Blog Entries

14 cows for America (informational picture book)
The Abandoned Lighthouse (chapter book)
Before John was a jazz giant: A Song of John Coltrane (picture book biography)
Biblioburro: a True Story from Colombia (picture book biography)
Click (magazine)
The Big Wet Balloon (comic)
Binky the Space Cat (comic)
Demolition (picture book)
DK Find Out! (educational database website)
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus (DVD)
Dory Fantasmagory (chapter book)
Eating the Alphabet (board book)
Endless Alphabet (app)
Firefly July: a Year of very Short Poems (poetry)
George and Martha (read along book and CD)
Green is a Chili Pepper: a Book of Colors (concept book)
Hey Jack! The Scary Solo (chapter book)
Hogwash (wordless book)
Home (picture book)
Hondo and Fabian (picture book)
How do you Feed a Hungry Giant (toy book)
How Many Jelly Beans (informational picture book)
How did that get in my lunchbox? The Story of Food (informational picture book)
Lifetime: The Amazing Numbers in Animal Lives (informational picture book)
Locomotive (informational picture book)
Look! A Book! (toy book)
Malala, a brave girl from Pakistan/Iqbal, a brave boy from Pakistan (picture book biography)

Maria had a Little Llama (picture book)

Mighty Machines (DVD)

Murilla Gorilla (chapter book)

Muzzy Online (language learning website)

National Geographic Little Kids (magazine)

Nino Wrestles the World (picture book)

Part-time Princess (picture book)

Plants by Tinybop (app)

Press Here (toy book)

Rosie Revere, Engineer (picture book)

Separate is Never Equal (informational picture book)

Sesame Street Let’s Make Music (DVD)

Smithsonian Folkways Children's Music Collection (music)
Snack Time! (music)

Some Bugs (picture book)

Splat the Cat: A Whale of a Tale (beginning reader)

Spot it! (game)
Spring is Here (board book)

Take me Out to the Yakyu (picture book)
Tar Beach (picture book)

Waiting is not Easy! (beginning reader)
Warning! Do Not Open this Book (picture book)
Weeds Find a Way (informational picture book)

Nino Wrestles the World

Nino Wrestles the World written and illustrated by Yuyi Morales. Roaring Book Press, 2013. ISBN 978-1-59643-604-6

Reader's Annotation: Nino, possibly the youngest and smallest Lucha Libre wrestler ever, bravely faces an array of frightening opponents. But when challenged by a dreadful set of twins, who just happen to be his little sisters, will he be triumphant?

Summary: Nino may appear to be an average boy, but when he swaps his regular clothes for his Lucha Libra mask and trunks (really his underwear), he becomes a fierce wrestler, ready to take on all challengers. Mummies, ghosts, and even the devil himself are no match for Nino, who uses such moves as the Tickle Tackle and the Popsicle Slick to defeat his opponents. He feels no fear, and  outmaneuvers each opponent with sharp wit and lightning quick agility.

But then, Nino is confronted by his toughest match yet: the double trouble pairing of his two little sisters. Will Nino emerge as a winner, or will these ruthless challengers defeat him once and for all?

Critical Evaluation: Yuyi Morales has crafted an action-packed tale full of the dramatic spirit of Lucha Libre wrestling. Every detail in Morales' illustrations, from the typeface, the sound effects, and the stylized representation of the characters, adds to the overall authentic feel of this exciting tale.

The potentially frightening opponents are tamed by the lighthearted style utilized by Morales, and children familiar with these spooky Mexican monsters and legends will be emboldened by Nino's brave moves and triumphs.

The depictions of each of Nino's challengers on the book's endpapers provide a humorous back story for each wrestler, along with pronunciation guides for non-Spanish speakers. Included in the text are many Spanish terms which are faithful to the world of Lucha Libre, but whose meaning is easily determined through context.

This is a fun account of a boy's love for wrestling, and will appeal to children who love stories filled with action and silliness.

Age or Interest Level: Pre-K to Grade 2

Lexile Level: 260L

Awards:Pura Belpre Illustrator Award, Charlotte Zolotow Award / Highly Commended, Horn Book Fanfare, ALSC Notable Children's Book

Why Included? This is a wonderfully unique introduction to the world of Lucha Libre wrestling for those unfamiliar with this aspect of Latino culture.

Tar Beach

Tar Beach written and illustrated by Faith Ringgold. Crown Publishers, 1991. ISBN 0-517-58030-6

Reader's Annotation: Cassie Louise Lightfoot can do something that we have all, at some point in our lives, wished we could -- fly! In the evenings, she soars over her Harlem neighborhood, above the tall buildings and among the stars.

Summary: On hot summer evenings in Harlem, Cassie's family heads up - to the cooler air on the tar-papered roof to enjoy picnic style dinners with the neighbors. As Cassie and her brother lie on a mattress gazing at the stars, she floats up to fly above the George Washington Bridge and the construction projects her high-steel worker father has helped to build.

