These 2023/2024 titles are a mix of fun and factual books that are sure to entertain and inform.
BIG BAD WOLF INVESTIGATES: FAIRY TALES by Catherine Cawthorne; illus. Sara Ogilvie
I really love the premise of this very clever fiction/nonfiction picture book. A synopsis of familiar fairy tales are each summarized in a two -page spread presented in graphic format. Following each story, the character of Big Bad Wolf raises questions to test the validity of familiar story events. For example; Can wolves huff and puff? Which animal is actually more likely to come over and blow your house down? Would a strow house really blow down that easily? Do pigs really have hairs on their chinny chin chins? (Pigs don’t even have chins. In fact, humans are the only animals with chins AND scientists doen’t even really know why they have them?) That is one very clever logical, scientific wolf! This is a terrific, amusing – and informative – picture book testing the facts of familiar narratives. Could you really wear a pair of glass slippers? Wouldn’t a gingerbread house in a forest go all soggy and fall down in the rain? Could the Big Bad Wolf swallow Granny in one gulp? Could a plant really grow as high as the clouds?
BOOZHOO! HELLO! by Mangeshig,Pawis-Steckley, translated by Mary Ann Corbiere
With simple vocabulary, and a repetitive question and answer sentence structure Boozhoo! Hello! is a celebration of a number of woodland and water animals going about their daily activities (fox, otter, minnows, a big frog, a bear,). This picture book is written in both Anishinaabemowin and English accompanied by vibrant, colourful full-page illustrations. For it’s depiction of animal relatives, for the beautiful artwork that accompanies accessible text that involve the reader, Boozhoo! Hello! is a beautiful beautiful picture book to share with young readers.
three chickadees singing.
Hello chickadees! What do you see?
We see…
a fox digging.
Hello, fox! What do you hear?
I hear…
DUCK GOES MEOW by Julette MacIver Illus. Carla Martell (2023/2024 (US)
This is book is filled a brightly coloured pages noisy speech bubbles and an engaging rhyming pattern. The ‘story’ revolves correct animal sound for each animla unitl they meet a duckling that says MEOW! A joyful, interactive, read-it again picture book! Fun! Fun! Fun! Winner of the 2003 New Zealand Picture Book Award.
WOOF! says Dog.
MOO! says Cow.
CLUCK says Hen,
And Duck goes… MEOW!
GETTING US TO GRANDMA’S by Nadia L. Hohn; illus. TeMika Grooms
On the cover page, we encounter a happy father and daughter who are embarking on a road trip. We learn that Nikki’s Jamaican is travelling from Toronoto to the Bronx to attend Uncle Travis’s wedding. Thc journey is a joy for Nikki (and the reader) as she traces the routes to relatives’ houses with dreams of England, Jamaica and Africa skip through her into her mind. When her father makes a wrong turn, Nikki is determined to help her father aput the family on the right path to good times. This is a wonderful story of black heritage, family and road maps (before Google). There is much to learn from – and much for readers to connect with – in this loving family adventure.
MOMMA’S GOING TO MARCH by Jennifer Maruno; illus. Vivian Rosas
Tbis is a picture book about peaceful protests, about activism, about marching. Readers accompany each of the Mommas and daughters as they wave posters and banners for just causes. Decades pass as we encounter historical marches: the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom; the 1978 March for Equal Rights Amendment: the 2003 Anti-War Protest, the 2017 Great Lakes Walk and the Global Climate Strike in 2019. An Author’s Note provides a brief overview of each of these historical events. Vivian Rosas’ colourful art work add aq sense of dynamism and action for each of the marches. Momma’s Going to March is a special introduction to activism and might encourage young readers to learn about these protests and think about what action they might take to show the world what they believe in. Hooray for Jennifer Maruno! Hooray for Vivian Rosas! Hooray for marching Mommas1
THE SUN NEVER HURRIES by Roxane Turcotte; illus Lucie Crovatto
Charlie’s grandfather, Papa Jo, has an hourglass to remind himself that every moment in life is precious, Papa Jo takes his granddaughter on an on-foot outing where the two characters leisurely enjoy happy moments that help Charlie understand that passing the time to notice around us, is essential to appreciating the beauty of nature. (i.e., wildflowers, an ice cream shop, a ride in a row boat, birds diving into a lake, small stones, frogs, ducklings etc.) This is a lovely picture book story that deserves the word ‘charming’ with charming warm full-page illustrations by Lucie Crovatto.
