INFO 5420 Children's Book Reviews

In this twisted take on a familiar tale (Goldilocks), Curly Locks is a brave and honorable protagonist, but a horrible cook. That is, until her cooking mysteriously disappears one day, and chaos is suddenly rampant through Toadsuck Swamp. Curly Locks isn't easily intimidated and uses her cunning and cooking to stand up to the Scares of the town. This fractured tale reminds us to continue to do what we love no matter what anyone thinks!

Justification:

The author of this selection is an award-winning storyteller named Donna Washington. Donna has written for audiences of a wide range, including children, and is even a vocal performer. Her storytelling skills come through this fractured fairy tale that is both mysterious, hilarious, and empowering. The protagonist reminds the reader to embrace who you are and to do it no matter what anyone else believes which is empowering to readers of all ages, especially young girls.

Evaluate:

Figurative Language: The author's choice of repetition is consistent throughout the story using phrases such as "Gitchey Boo, Gitchey Bon! Gitchey Good, Gitchey Gone, " (Washington, 2021 p.6) helping the reader establish confidence, predictability in the story, and is great for the recommended age of kinder-3rd grade. This book also would be beneficial for ELL readers as well.
Unexpected Insights: In the story, Curly Locks was feeling defeated when realizing the townspeople were turning away her cooking and as she is showing/sharing that disappointment, her mother tells her to, "Do what your heart loves," (Washington, 2021 p.3). This vital piece of advice is essential to building human character and reflects essentially the theme of the story.
Illustrations: The illustrator for this particular story is Jeffrey Ebbeler who has illustrated children's literature for over a decade. The illustrations capture the plot of the story and it is interesting how the illustrations were created using ink, paint, and Adobe Photoshop to create a colorful, enchanting story.

References:

Peachtree. (n.d.) Boo stew. Peachtree. Retrieved September 30, 2024, from https://www.peachtreebooks.com/book/boo-stew/

Washington, D. L. (2021). Boo stew. Peachtree Publishing Company Inc.

Wishtree

Author: Katherine Applegate

Illustrated by Charles Santoso

Reviews:

New York Times Book Review

Publishers Weekly

The Washington Post

School Library Journal

Kirkus Reviews

Genre: Bluebonnet Winner

Summary:

Red is a tree with many inhabitants and a friend, a crow named Bongo, who has watched over the neighborhood for generations. Red holds a special place in the community, always watching and being an observer. However, when trouble begins to brew and opportunities present themself, Red has an important decision to make: stay quiet or make a change that may impact all who live in the community: including Red.

Justification:

Katherine Applegate is a staple in children's literature with her resume including books such as the infamous, The One and Only Ivan (Amazon, 2024).

Her books are beloved by students and adults throughout generations and are always books I refer to my reluctant readers who need to expand their reading palate or haven't found that special book just yet.

Evaluate:

Figurature language- Red is an oak tree, but through the use of personification, the reader gets to understand Red's story through its point of view. As the story unfolds, we learn Red's significance and the part the tree plays in helping the community come together.
Unexpected Insights- Red, being hundreds of years old, has many insights into life itself and throughout the story, Red imparts their wisdom to the reader and the other characters in the story. "But everyone needs hope, " (Applegate, 2017 p. 152) is just one example of how wise and insightful this book is.
Drawing a Line in the Sand- Red is our main character and from Red's point of view, the story unfolds. So when Francesca decides that Red must be cut down because it has caused too much chaos over the years with its roots causing problems to the neighborhood, the reader knows that Red will survive because we can only learn what happens through Red's storytelling.
Illustrations- While there are not many illustrations throughout the text, the illustrations help move the story and help "show" the reader the small various creatures that are found within the story.

References:

Amazon. (n.d.). About the author: Katherine Applegate. Amazon. Retrieved November 20, 2024 from https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B000AQ1MD8/about

Applegate, K. (2017). Wishtree. Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC.

