Randomly Reading

January 2023

noreply@blogger.com (Randomly Reading) — Sun, 01 Jan 2023 15:36:00 +0000

I haven’t been blogging much lately and I have decided to take a break from it for a while. I began The Children’s War in 2010 because I had finished my dissertation on girls’ popular fiction in Nazi Germany and had been thinking a lot about #kidlit and how the adults who write it can have such an impact on the lives of young readers. At around the same time, I became a member of the Bank Street Children’s Book Committee and was reading so many good books, I began Randomly Reading in 2012. I have enjoyed working on both blogs, but I feel like I need to take some time off. I hope to be back in the early spring of 2023. In the meantime, you can still find me on Goodreads, Twitter, Instagram, and Post.

Book Blitz and Giveaway: Weird But True! World 2023: Incredible Facts, Awesome Photos, and Weird Wonders for This Year and Beyond!

noreply@blogger.com (Randomly Reading) — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 13:25:00 +0000

Buy | Goodreads

The BLOCKBUSTER kid-favorite series Weird But True! is busting out with a BIG, BOLD annual extravaganza of the wackiest, wildest, and downright weirdest wonders on planet Earth.

Discover Earth’s strangest animals, natural formations, festivals, ancient wonders, news, and more in this newest addition to the wildly popular Weird But True! family―an annual compendium of everything Weird But True! fans love ... and then some. Readers will journey across the seven continents, dive into the ocean, and even blast off into space to discover a whole wide world of weird. From the troll doll bug of Suriname to the Bog Snorkeling Championships in Wales to a technicolor village in Indonesia, Weird But True! World offers an unparalleled, adventure-filled exploration of our world’s amazing uniqueness.

Inside, you’ll find:

Stunning photographs
Wild, wow-worthy facts
Weird news
Shocking stats and infographics
Colorful maps
Personality quizzes
Adorable odd animals
And more!

This book is perfect for fans of Weird But True!, as well as Atlas Obscura, Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, and Guinness World Records, and any curious kid willing to embrace the quirky side of life.

click to enlarge

For more Weird But True! fun check out the series page on National Geographic Kids!

GIVEAWAY

Five (5) winners will receive a hardcover of Weird But True! World 2023
Ends 12/18 at 11:59pm ET
Enter via the Rafflecopter below

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz and Givaway: The Law of Cavities (Izzy Newton and the S.M.A.R.T. Squad #3) by Valerie Tripp

noreply@blogger.com (Randomly Reading) — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Buy | Goodreads

Meet the characters, watch the book trailer and check out the Educator and Reader's Guides on the series website here!

The S.M.A.R.T. Squad is back to tackle more middle school mayhem with science, technology, engineering, math, and friendship!

In this third book in the S.M.A.R.T. Squad series, best friends Izzy Newton, Allie Einstein, Marie Curie, Charlie Darwin, and Gina Carver set out on a mystery-filled Outdoor Adventure Camp experience.

Now that Izzy’s finally found her voice in public speaking class and become an ice hockey star, she’s determined to conquer her “dizzy-Izzy-ness” in new situations―including caring for her brand-new braces on an outdoor education overnight and her friends’ good-natured teasing about her friend Trevor. But the forecast for fun turns cloudy when the girls discover their cabin chaperone is none other than Izzy’s tough public-speaking teacher, Ms. Martinez, and their junior counselor is eighth grade mean girl, Maddie Sharpe.

When an innocent exchange of harmless pranks with Maddie takes a turn for the worse, the Squad turns to science to prove their innocence. That’s nothing, though, compared with the terrifying swamp monster haunting their campsite, a catastrophe befalling Ms. Martinez, and a mysterious disaster threatening the future of camp itself.

With their very survival on the line, will science be enough to save the day?

Praise:

"Wholesome entertainment for preteens, offering positivity without didacticism."
― Kirkus

"It's one thing to have children's books about scientists or podcasts or stories about strong women in STEM, but it's another world entirely when your children get to feel represented by the characters they're reading about. The characters in the Izzy Newton and the S.M.A.R.T. Squad series are diverse, smart, and sure of themselves the way all middle school girls are---through their dreams and newly acquired skills they're still getting used to."
― Romper

About the Creators

VALERIE TRIPP is the co-creator of the American Girl book series that includes titles featuring Felicity, Josefina, Kit, Maryellen, Molly, and Samantha. Tripp also wrote American Girl's Wellie Wishers titles, Hopscotch Hill School titles, numerous leveled readers, songs, stories, skills book pages, and plays for educational publishers. Tripp is writer and editorial director of the Boys Camp series, and a writer, editor, and art editor for Sterling Publishing Company. Tripp received a B.A. and honors as a member of the first co-educated class at Yale University and a master's of education degree from Harvard University.

Website | Instagram | Facebook

MILLIE LIU was born in sunny Pasadena, California, and has been drawing ever since she could hold a pencil. It did start with color pencils on walls but after some scolding, she decided paper was much better. She graduated from Otis College of Art and Design and went into the field of toy design shortly after, designing colorful toys for children the world over. Her favorite subject to draw is story-driven fantastical locations with a touch of magic. When not drawing, she loves to read, experiment with cooking, and keep up with her fierce, growing collection of house plants. She also makes a conscious effort to buy secondhand or used products, and tries to reduce her use of single-use plastic.

GIVEAWAY

Three (3) winners will receive the complete 3-book Izzy Newton and the S.M.A.R.T. Squad series: Absolute Hero, Newton's Flaw, and The Law of Cavities
US/Canada only
Ends 12/11 at 11:59pm ET
Enter via the Rafflecopter below

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Best Gift for Bear written and illustrated by Jennifer A. Bell

noreply@blogger.com (Randomly Reading) — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 06:00:00 +0000

The Best Gift for Bear

written and illustrated by Jennifer A. Bell

Two Lions/Amazon, 2022, 40 pages

The holiday season is the perfect time to show your appreciation to friends and family for all the times they were there for you throughout the year. And that is just what Hedgehog is busy doing. She's been busy baking all kinds of special cookies for her friends. There are snowflakes for the mice, trees for the squirrels, and special rabbit cookies for each of the rabbits. But what about Bear?

Hedgehog is at a total loss about what to bake for Bear. After all, it was Bear who taught her how to ice skate, but ice skate cookies just don't feel right.

Bear loves butterflies and sunflowers, but even though they are lovely, some butterfly or sunflower cookies just don't feel right for Bear, either. But then snow on the roof of her little house gives Hedgehog the perfect idea. So, she plans it and bakes it and puts it together with frosting - the perfect gingerbread house for a special friend. It even has a bear cookie standing proudly in front of the house, along with sunflowers growing and a butterfly flying.

It is so big and so heavy, though, Hedgehog can't possibly carry it all the way across the forest to Bear's house. Instead, she decides to load it onto a sled and pull it to Bear's.

The only problem is that then snow and a whipping wind begins to blow and the next thing she knows her perfect gift has been blown to pieces. Just then, Bear opens his door to see what's going on and is surprised to find a very upset Hedgehog. Bear brings her inside, gives her a warming cup of cocoa and listens as Hedgehog tells him what happened to his special gift. After she finishes her story, Bear has a surprising story of his own - and my young readers definitely did not see his surprise coming. And in the end, they actually give each other the best gift ever - the gift of friendship.

The Best Gift for Bear is just the book to begin the holiday season with. It's all about acceptance, friends, and giving, without any of the commercialism that has evolved around the holiday season. It is a quiet, gentle, heartwarming tale that reminds us of what is really important. I loved that Hedgehog gave gifts that she had made herself - they are real gifts from the heart. And I was really happy to see that the gingerbread cookie recipe is included in the endpapers. Yum, I love gingerbread. Complimenting this heartfelt story are clear, uncluttered illustrations done with gouache and colored pencil in a very definite winter palette.

This was a story that led to lots of talk about the different holidays my young readers celebrate in their families and because this book doesn't identify the holiday Hedgehog is baking cookies for, it was the ideal book to share with my small class of readers, and perhaps with your young readers as well.

Thank you, Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media for providing a review copy of this book.

★“This genuinely heartfelt, quietly moving friendship story emphasizes that ‘a day with a friend is the best gift of all.’” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“A sweet, appealing picture book for the season.” —Booklist

A 2022 Goodreads Choice Award Nominee

Jennifer A. Bell is the illustrator of more than forty children’s books, including the Sophie Mouse series. She studied fine art at the Columbus College of Art & Design, and her work can also be found on greeting cards and in magazines. This is the first picture book she’s written and illustrated. She lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Learn more about her at www.jenniferabell.com.

Instagram: @jbellstudio

Facebook: Jennifer A. Bell Illustration

Twitter: @JenniferABell_

My GrandMom written and illustrated by Gee-eun Lee, translated by Sophie Bowman

noreply@blogger.com (Randomly Reading) — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 06:00:00 +0000

My GrandMom written and illustrated by Gee-eun Lee,

translated by Sophie Bowman

Amazon Crossing Kids, 2022, 40 pages

Grandparents are often such important part of a child's life (if they are lucky enough to have them and they live nearby) and this is a particularly endearing story because it is based on the author's own experience with her Halmonie. Much to her distress, Gee-eun's parents work long hours and she must stay home with her GrandMom. Trying to calm her granddaughter down, GrandMom suggests they make kalguksu, a knife cut Korean noodle soup. While GrandMom makes the dough for the noodles, Gee-eum makes a dough family to put in the soup.

Later, on Family Sports Day, a day Gee-eum has been excitedly looking forward to, she's disappointed that her mom won't be able to participate with her. To comfort her, GrandMom tells Gee-eum about good she has always been at running, tug of war and doing a cheer dance. But when GrandMom and granddaughter arrive at the field, Gee-eum is excited, sure that they will win all the competitions with such a strong, athletic grandmother.

But is seem's that GrandMom isn't as spry as she used to be and when they lose all the competitions, Gee-eum becomes very mad at her Halmonie. Can GrandMom jolly Gee-uem into a better mood with a fresh curry bun that will be their delicious secret?

I love how the focus of My GrandMom is only focused on the relationship between grandmother and granddaughter. In fact, Gee-eum's parents never even make an appearance. Instead, we see the two Gee-eum and GrandMom doing all kinds of things that ultimately lead to a strong bond between the two of them. I particularly liked the way readers can see how this strong intergenerational bond develops over the course of the book

The illustrations, done with a subtly colored palette using colored pencils and paint, totally enhance and compliment the story and the have a certain humor to them even when there is unhappiness or when Gee-eun is angry or crying.

