Gravett, Emily. 10 Cats. Emily Gravett, Illus. Boxer, 05/2023. [28]pp. Picture Book. Trade $16.99. 978-1-914912-58-0. GRADES Preschool–2. HIGH ADDITIONAL.  

Beginning with a large white cat and nine kittens, this counting book also includes colors. Readers can point out the “1 white cat,” then look for “2 black cats,” and so on, while the cats play with cans of red, yellow, and blue paint. The secondary colors are also shown, reminiscent of Ellen Walsh’s Mouse Paint (Harcourt, 1989). The pencil and watercolor illustrations, set on stark white backgrounds, are cartoonish, adding humor to the very brief text. A great choice for storytime, and for practicing counting and colors.

Penny Peck—SJSU iSchool

Slater, Dashka. Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives It Changed. Macmillan/Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 08/2023. 496pp. Nonfiction. Trade $20.99. 978-0-374-31434-7. GRADES 6–12. OUTSTANDING.

Slater presents an account of the racist Instagram posts targeting Black girls by a Korean student at Albany High School in the Spring of 2017 and the reverberations throughout the town and school district when the posts were discovered. In a style similar to that of her previous work (The 57 Bus, 2017), Slater lays out the sequence of events after the discovery. The students who created and followed the site were initially suspended, but then brought in for a restorative justice session that went horribly wrong, resulting in a series of lawsuits against the school district. Slater creates a narrative pieced together from detailed research, including extensive interviews with the students who created the account, the students who were targeted by the account, school administrators and staff, parents, and other community members. Racism, toxic masculinity, Internet trolling, and bullying are all explored in this complex story of casual racism between kids who grew up with one another in a small, tight-knit, supposedly liberal community.

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

Armand, Glenda. All Aboard the Schooltrain: A Little Story from the Great Migration.
Keisha Morris, Illus. Scholastic, 01/2023. [48]pp. Picture Book. Trade $19.99. 978-1-338-76689-9. GRADES Preschool–3. OUTSTANDING.

In Jim Crow-era Vacherie, Louisiana, a young Black girl named Thelma loves trains and school and looks forward to the “schooltrain,” the students’ daily walk to school. Along the way, they are encouraged by their Black neighbors to get their educations, but are also jeered at by white students in a passing school bus. The reality of life under Jim Crow is woven throughout, but the focus is on the joy of the children learning and playing and dreaming of their futures, and the courageous resistance of their parents as they make plans to leave the South. The tissue paper collage illustrations created in Photoshop beautifully illustrate the exuberance of the children as they splash through puddles or pick berries while traveling on the schooltrain. The detailed author’s note tells the story of her own family’s migration to California, provides a detailed history of the Great Migration, and gives examples of Black achievement in many areas due to greater freedom and opportunity found in northern and western cities. Thelma’s father explains the term Jim Crow to her in a clear and accessible way, making this story a great introduction to the Great Migration for even very young children. Includes California-specific content.

Cindy Gullikson—Joaquin Miller School / Oakland Unified School District

Hazelwood, Ali. Check & Mate. G. P. Putnam, 11/2023. 368pp. Fiction. PLB $22.99. 978-0-593-69844-0. Paper $14.00. 978-0-593-61991-9. GRADES 10–12. OUTSTANDING.  

STEMinist romcom author Hazelwood successfully shifts into YA territory with this appealing romance set in the world of international chess. At fourteen, Mallory Greenleaf was a chess prodigy, but when her father left, she felt responsible and abandoned chess to look after her sick mother and two younger sisters. Four years later, Mallory is working as an auto mechanic but fate intervenes to bring her back to chess and she beats world champion, and broad-shouldered hottie, Nolan Sawyer, in a tournament. Driven by both her love of winning and her self-imposed obligations, Mallory continues to compete, and finds herself increasingly attracted to Nolan. Though Mallory is both bisexual and sex positive, her father’s departure has left her unprepared for a committed relationship. The author does a terrific job of explaining chess and chess tournaments as well as showing how sexist that world can be. While Mallory falls into the trope of teen-girl-blaming-herself-for-everything, she is a strong, thoughtful, and well-developed character (all characters present as white). A smart, witty, and youthful update of Walter Tevis’s The Queen’s Gambit (Random House, 1983).

Hayley Beale—SF University High School

Eggers, Dave. Eyes and the Impossible, The. Shawn Harris, Illus. Knopf, 05/2023. 256pp.
Fiction. Trade $18.99. 978-1-5247-6420-3. GRADES 2–6. OUTSTANDING.

