Ranch, Jeri. Ankylosaurus: A First Look. Read for a Better World: Read About Dinosaurs. Lerner, 08/2023. 24pp. Nonfiction. PLB $29.32. 978-1-7284-9133-2. Paper $10.99. 979-8765603451. GRADES Preschool–2. ADDITIONAL.          

SERIES REVIEW: Brief series titles introduce a specific dinosaur, one per each of the six titles. This reviewer read four of the titles: Ankylosaurus, Brachiosaurus, Compsognathus, and Pachycephalosaurus. Short sentences with mostly simple words combine with a mixture of life-like digital illustrations and a few fossil photographs. Each title includes a comparison with a modern animal (and a photograph), plus a very short photo glossary and index. Also included are questions for adults to use with the reader before, during, and after reading the book, each of which helps the reader explore more about the topics.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Ranch, Jeri. Brachiosaurus: A First Look. Read for a Better World: Read About Dinosaurs. Lerner, 08/2023. 24pp. Nonfiction. PLB $29.32. 978-1-7284-9132-5. Paper $10.99. 979-8765603468. GRADES Preschool–2. ADDITIONAL.          

SERIES REVIEW: Please see Ankylosaurus: A First Look by Jeri Ranch for the series review.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

McCloskey, Kevin. Caterpillars: What Will I Be When I Get to Be Me? Kevin McCloskey, Illus. Toon Into Reading Level 1: Giggle and Learn. Toon/Astra, 07/2023. 34pp. Nonfiction. Trade $13.99. 978-1-6626-6508-0. GRADES Kindergarten–5. HIGH ADDITIONAL.

The process by which caterpillars morph into moths or butterflies is explained simply but clearly, in a way that will appeal to a wide age range. Formatted like a comic book or graphic novel, the acrylic and gouache full-color paintings are set on a variety of colored paper backgrounds, showing children of various ethnicities interacting with caterpillars. The text uses just a sentence or two per spread but is augmented by dialogue balloons, explaining concepts such as the difference between a chrysalis and a cocoon. There are also simple diagrams of the body parts of caterpillars and butterflies. Even though this is part of the Toon Books series of graphic beginning readers, it may be most useful if shelved with the nonfiction butterfly books.

Penny Peck—SJSU iSchool

Ranch, Jeri. Compsognathus: A First Look. Read for a Better World: Read About Dinosaurs. Lerner, 08/2023. 24pp. Nonfiction. PLB $29.32. 978-1-7284-9136-3. Paper $10.99. 979-8765603475. GRADES Preschool–2. ADDITIONAL.          

SERIES REVIEW: Please see Ankylosaurus: A First Look by Jeri Ranch for the series review.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Matson, Morgan. Firefly Summer, The. Simon & Schuster, 05/2023. 400pp. Fiction. Trade $18.99. 978-1-5344-9335-3. GRADES 4–7. HIGH ADDITIONAL.         

When Ryanna visits a summer camp once run by her grandparents, the seventh grader meets a group of previously unknown relatives and learns more about her mother, who died when she was a toddler. Family drama and a mysterious treasure map add layers to an engaging tale full of summertime fun, including canoeing, cook-outs, and games. Ryanna is a determined and sympathetic character, although some secondary characters are less fully developed. She and her grandparents present as white. Her newly found extended family includes relatives who are Black and South Asian, along with a set of loving gay uncles. With the door left open for a sequel, this book will be enjoyed by readers of series such as Silver Sisters (Howland, Harper Collins, 2015) and The Penderwicks (Birdsell, Knopf, 2009).

Jenny Andrus—Independent

Michalak, Jamie. Frank and Bean: The Stinky Feet Monster. Bob Kolar, Illus. Frank and Bean; bk. 3. Candlewick, 09/2023. [48]pp. Reader. Trade $16.99. 978-1-5362-2546-4. GRADES 1–3. HIGH ADDITIONAL.        

Frank, a hot dog, and Bean, a bean, trek through the woods searching for the legendary Stinky Feet Monster in this humorous four-chapter beginning reader. They discover a monster who sells stinky cheese, but it is Bean who is the stinky one after getting sprayed by a skunk. Third in the series, this title stands alone well; one does not need to read the earlier books to appreciate this lively duo. Each spread contains brightly-colored digital cartoon artwork that has an airbrushed look, showing the story’s action and characters in a way that can assist a reader with some of the vocabulary. The text is set down in approximately ten lines per spread, using a large typeface and plenty of white space, at a reading level similar to Lobel’s Frog and Toad series. The text has repetition and some onomatopoeia, which will help emergent readers feel successful as they go through the book.

Penny Peck—SJSU iSchool

Barnett, Mac. How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? Jon Klassen, Illus. Candlewick,
09/2023. [32]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-1-5362-2376-7. GRADES Preschool–3.
HIGH ADDITIONAL.