My GrandMom will be a welcomed story for any kids living in an intergenerational home, as Gee-eun does, or whose grandparents are just an important part of their life, as many of my young readers do. I suspect this is a book that will be read in my class again and again.

"A touching tale that exudes love and warmth." - Kirkus Reviews

"A touching celebration of grandparent-and-grandchild connection that will warm many hearts." - Booklist

Meet the Author:

Gee-eun Lee is an award-winning Korean author/illustrator. She recently won the prestigious BolognaRagazzi Award in the comics category for her book, The Story of How the Korean Shaved Ice Dessert Was Born, and is also a top winner of the Korean Young Illustrator Award. She studied design and illustration in Korea and the UK. Her first picture book, Paper Dad, was made into a children’s musical in Korea. My GrandMom is the second book she both wrote and illustrated and is based on her own grandmother. Instagram: @studio_geeeun

Meet the Illustrator:

Sophie Bowman is a PhD student at the University of Toronto, studying Korean literature. She was awarded the ICF Literature Translation Fellowship at Ewha Womans University. In 2015, she won the Korea Times Modern Korean Literature Translation Award grand prize for poetry with her translations of Jin Eun-young and co-translated Kim Bo-Young’s I’m Waiting for You and Other Stories. She recently translated the picture book Magic Candies by Heena Baek, which received a starred review from Publishers Weekly. Follow her on Twitter @SophieOrbital.

Publisher tags;

Instagram: @amazonpublishing

Twitter: @AmazonPub

Thank you, Barbara Fisch at BlueSlipMedia

Blog Tour: The Great Caper Caper (Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast Book #5) by Josh Funk, illustrated by Brendan Kearney

noreply@blogger.com (Randomly Reading) — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 06:00:00 +0000

The Great Caper Caper:

Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast #5

written by Josh Funk, illustrated by Brendan Kearney

Union Square & Co., 2022, 40 pages

I'm always up for a fun blog tour and books by Josh Funk are always a lot of fun to read to kids, and, true to form, the latest story about the adventures of Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast does not disappoint. Their newest caper all begins one night when Lady Pancake is suddenly awakened from a deep sleep in the refrigerator by a loud scream. Sir Pancake has just discovered that the refrigerator light is missing. But who would have taken their light?

Everything was dark, except for a glowing light in the distance, just past Pita Plateau. Following the glow, Lady French Toast and Sir Pancake find themselves at the entrance to Fabulous Las Veggies, but barred from entering by security and taken to the office of Count Caper, the richest, more powerful food (or so he says). Denying that she stole the light, Lady French Toast and Sir Pancake are told to leave and never come back. They may be sure that Count Caper is the culprit, but how can they get their light back?

Ummm...how to get back their light now that they can't go back to Fabulous Las Veggies? Perhaps Lady Pancake can come up with a solution with the help of Sir French Toast and a few good friends like Barron von Waffle, Miss Brie, and Tofu, Professor Biscotti, the Fruitcake, the Beets, and Inspector Croissant, and maybe even a few Animal Crackers.

Told in rhyming couplets that never falter together with colorfully amusing illustrations, The Great Caper Caper is sure to please fans of Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast, and to win over anyone meeting this delightful couple for the first time. The story focuses on problem solving, the importance of friends helping each other, and a clear message that crime does not pay, even when it looks like it does.

I can't wait to share this book with my young readers. We have read all the other Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast books and they always enjoy them. They're funny, the characters are so appealing, and the situations they find themselves in are always relatable. Plus my young readers all tell me they love pancakes and french toast.

One thing I did notice - when did Lady Pancake find time to take the curlers out of her hair and style it before running off to fight the missing refrigerator light? She was totally coiffed. Needless to say, your kiddos will find lots to explore and talk about in this book its endearing characters and detailed illustrations. This is definitely a book that will be revisited over and over again in my reading class.

Be sure to visit these other stops on The Great Caper Caper Blog Tour:

New Kids and Underdogs by Margaret Finnegan

noreply@blogger.com (Randomly Reading) — Sun, 30 Oct 2022 22:56:00 +0000

Fifth grader Robyn has already been the new kid in school five times because of her mom's job as a biology professor, and now San Luis Obispo will be number six. But this time will be different. This time Robyn is determined not to stick out as the new kid and she's even created a list of 10 Rules for New Kids for blending in and avoiding the judgey kids. All she has to do is stick to the list. Luckily, Robyn has her two faithful and inseparable dogs, anxious Sundae and nearly blind and deaf Fudge, her supportive dad, even if he does live in Toronto, and of course, her mom.

One thing her mom is firm about is doing extracurricular activities. So when Robyn sees a dog agility class in the park, she is sure that is what she wants to do with three-year-old Sundae and Fudge. But the woman running the class says no, they wouldn't be able to do the agility course. Then, on her first day of school, Robyn meets Lulu and Marshan who seem friendly enough to even warn her not to associate with Alejandra, who's "radioactive" and cruelty nicknamed the Grape because she wears purple every day, but she also skipped fourth grade and is a whiz at math. Later, Robyn runs into the boy who had been helping the woman in the park on the handball court, whose name is Nestor, and his cousin Jonathan. And just like that a deal is struck - Nestor, grandson of the woman in the park, Mrs. Zazueta, will provide agility training on the sly in his grandmother's backyard if Robyn brings snacks and Alejandra provides math tutoring for the three of them. What could possibly go wrong?

It turns out that Fudge and Sundae really can't to agility training, but Nestor comes up with the idea of doing ability training instead, and it really works out well for the two dogs. Before long, they are joined by William, a friend of Alejandra, and his dog. But Robyn is so set on following her Rules that she keeps telling herself that the ability training is just a business arrangement and Nestor, Jonathan, Alejandra, and now William are not really friends, enabling her to keep her distance.

On the other hand, Robyn continues to hang out with Lulu and Marshan, despite feeling uncomfortable with some of the judgey things they say. Both girls seem to get off on other people's difficulties, shortcomings and disabilities, including Sundae and Fudge, constantly remarking on their sad lives (and I kept wondering why Robyn couldn't see them for who they are).

Nestor's ability class grows bigger, and the dogs doing it seem to be thriving until one day his grandmother catches the class in action. And she was angry. Will that be the end of ability training?

I've never been the new kid in school, but I have a friend who was almost as often as Robyn. It can't be easy to make friends and have to leave them a year later. This new move may be permanent for Robyn and her mother, which would be nice, but Robyn is still very defensive about making friends. I thought that her difficulties were realistically portrayed, though, and she was lucky to have a babysitter who understood what was going on with her. Still, Finnegan shows all they ways Robyn's Rules didn't work.

The problem with Robyn's Rules is that it means all her relationships with other kids is always superficial, and she never gets to see what's below their surface, what the other kids are really like or what their story is. And they never get to see the real Robyn.

As much as I liked New Kids & Underdogs, I wish it had been a little bit shorter. I thought Robyn's dilemma went on too long and she began to get annoying. I realize she was defensive and didn't want to experience the kinds of fails she had in previous schools, but her refusal to not give in to what she wanted was just too drawn out, especially given who Lulu and Marshan are. But I would still recommend this novel. It's a fast read and does come to a satisfying conclusion, with a valuable lesson for anyone, whether they are new kids or not.

“A thoughtful story about learning to look beneath the surface and be a better friend.” —Kirkus

A Junior Library Guild Selection

Meet the Author:

Margaret Finnegan is the author of We Could Be Heroes and Susie B. Won’t Back Down, both Junior Library Guild Selections. Her other works have appeared in FamilyFun Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, Salon, and other publications. She lives in South Pasadena, California, where she enjoys spending time with her family, walking her dog, and baking really good chocolate cakes. To learn more, and to download free discussion guides, visit MargaretFinnegan.com.

Twitter: @FinneganBegin

Instagram: @finneganbegin

Just like the kids in New Kids & Underdogs, you can ability train your dog! Check out the fun tips here!

Thank you to Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media for providing a review copy of New Kids & Underdogs.

Instagram: @blue_slip_media

Facebook: Blue Slip Media

You can see all of this week's wonderful MMGM books thanks to Greg at Always in the Middle

Blog Tour: The Tiltersmith by Amy Herrick

noreply@blogger.com (Randomly Reading) — Fri, 28 Oct 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to The Tiltersmith Blog Tour!

Follow along as we celebrate the release of The Tiltersmith with behind-the-scenes looks from author Amy Herrick, plus 10 chances to win a copy!

Deleted Scene - Two Chapter Twos
by Amy Herrick

As I’ve confessed in previous blogs, the initial draft of The Tiltersmith was way too long for its own good. There was so much work I ended up cutting and some of it was really hard to let go of. In any case, I always save my old drafts. Below are two opening excerpts from Chapter Two of The Tiltersmith. Can you guess which one is from an early draft and which one is from the final draft?

Scroll down to see the answer!

Number 2 is from the final draft.

About the Book

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

Myths and monsters collide with climate chaos in a thrilling fantasy adventure.

Spring has arrived in Brooklyn, New York, but winter refuses to let go. Sleet, snow, and even a tornado batter the city. Mr. Ross, the science teacher, believes climate change is the cause, but classmates Edward, Feenix, Danton, and Brigit suspect older, magical forces are at work. When a peculiar character calling himself Superintendent Tiltersmith appears with a keen interest in the foursome, their suspicions are confirmed, and they’re swept up in a battle of wits and courage.

The friends must protect a set of mysterious tools belonging to the Lady of Spring. If they can free her from her underground prison, winter will end. But if the Tiltersmith steals the tools, he will keep the Lady in his power and upset the balance of nature forever.

Perfect for readers of Madeleine L’Engle and Susan Cooper, The Tiltersmith returns to the world of Amy Herrick’s acclaimed Time Fetch in a timely, exciting stand-alone adventure.

Praise:

"Herrick combines vivid descriptions of climate events, school-set science lessons, and weather-related stories from various cultures around the globe . . . resonates with current events and fits tonally alongside children’s fantasy classics."
—Publishers Weekly

“Vacillating between scientific reasoning and lore from worldwide cultures, the descriptions of beautiful legends of seasons and the sobering study of climate change are so rich.”
—Kirkus Reviews

"Despite the contemporary setting, a diversified cast, and topical themes, events take on ritualistic elements that readers up on their Greek mythology will recognize. American fans of Susan Cooper’s The Dark Is Rising sequence will find themselves on familiar footing, albeit a bit closer to home."
—Booklist

“The author proves to have a keen eye for developing wonderfully dastardly villains. Tiltersmith is a fantastic bad guy who oozes disarming charm while also being deeply unsettling … cleverly handled … a compelling tale.”
—Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“It’s a great combination of the mystical and the scientific! A bit of gentle romance shouldn’t deter younger readers . . . The writing style is craftily literary, with warm incisive forays into each character’s inner life.”
—Youth Services Book Review

About the Author

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Amy Herrick grew up in Queens, New York, and attended SUNY Binghamton and the University of Iowa. She lives in Brooklyn, where she has raised two sons, taught pre-K and grade school, written books, and kept company with her husband and numerous pets. A retired teacher, she loves traveling, learning Spanish, and above all reducing her carbon footprint.

