Each month we post an annotated bibliography of books that were rated ‘Outstanding’ and nominated for our Distinguished List at our previous month’s meeting. Members can see full reviews of these books and many more in the October edition of BayViews. Not a member? Join, come to our monthly meetings, and hear about these Outstanding books in person!
PICTURE BOOKS
First Laugh – Welcome Baby! written by Tahe, Rose Ann and Flood, Nancy Bo and illustrated by Nelson, Jonathan; Charlesbridge, 2018.
First Laugh – Welcome Baby! follows one Indigenous family as a new baby is welcomed into their multigenerational, urban and rural lives. Tahe’s final book should find a home in the children’s collections of public libraries as well as preschool and grammar school classroom libraries. (Grades PreK-2.)
Mixed: A Colorful Story written and illustrated by Chung, Arree; Henry Holt/Macmillan, 2018.
Red, Yellow and Blue live peacefully together until Reds insist they are the best, Yellows react by proclaiming their superiority, and Blues are too smug to respond. They become more and more polarized until Yellow and Blue fall in love and the colors begin mixing with gorgeous outcomes. (K-3.)
This is My Eye: A New York Story written and illustrated by Vaswani, Neela; Candlewick, 2018.
Colorful, full page photographs capture the essence of urban living as seen through the eyes of a child. Buildings, bridges, flowers, street art, produce, and people are celebrated in this unique collection of images bursting with positive energy. (PreK-3.)
We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga written by Sorell, Traci and illustrated by Lessac, Frané; Charlesbridge, 2018.
Celebrates the cycle of a Cherokee community’s year in the modern era while also including allusions to their history. Traci Sorell’s first book would be a welcome addition to preschool/grammar school classroom libraries as well as to public libraries. (PreK-3.)
You’re Safe With Me written by Soundar, Chitra and illustrated by Mistry, Poonam; Lantana Global, 2018.
Intricate and beautiful illustrations seamlessly blend with the heartwarming text in a bedtime story where frightened baby animals in an Indian forest find comfort in the words and hugs of wise Mama Elephant, who explains the stormy weather in calming ways. (PreK-K.)
FICTION
The Book of Boy written by Murdock, Catherine Gilbert; Greenwillow/HarperCollins, 2018.
Set in 1350 Italy, this first-person narrative of Boy, an orphan warned by a priest to never show anyone the hump on his back, depicts a bullied child who prays to be a normal (i.e. not disfigured) boy. A surprising twist happens when Boy actually touches the hump on his back for the first time. (4-8.)
The Button War: A Tale of the Great War written by Avi; Candlewick, 2018.
In 1914 Poland, an innocent game among Patryk and his friends of who can steal the best button from a soldier’s uniform spins out of control and puts them all in danger. Well-crafted and paced, Avi’s latest pulls no punches with its harrowing depictions of peer pressure and the horrors of war. (4-8.)
Merci Suárez Changes Gears written by Medina, Meg; Candlewick, 2018.
Merci Suárez navigates the trials and tribulations of middle school and life with her extended family with humor and compassion in this coming-of-age middle school novel. (4-6.)
GRAPHIC NOVELS
Puerto Rico Strong: A Comics Anthology Supporting Puerto Rico Disaster Relief and Recovery edited by Lopez, Marco et. al; Lion Forge, 2018.
This benefit collection of short comics pays homage to the people, culture, and history of Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria. Each comic, unique in art and perspective, offers a glimpse into the complexities of the island, though after 200+ pages these stories can begin to blend together. (9-Adult.)
NONFICTION
Death Eaters: Meet Nature’s Scavengers written by Halls, Kelly Milner; Millbrook, 2018.
Without death eaters the earth would be awash in billions of years worth of corpses. Lots of color photographs, well-organized chapters, side bars and copious back matter add heft and interest to the intriguing and satisfyingly disturbing information. (3-7.)
BIOGRAPHY
Born Criminal: Matilda Joslyn Gage, Radical Suffragist written by Carpenter, Angelica Shirley; South Dakota Historical Society, 2018.
Although most will be unfamiliar with Gage they will breeze through this due to the author’s charming writing style; most will also learn a great deal about the first century of the women’s rights movement in the U.S., since Gage was just as involved as the better known Stanton or Anthony. (7-12.)
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