Many children (especially in the United States) have wondered how Santa gets down the chimney on his many Christmas Eve visits. Does he go down head first or feet first? Does he use night vision goggles? This charming story offers several possibilities without really answering the title question, because who knows? The full-color graphite and ink artwork depicts a tan-skinned Santa in his usual red suit, visiting a house with a TV antenna. He is assisted by reindeer who stand on two feet, drinking hot cocoa from mugs while they ponder the situation. Both the text and the artwork have a subtle, dry humor that will resonate with children and parents alike and inspire yearly holiday readings.

Penny Peck—SJSU iSchool

Markle, Sandra. Jackals: Nature’s Cleanup Crew. Animal Scavengers in Action. Lerner, 08/2023. 32pp. Nonfiction. PLB $30.65. 978-1-7284-7668-1. Paper $10.99. 978-1-7284-9991-8. GRADES 3–5. HIGH ADDITIONAL.        

SERIES REVIEW: Learn all about scavengers in these engaging animal titles that cover the valuable roles of vultures, wolverines, Tasmanian devils, and jackals in the food chain. Each series title covers a specific animal, explaining what they eat, how they find their food, and how they reproduce and care for their young. Engaging photos and text provide enough details to be interesting without overwhelming elementary readers, who will walk away feeling like they really know something about the animals and their place in life. Each includes a glossary and index.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Avila, Lorraine. Making of Yolanda La Bruja, The. Levine Querido, 04/2023. 384pp. Fiction. Trade $19.99. 978-1-64614-243-9. GRADES 9–12. ADDITIONAL.       

Yolanda, a Black girl with Dominican Republic heritage, feels at home at her high school in the Bronx, until a white boy transfers in and she begins getting bad feelings and visions about him. Her bruja (mystical) heritage gives her visions of the boy possibly becoming violent, and she struggles with what she can do about it. The plot builds slowly but becomes very emotional and engaging when an incident of gun violence devastates Yolanda and her community. For non-Spanish speakers it’s not always clear from the context what the Spanish words, phrases, and sentences mean. But readers from all backgrounds will find this vivid depiction of Dominican mysticism compelling, and Yolanda’s whirlwind of emotions will keep them engaged until the dramatic ending. Review based on an ARC.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Ranch, Jeri. Pachycephalosaurus: A First Look. Read for a Better World: Read About Dinosaurs. Lerner, 08/2023. 24pp. Nonfiction. PLB $29.32. 978-1-7284-9135-6. Paper $10.99. 979-8765603482. GRADES Preschool–2. ADDITIONAL.    

SERIES REVIEW: Please see Ankylosaurus: A First Look by Jeri Ranch for the series review.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Heavenrich, Sue. Pie That Molly Grew, The. Chamisa Kellogg, Illus. Sleeping Bear, 08/2023. [28]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-1-53411-184-4. GRADES Preschool–3. HIGH ADDITIONAL.

Molly grows pumpkins and makes a pumpkin pie in this charming story that also conveys facts about the process. Using the folktale The House That Jack Built for inspiration, the cumulative text shows how to grow a pumpkin step by step: from seed, to sprout, to vine, to flower, to the final pumpkin. The full-color illustrations resemble gouache paintings, showing Molly and her family with tan skin and dark brown hair and eyes, and her neighbors of various ethnicities. The book ends with a pumpkin pie recipe and information on the bees needed to pollinate the seeds. This works well for storytime or other group readalouds due to the cumulative text. Teachers could use this to inspire a classroom project on seeds.

Penny Peck—SJSU iSchool

DiCamillo, Kate. Puppets of Spelhorst, The. Julie Morstad, Illus. Norendy Tales; bk. 1. Candlewick, 10/2023. 150pp. Fiction. Trade $17.99. 978-1-5362-1675-2. GRADES 2–5. HIGH ADDITIONAL.

Five puppets are given to two young sisters by their uncle, and each of the puppets faces challenges before they come back together in this unusual novel for those moving into chapter books. The puppets are a boy with a bow and arrows, a girl, an owl, a king, and a wolf. The heightened storytelling style suits the Victorian setting and time period, with somewhat formal language. The chapters include spot artwork every few pages, done in pencil, which helps distinguish the historical setting and shows the characters as white. Teachers will find this a great readaloud, and the class can reenact the puppet show that occurs near the end of the book. The first in the Norendy Tales, this series of original fairy tales will be written by DiCamillo but will be illustrated by different artists.

Penny Peck—SJSU iSchool

Brown, Keah. Secret Summer Promise, The. Levine Querido, 06/2023. 304pp. Fiction. Trade $19.99. 978-1-64614-173-9. GRADES 9–12. HIGH ADDITIONAL.   