GIVEAWAY

Ten (10) winners will receive a hardcover of The Tiltersmith
US/Canada only
Ends 11/6 at 11:59pm ET
Enter via the Rafflecopter below
Visit the other stops on the tour for more chances to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Schedule:

October 17th — Mama Likes This
October 18th — A Dream Within a Dream
October 19th — Always in the Middle
October 20th — BookHounds
October 21st — Mrs. Book Dragon

October 24th — Good Choice Reading
October 25th — Mom Read It
October 26th — YA Books Central
October 27th — Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers
October 28th — Randomly Reading

🎃 The Most Haunted House in America by Jarrett Dapier, illustrated by Lee Gatlin 🎃

noreply@blogger.com (Randomly Reading) — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 14:58:00 +0000

The Most Haunted House in America by Jarrett Dapier,

illustrated by Lee Gatlin

Abrams BFYR, 2022, 32 pages

One night in October, an invitation arrived underground inviting the Skeleton Drummers to the White House for an Halloween celebration. And what a fun place to be invited to. Not only is it the president's home, "[b]ut there's one more thing you might not know./ The White House is HAUNTED from top to toe!" A little bit scared, but nevertheless undaunted, the Skeleton Drummers head to the nation's capital and the North Lawn of the President's home.

There, kids dressed up as "wizards and witches and robots and more/ line up the drive and step up to the door." President Obama and First Lady Michelle give out treats to everyone accompanied by the haunting sounds of the Skeleton Drummers.

Then, when all the treats have been handed out, the President and First Lady invite the Skeleton Drummers into the White House where "...inside the doors, something's not right./ A chill in the air and a prickle of fright/ grab hold of our band. Our sticks start to shake/ our bones start to shudder, then rattle and quake!" Room by room, the drummers encounter all kinds of ghosts and spirits, some historical figures who are still roaming the halls and haunting the rooms of the White House. And what a rollicking Halloween those spirits are having.

But when they stumble on the Terror Ball, where the living and the dead are partying together, maybe it is time for the Skeleton Drummers to make a hasty exit from the White House out onto the Mall. But ultimately, as they leave at dawn to go back underground, all they can only say "Thank you, First Lady - this night was the BEST!

This is a fun story, told completely in rhyme, and based on a real Halloween celebration in 2009 at the White House during the Obamas' first year living there, when they invited the author to drum along with others drummers while 2,500 kids and their grownups trick or treated there. And, of course, it it believed that the White House is indeed haunted, so together these two things made for a fun Halloween story.

I loved the pencil, ink, and digital illustrations, done in a bright palette of seasonal colors. And though there are lots of what could be scary beings, both dead and living, throughout none of them are done so that they are too frightening for kids. I would recommend this book for kids over 6 years, and you might find yourself having to explain who the Obamas are.

There is some back matter consisting of books and online resources where you can find more information about the nation's haunted White House.

The Most Haunted House in America is a lighthearted picture book perfect for the Halloween season.

📚Four New Favorite Halloween Picture Books 🎃🧙🏼‍♀️👻

noreply@blogger.com (Randomly Reading) — Sun, 16 Oct 2022 14:08:00 +0000

It's almost Halloween and here are some new picture books to help your young readers get into the holiday spirit.

Happy Owl-Oween! by Laura Gehl,

illustrated by Lydia Nichols

Abrams Appleseed, 2022, 24 pages

"Pumpkins to pick./ Ghost pops to lick./ Neighbors to trick!/ Happy Owl-oween!" It's almost Halloween and the little owlets are getting ready for the big day. Told in short rhyming couplets, the owlet are busy doing all the usual Halloween traditions. There are pumpkins to carve and candy apples to make as they sip warm cups of cider, then it is time to make costumes. What will they be? One owlet makes a witch costume, one chooses to be a vampire, a third owlet is Frankenstein, and the fourth is a superhero. Then it is off for an evening of trick or treating, following by sorting and sharing their candy with each other and finally to bed, tired but happy. This is such a sweet story for young readers like mine who are really just beginning to appreciate Halloween and who don't really know the traditions of the season. Plus these cute owlets with their sweet faces will captivate kids without being scary. The rhyme never falters and the illustrations are bold and colorful. Plus there is some back matter that explains all about the roots of Halloween and how we celebrate it nowadays. My young readers really loved this book. We read it enough times they had most of the words committed to memory.

The Crayons Trick or Treat by Drew Daywalt,

illustrated by Oliver Jeffers

Philomel Books/PRH, 2022, 28 pages

The Crayons are back and this year they are trying their hand at trick or treating on Halloween. Dressed in their color coordinated costumes - orange pumpkin, green witch, purple vampire, white ghost, black bat, grey fox and peach is just naked- there's just one problem. Though they can wait to fill their bags with candy, none of them have ever trick or treated before. What do they say after they after they knock on the door? Orange tries first saying: "Give us your candy, lady." That doesn't work, so green tries Merry Christmas with the same result as Orange - a door slam. After a few more failed attempts to get some candy, the Crayons, lead by Purple, practice saying "Trick or Treat" before knocking the next door. Will the fifth try be the charm? Young kids are often afraid of some to the traditional Halloween creatures, but this will take the scare right out of them. And it is a story that will definitely make young readers laugh even as they see the old adage "if at first you don't succeed, try try again" at work, a good lesson for youngsters. Jeffers's illustrations, done in a Halloween palette, are cartoonish and in keeping with Daywalt's other Crayon books, which fans will no doubt recognize. I read this to my young readers, many about to experience their first Halloween, and they loved it.

Ada Twist, Scientist: Ghost Busted

written and illustrated by Gabrielle Meyer

Abrams BFYR. 2022, 32 pages

Ada Twist has become a very popular STEM icon and the scientific method. This story is not a Halloween tale per se, but is a good ghost story. Ada and her friend Rosie are have a sleepover at their friend Iggy's house. When Ada suggests they play ping-pong, Iggy tells they that they can't. The ping-pong table is in the cellar, which is haunted, and he won't go down. The lights flicker and there's a scary ghostly voice that says "Howler's Hungry!" every once in a while. Naturally, Ada suggests they investigate using the scientific method seeking to answer the question; Is the basement haunted? It is interesting to see how they go about doing their research to form a hypothesis and test it out with experiments. I really liked the way they did everything step by step but in the end they learned that sometimes if you don't look at the whole picture, but only pieces of evidence, you can draw false conclusions. I liked this boldly illustrated book for two main reasons. First, the method that the kids use is explained very well, and a great introduction to the scientific method. Second, these diverse friends show how to work together to accomplish their goal. Group work is something introduced in elementary school and Ada, Rosie and Iggy are great roles models. And Iggy's dad was there and supportive, but left the kids alone do their thing until he was needed. Even if kids aren't into STEM, there is plenty for them to enjoy in the picture book that is also part of the Ada Twist, Scientist series on Netflix.

A Costume for Charly by C.K. Malone,

illustrated by Alejandra Barajas

Beaming Books, 2022, 40 pages

Halloween has always been problematic for Charly. They can never decide what to be that reflects who they are 100%. Digging through the box of old costumes, nothing seems to work. Going as an astronaut hides too much, a clown costume isn't even funny, and being a monster in a masked covers up who they are. Red Riding Hood is a good costume, but too girl, which Dracula is also good but too boy. Then, Charly gets a brilliant idea. They cut and snipe away at both the Red Riding Hood and Dracula costumes until they create the perfect costume that uniquely says Charly 100%. This year, Trick or Treating in a costume that is both boy and girl will be the best feeling in the world for Charly as he presents their authentic self. This is a well-written story that really says so much about gender identity and being true to oneself. And I think the reactions of the other neighborhood kids is pretty true to life - some kids thought his costume wacky, other didn't get it, but some thought it was wonderful. The brightly colored illustrations really compliment the text. Charly's quest for the perfect costume is no different than what most kids go through when it comes to choosing a Halloween costume, the only difference is that Charly presents as bigender making this a good book for starting discussions about gender identity with youngsters. Back matter includes some information about what identifying as bigender means as well as resources about the LGBTQIA+ community.

🎃The Girl in White by Lindsay Currie

noreply@blogger.com (Randomly Reading) — Sun, 09 Oct 2022 14:19:00 +0000

What's better than a sinister middle grade ghost story to get the Halloween season off to a good start? And who better than Lindsay Currie to come up with the perfect spine tingler. Mallory Denton, 12, wasn't terribly happy when her parents decided to move from Chicago to Eastport, Massachusetts to open their dream restaurant, The Hill. It even comes with a ready made legend about a casket bursting through the wall from the graveyard next door one stormy October night. In fact, all of Eastport has haunting legends and curses and that's how it makes its tourist money.

And although Mallory and her best friend Emmie don't believe in the legends or curses, Mallory is having the same disturbing dream night after night centered around an old woman. Legend has it that Sweet Molly's brother Liam was killed in a storm one October night and Molly has been haunting the seaport ever since. Now, it is October, a time when the town capitalizes on the anniversary of the Liam's death. So, when Mallory sees the same lady from her nightmares by the harbor one evening on her way home during an October storm, she begins to doubt her own disbelief. Is she being haunted by Liam's sister Sweet Molly?

But when Mallory gets home to finally get some much needed sleep, she is surprised when, six hours later, her mother calls from the restaurant to see if she is OK. It seems that Mallory was seen digging in the sand near the harbor. Yet, Mallory has no recollection of going back to there. Could she have walked in her sleep? There is sand and water all over the house and even under her fingernails. Then, Mallory learns she isn't the only one haunted by the same woman. Next door neighbor Joshua, a classmate she hasn't ever really spoken to, tells her the same thing has been happening to him, including the sleepwalking. Together with Emmie and Joshua, Mallory decides it's time to get to the bottom of things.