Nightmare king

Author: Daka Hermon

Reviews:

Kirkus Reviews

Goodreads

Youth Services Book Reviews

Genre: Other (Horror)

Summary:

Shane was involved in a terrible accident while playing a game of tag with his sister and other friends. His recovery has taken its toll on him and while he struggles to return to his pre-accident self, he finds himself tangled in a distorted reality involving his nightmares that seem all too real! He questions himself, his worth, and the events in his life. Is he losing it or is something more sinister at play?

Justification:

This is Daka Hermon's second novel involving twisted games and facing fears. Her first novel, Hide and Seeker opens up the world, and Nightmare King continues to thrill readers. While this is considered a horror story, I was impressed with how the character faced challenges and learned to deal with his self-worth, loyalty, and friendships; ultimately overcoming those challenges. He had a strong community of friendships and family that allowed him to make mistakes and be forgiven and that no matter what he did, there would always be people there who supported him. I think that's an important lesson for 5th-8th graders; the target audience of this novel, to find their tribe and lean into that support when needed.

Evaluate:

Unexpected Insights- this book is full of unexpected insights mostly coming from the main character, Shane. In the story, Shane continues to have an inward battle, especially when dealing with his nightmares. One example in particular occurs during the epic battle with the Nightmare King. As the battle continues, Travis ( his frenemy) reveals some private insight into why he acts angry towards Shane. Shane then states, "I have a little peek into what it's like to be him. It has to be hard when the people you care about the most support you the least. I guess you never know what someone else is dealing with. Things are not always like they seem," ( Hermon, 2023 p. 271). Shane can step into someone else's shoes and show empathy which is an important lesson for tweens and teens.
Drawing a Line in the Sand- For this story, there is a point when you question what or if Shane will have to sacrifice himself to save his friends and sister. There is an epic battle of good vs. evil, and fighting the Nightmare King appears that all might just be lost. In the final moments of the battle, the kids can pull it together and work as a team to destroy the Nightmare King and free the "coin kids" who have been held captive by the Nightmare King; some for centuries. Thankfully, Shane and company overcome the evil and get to return home. However, the author does a great job at the end of creating a cliffhanger. Will there be a next book? Will these characters return? It leaves the reader wanting more.
Illustrations- As this is a chapter book, there are no illustrations within the text itself. The cover art was created by Stephanie Yang, and depicts our main character Shane with golden, bulging eyes standing in front of a ghostly shadow with a fiery crown with the caption, "Tag..you're it."

Reference:

Hermon, D. (2023). Nightmare king. Scholastic Press.

No More Poems!

Author: Rhett Miller

Illustrations: Dan Santat

Reviews:

School Library Journal

Kirkus Reviews

School Weekly

Horn Book

Genre: Poetry

Summary:

This book is a collection of 23 humorous poems about childhood, family, and the world today. Think of it as the updated Shel Silverstein books with a variety of topics and funny imagery. From twins, hair, and the topic of our devices, this book is meant to be read out loud for all to hear!

Justification:

Poetry appeals to ALL readers, regardless of age. It is difficult to find quality children's poems that will engage readers, but this book does all that and more. It is funny, serious, and applies to current times.

Evaluate:

Illustrations: Dan Santats' art is colorful, loud, and expressive. His illustrations provide an extra quirky depiction throughout this collection that adds imagery to these unique poems.
Figurative Language: As a collection of poetry, there should be lots of examples of figurative language throughout. From rhyming words in, "3:00 a.m. pee" with still, Bill, puppy, fluffy; this adds to the silliness of having to go to the restroom in the middle of the night (Miller, 2019 p. 31). In "My device," the author uses personification and repetition to describe the ways we rely on our devices (Miller, 2019 p.8).
Vocabulary: While this book appeals to younger readers, it offers a rich vocabulary to enhance the meaning of the words in the poems. For example, in the first poem alone, the poet uses the word "witness" instead of "see" to appeal to the readers' sense of sight (Miller, 2019 p. 1). In poetry, it is important to use a rich vocabulary and this book does just that.

Reference:

Miller, R. & Santat, D. (2019). No more poems! a book in verse that just gets worse. Little, Brown and Company.

