [32]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99 978-1-5362-2367-5. GRADES Baby/Toddler – Kindergarten. OUTSTANDING.

An old, grumpy, black-haired cat is forced to interact with a young, frisky, white-haired kitten in this simple, concept picture book. The story of their interactions is told via quick snapshots (one or two per page), consisting of opposite single words, along with expressive digital illustrations and lots of white space. A great way to learn about both opposites and new vocabulary. Fun for young storytime audiences, preschool classes, and readers who like to create their own stories to go with what they see happening.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Perron, Lisa Varchol. Patterns Everywhere. Lerner/Millbrook, 04/2023. [30]pp. Non-Fiction. PLB $29.32 978-1-7284-6042-0. GRADES Kindergarten – 3. ADDITIONAL.

Patterns can be seen everywhere you look, which Perron aptly demonstrates via colorful photographs, limited rhyming text, and simple informative text blocks. A great title for talking about and seeing patterns found across all types of natural settings (wet, hot, cold, dry, and so forth).

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Hallbeck, Chris. Pebble and Wren. Chris Hallbeck, Illus. HarperCollins / Clarion, 04/2023. 240pp. Graphic. Trade $24.99. 978-0-3585-4129-5. Paper $13.99. 978-0-3585-4128-8. GRADES 3–6. HIGH ADDITIONAL.       

There comes a time in every young monster’s life when they have to leave their cave in the forest and move under a child’s bed in a regular house where they can eat new foods, perfect their scare tactics, and discover their secret skills and abilities. Pebble enjoys living with Wren and her two dads, but no matter how hard he tries, Pebble can’t seem to discover his special skill, which means he will have to go back to life in the cave. Told in brightly illustrated, four-panel comics, this is a silly and sweet story of friendship and self-discovery. Wren is white with straight dark hair, one of her dads is white with dark hair, and the other is dark-skinned and bald. Pebble is yellow and furry with cute horns.           

Rachael Reiley—Hillcrest K-8 Oakland University School District

Tuiasoa, Shar. Punky Aloha. Shar Tuiasoa, Illus. HarperCollins, 06/2022. [32]pp. Picture Book. Trade $17.99. 978-0-06-307923-6. GRADES Preschool – 1. ADDITIONAL.

Punky feels too shy to go to the store alone to purchase butter for Grandma’s banana bread, but Grandma sends her on her way with her “magical brave glasses,” a skateboard (no helmet!), and a reminder to “share our aloha.” In the spirit of aloha, Punky helps others along the way, and returns home with new-found confidence. Vibrant, digitally created illustrations done in shades of yellow, green, orange, and brown do a nice job with facial expressions and depicting Punky’s island home. But the thin storyline is probably best only for the youngest listeners.

Cindy Gullikson—Joaquin Miller School, Oakland Unified School District

Bow, Erin. Simon Sort of Says. Disney / Hyperion, 01/2023. 305pp. Fiction. Trade $16.99. 978-1-368-08285-3.  GRADES 6 – 8. ADDITIONAL.        

Simon and his family (seemingly white) move to the National Quiet Zone (for radio telescopes) where his mom runs the funeral home and his dad is the town’s Catholic deacon. Starting seventh grade in the middle of the school year is surprisingly easier than expected, with new friends who end up helping him through some difficult times related to Simon’s personal life over the past two years. Simon seems normal, but something about his past is different and difficult to talk about. It turns out that the past is extremely difficult—for him and readers—because he is the only survivor of a classroom shooting. Be aware of strong emotional scenes, alleviated by moments of hilarity that help the reader move past the traumatic PTSD scenes. Luckily, there is much more to the book than the PTSD, including an attempt to prank the radio astronomers.                                                                                      

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Patrick, Ella. Star Wars: Return of the Jedi: The Battle of Endor. TomatoFarm, Illus. Addl. Creators Powerstation Studios. World of Reading (level 2)Series. Disney, 03/2023. 32pp. Reader. Paper $4.99 978-1-368-09347-7. GRADES Kindergarten – 2. ADDITIONAL.

This reader introduces young readers to the Star Wars franchise with bright colorful illustrations alongside a few sentences of text per page. Cute Ewoks join the Jedi-led rebel forces in the fight against Darth Vader, the evil Emperor, and their death star.                                                                                                                    

Rachael Reiley—Hillcrest K-8 Oakland Unified School District

Flack, Roberta. Green Piano: How Little Me Found Music, The. Hayden Goodman, Illus. Addl. Creators Tonya Bolden;  Anne Schwartz, 01/2023. [36]pp. Biography. Trade $18.99 978-0-593-47987-2. GRADES Kindergarten – 2. OUTSTANDING.       

As a beautiful tribute to finding a love of music in childhood, Roberta Flack shares memories of her journey. Bolden and Flack create an elegant portrayal of Roberta’s early musical life well suited for younger audiences. With a piano rescued from a junkyard and the loving support of a musical family, young Roberta shares the smaller steps drawing her toward her standout career. Gouache paintings convey the feeling of both her journey and her music, with swirling, lyrical double-page, full-bleed spreads. Back matter shares photographs, career highlights, and a heartfelt personal statement, in which she encourages youth to overcome marginalization, to “find your own ‘green piano’ and … to put that beautiful music into the world.” Family and friends depicted and highlighted are African American.  In one deceptively simple picture book, a life full of depth is translated to a clear lyrical line of music for all to hear.                                                                                                     

Alexandre Petrakis—San Francisco Public Library

Thueson, Steve. Timothy Dinoman Saves the Cat. Steve Thueson, Illus. Timothy Dinoman Series; bk. 1. Graphic Universe, 10/2022. 192pp. Graphic PLB $30.65 978-1-7284-0177-5. Paper $19.99 978-1-7284-6309-4. GRADES 3 – 6. HIGH ADDITIONAL.