As the anniversary celebration draws near, complete with parade, Mallory's other friend Brianne is chosen to play the part of Molly. When Bri appears to be possessed by the spirit of Molly and goes after Mallory, she, Joshua and Emmie decide to include Bri in their investigations. So far, they have two theories - first, that Mallory and Joshua are being targeted because they are the only two kids not born in Eastport, and second, that Molly is getting more agitated as the anniversary of her brother's death comes closer. And to make matters even worse, Joshua is chosen to play Liam for the anniversary. It's beginning to look like a recipe for disaster. But, can disaster be avoided and peace made with Molly's ghost?

This was not the kind of ghost story I expected, which was kind of fun and kind of creepy at the same time, by which I mean that the ending was somewhat of a surprise, just not your usual ghostly fare. And that was part of what made this novel so good. Well, that plus the great descriptions of Eastport, and the haunting of Mallory and Joshua. So perfect for this time of year or anytime readers are interested in a story guaranteed to raise the short hairs on their neck.

Currie, an experienced author in this genre, has created a town that on the surface appears almost comical in their obsession with legends and ghosts, but Mallory's haunting takes it out of the realm of droll and puts it into an almost believable paranormal realm. But the droll is needed, for example, the names Mallory's dad gives the food on his restaurant menus, like his Sunny-Side Up Skull eggs, to relieve some of the haunting tension.

The Girl in White is a chilling story that is perfect for middle grade readers looking for some October frights.

And if you have ever visited Salem, Massachusetts in October, than you can believe that a town can become as obsessed as Eastport is portrayed with its haunted legends.

Thank you to Heather Moore at Sourcebooks Kids for providing me with a review copy of The Girl in White.

You can see all of this week's wonderful MMGM books thanks to Greg at Always in the Middle

On a Gold-Blooming Day: Finding Fall Treasures by Buffy Silverman

noreply@blogger.com (Randomly Reading) — Sun, 02 Oct 2022 15:00:00 +0000

On a Gold-Blooming Day: Finding Fall Treasures

by Buffy Silverman

Millbrook Press/Lerner, 2022, 32 pages

Autumn is the season that always tricks me and I always fall for it. It's such a beautiful season, the colors are glorious and I just love the smell of fall in the air. I always forget that winter is close behind autumn and winter is not a favorite. So what I love about this book is that now I enjoy autumn anytime I want, at least in words and pictures (although, if the trees in NYC ever change color, I'm taking my young readers leaf peeping and maybe I'll stick a few in this book for the smell of it). What makes this book so special?

Spectacular photographs are paired with clever short noun-verb rhyming phrases that perfectly capture nature celebrating autumn:

The book is actually divided into sections representing all the different fall treasure to be found. On a gold-blooming day focuses on snakes, insects and seeds: "snakes glide/ Spiders hide/ Crickets chirp/ Butterflies slurp."

On a nut-crunching day, readers explore the forest with its busy animals and where "Mushrooms pop./ Acorns drop./ Fawns graze./ Sumacs blaze."

Fish, amphibians, birds, otters and muskrats are the main focus of the next section that begins with the words "On a frog-leaping,/ log-sleeping,/ goose-honking day..." And finally, "On an apple-picking, / seed-sticking,/ autumn-colored day..." a family of four is seen in an apple orchard, while

and of course, who could resist the call of a leaf pile:

Aside from the jolly rhyme and the wonderful full color photographs that perfectly compliment each other, there is also informative back matter called What treasures will you find in fall? and that gives explanations and suggestions for each one of the noun-verb rhymes:

as well as a list of book for Further Reading and a Glossary of words that may be unfamiliar to young readers.

I loved that energetic rhyme of this book. And it is the perfect format for young kids to really get into. I love sharing poetry with my young readers and it always pleases me to see how receptive they are to it. They loved this book and we spend a lot of time exploring the photographs and taking about each one. Then we tried making up two word noun-verb combinations to see if we could come up with a few more ideas to welcome autumn.

On a Gold-Blooming Day is definitely a book that we will keep on our library shelf so we can return to it again and again.

Haven Jacobs Saves the Planet by Barbara Dee

noreply@blogger.com (Randomly Reading) — Sun, 25 Sep 2022 20:00:00 +0000

Seventh grader Haven Jacobs is a worrier. And right now she's worried about planet earth and what's happening to it because of climate change. She's kept her thoughts to herself, right up until her science teacher Mr. Hendricks showed a film about how climate change was causing the Antarctic glaciers to being melting. After all, what would happen to the penguins if they lost their icy home? This all leads to a full on panic attack, and Haven can no longer hide her fears from her family and friends and frequently finds herself falling down the internet rabbit hole researching articles and videos about what climate change is doing to the world.

All these worries come to head when Mr. Hendricks announces their class project to study the local Belmont River. This is a project he does every year with his class. In fact, two years before Haven's brother Carter was in his class, and he tells her about all the frogs that were there. But when Haven and her class arrive at the river, not only are there no frogs, but there are not even pollution sensitive macros to be found, only macros that can tolerate pollution.

At the same time, there is a new boy in Haven's class named Kenji, whose father is in charge of the new glass factory, Gemba, where Haven's father finally got a job after being jobless for two years. Her best friend Riley has a crush on Kenji and is also hanging out with another girl more that with Haven. And why isn't her oldest friend Archer speaking to her in person, only texting about the video game he's playing. Haven's life is beginning to get really complicated, and skipping social studies and not doing her homework doesn't help.

The results of the Belmont River project shows that this year it is indeed polluted, and Haven feels like she needs to do something to make a difference in the world, even if it is only cleaning up the river and finding out who is polluting it. With the help of Mr. Hendricks, Ms. Packer, her social studies teacher, her friends and family, a big river clean-up is organized. There's food, fun, and games, and people do volunteer to do river cleanup, and it feels like it is a success. But in the end, Haven realizes they have only contributed to pollution, and not made much of a difference at all. Is there anything Haven can do to have a impact on climate change?

One of the things about a Barbara Dee novel is that as soon as you begin reading, you are quickly pulled into the story and it's easy to continue to the end in one sitting and Haven's story is no different. Haven is an interesting protagonist, and you can really feel her anxiety and her need to do something. I imagine there are lots of kids today who have some degree of eco-anxiety and who will relate to Haven's feelings and her attempts to make a difference on a small scale. Haven's parents are concerned about her and after finding about what's going on in social studies, suggest she see a therapist, who does help her focus more.

One of the other things I liked about this book is that the adults are presented in a positive, supportive and involved way, with the exception of Kenji's father. It was also nice to see Haven's relationship with her brother change amd mature over the course of the book. And for the most part Haven's friends are also supportive, although she has a hard time liking one of them, Em, until she learns her story. Even so, Em gives Haven an interesting way to help her control nail biting.

Haven Jacobs Saves the Planet is an inspiring novel that should appeal to middle graders concerned about climate change and show hem that not everyone needs to be a Greta Thunberg to make a difference.

I haven't done a MMGM in a long time and it's good to be back. You can see all of this week's wonderful MMGM books thanks to Greg at Always in the Middle

Blog Tour and Giveaway: How to Speak Animal by Dr. Gabby Wild and Aubre Andrus

noreply@blogger.com (Randomly Reading) — Thu, 22 Sep 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the How to Speak Animal Blog Tour!

To celebrate the release of National Geographic Kids' How to Speak Animal on August 16th and World Animal Day on October 4th, this week blogs across the web will feature special excerpts from the book, sharing fascinating insight into the secret language of animals of all shapes and sizes. If you’ve ever wondered why ants touch antennae when they meet, what it means when a cichlid fish pees, or why turkeys gobble, this is the blog tour (and book!) for you!

How to Speak... BAT

When a male bat wants to impress a female, he will spread his wings, sing, and the long hairs on the top of his head stand up. The singing noise that bats make is like that of a songbird’s, with trills and up and down notes. Each male sings a unique tune. This noise is often too high for humans to hear. Bats also use singing to identify each other, scare off predators, and teach their offspring. Scientists believe bats may use vocalizations because sound can travel far. By vocalizing, a bat can stay in one place and send a message across a distance instead of using its energy to fly there.

After studying 22 Egyptian fruit bats for 75 days, scientists discovered that the bats weren’t just squeaking— they were arguing. They were fighting about food and sleeping space. And sometimes the squeak meant “Get away!” These squeaks were directed toward a specific bat, which means the bats were having one-on-one conversations.

Bats use chemical communication, too. With scent glands on their neck and chin, bats can mark their territory by rubbing their chin against a surface near their home. This helps bats define their status and claim a prime location at the top of a tree or cave instead of one of the lower edges. It’s their way of saying, "This is MY spot."

*******
DR. WILD'S WORDS
After humans, bats are the most vocal mammals. That’s because they “see” by “talking.” This is called echolocation. Bats’ high-pitched noises bounce off objects around them and return as an echo. Bats can tell the difference between the echo from a tree, a human, a mosquito, or another bat. Because they rely on echolocation, bats become temporarily “blind” while they eat. They can’t make a noise with a mouth full of food.

********
DID YOU KNOW?
The world's smallest mammal is a bumblee bat. It weighs less than a penny.

Buy | Goodreads

Learn about the secret language of wild animals in this exciting and informative guide from the experts who brought you How to Speak Cat and How to Speak Dog.

We know animals can’t speak and express themselves in the same way as humans … but even the smallest and quietest animals have incredible ways of communicating with each other. With wildlife veterinarian expert Dr. Gabby Wild as a guide, How to Speak Animal helps kids understand how animals communicate through sound, body language, and behavior. It’s full of expert insights and real-life stories of humans exploring ways to “talk” to animals, from teaching great apes sign language to speaking “dolphin.” Packed with super-engaging animal photography that helps illustrate key concepts, this fascinating bookprofiles more than 60 different creatures―from birds to mammals to reptiles and more―and their amazing ways of communicating with each other.

If you’ve ever wondered why gorillas beat their chests and make hooting noises, what it means when chameleons change color, or why some elephants twist their trunks together, this is the book for you!

About the Authors

Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube

DR. GABBY WILD earned her bachelor of science and doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) degrees at Cornell University. She completed her veterinary internship training at Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital in Akron, Ohio, and received her master’s of public health (MPH) from the University of Minnesota. She is a published genetics researcher and uses her research background to screen zoonotic disease transmission among wildlife, domestic animals, and people. To help maintain a healthy planet, she monitors herd and individual health for rising epidemics. Dr. Wild balances her Western medicine practices with traditional Chinese medicine in an effort to blend both methodologies. Acclaimed for her role as “the veterinarian” on Animal Jam, the world’s largest online “playground,” with 54 million players, she creates educational videos and teaches children internationally about wildlife conservation and medicine. When not in the wild, Gabby works as a Wildlife Health Program veterinarian for the Wildlife Conservation Society at the Bronx Zoo and is a training veterinary surgeon at the Veterinary Medical Center of Long Island. She lives in New York City.

Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest

AUBRE ANDRUS is an award-winning children's book author with dozens of books published by National Geographic, Lonely Planet, American Girl, Disney, Scholastic, and more. She has also ghostwritten books for young YouTube stars. She currently lives in Los Angeles with her family.

GIVEAWAY

Five (5) winners will receive a copy of How to Speak Animal
US/Canada only
Ends 10/2 at 11:59pm ET
Enter via the Rafflecopter below
Visit the other stops on the tour for more chances to win!

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Blog Tour Schedule:

September 19th — Susie's Reviews and Giveaways
September 20th — Pragmatic Mom
September 21st — Mom Read It
September 22nd — Randomly Reading
September 23rd — YA Book Nerd

Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Randomly Reading) — Sun, 18 Sep 2022 08:00:00 +0000

Moving from Brooklyn to Florida means a new apartment, a new school and new friends for middle schooler Bree Hanley and she's excited about the change. While moving into their new apartment, Bree meets elderly Ms. Etta, who loves to do jigsaw puzzles, and Clara, a neighbor and fellow student at Enith Brigitha Middle School.

Bree, who loves math, is excited to begin school and sign up for the Math Puzzles elective. But when she's told the class is full and she will have to take swimming instead, Bree is completely deflated - she doesn't know how to swim. Meanwhile, she and Clara become best friends. Clara is also a great swimmer and is on the school's competitive swim team, the Enith Brigitha Manatees. After repeatedly skipping swim class, Bree is finally caught and when the reason comes out, her dad signs her up for swimming lessons.

Some girls from her new school's rival swim team, Holyoke Prep, see Bree learning to swim in the kiddy pool, and cruelly make fun of her. Afraid and humiliated, Bree goes from skipping swim class to skipping school altogether. When her math homework falls into the pool at her apartment, Bree jumps in to get it back, and has to be rescued by Ms. Etta. It turns out that Ms. Etta had been a champion swimmer all through school, college and even professionally for a while. Naturally, she offers to teach Bree how to swim.

Meanwhile, the coach of the Enith Brigitha Manatees learns that the pool the team swims in may be turned into a Smoothie Palace and he desperately needs to get more good swimmers on his team to save it. Bree's swimming lessons with Ms. Etta are going well, although Bree is still filled with self-doubt in the water. Ms. Etta is a calm and patient teacher, and even gives Bree a brief but important lesson about why so many Black people don't know how to swim and it has nothing to do with fear of the water, but rather from laws that limited their access to pools.

When Bree makes the team, and then signs up for swimming instead of math her second semester, her father is clearly disappointed, but accepts her decision. He's been pretty busy with his new job and training and keeps missing her meets, which is very disappointing for Bree. Bree is still filled with self-doubt whenever she's in the water, and that isn't made easier when Keisha, one of the girls from Holyoke Prep who made fun of her, transfers to Enith Brigitha after being kicked off the team there for coming in last at a meet. And Clara, whose mother wants her to go to Holyoke Prep, gets a letter saying she has been accepted there and will be transferring at the beginning of the next school year. All this makes for a very disunited team. So, maybe now that Coach has asked Ms. Etta to help with the team, she can bring some unity and help lead the team to victory and saving their pool, and maybe, just maybe, the girls can help Ms. Etta find the missing piece in her own life.

Bree is a wonderful character. She's smart, upbeat, and supportive, then swimming and self-doubt enter her life. Christmas has really captured the kinds of thoughts that go through a person's head in the throes of self-doubt, but he has Bree swim though them more than once, because anyone who has ever doubted themselves about something knows those pesky thoughts don't go away overnight or even necessarily with accomplishment. It was hard to see this sweet girl sink but wonderful to see how she finally met the challenges put in front of her and swam to the surface.

Ms. Etta was also a great character, bringing the past into the present with her own accomplishments and I like that Christmas portrayed her as someone who still had so much to give to the youth of today. And Bree was certainly a catalyst for turning Ms. Etta's life around as much as Ms. Etta did that for Bree. I was a little disappointed in Bree's father's behavior once she joined the swim team, but forgave him when his own deep dark secret finally came out.

Swim Team is definitely a positive, accessible book about family, community, and sportsmanship (in and out of the pool). It does have some social commentary but much of it is subtle. For example, it's Bree's more diverse school that may lose their OK pool, while the mostly white Holyoke Prep has a state of the art pool. The art is simple, but clear and the cells are easy to follow. It reminded me of Jerry Craft's graphic novel New Kid, which I loved and I would definitely pair these two books for a class read.

Book Blitz and Giveaway: Dear Wild Child: You Carry Your Home Inside of You by Wallace J. Nicols and Wallace Gracye Nicols, illustrated by Drew Beckmeyer

noreply@blogger.com (Randomly Reading) — Wed, 14 Sep 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Dear Wild Child: You Carry Your Home Inside of You

by Wallace J. Nicols and Wallace Gracye Nicols,

illustrated by Drew Beckmeyer

Cameron Kids/Abrams, 2022, 32 pages

"The art echoes the text’s emphasis on beauty rather than loss. . .In the event’s aftermath, the affecting story’s tone remains openhearted, concluding with sentiments that encourage resilience and reflect on the nature of home."

―Publishers Weekly

"It’s a touching sentiment that reminds readers of all ages that our lives are defined not by our material possessions but by the memories we make... Intricate and emotional."
―Kirkus Reviews

In the shade of ancient redwood trees, by a creek, not far from the ocean, a father builds a house for his newborn daughter, where she grows up wild and strong in their coastal canyon home. When a wildfire takes back their beloved house, a father writes his now-grown daughter a letter telling her it’s gone. Inspired by the real letter the author wrote his daughter, this poignant story—written together by father and daughter—joyfully declares that a home is more than just wood and stone; it is made of love and can never be taken away. You carry home with you wherever you go.

About the Author & Illustrator
Wallace Grayce Nichols is a student of sustainable design, problem solver, and water lover. Her father,

Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, is a marine biologist and the author of the bestselling book Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do. Home is the slow coast of California. Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Drew Beckmeyer is a fine artist, illustrator, and elementary school teacher. He lives in Northern California. Website | Instagram

Additional Links:

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How to Find What You're Not Looking For by Veera Hiranandani

noreply@blogger.com (Randomly Reading) — Sun, 04 Sep 2022 23:30:00 +0000

It's June 1967, and 11-year-old Ariel "Ari" Goldberg has just learned that her sister Leah, 18, is in love. The only problem is that the Goldbergs are Jewish and want nothing more than for Leah to find a nice Jewish boy to marry. Instead, the boy Leah is in love with is Raj Jagwani, a Hindu from Bombay (now Mumbai), India, but an American citizen and a graduate student at NYU. And so Ari and Leah spend the summer meeting Raj on the sly.

But when school begins in September, everything changes. Leah has been forbidden to see Raj, and at school, Ari is sure she will face another year of struggling to write clearly until she is put into a class for kids who need more help. In the past, Leah had always helped her with her schoolwork, but now she's unhappy and too preoccupied with Raj. After Leah and Raj elope and just disappear, Ari is left to cope with school on her own. Then she discovers that her parent's bakery, Gertie's, is in financial trouble and may have to be sold. At school, Ari has always been tormented by an anti-Semitic bully, but luckily has always had her best friend Jane until they have a falling out.

Ari has also been waiting for her new teacher, Miss Field, to finally recommend she be put into the slow class, but at a conference with Ari and her mother, she tells them she suspects that Ari has dysgraphia, a learning disability in which a person can't write coherently. Mrs. Goldberg is convinced Ari's inability to write is just laziness and requires more practice. But Miss Fields encourages Ari to write poetry, something she finds is an easy way to express how she feels, on the classroom's electric typewriter.

When Ari's class is assigned a special current events project to present, Ari decides to do the Loving vs. Virginia case, something she learned about from Leah and a way to keep her connection to her beloved sister. Yet, unable to understand why she hasn't heard from Leah, Ari and Jane, who loves Nancy Drew mystery novels, decide to solve the mystery of where Leah has disappeared to.

This is indeed a novel about searching for something. If it seems that there is a lot going on in Ari's life in this novel, and that Hiranandani throws a lot of things at her - the Loving case, the Vietnam War, racism, anti-Semitism, and learning disabilities - it is also a thoughtful exploration of Ariel's search to find her own voice and place in her world, and it is also wonderful to watch how Ari grows and changes as events unfold. Written in the second person singular, it was a little odd at first to be reading historical fiction in the present tense, but it also brought the story closer, doing away with historical distancing. After all, some of the events and attitudes in this novel are still with us today.

I think the fact that Hiranandani is biracial, with a Jewish American mother and an Indian father, made this novel feel more relevant and important because she was speaking from experience. She handles Ari's story with sensitivity, humor, and honestly. One of the things I really found interesting were the chapter headings, which all began with How to... It was like a little preview of what was coming without giving anything away.

How to Find What You're Not Looking For is a wonderful heartfelt, character driven novel and if you think the ending is too pat, well, sometimes that's just what is needed.

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Hero for the Hungry: The Life and Work of Norman Borlaug by Peggy Thomas, illustrated by Sam Kalda

noreply@blogger.com (Randomly Reading) — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the Hero for the Hungry Blog Tour!

Follow along all week for exclusive guest posts from author Peggy Thomas, plus 5 chances to win Hero for the Hungry (on shelves 9/1)!

Hero For the Hungry Resource List
by Peggy Thomas

Like most nonfiction authors, I dive deep into my research. There is just so much to learn besides the basics. For Hero for the Hungry, I not only had to learn about the man, Norman Borlaug, but I also had to understand the times he lived in, the anatomy of wheat, how to breed plants, characteristics of bread, etc. Of course, not everything fit into the storyline, and there was too much to put in the backmatter, so I created a resource list of related books, videos, games, activities and even a rap song sure to rev up even the most reluctant reader.

1. The Kid Who Changed the World by Andy Andrews and illustrated by Philip Hurst is a picture book, but it reveals how Norman was influenced by others like Henry A. Wallace and George Washington Carver.

2. Play It Hard - Norman Borlaug 100 Year Tribute is a short clip of Norman discussing his work. It was created by the International Center for Maize and Wheat Improvement and Biology Fortified to celebrate what would have been Norm’s 100th birthday. Although the dialogue has been jazzed up, you’ll get to hear Norm’s voice and sense his enthusiasm.