Cassie believes that her power of flight allows her to raise her family above the racial prejudice and financial struggles that they face at ground level. She will buy the bridge, the skyscrapers, and an ice cream factory and give them to her father. Her mother will be happy, and she will teach her little brother to fly too. There is just no stopping this brave heroine in her search for freedom and equality.

Critical Evaluation: Ringgold provides an approachable explanation, even for the very young, for the discrimination that many minority families experienced in our nation's history. By telling the narrative from the perspective of an eight-year-old girl, children can more easily grasp what life was like for a biracial child of this era.

Ringgold based the illustrations and text on a story quilt that she created in 1988, and portions of the quilt's fabric squares are shown within the colorful patchwork border on each page. The acrylic on canvas paintings are folk-like in style, and the colors Ringgold uses are vibrant and hopeful, just like Cassie's spirit.

The author has captured this family's summer evening experiences so clearly, you can almost hear the buzz of adult conversation in the background, and feel the warmth of the day's heat rising from the tar paper rooftop.

Age or Interest Level: Kindergarten to Grade 3

Lexile Level: 790L

Awards:A Caldecott Honor Book
Winner of the Coretta Scott King Award
A New York Times Best Illustrated Book
Winner of the Parents' Choice Gold Award

Why Included? The colors! The patchwork! Cassie's dream of freedom!

Some Bugs

Some Bugs. Words by Angela DiTerlizzi, bugs by Brendan Wenzel. Beach Lane Books, 2014. ISBN 978-1-4424-5880-2

Reader's Annotation: There is a whole world of bugs waiting to be discovered in every backyard! Follow along with an inquisitive ladybug to see who she meets throughout her day.

Summary: Rhyming, lighthearted text describes the different sorts of bugs that inhabit the small world traversed by a ladybug in her day's journey. She emerges from her home in a downspout and encounters many different insects doing what they do best.

"Some bugs sting. Some bugs bite. Some bugs stink. And some bugs FIGHT!" Not only do the bugs interact with each other, they also react to visits by larger creatures like birds, raccoons, and a curious cat. Ants steal food from a picnic, click bugs click, and roly-poly pill bugs curl up in balls. The friendly ladybug leads the reader through a buzzing, bustling landscape full of insect life, and children will be inspired to take a closer look the next time they go outside.

At the end of the text, the author and illustrator have included a two-page spread featuring every insect included in the book along with its name, which could be extremely useful for young backyard explorers.

Critical Evaluation: With simple, rhyming text and ridiculously delightful insect characters, DiTerlizzi and Wenzel have crafted a charming picture book that is sure to cause a new appreciation for bugs among young readers. The text is written at a level that can be utilized both as a read-aloud for story time, or as a selection for new readers to enjoy.

Wenzel has created a marvelous world of bug personalities with incredibly expressive eyes. There is a joyful silliness in the way they have been drawn, and their movements capture the characteristics of each type of insect going about their typical activities. The colors and textures in the illustrations are cheerful and lush, which add to the happy vibe of the book.

Some Bugs is charming on its first reading, but with so many details to examine on each page, and the variety of comical insect characters to observe, subsequent readings will be just as enchanting.

Age or Interest Level: Ages 2 to 6

Lexile Level: 200L

Awards: ---

Why Included? As a backyard bug hunter myself, I found the illustrations endearing, and while anthropomorphic, the expressions given to the bugs by Wenzel are priceless.

Hondo & Fabian

Hondo & Fabian written and illustrated by Peter McCarty. Henry Holt & Company, 2002. ISBN 0-8050-6352-8

Reader's Annotation: Hondo and Fabian, each doing what dogs and cats do best, spend their time very differently. Yet, the two friends have a great deal in common after all.

Summary: The day begins with Hondo the dog and Fabian the cat sleeping in their favorite places. From this starting point, Hondo's day includes an expedition to the beach to play in the waves with his dog pal, Fred, while Fabian settles in for some quieter time at home with the baby. They enjoy themselves, but are happy to reunite at home again for dinner, and then settle in for another contented night of restful sleep close to each other.

Critical Evaluation: This soothing tale of friendship story is told from the alternating perspectives of Hondo and Fabian on each two-page spread, and both the text and illustrations are spare enough to allow the focus to remain on the two animals as they experience the world around them. McCarty's pencil on watercolor paper illustrations capture the joy and playfulness expressed by this animal pair, as well as the affection between them.

The artwork is finely textured, muted in color and shading, and practically glows with soft light. Hondo and Fabian look so soft, and their surroundings are depicted in such a cozy manner, that children and parents will long to step into the story and inhabit McCarty's inviting world for a while.