Mango, abuela, and me

Author: Meg Medina

Illustrations: Angela Dominguez

Reviews:

Booklist

School Library Journal

Horn Book

Kirkus Reviews

Genre: Pura Belpre Winner (Realistic Fiction)

Summary:

When Mia's abuela comes to live with her and her family, it is difficult for both of them to communicate and understand one another. At first, Mia is worried about the inability to communicate with her abuela, but soon both begin helping each other learn and practice words in English and Spanish. One day, Mia and her mom stop by a pet shop and Mia buys her abuela a parrot to keep her company while she is at school. With a new friend, practicing their English and Spanish, they build a relationship and strengthen their bond.

Justification:

This book is so lovely! So many students have similar stories of grandparents and family members they may have difficulty understanding and this story provides a heartfelt and beautiful story of overcoming the language barrier to communicate.

Evaluate:

Illustrations- The illustrations are vibrant, reminding me of a tropical paradise. Mia never gave up trying to communicate with her abuela and I think the fact that her abuela lived in a tropical environment is shown through the illustrations as being cheerful and colorful.
Power of Words: Throughout the story, the author purposefully uses Spanish-English words to show the reader how Mia and her abuela attempt to communicate and learn from each other. On page 7, for example, "A feather---una pluma--" is used and the reader understands that they mean the same; one word in English, the other in Spanish (Medina, 2015 p. 7).
Unexpected insights- The main character, Mia, explains to her mom that maybe she and her Abuela are having difficulty understanding each other. The mom is quick to remind Mia of how she helped her friend at school learn English words. Through that conversation, Mia is inspired to help Abuela learn English even more by creating word cards (vocabulary cards). This interaction with her mom is very powerful as it reminds us not only to not give up but to find solutions to problems and overcome adversities.

References:

Medina, M. & Dominguez, A. (2015). Mango, abuela, and me. Candlewick Press.

Karl's New Beak

Author: Lela Nargi

Illustrations: Harriet Popham

Reviews:

Kirkus Reviews

The Columbian

Genre: Informational (Non-fiction)

Summary:

Karl's New Beak follows the epic transformation and life for one Abyssinian ground hornbill named Karl, who has an interesting dilemma: his beak. The beak had worn away, making it difficult to eat various foods and becoming extra fragile. Understanding the importance of a hornbills' beak to have a thriving life, the veterinarian who works where Karl resides decides to find a solution to this problem.

Justification:

This informational text documents a real-world problem and solution using improved technologies such as a 3D printer. This story is an example of the capabilities of determined scientists and how hard work pays off. Students love animal books and this story would make a wonderful addition to any school library!

Evaluate:

Illustrations- The mixed use of illustrations and real photographs throughout the text is a wonderful addition to this story by showing the reader what Karl is like in his environment while adding creative drawings as a background. The photographs provide the reader a look into the process used to develop and acquire his new beak such as giving the reader a glimpse of the archived skeleton on page 12 (Nargi, 2019 p 12).
Precise Vocabulary- Nonfiction text can be challenging to readers of any age. One of the additions in this story is the text feature, the glossary (Nargi, 2019 p 30). The glossary defines some of the more advanced vocabulary used throughout the text, which some nonfiction texts for readers don't always provide. This text feature enhances the overall comprehension for the reader.
Understatement- The author does a good job of presenting the information about Karl's journey allowing the reader to experience feelings without overstepping. As the reader learns about the creation of his prosthetic beak, the author allows the reader to show the process and allow the reader to come to their conclusions.

References:

Nargi, L. & Popham, H. (2019). Karl's new beak. Capstone Editions.

New Kid

Author: Jerry Craft

Illustrator: Jerry Craft

Reviews:

Newbery Award Winner, 2020

Kirkus Reviews

Coretta Scott King Author Award

Booklist

School Library Journal

Horn Book Magazine

Scholastic Teacher Magazine

Genre: Newbery Medal Award Winner, 2020

Summary:

Jordan is a 7th-grade student who loves to draw. He would love to attend an art school, however, his parents enrolled him in a prestigious private school. Throughout the year, Jordan struggles to fit in with many students and remain true to his identity. As Jordan navigates this new school year, he learns about the importance of staying true to himself and standing up for what is right.