Agent Dinoman swings into action to stop a Bowman, criminal mastermind, from destroying the world via a satellite death ray. Dinoman, drawn as a human with green hands and a reptilian-like head, successfully thwarts Bowman after several action-packed scenes featuring various Bond- like gadgets and flash-bang fights. Various silly bits, including an ongoing one with Dinoman repeatedly chasing and rescuing the criminal’s cat, interject additional humor into the fast-paced story. Digitally illustrated comic pages with numerous color action panels keep the story engaging and rapidly moving from panel to panel. It’s easy to see the possibility of many more Dinoman action stories to come.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Barnett, Mac. Twenty Questions. Christian Robinson, Illus. Candlewick, 03/2023. [36]pp.  Picture Book. Trade $17.99. 978-1-5362-1513-7. GRADES Kindergarten – 3. HIGH ADDITIONAL.          

A series of open-ended questions make up this book that should inspire interesting conversations with primary grade students. For example, “Which of these fellows has a better singing voice?” is illustrated with two men with open mouths, but no other real way to determine the answer. The delightful, collage-style, mixed media artwork features bold figures on plain backgrounds of white or other solid color. The illustrations add humor, and in a few cases may lead a reader to guess a particular answer. The artwork features people of various racial identities, too. Reading a few of these questions would be a great icebreaker for a storytime or to lead off a class discussion.

Penny Peck—San Jose State University iSchool

Pallotta, Jerry, and Garnett, Sammie. US Coast Guard: Alphabet Book. Vickie Fraser, Illus. Charlesbridge, 09/2023. [30]pp. Non-Fiction. Trade $17.99. 978-1-57091-954-1.  GRADES Kindergarten – 4. HIGH ADDITIONAL.  

Snippets of information about the U.S. Coast Guard (history, ships, people, and operational duties) are presented alphabetically to readers, breaking topics into short, easy-to-digest pages. Each letter (“K” for knots, “L” for lighthouse, etc.) introduces a subject that is explained in a detailed paragraph with an accompanying illustration. Readers will gain an understanding of why the Coast Guard is important and may then want to explore any of the twenty-six topics further, although no resources or sources are provided. Mixed media illustrations run the gambit of look and feel, from historical paintings to reproductions of modern photographs and digitally designed diagrams, each of which enhances the understanding of the topic being explained. Good for those interested in ships or the Coast Guard.                       

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Barr, Catherine. Water: How We Can Protect Our Freshwater. Christiane Engel, Illus. Candlewick, 03/2023. 26pp. Non-Fiction. Trade $18.99 978-1-5362-2886-1. GRADES 1 – 4. ADDITIONAL.

Where does freshwater come from, what is it used for, and how can it be protected? Barr and Engel provide an engaging explanation of the whole water cycle, including the many ways in which humans use water. Engel’s mixed media illustrations provide a colorful, worldwide cast of people, animals, and ecosystems that support the text and present facts to inform the readers about the way of water in the world.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Gop, Becky Cushing. What Goes on Inside a Beaver Pond? Carrie Shryock, Illus. Storey, 08/2023. 48pp. Non-Fiction. Trade $18.99. 978-1-63586-527-1. GRADES 2 – 5. OUTSTANDING.    

A young beaver’s journey, leaving her family’s lodge and striking out to find her own home range, is exquisitely captured in captivating images and fact-filled descriptions. Detailed full-page landscapes, rendered in a soft palette of naturalistic colors, form the backdrop for close-up, comic-style panels. Brief, sans serif text blocks describe the action, including a wealth of informative detail about beavers and the other animals that inhabit their ecosystem. Sounds are represented, even the occasional beaver fart. A smattering of full-page spreads broadens the perspective – giving readers sweeping aerial views and cross-section sneak peeks. The book’s depth and detail invite close observation and encourage curiosity. Reviewed from a digital ARC.                                                                                                                       

MelissaMcAvoy—Retired

Boynton, Sandra. Woo Hoo! You’re Doing Great! Sandra Boynton, Illus. Little, Brown, 04/2023. [36]pp.  Picture Book. Trade $17.99. 978-0-316-48679-8.  GRADES Preschool – 1. OUTSTANDING.

A chicken insists she has the solution to the common problems of stress, lack of confidence, and insecurity. Everyone needs a friend who will cheer them on with a “Woo Hoo!” which is repeated several times and will get listeners to cheer along when used for storytime. Featuring Boynton’s signature full-color cartoon animals, from ballet dancing hippos to tuxedo-clad rhinos, the artwork adds to this joyous story. The direct rhyming text and the illustrations pair perfectly for a wide age range and the message is never heavy-handed.                                                                                                                       

Penny Peck—San Jose State University iSchool