3. Wheat Ag Mag is a downloadable pdf all about growing wheat in America. Get the stats, the facts, or purchase a stack for the classroom.

4. Wheat Crossing is an Ag Science video that I watched several times to learn the step-by-step process of crossing two different varieties of wheat. While you watch, just imagine Norm having to do this thousands of times!

5. Enjoying the Harvest lesson plan includes milling your own flour. Kids will be amazed at how much grain is needed to make enough flour for a loaf of bread.

6. Loaves of Fun by Elizabeth Harbison is a hands-on history of bread. Once you’ve milled your own flour try baking one of the recipes in this book.

7. My American Farm is a collection of games created by the American Farm Bureau for grades Pre-K to 5. Explore poultry, ag technology, international trade, water conservation, ranching, and much more. I particularly liked Seeds to Shirt.

8. The Story of Wheat For Kids is a downloadable pdf from the Nebraska Wheat Board. It includes coloring sheets, crossword puzzles, and other activities.

9. Norman Borlaug’s Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech can be used as a call to action to follow in Norm’s footsteps and end world hunger.

10. The Norman Borlaug Rap was created by MC Tractor and DJ Redd. Listen and follow along with the lyrics. It’s catchy!

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

Can a quiet Iowa farm boy grow up to change the world? Norman Ernest Borlaug did. Norman Borlaug was the Father of the Green Revolution, saved millions from starvation, and won the Nobel Prize.

How? Science, true American grit, and a passion for helping those in need.

Born in 1914, raised on a small farm, and educated in a one-room schoolhouse, Norman Borlaug learned to work hard and excelled in sports. Against odds and adversity, Norm studied forestry and eventually became a plant scientist, dedicating his life’s work to ending world hunger. Working in obscurity in the wheat fields of Mexico, Norm and his team developed disease-resistant plants, and when widespread famine threatened India and Pakistan, Norm worked alongside poor farmers and battled bureaucracy to save millions from mass starvation. Often called the “Father of the Green Revolution,” Norm helped lay the groundwork for agricultural technological advances that alleviated world hunger. He won the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1970. He was a true hero for the hungry.

Can pursuing science help you and your future generation? This book is sure to inspire young learners!

Sidebars include topics such as a deeper dive into the science Norm was using to produce new and better wheat varieties, agronomy, wheat genes, stem rust, nutrients and more. Back matter includes a timeline of events and discoveries and a call to action for readers to use science to solve problems and do small things to help with hunger and food waste.

Hero for the Hungry is excellent for a science class learning about genetics, an agriculture class studying agronomy, or a history or English class looking for a well-written biography on a hero scientist.

About the Author

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Peggy Thomas has always loved true stories, and can’t remember a time when she wasn’t thrilled to find animal bones, musty encyclopaedias, or a history plaque by the side of the road. It's that same curiosity that has fueled the research and writing of more than twenty nonfiction books for children.

With a master’s degree in anthropology, Peggy explores a wide range of subjects, blending history and science to create award-winning titles. Her most recent books include Lincoln Clears a Path (Calkins Creek, 2021) and Full of Beans: Henry Ford Grows a Car (Calkins Creek, 2019), which earned NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book, 2020 Best Book from the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, and Book of the Year from the Henry Ford Heritage Association.

Peggy is a member of SCBWI, a blogger for Nonfiction Ninjas, and on the creative team behind Nonfiction Fest, a month-long celebration of writing nonfiction for children.

About the Illustrator

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Sam Kalda is an illustrator and artist based in Saint Paul. His commissioned works include editorial, book, advertising and pattern illustration. In 2017, he received a gold medal in book illustration from the Society of Illustrators in New York. He also won a medal from the Cheese Club in college for being able to identify the most amount of, well, cheeses. His first book, Of Cats and Men: History's Great Cat-loving Artists, Writers, Thinkers and Statesmen, was published by Ten Speed Press in 2017. He recently illustrated his first picture book, When We Walked on the Moon, written by David Long and published by Wide Eyed Press in 2019, as well as the follow-up, When Darwin Sailed the Sea.

He lives in an old house with his husband and two cats, Arthur and Frances. In their role as studio assistants, the cats specialize in houseplant demolition and pencil relocation. He enjoys futzing around in his garden, going to estate sales, and taking long walks. So basically, when he's not working, he's retired. He's taught at CUNY Queens College and Minneapolis College of Art and Design.

About the Publisher

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Feeding Minds Press is a project of the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, whose mission is to build awareness and understanding of agriculture through education. We focus on helping young readers understand where their food comes from, who grows it, and how it gets to them and believe in cultivating curiosity about food and farming and how agriculture plays a role in our daily lives. All books from Feeding Minds Press have accompanying lessons, activities, and videos to further learning available on their website, www.feedingmindspress.com.

GIVEAWAY

One (1) winner will receive a finished copy of Hero for the Hungry
US/Can only
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Back to School Picture Book Read Alouds

noreply@blogger.com (Randomly Reading) — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 12:46:00 +0000

Kids and teachers all over the country are returning to school. For some, it began in mid-August, for others, it won't be until September 8th. It's always sad to say goodbye to summer, but there are lots of wonderful picture books to help make the transition back to school a good one. Here are a few that I particularly enjoyed this year.

One Boy Watching

written and illustrated by Grant Snider

Chronicle Books, 2022, 60 pages

Early in the morning, a young boy watches as the Number Four school bus approaches. He's the first one on the bus and as it travels along the country roads, he catalogues all that he sees out the window, like a gnarled tree, three deer, four rusty cars, seven wild sunflowers, three pecking chickens. It is "one bus ride at sunrise under an infinite sky" and "one boy daydreaming" as more and more kids climb aboard the bus. It is a long bus ride into town and school and eventually there are "Forty-eight kids packed like crayons in a crayon box" by the time it reaches school in the city. School buses are usually portrayed and noise, chaotic, or a land of bullies, but in the reflective story, readers see another side of a long ride to school and seem to be encouraged to observe instead and to see what there is out there in both nature and the man made world. The text is simple and lyrical, with just a few words on each page, and relying on the illustrations to complete each observation. I love the colorful color pencil and marker illustrations. They have an innocent childlike feel to them, almost as if they were done by our young observer himself. Perhaps that is because so much of this story is autobiographical for the author, recounting his ride to and from school each day.

Creepy Crayon! (Creepy Tales #3)

written by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Peter Brown

Simon & Schuster BFYR, 2022, 48 pages

Jasper Rabbit is back with a third creepy tale to tell. He not doing too well in school, failing all his subjects except art. It's just Tales from the Carrot Patch is too good a TV program to miss and that leaves not time for studying. Then, one day, Jasper finds a purple crayon that, oddly enough, seems very happy to see him. And it doesn't take long for Jasper to discover that when he uses the purple crayon, he gets all A's on his schoolwork, leaving him plenty of time for TV and video games. But as the purple crayon gets more and more possessive of Jasper, he begins to feel very creeped out. But it seems that no matter what he does to get free of the crayon, it always comes back, more possessive that before. As Jasper's guilty conscience begins to really bother him, he finally takes drastic measures to get rid of the purple crayon and finally do his own work in school - for better or worse. The story and pencil illustrations are just creepy and sinister enough not to scare young readers (like mine) too much but to give them that thrill that makes stories like this so much fun to read. My young readers love the previous two Jasper Rabbit books, Creepy Carrots and Creepy Pair of Underwear, so I can't wait for them to come back to share Creepy Crayon with them. I'm just guessing, but I think I won't be seeing too many purple crayons in their crayon boxes this year.

School Is Wherever I am

written and illustrated by Ellie Peterson

Roaring Brook Press, 2022, 40 pages

When most of us think of school, we picture a blackboard, a teacher and a classroom filled with diverse students learning, creating, writing, having fun, and wondering about the world. And that is just how the young narrator in this contemplative story describes his classroom. But, then he wonders: where else is school? Are there other classrooms in which to learn new things? Can it be found at the zoo, the aquariums, museums, in Nana's kitchen, or Papa's workbench? On hikes or bike rides, around a campfire or up in the stars? Thinking about all the places where he can learn about life and the world around him, our narrator decides that school is wherever he is. And the best part is that the things that are learned at school-outside-of-school can even be shared with family and friends. There's just so much to learn and enjoy out there. Teaching kids to look beyond the classroom, to develop a healthy curiosity about things will help them become lifelong learners. This is another book I am excited about sharing with my young readers in September. I'm curious to see how they respond and talk about some of the things they have done that are in the book and what they think. I love books like this that generate thoughtful and meaningful conversations with my young readers.

Tomatoes in My Lunchbox

written by Costantia Manoli, illustrated by Magdalena Mora

Roaring Brook Press, 2022, 32 pages

Things are difficult for a young girl whose family has just immigrated and nothing feels the same, but especially not her name. Back home, her same sounded like "soft like summer and round with love and color and light" but now, when her teacher or the other kids at school say her name, it just doesn't fit in their mouth. But one thing does feel like home even if it is weird in her new country: the whole tomato she brings to school in her lunchbox. If only she had a different name, perhaps a name like Emma, she wouldn't feel so different from the other kids. Then one day, she smiles at Chloe and they begin to talk. Soon, Chloe can say her name so that it feels right. And they have things in common, too. So when Chloe forgets her lunch, she offers to share her tomato. The friendship is sealed and before she knows it, she and Chloe part of a group of friends, who all learn how to say her name correctly. And her new country begins to sound like home. The message here is clear: don't try to someone you aren't, be yourself and everything that means. The vibrant mixed media illustrations really captures all the different emotions the main character goes through and, wisely, the author never gives her character's name or where she comes from, making this a story that can be read and appreciated by children from anywhere who are in the same situation. I'm excited to share this with my young readers soon. They all come from different places, and some have names that aren't familiar to Americans. Back matter consists of an Author's Note about her own experience as a newly arrived immigrant with an unfamiliar name.