Justification:

Many students can identify with Jordan on several layers: attending a new school, learning where they fit in, and being true to themselves. This book faces hard conversations with a child-friendly approach and appeals to readers through a graphic novel format, making the text easy to navigate. I would recommend this text to students in 6th-8th as the story is directed at a middle school target audience. However, I have recommended this text to students in 4th and 5th grade who were looking to challenge themselves.

Evaluate:

Illustrations: Jerry Craft not only is the author but the illustrator as well! I enjoyed the images at the beginning of each chapter and how some reference other pop culture images, like in Chapter 13, where it shows the main character with what appears to be a lightsaber and is sub-titled, "The Farce Awakens," (Craft, 2019 p. 213). Turning the page and looking at the images, our main character is waiting on the bus, and the image on the side of the bus stop is a "Pork-fil-A," referencing the ever-popular fast food chain (Craft, 2019 p. 214). These are just two examples of the creativity of Jerry Craft.
Dialogue- Being that this text is told through a graphic novel format, dialogue is essential to keeping the story moving along. This is done easily throughout the novel and the conversations within the story are easy to identify. Even the speech bubbles have unique designs helping the reader to identify who is speaking. For example, on page 223, Jordan is expressing himself with a painting and it is easy to "see" who is speaking and thinking on this page.
Unexpected Insights- This text has quite a few insights dealing with the topic of diversity, discrimination, and other "controversial" topics. There was a part in the story that stuck with me because it's something as a librarian I have witnessed, realized, and wondered about. During a part of the story, the students are asked to go down to the book fair. While there, Jordan and another student are discussing diverse book selections, and at one table sits the "African American Escapist Literature." The books show Escape from Poverty, Escape from Prison, etc. (Craft, 2019 p. 128). In the last several years, there has been a call for diverse literature that highlights people of color doing "everyday" things and having their adventures and stories told. Students of color should see themselves represented as heroes, princesses, and whatever else. I think that's what Jerry Craft is appealing to in this part of the text and I think that's important for every reader.

Reference:

Craft, J. (2019). New kid. HarperCollins Publishers.

Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre

Author: Carole Boston Weatherford

Illustrator: Floyd Cooper

Reviews:

Caldecott Winner, 2022

Winner of the Coretta Scott King Book Awards for Author and Illustrator

A Caldecott Honor Book

A Sibert Honor Book

Longlisted for the National Book Award

A Kirkus Prize Finalist

A Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book

Booklist (starred review)

Genre: Coretta Scott King Winner (Nonfiction)

Summary:

During the early 20th century, there was a vibrant community known as "Black Wall Street," located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This community thrived with Black-owned businesses, schools, homes, and churches that made it an economic success. Unfortunately, this period was filled with many whose hearts were filled with hatred and sought to harm Black communities. Racial tensions and certain events that took place from May 31 to June 1, 1921, saw the destruction and fall of Black Wall Street.

Justification:

This book highlights an event from history that recounts the horrific demise of a thriving Black community. Students in upper elementary will appreciate hearing voices and recalling specific events in history that urge us to do better in this world today. While this is a tragedy, the author urges the reader to work towards a more equitable and fair society.

Evaluate:

Illustrations: The illustrations in this book are beautiful and tragic, and help the reader bring to life the events that unfolded during that period. They bring to life the history and help "show" the reader the events.
Unexpected Insights- “The story of the Tulsa Race Massacre has long been hushed. But history, no matter how tragic, can never be erased. We must remember. We must tell the story," (Weatherford, 2021). This call to action by the author provides the reader with hope and a call to action. Many lessons can be learned from this historic tale.
Drawing a Line in the Sand- This event in particular is an unthinkable, horrific destruction and can be scary because it's real and it happened. This can be scary for children, yet, the author tells the tale in a way that young readers can accept and understand. “Angry mobs stormed through Greenwood, looting and burning homes and businesses that Black families had worked hard to build," (Weatherford, 2021). The word choice and how the author delivers this devastating event are portrayed in a way that is sensitive to the audience it is intended for without compromising the depth of what occurred.