McCarty excels in offering contrasts between the pair's activities, while simultaneously highlighting similarities. For example, Hondo gets hungry at the beach and eyes the fisherman's catch. At the same time, Fabian gets hungry and wishes he could eat the turkey sandwich on the counter at home. Children will enjoy noticing these patterns within the story as they follow the animal pair through the course of a day.

McCarty's soothing text and softly textured illustrations combine to create the perfect bedtime story for the very young. The bond of friendship and love between these two animals is beautifully depicted and elegantly told.

Age or Interest Level: Ages 1 to 4

Lexile Level: 180L

Awards: 2002 New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year and Notable Children's Book of the Year, and a 2003 Caldecott Honor Book.

Why Included? I would like to live in Hondo and Fabian's world.

Warning: Do Not Open this Book!

Warning: Do Not Open this Book! Written by Adam Lehrhaupt, illustrated by Matthew Forsythe. Simon & Schuster, 2013. ISBN 978-1-4424-3582-7

Reader's Annotation: Monkeys! Toucans! Alligators! In the spirit of There's a Monster at the End of this Book, readers are repeatedly cautioned not to turn the page, but who can resist such a warning...

Summary: With cautions such as "This book is super-dangerous", and "Go back! Wrong way!", the stage is set for catastrophe and silliness. Monkeys are released into the book with a turn of the page, and begin to paint messily and tamper with the text. When things seem to have settled down somewhat, and the monkeys are resting, a flock of toucans is loosened and craziness ensues. When an alligator who wants to eat the monkeys and toucans appears, all hope of returning to a quieter, less chaotic state is lost.

Can the reader, with the help of the narrator, figure out a way to contain the silliness? Will the monkeys, toucans, and alligator be caught and their mayhem contained? Keep turning the pages to find out.

Critical Evaluation: Lehrhaupt has created an extremely silly interactive book that begs to be read again and again. With simple text that becomes a part of the design of each two-page layout, and suspenseful pacing that encourages page turning, even while the narrative warns against it, this picture book encourages laughter and engagement. 

Forsythe's digitally rendered illustrations are restrained in color, being composed of mainly earth tones, but the movement and energy he captures in his depictions of the animals are nothing but lively. The facial expressions and goofy posturing of the monkeys are irresistible, and children will delight in their antics.

In a world full of rules, this book offers children an opportunity to not follow directions, and safely explore the outcome. Young readers may recognize themselves in the mess-making behaviors of the animals, and will enjoy playing a key role in solving the problem of the escaped animals.

The solution is cleverly proposed, and even the back cover of the book becomes part of the narrative. This book would be a wonderful read-aloud for a preschool or Kindergarten story time, with guaranteed participation from all listeners.

Age or Interest Level: Ages 2 to 6

Awards: ALA notable book, 2014 E.B. White Read-Aloud Honor Award

Why Included? As a longtime fan of Grover, the premise of this interactive book really appealed to me, and it did not disappoint. 

Murilla Gorilla, Jungle Detective

Murilla Gorilla, Jungle Detective. Written by Jennifer Lloyd, illustrated by Jacqui Lee. Simply Read Books, 2013. ISBN 978-1-927018-15-6

Reader's Annotation: Ms. Chimpanzee's magnificent banana muffins have been stolen! Murilla is on the case to track down the thief...if she can stay awake long enough to follow the clues.

Summary: Murilla is not your typical detective. Not only is she a gorilla, but she is prone to napping, driving slowly, finding everything but the item she is looking for, and more napping. When Ms. Chimpanzee reports that her banana muffins have been stolen, Murilla takes the case and heads over to Mango Market to investigate.

After gathering the details of the muffins that went missing, Murilla looks for clues and finds crumbs and footprints. Tracking down the thief proves to be a difficult task, and Murilla decides to disguise herself in the hopes of catching the culprit. Her choice of costume is a stroke of genius (a banana tree!), and her stake out begins. 

Will Murilla solve the mystery of the missing muffins, or will this case prove too tough to crack?

Critical Evaluation: Murilla Gorilla bumbles her way through this case, but is so completely charming that children will be rooting for her at every step in her detective work. She is neither efficient or terribly focused, but as she records each clue in her notebook, young mystery fans will have opportunity to puzzle through the case with her.

Murilla's world is located somewhere in Africa, and the supporting characters in the story are other animals you would find there such as okapis, anteaters, and hippos. Lee's warmly colored illustrations are composed of mostly pink, orange, and green pastel shades which lend a tropical feel to each page.

The short chapters, easy to read typeface and larger type size will provide new readers with a tale that is paced to keep them interested and engaged. The illustrations reinforce the details of the plot and can provide clues to help an emergent reader puzzle out a difficult word. This is a lovely example of how delightful characters, an appealing story line, and an exotic setting can combine to create an imaginary world that children will want to return to again and again.

Age or Interest Level: Ages 3 to 6

Awards: ---

Why Included? This book reminded me of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith, but for a much younger audience.