Lunch from Home

written by Joshua David Stein, art by Jing Li

Rise/Penguin Young Readers Group, 2022, 40 pages

This is an unusual book in that four diverse chefs contributed their own childhood experiences to its creation. It begins on Monday at lunchtime. Most kids have sandwiches, except for Preeti, who brought soft dhokla cake topped with spices, her favorite lunch. After the kid next to her says it smells stinky, Preeti begins to bring sandwiches, too. On Tuesday, Mina brings gimbap, neat green-edged rolls of rice with carrot, radish, and ham in the center, the boy next to her make fun of her lunch, and the rest of the week, Mina brings a sandwich. On Wednesday, Niki brought a bagel with everything: lox, cream cheese, capers, and tomato. The boy next to her said cheese and fish are just weird. The next day, Niki brought a sandwich. On Thursday, Ray brought a chopped-up hot dog with scrambled eggs and cheese wrapped in a tortilla. The girl next to him said hot dogs belonged in buns, not tortillas. On Friday, Monday, and Tuesday, everyone in class ate sandwiches for lunch. But on Wednesday, Mina brought gimbap again and really enjoyed it. Before long, Preeti, Niki, and Ray were also enjoying their favorite lunches again. Who are these kids who grew up to become chefs? Preeti Misty, Mina Park, Niki Russ Federman, and Ray Garcia.

📚🚌📓More Back-to-School book suggestions can be found here:

https://randomlyreading.blogspot.com/2021/08/imwayr-welcome-back-to-school-picture.html

https://randomlyreading.blogspot.com/2020/08/2020-back-to-school-roundup.html

https://randomlyreading.blogspot.com/2019/08/an-eclectic-back-to-school-roundup.html

https://randomlyreading.blogspot.com/2018/08/2018-back-to-school-picture-book-roundup.html

https://randomlyreading.blogspot.com/2018/09/four-more-favorite-back-to-school.html

https://randomlyreading.blogspot.com/2017/09/a-randomly-reading-roundup-back-to.html

https://randomlyreading.blogspot.com/2016/09/back-to-school-picture-book-round-up.html

https://randomlyreading.blogspot.com/2015/08/school-days-school-daysa-collection-of.html

Anni Dreams of Biryani by Namita Moolani Mehra, illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat

noreply@blogger.com (Randomly Reading) — Fri, 26 Aug 2022 20:09:00 +0000

Anni Dreams of Biryani written by Namita Moolani Mehra,

illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat

Two Lions/Amazon, 2022, 40 pages

Anni lives in Little India with her mother and grandmother and every Friday, it is their once a week special treat to have biryani for dinner at the Biryani Cafe. This is the best biryani in Little India, made by an elderly chef named Mr. Arif whom everyone calls Uncle with an even older secret to his recipe. And it is Anni's absolute favorite thing to eat. If only she could make biryani that good, but she would need to find out the secret ingredient that sets it apart.

Sure, Anni can already cook all kinds of delicious curries, koftas, roti, and raita, but not biryani that taste like Uncle's. Then, one day, Anni gets an idea. Every week, Anni asks Uncle about one ingredient in his biryani and writes down his answer, until...

one Friday, instead of answering Anni's question, Uncle tells her to stop talking and try making her own biryani. And that is just what Anni does, but even though her biryani is good, it just isn't as good as Uncle's. But when Uncle looked at the recipe Anni had written down from all his answers, he stomps off in a huff, back into the cafe. And that is the end of Friday night biryani for Anni and her family. Or is it? A few weeks later, Anni comes up with a new plan, only to discover the cafe has closed and Uncle is gone. Could this really be the end of the best biryani ever? Will Anni never learn the secret ingredient in Uncle's biryani?

Anni Dreams of Biryani is such a fun book about a young girl who loves to cook, which is apparently not as uncommon as you might think. Anni is sweet, spunky, and really persistent. Her plan, after all, would require weeks of questions and answers, and she even manages to pick up some useful cooking tips from Uncle, besides the list of ingredients.

I loved the story of how Anni persevered trying to figure out the perfect biryani recipe, but I found the ending a bit abrupt and I didn't think it was clear why Uncle closed the cafe and left. It isn't as if Anni were competition for him - she is still just a school girl.

The colorful digitally created illustrations depict a lively Little India neighborhood, with people busily going about their business. And the food images really capture the aroma of the different spices and other ingredients in the Biryani Cafe. They made me hungry for Indian food just looking at them.

Back matter includes information about Biryani and how to make it special. There is a link to a quicker, easier version of Chicken Biryani that kids and their parents can try at http://indian-spicebox.com/biryani

Now, I'm dreaming of biryani, too.

Meet the Author:

Namita Moolani Mehra is a children’s book author, cookbook author, and a food and parenting writer. She wrote the children’s cookbooks The Magic Spicebox and Superfoods for Superheroes. Anni Dreams of Biryani is her first picture book. Namita also runs a social-impact business called Indian Spicebox that helps fund hot meals for underprivileged children in India. Namita was born in a remote village in Nigeria, grew up in the UK and India, studied in Chicago, and worked in New York for over a decade. She currently lives in Singapore with her husband and two children. Learn more at www.namitamehra.com, and follow her on Twitter @namstwit.

Instagram: @indianspicebox

Meet the Illustrator:

Chaaya Prabhat is an illustrator based in Chennai, India. She holds an MA in graphic design from Savannah College of Art and Design. She has illustrated several picture books, including Bracelets for Bina’s Brothers, written by Rajani LaRocca. In addition to her books, Chaaya has created illustrations for numerous clients, such as Google, Facebook, Snapchat, the Obama Foundation, the Times of India, and more. Learn more at www.chaayaprabhat.com, and follow her on Instagram @chaaya23.

Surely Surely Marisol Rainey written and illustrated by Erin Entrada Kelly

noreply@blogger.com (Randomly Reading) — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 15:55:00 +0000

Surely Surely Marisol Rainey (Maybe Marisol Book #2)

written and illustrated by Erin Entrada Kelly

Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins, 2022, 160 pages

Eight-year-old Marisol Rainey and her best friend Jada George love to make lists of their favorite and their least favorite things. They don't always have the same things on them, but it's still fun to compare their lists. But there is one thing that is on both of their least favorite things and that is gym class. Sure, it can be fun sometimes, like when Coach Decker lets them play hopscotch, but when it comes to things like baseball or basketball, Marisol never hears him yell out things like "Nice try, Marisol" or "Great Effort, Marisol" because Marisol just doesn't do well in these sports.

So on the Thursday afternoon that Coach Decker announces that starting Monday and for two weeks they will be learning how to play Kickball, "Marisol's belly plummets to her sneakers." Marisol has never played kickball and her dad, who works on an oil rig off the Gulf of Mexico coast isn't around. He can only come home once a month for a week, but not during the two weeks of kickball. To make matters worse, braggy nemesis Evie Smythe is a great kickball player and never lets Marisol forget it. And if that isn't enough to get Marisol's brain train of negative thoughts going, her brother Oz is a great athlete and soccer star.

When her friend Felix explains that he learned to talk to animals by sleeping with a book about them, Marisol decides to try sleeping with a soccer ball to see it Felix's technique will work for her. But when it doesn't work, and not wanting to let her teammates down, Marisol finally decides she needs to take real action and talk to her brother Oz.

This is Erin Entrada Kelly's second Marisol Rainey book. It is a stand alone story and is every bit as delightful as Book #1, Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey. It is told in the third person present from Marisol's point of view giving readers a window into what she is thinking. The chapters are short, and there are lots of black and white illustrations done by the author that perfectly harmonize with the text. Like many kids her age, Marisol is a worrier, but they are the kinds of worries and anxieties that those readers can relate to. Luckily, Marisol has a supportive family and friends to help her work through her fears and worries.

Erin Entrada Kelly has a way of zeroing in on the things that kids thing and worry about, exploring themes like siblings, friendships, courage, solving problems, and, of course, facing fears. I really enjoyed reading this second Marisol Rainey book and look forward to Book #3.

The World Belonged to Us by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Leo Espinosa

noreply@blogger.com (Randomly Reading) — Tue, 16 Aug 2022 23:02:00 +0000

The World Belonged to Us

written by Jacqueline Woodson,

illustrated by Leo Espinosa

Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin, 2022, 32 pages

Schools out for summer and these kids are happy, excited, and anticipating a great time all summer long, playing games with friends and running free: "Free as air. Free as sun. Free as summer." Just look at those joyous faces. Oh, I remember that feeling, do you? Woodson has captured those past summers in Brooklyn perfectly in this charming picture book fictional memoir, and I know it's spot on because, well, I grew up on the streets of Brooklyn, too.

With school out, it's life on the streets for two whole months. On hot days, the fire hydrants are opened and everyone races to get a cooling shower, clothes and all. The streets are chalked with game boards, jump ropes are pulled out and double dutch is the name of the game.

Hanging with friends on a stoop, telling stories, learning about life from the older kids (I became a pretty good poker player hanging out on Ismael's stoop), other times a ball and stick are pulled out and a game of stickball happens in the street (only stopping when someone yells "car"). Ice cream trucks roll down the street and moms toss money wrapped in a scarf to the lucky kids who always share with the kids who have no money (for us, it was Mister Softee, Good Humor, and Bungalow Bar). And at the end of the day, as everyone knows, it's time to go home when the streetlights came on.

If Jacqueline Woodson got summer all right in her text, Leo Espinosa got it right in the illustrations. Kids in the 1970s were probably the last of the free range children and in his illustrations it feels almost as if they knew and had to make it all extra special. The kids seem to be extra loud, just look at those wide open mouths and you can practically hear the kids calling to each other, and extra energetic, the kids are depicted in almost constant motion. And don't you just love those clothes. The kids are all diverse, just like Brooklyn was and is. And it really did feel like the world belonged to us.

I had a friend once who grew up in the suburbs and told me she felt sorry for me growing up in Brooklyn, because I must have been so bored. Bored? Really? Just look at these kids.

This book really brought back memories of growing up in Brooklyn for me and the games we used to play during summer vacation. It was every bit as wonderful as this book says it was.

I loved playing skelly as a kids and this is one of my favorite pictures in the book. Kids shooting their bottle caps (ours were filled with clay not tar), and a group of kids on the sideline watching and talking. And I'm happy to see that the thirteenth square is still surrounded by poison (land in poison and you lose a turn).

In my Flatbush neighborhood, we called this game skelly,
not skully

My Life Begins! by Patricia MacLachlan, illustrations by Daniel Miyares

noreply@blogger.com (Randomly Reading) — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 15:25:00 +0000

My Life Begins! by Patricia MacLachlan,

illustrated by Daniel Miyares

Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins, 2022, 128 pages

Jacob, 9, is an only child, and while he thinks his picture hanging on the living room wall by itself looks lonely, he's pretty sure that loneliness could be cured with a litter of puppies. Instead, he is reminded that soon there will be new babies in the house - three little ones named Charlotte called Char, Katherine called Kath, and Elizabeth called Lizzie, or the Trips as Jacob refers to them.

