
Picture Book Review – Over, Bear! Under, Where?
OVER, BEAR! UNDER, WHERE? Written by Julie Hedlund Illustrated by Michael Slack (Philomel BYR; $17.99, Ages 4-8) For the last day of Fat Bear Week, I'm delighted, (or should I say overjoyed?) to share my thoughts on Julie Hedlund's uproarious read-aloud picture book, Over, Bear! Under, Where? with humorous art by Michael Slack. Now don't get me wrong, the titular Bear may be on the big side, but he's actually a kind soul simply looking for pals to play with. But when you're a bird (Over), a mole (Under), or a hot-dog dog (Dog) and…
Picture Book Review by Christine Van Zandt – If Tigers Disappeared
IF TIGERS DISAPPEARED If Animals Disappeared series, book 5 by Lily Williams (Roaring Brook Press; $18.99, Ages 4-8) Stand up and roar for Lily Williams’s If Tigers Disappeared, the fifth book in her award-winning series. If Tigers Disappeared follows the familiar pattern: we learn where the animals live, some history about them, and why their populations have declined. Tigers have been around for more than two million years, yet in the past 100 years, humans have nearly wiped out their population. When an animal becomes extinct, the ripple effect (also called the trophic cascade)…
Young Adult Book Review by Ronda Einbinder – Once More With Chutzpah
ONCE MORE WITH CHUTZPAH Written by Haley Neil (Bloomsbury; $17.99; Ages 12 and up) When Tally’s twin brother Max is the passenger in a tragic car crash with a drunk driver, who is killed, Tally decides a winter break trip to Israel will be the remedy to get him back on track in Haley Neil’s debut YA novel Once More With Chutzpah. High school senior Tally seems to have her life in order. The plan is to attend Boston College with Max, where their non-Jewish mother teaches religion, and share a dorm room with her best…
Picture Book Review by Roxanne Troup – BAA, BAA, TAP SHEEP
BAA, BAA, TAP SHEEP Written by Kenda Henthorn Illustrated by Lauren Gallegos (Sleeping Bear Press; $17.99, Ages 0-4) From the Publisher: “As a trio of tired tots settles into bed for the night, the sheep who should be helping them count down to slumber kick up their hooves in an energetic dance performance. Starting with one little lamb … [the] sheep tap, waltz, tango, and boogie … [until] finally, after their energy is danced out, nap sheep lull everyone to sleep.” Review: Kenda Henthorn’s lively, rhyming text borrows the rhythm of “Baa,…
Picture Book Review – Somewhere, Right Now
SOMEWHERE, RIGHT NOW Written by Kerry Docherty Illustrated by Suzie Mason (Flamingo Books; $17.99, Ages 3-5) If you need a moment to slow down and appreciate life, read the picture book, Somewhere, Right Now, by debut author Kerry Docherty. In this comforting story, we see members of one family each experience strong emotions such as fear, anger, and sadness. One by one, as their feelings are recognized, they take a moment to focus. By understanding that “somewhere, right now” a great thing is happening, they move away from the negativity and, instead, their imaginations transport them…
Picture Book Review for Rosh Hashanah – Measuring a Year
MEASURING A YEAR: A ROSH HASHANAH STORY Written by Linda Elovitz Marshall Illustrated by Zara González Hoang (Abrams Appleseed; $16.99, Ages 3-5) When I celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, I reflect on the year gone by, and now author Linda Elovitz Marshall and illustrator Zara González Hoang have created an inviting way for children to do the same with Measuring a Year: A Rosh Hashanah Story. What struck me the most about this rhyming picture book was what a terrific conversation starter it is for families and how, per the back matter, other opportunities are…
Picture Book Review by Roxanne Troup – A Penny’s Worth
''' A PENNY’S WORTH Written by Kimberly Wilson Illustrated by Mark Hoffman (Page Street Kids; $17.99, Ages 4-8) From the Publisher: “Hot off the printing press, Penny feels like a million bucks. But as other coins and bills are spent while she sits forgotten, she begins to doubt her value … Refusing to be short-changed, she sets out to find her purpose at any cost.” From Kirkus Reviews: “Combining a dash of math with buckets of good humor, this book is certainly like money in the bank.” REVIEW: Fresh and fun, A Penny's Worth written by Kimberly…
Picture Book Review by Tracy C. Gold – If Your Babysitter is a Bruja
IF YOUR BABYSITTER IS A BRUJA Written by Ana Siqueira Illustrated by Irena Freitas (Simon & Schuster BYR; $18.99, Ages: 4-8) REVIEW: If Your Babysitter Is a Bruja starts as a spooky Halloween tale and then develops layers as it goes on. Written in second person, If Your Babysitter Is a Brujachronicles how a child is scared of her babysitter. Clever illustrations by Irena Freitas show how a terrifying "bubbling cauldron" is actually a bathtub, a magic broomstick is a bicycle, and a slide is a magic castle. A clever scene showing the babysitter's hat in…