This fast-paced read follows the adventures of Johannes, a free dog and a fast dog, who lives in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park where he is “the Eyes” for the Keepers of the Equilibrium—the three ancient resident bison. As “the Eyes,” he runs from the ocean to the eastern edge of the park every day and reports all that he sees back to the bison. A team made up of a wise seagull, a one-eyed squirrel, a pelican, and a raccoon assist Johannes, and the ducks . . . well, the ducks are no help at all. Every day Johannes has to avoid humans who would capture him and put him on a leash, as well as park employees who are looking for a wild coyote. He is also magically mesmerized by the strange rectangles that are being installed around the newly constructed de Young museum. A short captivity followed by a daring escape leads him to create an impossible plan that will change the equilibrium for all the animals in the park. The voice of Johannes is exhilarating, and the story unfolds with perfect pacing. The illustrations are of classical landscape paintings (all listed in the back matter) with Johannes seamlessly added by artist Shawn Harris.

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

Katz, Susan B. Famous Ghosts. Lightning Bolt Books: That’s Scary! Lerner, 08/2023. 24pp. Nonfiction. PLB $29.32. 978-1-7284-9114-1. Paper $9.99. 979-8765603284. GRADES 1–3. LOW ADDITIONAL.           

SERIES REVIEW: Please see Ghost Hunters by Emma Carlson-Berne for the series review.

Penny Peck—SJSU iSchool

Brockenbrough, Martha. Frank and the Masked Cat. Jon Lau, Illus. Levine Querido, 4/2023. 50pp. Fiction. Trade $14.99. 978-1-64614-242-2. GRADES 1–3. ADDITIONAL.       

Frank, a house cat, swoons over a “masked cat” he spied outside while waiting for Sunny the  dog to come home. Frank thinks of nothing but the “masked cat” and writes a love letter that he delivers the next evening. Fast-moving text, divided into eight easy chapters, pairs with variously-sized poster color paint illustrations depicting Frank, Sunny, and Cap’n Keith (a parrot), as well as the “cat” who readers will quickly realize is obviously not a cat. Readers progressing into transitional chapter books will enjoy this story, especially knowing just how wrong Frank is.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Schaefer, Lola M. Geology. Druscilla Santiago, Illus. Hands-On Science. Charlesbridge, 10/2023. [38]pp. Nonfiction. Trade $16.99. 978-1-62354-244-3. GRADES Kindergarten–2. OUTSTANDING.

How often are authors able to make a science book, especially one about geology, exciting and engaging? Not often, but Schaefer certainly succeeded. This basic, straightforward, and interactive storyline guides young readers through many geologic terms and concepts, while actions like tracing the river (resulting in a canyon) or slamming the book closed (striking rocks to make fire) brings the reader (or audience) into the journey of what geology is. Types of rocks, their origins, and uses are readily and succinctly described in understandable and fun ways. Great for reading aloud with a small group and introducing geologic terms and concepts to younger readers.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Carlson-Berne, Emma. Ghost Hunters. Lightning Bolt Books: That’s Scary!. Lerner, 08/2023. 24pp. Nonfiction. PLB $29.32. 978-1-7284-9115-8. Paper $9.99. 979-8765603291. GRADES 1–3. LOW ADDITIONAL.        

SERIES REVIEW: Using a very simple text and just a few vague examples, this series examines paranormal disturbances. In Ghost Hunters, teams that explore ghost sightings use night vision technology and video and audio recordings to try and determine if there is paranormal activity. In Haunted Dolls, reportedly haunted dolls and puppets from around the world, in folklore, and in literature are described. Famous Ghosts also briefly lists legendary ghosts in several countries and those in literature. The full-color photos are the most impactful aspects of these minimal presentations, but a few photos don’t really relate to what they are illustrating. Although this series focuses on a popular topic, these don’t contain enough information for research or reports, but some libraries may want to purchase due to the subject. Back matter includes an index, glossary, and list of related websites.

Penny Peck—SJSU iSchool

Katz, Susan B. Haunted Dolls. Lightning Bolt Books: That’s Scary! Lerner, 08/2023. 24pp. Nonfiction. PLB $29.32. 978-1-7284-9116-5. Paper $9.99. 979-8765603307. GRADES 1–3. LOW ADDITIONAL.           

SERIES REVIEW: Please see Ghost Hunters by Emma Carlson-Berne for the series review.