Andrea and her high school friends have planned out The Best Summer Ever. Of course, friend issues and romances cause problems, but eventually complications smooth out and Andrea ends up with everything she hoped for. Andrea is Black, bisexual, has cerebral palsy, and is in love with her best friend but doesn’t want to ruin their friendship by acting on her feelings. Her ethnically diverse friends and her parents are very supportive and encouraging. Readers will experience all of the characters’ messy emotions along with them as they develop an understanding of themselves, their sexuality, and their friendships. While the end is a bit neat and tidy, there’s a lot that happens to get there. Review based on an ARC.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Burgess, Tamika. Sincerely Sicily. Harper/Collins, 01/2023. 304pp. Fiction. Trade $17.99. 978-0-0631-5960-0. GRADES 4–7. ADDITIONAL.         

Sicily longs to go to the same middle school as her squad of friends but instead must attend a school closer to home. She is hurt and embarrassed when new classmates laugh and question her identity: “If your family is from Panama and they speak Spanish, why are you Black?” Through the course of the story, Sicily finds a powerful way to answer that question, leaning into her heritage and finding her voice as a writer in the process. Readers will gravitate towards this smart and resilient sixth grader, who loves hanging out with friends and styling hair. Content-heavy journal entries about Afro-Panamanian history tend to slow the pace, adding a didactic tone to an otherwise compelling story. Sicily describes herself as having dark brown skin; her best friends are Filipino and mixed race.

Jenny Andrus—Independent

Nelson, Vaunda Micheaux. Small Shoes, Great Strides: How Three Brave Girls Opened
Doors to School Equality. Alex Bostic, Illus. Lerner/Carolrhoda, 11/2023. [40]pp. Picture
Book. Trade $19.99. 978-1-7284-1923-7. GRADES 2–6. OUTSTANDING.

Ten minutes before Ruby Bridges entered William Frantz School in New Orleans and became the face of Louisiana school integration, three Black girls accompanied by U.S. Marshals entered McDonough 19 School across town. Their names were Leona Tate, Tessie Prevost, and Gail Etienne. Through extensive research including interviews with the McDonough Three themselves, Nelson shines a light on the important but overlooked roles these pioneers played in making Louisiana school integration a reality. The detailed text pairs well with Bostic’s luminous acrylic on board paintings to take the reader into the daily lives of the three girls in their first grade year as they are taught in a nearly empty classroom, have lunch under a stairwell for safety, and return to homes guarded by round-the-clock police patrols. Brown paper collage backgrounds evoke the window coverings that the school placed to protect those inside from the angry mob outside. Back matter is comprehensive, though text-heavy for young readers, and includes a glossary, bibliography, websites, and historical photos. This is a lengthy and engaging picture book that would work well as a readaloud over several sessions in a classroom.

Cindy Gullikson—Joaquin Miller School, Oakland Unified School District

Light, Steve. Spider Named Itsy, A. Steve Light, Illus. Candlewick. 09/2023. [32]pp. Picture
Book. Trade $18.99. 978-1-5362-2529-7. GRADES Preschool–2. HIGH ADDITIONAL.

After Itsy’s house is destroyed, he sets his sights on a new home, under the eaves near the top of
the waterspout. The brief text has a clipped, staccato style: “Must get going! Wind is blowing!”
Using a rhyming text and the original fingerplay for inspiration, this serves as an origin story of
why Itsy went up the spout, and a celebration of Itsy’s resilience. The ink and watercolor
illustrations set on stark white backgrounds have a retro quality, with Itsy wearing spats and a
bowler hat, reminiscent of 1930s cartoon characters. A great choice for storytime when paired
with the original fingerplay rhyme.

Penny Peck—SJSU iSchool

Markle, Sandra. Tasmanian Devils: Nature’s Cleanup Crew. Animal Scavengers in Action. Lerner, 08/2023. 32pp. Nonfiction. PLB $30.65. 978-1-7284-7669-8. Paper $10.99. 978-1-7284-9992-5. GRADES 3–5. HIGH ADDITIONAL.

SERIES REVIEW: Please see Jackals: Nature’s Cleanup Crew by Sandra Markle for the series review.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Markle, Sandra. Vultures: Nature’s Cleanup Crew. Animal Scavengers in Action. Lerner, 08/2023. 32pp. Nonfiction. PLB $30.65. 978-1-7284-7670-4. Paper $10.99. 978-1-7284-9993-2. GRADES 3–5. HIGH ADDITIONAL.        

SERIES REVIEW: Please see Jackals: Nature’s Cleanup Crew by Sandra Markle for the series review.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Markle, Sandra. Wolverines: Nature’s Cleanup Crew. Animal Scavengers in Action. Lerner, 08/2023. 32pp. Nonfiction. PLB $30.65. 978-1-7284-7671-1. Paper $10.99. 978-1-7284-9994-9. GRADES 3–5. HIGH ADDITIONAL.        

SERIES REVIEW: Please see Jackals: Nature’s Cleanup Crew by Sandra Markle for the series review.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library