WHEN NATURE CALLS by Maria Birmingham; illus. Dave Whamond
Subtitled “The Unusual Bathroom Habits of the World’s Creatures” this nonfiction title will likely appeal to young readers who are fascinated with the world of ‘poop’. Whether used as a weapon (i.e. the tortoise beetle, a hoopoe, a means of communication (a rhinoceros, lemurs), or as a provider of waste that helps the planet (i.e., parrotf.ish) this resources provides scientific research from birds, to fish, to mammals who need to ‘go’ when nature calls. After all, everyone poops. A very informative book filled with facts, surprises and amusements – and lively comical illustrations.
WILDLIFE OF THE ARCTIC FOR KIDS by Wayne Lynch (nonfiction)
Drawing on decades of Arctic experience, nature writer and wildlife photographer Wayne Lynch takes readers on a fascinating journey to the Arctic. Remarkable close-up photographs of Bears, Wild Dogs, Weasels, Marine Mammals and Birds accompany informative text that can be read to children or read independently. Factual information “Fast Facts” and statistics are featured throughout in separate text boxes..
SHOUT OUT
THE LIGHT KEEPER by Karen Levine and Shella Baslaw; illus. Alice Priestly
A ten-year old boy named Shmuel hopes to support his poor family, but no one in town will offer a job to such a young person. When the village that Shmuel lives in installs electric lamps, the new modern-day electricity lights up the town square bringing a glow and joy to open up the world of the hard-working citizens. When a storm strikes, a lamp breaks down and Shmuel is the only one to fix it even though he is afraid of heights. With skilled dexterity, the young boy, becomes a hero and helps to light up the community. Set in the early `1900’s. The Light Keeper is based on a true story of living n Russia in a small Jewish village called a shtetl. Karen Levine and Sheila Baslaw tell an engaging story of family and community, bravery and pride. Alice Priestly’s warm illustrations capture the glow of a long ago time and a faraway place, the work and play of engaging characters living though poverty, and the joy of lively community events. The Light Keeper is a wonderful hearwarming story to read aloud.
SHOUT OUT!
ALOTTABOTZ by Lynn Johnston
published by Lynn Johnst0n Productions, Inc., North Vancouver, BC.
Celebrated cartoonist Lynn Johbston, has ventured into the world of children’s books with a delightful new picture book series entitled AlottaBotz. I received the first three books in the series as a gift and I’d say that they are sure to be gifts for young children who delight in the world of robots. Book One, The Botshop introduces us to a young robot named Timothy who is bored until his gramps takes him into The Botshop workshop and together they reate a robot fried tthat can fetch, bark jump and swim. In Book Two, Marvellous Things, Tim and visit the Botshop to marvel at gramps clever invention of catbots and dogbots of every design. Tim’s dog disappears in Book Three, A Dog With No Name, the dogbot is having a ball, but Tim worries that he can’t call him back because the dog has no name: spoiler; the two get united, the dog gets a name that suits him best. These 3 titles (2023)are the first in a series which readers can look forward to. How wonderful it is to have Lynn Johnston’s drawing talents travel into the world of Kidlit. The art work is lively, vibrant and comical. The stories are told in clever narrative rhyme, fun for reading aloud. Hats off to Lynn Johnston Hats off to Timothy Bot and his grandbot. Looking forward to alotta Alottabtoz.
“That’s not what I mean,”
said his gramps with a wink.
“I have a solution – its not what you think.
We’re robots, not people.
We’re geared and we’re wired.
We can do anything –
If we are inspired!”
SHOUT OUT! SHOUT OUT!
THE YELLOW BUS by Loren Long
“It’s about the purpose in life, the passage of time and teh simple human feeling we get from doing something for others.”
~Loren Long, New York Times, Sunday August 11, 2024
Loren Long, the author of the Otis picture book series, shows his genius talent in this new picture book. The Yellow Bus, a simple story that unfolds over decades is the biography of a familiar, what may seem ordinary, part of our lives. Through many years, the bus encounters new drivers, a new route, and new passengers young and old. Even when left alone, the yellow bus finds joy and discovery in the people and places around her. Loren Long brilliantly tells the story of this character through sublime, detailed black and white art work with pops of colour becoming a passenger on the narrative of this bus’s life. A New York Times article (Sunday August 11, 2024) as well as the end pages to this book explain the huge project the author embarked upon by creating a three-dimensional model community that served as a model for Long to view the world of the bus from many angles.
The Yellow Bus, a story about the passing of time and bringing joy and caring to others, stands on the shoulders of the classic titles, The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton (1942) and yes, The Giving Tree (1962) by Shel Silverstein.Expect to see a Caldecott sticker on future publications of this stellar picture book. s [picture book, too, will become a classic. It’s a masterpiece.
There once was a bright yellow bus who spent her days driving
Every morning they climbed in…
pitter-patter, pitter-patter, giggle, giggle-patter.
The yellow bus carried them from one important place to another.
And they filled her with joy.