Penny Peck—SJSU iSchool

Sullivan, Kathryn D. How to Spacewalk: Step-by-Step with Shuttle Astronauts. Michael J. Rosen, Illus. Addl. Creators Michael J. Rosen. Mit Kids, 4/2023. 45pp. Nonfiction. Trade $19.99. 978-1-5362-2621-8. GRADES 3–5. ADDITIONAL.

Readers hear from astronaut Kathryn Sullivan about her experiences as an astronaut and what it was like to be the first American woman to walk in space. She covers everything from how astronauts are selected, to the training they go through, and what it is like to be in space (both inside the space shuttle and outside with only a spacesuit). Includes a few photos from Sullivan, plus many NASA-provided images, as well as some ink and pastel illustrations by Rosen, who also cowrote the book. Interesting, easy-to-understand text shows readers how anyone could become an astronaut, as well as how much hard work it takes to go up into space.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Rosen, Michael. I Am Hungry. Robert Starling, Illus. Candlewick, 07/2023. [28]pp. Picture Book. Trade $14.99. 978-1-5362-2510-5. GRADES Baby/Toddler–1. HIGH ADDITIONAL.           

A squirrel describes all the things it could eat, real and imaginary, including popcorn, peas, a frying pan, and “a bit of the moon.” The brief rhyming text includes repetition that will engage a toddler storytime audience, who can suggest other things that the squirrel might eat. The brightly colored, mixed media cartoonish illustrations feature close-up focus on the squirrel and the items, all set on stark white backgrounds. With just a few words per page set down in a large typeface, emergent readers can guess much of the text because it contains the words for the food items. This is the sequel to I Am Angry (2021), and the third book in the series, I Am Happy!, is scheduled for release in December 2023.

Penny Peck—SJSU iSchool

Waters, Charles. Mascot. Addl. Creators Traci Sorell. Charlesbridge, 09/2023. 256pp.
Fiction. Trade $17.99. 978-1-62354-380-8. GRADES 5–9. OUTSTANDING.

This novel in verse by Native American award-winning authors Sorell and Waters follows six students living in a DC suburb in their final year of middle school. The students are given an assignment by their English teacher, an African American woman, to do a persuasive writing and oration project on the pros and cons of Indigenous people as sports mascots. As the multi-racial group of students research and grapple with the issue, the entire town is also debating school mascots in response to walkouts protesting the local high school football team mascot, the Braves. In short verse segments, each of the six students confront their own personal relationship to the school mascot as well as to race and racism in general. The sparse and concise writing conveys depth and emotion about this relevant and timely topic.

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

Parrott-Ryan, Maria. Mysterious Glowing Mammals: An Unexpected Discovery Sparks a Scientific Investigation. Lerner/Millbrook, 9/2023. 56pp. Nonfiction. Trade $33.32. 978-1-7284-6041-3. GRADES 5–8. HIGH ADDITIONAL.

How and why do scientists decide to study something? Readers will see the process in action as they follow Jonathan Martin, a scientist in Wisconsin, through an inadvertent discovery and investigation. He notices something unexpected (UV light made a flying squirrel glow), which sparks his quest to see if other flying squirrels glow, and why. Martin recruits several other scientists at his college, including a chemist, who help determine what to study, how to be sure they look at the right details, and how their study expands to include other similar animals (springhares and platypuses). Fascinating photographs of the animals’ bioluminescence and the scientists’ procedures demonstrate the scientific process in action.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Wynter, Anne. Nell Plants a Tree. Daniel Miyares, Illus. Harper Collins/Brazer & Bray, 01/2023. 40pp. Picture Book. Trade $17.99. 978-0-06-286577-9. GRADES Kindergarten–3. OUTSTANDING.        

Long ago, Nell planted a seed and now a pecan tree has grown, providing a special place for her large and loving family to explore and enjoy. This clever, well-constructed story depicts Nell, as a young girl, finding a seed, nurturing a sprout, digging a hole, and watering the young sapling. Scenes of the past are interwoven with the present day as various family members find a bird’s nest in the tree, read a book while leaning against the trunk, and dine al fresco under the boughs. The gentle verse conveys the relationship between Nell’s actions and today’s bounty:  “. . . before anyone finds how high they can climb, Nell picks up a seed.” Illustrations in luminous fall colors provide a perfect complement to the text, bringing the story full circle as Nell, now the matriarch of a multi-generational family, shows her granddaughter how to plant her own seed. All characters have brown skin. Readers will want to return to the pages more than once to track changes in the tree and people over time.

Jenny Andrus—Independent

Crowe, Caroline. Our Incredible Library Book, and the Wonderful Journeys It Took. John Joseph, Illus. Floris, 04/2023. [36]pp. Picture Book. Trade $17.95. 978-1-78250-741-3. GRADES Preschool–2. HIGH ADDITIONAL.        