Reference:

Weatherford, C. B. & Cooper, F. (2021). Unspeakable: the Tulsa race massacre. Carolrhoda Books.

Hot Dog

Author: Doug Salati

Illustrator: Doug Salati

Reviews:

The Washington Post

Publishers Weekly

Kirkus Reviews

Genre: Caldecott Medal Winner, 2023

Summary:

It's a hot summer day when one hot pup decides it's time to leave the city for a little saltwater and sand! From the city with crowded streets, sidewalks, and too much concrete, this pup decides it's time to venture somewhere a little calmer and fun. After much rest and fun in the sun, this hot dog finds calmness and rejuvenation reminding us to enjoy some time and seize the day!

Justification:

This adorable story is a great reminder for the reader to take time for themselves and find calm in the chaos. In today's world with so many things to focus on and do, this hot dog is an example of taking time out to enjoy the little things.

Evaluate:

Illustrations: Doug Salati brings the story to life through the use of visuals and illustrations helping the story move along. You can see the chaos that surrounds the city and feel the need to get away which eventually leads hot dog to say enough is enough. These beautiful illustrations are so important to the story and make for a visually appealing delight!
Figurative language: The use of onomatopoeia in the illustrations conveys the loudness of busy city life. Words like "Beep, beep, beep" show the reader how loud and involved the city can be (Salati, 2022). Also, the text does have some alliterations with examples such as "concrete crumbles" and "sirens screech" that add sound to the story (Salati, 2022). There is almost a poetic lyrical rhythm as the story unfolds.
Unexpected insights: Who knew a pup could be so insightful and full of wisdom, reminding the reader it is ok to take time for oneself and do something fun! When our pup stops moving on the street and does not move invoking their owner to take a little trip out to someplace quieter it reminds the reader to do the same when you feel overwhelmed. Children and adults alike could use that advice!

Reference:

Salati, D. (2022). Hot dog. Knopf Books for Young Readers.

Aru Shah and the end of time: The graphic Novel

Author: Adapted by: Joe Caramagna

Novel by Roshani Chokshi

Illustrator: Anu Chouhan

Reviews:

School Library Journal

Kirkus Reviews

Genre: Graphic Novel

Summary:

In this graphic novel adaptation, Aru Shah lives in the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture with her mom. She doesn't quite fit in with her wealthier classmates and is often found making up excessive stories and even lies about some of the things she has done or seen. One day, some classmates come to her home to catch her in a lie and urge Aru to light a "cursed" lamp. However, Aru awakens an ancient and evil demon that wants to destroy the world. Now, Aru must overcome her fears and her insecurities if she wants to defeat this evil and embark on a journey to save the world!

Justification:

Students love novels that have been taken and adapted into graphic novel formats and this one is no different! The story itself is full of mystery and adventure and finding oneself that students will gravitate to and enjoy. Aru is a relatable character and this tale has tons of Indian mythology that will captivate readers.

Evaluate:

Illustrations: Vibrant, detailed illustrations move the story along and show the action! The bold illustrations help capture the heart of the story!

Unexpected insights- The Sleeper, the villain in this tale, is portrayed with depth. At one point, he reveals his bitterness over betrayal, which fueled his descent into darkness. His complex motivations suggest that villains are not born but made through circumstances and choices. This nuanced portrayal encourages readers to consider the backstory and humanity of adversaries, challenging the traditional black-and-white view of good and evil. Sometimes evil is complicated.
Drawing a Line in the Sand- At times, the story can feel a little dark, however, with the addition of dry humor the author alleviates some tension that has been building up. For example, Boo, the pigeon guide, frequently lightens the mood during tense moments. For instance, when introducing Aru and Mini to their mission, Boo says, "You just unleashed an ancient demon... and now you have to fix it. No pressure, though" (Caramagna, 2022). This mix of dry humor with high-stakes situations keeps the tone engaging for young readers.

Reference:

Caramagna, J. & Chouhan, A. (2022). Aru Shah and the end of time: the graphic novel. Rick Riordan Presents

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