At school, his teacher announces that Jacob's class will be learning to do research and that each student should choose something that interests them, which could even be "a subject that is surprising and new." Since the finished project isn't due until two weeks before school ends, Jacob decides his topic will be "A Litter of Trips - From Birth On," diligently observing and recording how the triplets change and grow over the school year.

Seeing how tired caring for his sisters has made his parents, Jacob becomes not just an observer but a real helper, quickly learning how to change diapers, warm bottles, and can even pick up and comfort a crying Lizzie. Eventually, Jacob's parents hire a nanny, a French woman named Mimi who brings experience, peace and order to the chaos of having triplets. And it is Mimi who helps Jacob understand the importance of names, calling him dear Jacob, which he loves. The triplets calls their mother Mama, their father Da, but what will they call Jacob? What will be the forever name they give him, and what will be the forever name he calls them? This turns out to be the most important part of his research project and it is Lizzie who gives him the answer.

What is interesting about this small chapter book is not so much how the triplets change and grow, but how the experience of observing and recording their first year changes Jacob as he goes from being an only child to being a big brother. MacLachlan has poignantly captured the way Jacob's sibling relationships form and grow depending on the personality of each of his sister's, inviting readers into Jacobs thoughts and feelings to show how all this all unfolds.

However, the first year of the triplets lives may feel somewhat unrealistic at times. The babies are unusually happy, Jacob has no sibling jealousy, although he continues to hope for at least one puppy, if not a litter, and those sweet little girls never get sick, throw up, or produce one of those unforgettable poopy diapers. But young readers won't care about these things. The story uses simple language age appropriate for Jacob, the chapters are short yet full of information told from Jacob's point of view, and it is all complemented with Daniel Miyares rough sketches in black and white ink.

My Life Begins! is a very sweet, very tender story about family and sibling relationships and is sure to bring on more than one smile and perhaps a tear or two. It is an excellent choice for a read aloud, at school or as a family book, and will definitely appeal to fans of Kevin Henkes' Billy Miller series.

Sadly, Patricia MacLachlan passed away on March 31, 2022 at age 84 a few months before the release of My Life Begins!

The Pleasure of Wordless Picture Books

noreply@blogger.com (Randomly Reading) — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 12:08:00 +0000

I'm going through books, getting ready for when my young readers are back from vacation. I have found that one of the most successful category of books to use with younger kids is wordless picture books. They provide kids with a way to tell a story in their own words, eliciting language and using imagination. Here are four I plan on permanently adding to our small Wordless Picture Book Library now that they have been read and enjoyed by my young readers.

A Day for Sandcastles by JonArno Lawson,

illustrated by Qin Leng

Candlewick Press, 2022, 48 pages

A family - mom, dad, and three siblings - arrive by bus to spend a warm summer day at the beach. Pails and shovels in hand, older brother, middle sister and a toddler are ready to build a sandcastle at the water's edge. Proud of their first small castle, it is quickly washed away when a wave comes in. And so they begin again, and again, and again. Each sand castle meetings it own beachy fate. But the siblings never give up, working together as a team. What I love about this book is not just the message of teamwork and perseverance, but the feeling of being at the beach that each illustration brings. The ink and watercolor illustrations are detailed and while the focus is on the three siblings, there is the usual beach activity all around them - people swimming, others walking along the shoreline, people reading under umbrellas, kids playing ball - all captured on one and two page spreads, some with smaller, close up montages. And who hasn't encountered pesky seagulls while eating lunch at the beach, or the wind blowing someone's hat away. This day at the beach was anything but static. I could feel the sea breeze and the feeling of it blowing sand into my hair, and smell the sun screen, and the tide coming in as the day worn on and the position of the sun changes. This is a beautiful wordless picture, (and for me, nostalgic) day at the beach and I can't wait to see what my Kiddos have to say about it.

All Around Bustletown Nighttime

written and illustrated by Rotraut Susanne Berner

Prestel Publishing, 2022, 14 pages

Welcome back to Bustletown! Previously, we read book about Bustletown throughout the seasons, and no matter what time of the year it is, it is a pretty busy, busy place. It is, after all, a wimmelbook. Is Bustletown just as busy at night as it is in the daytime? This book follows the same format as the previous books, beginning with a home where everyone is getting ready for bed, and the kids are camping out in the backyard. But, there is still activity on the street. The bus is still running, the gas station and the train station are open, just not quite as busy as in the daytime. The market is closed, and there is a sleepover for kids at the Cultural Center. But, uh oh, someone is trying to break into the bookstore. Luckily, the police have just arrived. The department store is closed, but there a window shoppers out for an evening stroll. Cara and John are out and strolling through the pages, but where are they going at night? It seems the Park Cafe is open and there are lots of people enjoying a meal with friends, plus they can watch the fireworks lighting up the night sky. Bustletown has a different look to it at night than it has during the day, but readers will meet the same people and see the same places as in the earlier books, giving all the Bustletown books a nice continuity. The illustrations are just as charming and colorful as before, but with a dark blue nighttime sky. And each of the two page spreads are elaborately detailed and each page connects to the one before and after it, providing lots of stories that kids can make up as they read their way through Bustletown, making this a great interactive book.

The Depth of the Lake and the Height of the Sky

written and illustrated by Kim Jihyun

Floris Books, 2021, 24 pages

In her afterword, the author says she hopes this book will help readers connect to nature much the same way she did one summer and experience the same serene feeling she felt. In this story, a young boy, his parents, and their dog leave their bustling city behind and drive to the countryside to visit his grandparents. Soon after arriving, the boy and his dog go for a walk on a winding trail in the forest behind the house. The further they walk, the more the boy notices the wonders of nature around him. Eventually, he and the dog discover a lake with a dock, and the boy dives in, exploring the wonders of underwater nature. Afterward, boy and dog lay on the dock to dry off before heading home at the end of the day. What is remarkable about this wordless picture book how the author manages to convey so much in each illustration, all of which are done using writing ink and a slow-drying blending medium in a palette of grays and whites, with only touches of blue. Each image is filled with details, whether it is the street where the family lives, or the lushness of the forest with it varied flora, the long late afternoon shadows over the countryside, or a sky filled with stars. My only problem was that the boy went swimming alone in the lake. I have drummed it into my Kiddo's head to never ever swim alone, and had to give the same warning to my young readers when we read this book. Otherwise, it is a brilliant wordless picture book that really elicited lots of talk among my kids.

The Dog Walk

written and illustrated by Sven Nordqvist

Floris Books, 2021, 32 pages

Follow a young boy in a red cap as he takes his Grandmother's big white dog for a jam-packed adventurous walk in this wordless fanciful Wimmelbook. Pulled along by the dog, the two ride a train to places where there are tree houses piled one on top of the other, people from different time periods, people and animals of exaggerated size (both large and small), and all kinds of animated objects, among other imaginative things. Boy and dog climb mountains, cross tropical seas, explore toy and antique shops, visit overgrown villages and castles surrounded by moats, and a town where only cats live. The sights the boy and dog see are wildly imaginative, at times fun, at other times rather dark. And just like that, they return to Grandmother's house at the end of their adventure. I was a little hesitant about reading this to my young readers, but they loved exploring the pictures and I guess they've watched enough silly things on TV that they had no problems making up stories about the boy and dog on each page after they found them in all the chaos, all of them brilliantly illustrated using watercolor, acrylic, and ink.

What are some of your favorite wordless picture books?

The Marvellers (Marvellerverse #1) by Dhonielle Clayton

noreply@blogger.com (Randomly Reading) — Fri, 22 Jul 2022 13:11:00 +0000

Ella Durand comes from a prominent New Orleans family of Conjurors and although she is only 11-years-old, she is about to make history. She will be the first Conjuror to enter the Arcanum Training Institute for Marvelous and Uncanny Endeavors and Ella is beyond excited about it, even if her mother isn't. And she isn't the only one not happy about Ella attending this school. Once Ella arrives, she finds she has three roomates, two of which believe Conjurors don't belong in the school and only one of which is even remotely friendly. She is also assigned a mentor, Masterji Thakur, who will help her learn the Marvellian Way, and a guide, Jason Eugene, the youngest of an illustrious Marvelling family and the youngest of four siblings in the school. At first, Ella rejects Jason's help, determined to do everything on her own as part of her need to prove that she belongs.

The first thing that happens is that Ella is moved from her dorm with three roomates to one she will share with unfriendly Brigit Ebsen from New York City. Unlike Ella, Brigit does not want to be in the Arcanum Training Institute and plans on running away as soon as she can. Brigit also continuously knits images onto squares, but doesn't know why, who the images are, and seems to go into a trance when she is knitting.

It's not just students who don't want Ella at their school, some of the teachers feel the same way and she begins to get demerits for things she hasn't done. But, little by little, she and Brigit become friends, and Ella warms up to Jason enough to call him friend too. But when a prisoner, Gia Trivelino, who calls herself the Ace of Anarchy, escapes from the Cards of Deadly Fate, a prison made out of powerful conjure cards and then Masterji Thakur disappears, students and teachers are quick to point their finger at Ella. All the while, Ella keep wondering just what her Marvel is.

Click to Enlarge

Marvels are a light within a person that is strongly linked to one of five Paragons. Paragons are similar to the five senses (vision, touch, sound, taste, smell) except smell has been replaced by spirit. At the end of the school year, there is an exam where kids find out their Paragon. Since all of the kids who are in Ella's class come from Marvelling families, they already have an idea of what their Paragon will be, with the exception of Ella and Brigit. I found myself wondering just what Ella's Paragon would be that would really work for a series. Then I thought, duh, she has at least two friends who can help with their Paragons. And then it occurred to me that wondering what will happen is part of the fun of reading The Marvellers.

And there is a lot of fun stuff in this book because Clayton's worldbuilding is just so wonderfully imaginative. Sure, some of it may remind you of Harry Potter, but there is just so much originality that the comparisons fall away quickly until you are only left with one - they are both fantastic school stories. And astute readers will definitely chuckle at the names of some of the teachers in Ella's school.

But don't get me wrong, there is plenty of serious stuff going on. Ella is marginalized right off the bat when she must change rooms and live with Brigit, the other marginalized student. And with marginalization, comes bullying by students and collecting demerits because Conjurors are not welcomed by every teacher in the school.

I have to admit when I first began reading The Marvellers, I had a hard time getting into it, but after a few pages, I was totally hooked. And I could go on and on about how great it is because there is just so much to this story, but maybe you should just read the book. It is well worth your time. Maybe I'll reread it.