The many journeys of one library book are the focus of this rhyming tale. Each child who checks it out is named and what happened to the book is described, such as getting wet or misplaced. Many will relate to the events, often humorous, such as spilling a beverage on a book, or reading it to a younger sibling. The full-color illustrations show children and library workers and visitors of different ethnicities, and the library itself is large and inviting. Astute observers will notice book jackets of real books featured in the illustrations. A great choice for sharing during library field trip visits. First published in the UK in 2022.

Penny Peck—SJSU iSchool

Simon, Jazmyn. Repeat After Me: Big Things to Say Every Day. Shamar Knight-Justice, Illus. Addl. Creators Dule Hill. Random, 05/2023. [32]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-0-593-42697-5. GRADES Preschool–2. HIGH ADDITIONAL.    

In this unusual picture book, each spread contains an affirmation to promote a child’s self-esteem, paired with a four- to six-line rhyme relating to the quality mentioned in the affirmation. For example: “I am BRAVE. You are courageous, gutsy, and a little bit daring—and sometimes your bravery means being kind and caring.” Black children are the main characters depicted in the full-color, digitally-created illustrations, but classmates of other ethnicities are represented, too. Parents looking for books that will help their children with social and emotional learning may be the main audience for this. It will partner well with Christian Robinson’s You Matter (Atheneum, 2020).

Penny Peck—SJSU iSchool

Neuschwander, Cindy. Sir Cumference and the 100 Percent Goose Chase: Percentages: A Math Adventure. Wayne Geehan, Illus. Sir Cumference; bk. 12. Charlesbridge, 10/2023. 32pp. Picture Book. Trade $17.99. 978-1-62354-320-4. Paper $7.99. 978-1-62354-321-1. GRADES 2–5. ADDITIONAL. 

Young Percilla must deliver the family geese to the various villagers who have already paid for them, but some geese get lost along the way. So she must figure out what percentage of the leftover geese should go to each person. The medieval setting and characters add an interesting element to the story. The full-color acrylic paintings that illustrate the story have a fuzzy quality, as if they are in soft focus, and are pleasant but just serviceable. Teachers and homeschoolers will find the books in this series helpful to introduce math concepts. The end note describes how to calculate percentages; this series began in 1997 with Sir Cumference and the First Round Table.

Penny Peck—SJSU iSchool

Tullet, Hervé. Tap! Tap! Tap! Dance! Dance! Dance! Hervé Tullet, Illus. Chronicle/Handprint, 05/2023. [60]pp. Picture Book. Trade $19.99. 978-1-7972-2146-5. GRADES Baby/Toddler–Kindergarten. HIGH ADDITIONAL.      

Featuring board covers and plastic-coated pages, this large picture book encourages the child to physically interact with the story, similar to Tullet’s Press Here (2011). The idea is for the reader to let their fingers dance across the pages, tapping dots on the page, or swirling their hands over the pages. The illustrations have stark white backgrounds, and handprints, dots, loops, or other lines of yellow, red, and blue, resembling fingerpainting. The text is directive, instructing the child to touch the page and move their hand: “Put your hand here and WHOOOOSH! Circle around the page three times…” Although this is not as original as Tullet’s earlier books, it will be popular and useful for smaller storytimes and one-on-one sharing.

Penny Peck—SJSU iSchool

Schu, John. This Is a Story. Lauren Castillo, Illus. Candlewick, 03/2023. [40]pp. Picture Book. Trade $17.99. 978-1-5362-0452-0. GRADES Preschool–2. OUTSTANDING.  

In this picture book with repetition, a young girl visits the public library and sees a world of information and imagination. With just one sentence per spread, the library and reading are celebrated in a way toddlers will understand. The children in the library represent various ethnic groups, and the full-color ink, watercolor, and pastel illustrations present the library as a warm and welcoming place. There are many actual books shown in the artwork and these titles are listed at the end, so families may be inspired to check out these books. This is a great choice to read to children visiting the library on a field trip to obtain their first library cards. A welcome follow-up to Schu’s This is a School (2022).

Penny Peck—SJSU iSchool

Avery, Jaha Nailah. Those Who Saw the Sun: African American Oral Histories from the Jim Crow South. Levine Querido, 7/2023. 288pp. Nonfiction. Trade $19.99. 978-1-64614-244-6. GRADES 9–Adult. ADDITIONAL.        

Ten first-hand accounts from Black people of what life was like in the South during the Jim Crow era are presented in a free-flowing, interview-style format. Each person talks about life when they were growing up; the types of problems they encountered; what the civil rights era was like for them; and their reflections on integration and life since, including discussions about the Black Lives Matter movement. Enlightening and informative, this title would support high school lessons about civil rights, Jim Crow, and the struggles for appropriate treatment of Black Americans. A fascinating read full of details that everyone should know more about. Review based on an ARC.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Becker, Aaron. Tree and the River, The. Aaron Becker, Illus. Candlewick, 03/2023. [32]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-1-5362-2329-3. GRADES 1–4. HIGH ADDITIONAL.          

Time stops for no one and nothing as we experience Aaron Becker’s lens on the life cycle of one tree and the river that bear witness to this unassailable progression. In Becker’s wordless world, homes are built, animals thrive, and people display their mastery over the elements. Or do they? As the pages turn, the tree grows alongside the human-made technology as the house becomes a village, that becomes a town, that becomes a city, that overwhelms the land. Ultimately, the tree we first see is unrecognizable and struggling to survive as the world around it implodes. Hope is not lost as acorns are carried on the river to a new spot, where the cycle of life begins again. Becker creates his world using pencil, gouache, and digital paint, meticulously detailing each stage of progress and change until nature is once again left to her own devices. This book is a devastatingly beautiful story of the relationship between technological advancement and nature, its consequences, and the reconciliation when nature reclaims her space. A conversation starter for the very young, as well as a way to connect climate change to elementary-level units on current events.

Pauline Harris—San Francisco Public Library

Kaiser, Brianna. Weird Animals. Alternator Books: Wonderfully Weird. Lerner, 08/2023. 32pp. Nonfiction. PLB $30.65. 978-1-7284-9070-0. Paper $10.99. 979-8765604090. GRADES 3–5. ADDITIONAL.        

SERIES REVIEW: Please see Weird Places by Jackie Golusky for the series review.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Golusky, Jackie. Weird Places. Alternator Books: Wonderfully Weird. Lerner, 08/2023. 32pp. Nonfiction. PLB $30.65. 978-1-7284-9071-7. Paper $10.99. 979-8765604106. GRADES 3–5. ADDITIONAL.        

SERIES REVIEW: Each of these series titles introduces readers to a variety of “weird” places, animals, plants, sports, weather, or things in space. They talk about a number of unusual topics related to the given title’s subject, with trivia-like information from many parts of the world. Most weird things have pictures and a paragraph of information associated with them, but some topics (at least in plants, animals, or places) are only briefly mentioned and lack a picture to show the reader what is being talked about. A useful way to explore the more uncommon aspects of our world.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Kaiser, Brianna. Weird Plants. Alternator Books: Wonderfully Weird. Lerner, 08/2023. 32pp. Nonfiction. PLB $30.65. 978-1-7284-9072-4. Paper $10.99. 979-8765604113. GRADES 3–5. ADDITIONAL.        

SERIES REVIEW: Please see Weird Places by Jackie Golusky for the series review.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Wong, Jack. When You Can Swim. Jack Wong, Illus. Orchard, 05/2023. [44]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-1-338-83096-5. GRADES Kindergarten–3. OUTSTANDING.       

Recipient of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, this lovely picture book begins with a parent telling a child that once they learn to swim, they can explore the ocean and other areas of nature. Using the repeated phrase, “When you can swim…” to open most of the text passages, this describes how much joy there can be in knowing how to swim. For example, “When you can swim, we’ll set our sights on that little island where I know the blueberries are sweetest every summer.” The pastel and watercolor illustrations use earth tones, and resemble pastel chalk artwork. Different parent and child pairs are shown, representing a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The book concludes with an author’s note describing his early fear of swimming and how swimming is not common in certain cultural groups.

Penny Peck—SJSU iSchool

Bernstein, Ariel. You Go First. Marc Rosenthal, Illus. S&S/Paula Wiseman, 06/2023. [44]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-1-6659-1151-1. GRADES Preschool–2. HIGH ADDITIONAL.       

Friends Cat and Duck arrive at the playground and see the new corkscrew slide—are they brave enough to try it out? Duck cannot wait but Cat is more cautious, asking “Duck, is this safe for you?” This is a humorous way of addressing fears and will be useful for social and emotional learning. There is repetition in the text that will grab young listeners, and the story is very relatable. The full-color illustrations are achieved using colored pencil and digital colors, depicting a variety of animals at the park wearing human clothing.

Penny Peck—SJSU iSchool