Charlesbridge

Children’s Picture Book Review – No Voice Too Small

NO VOICE TOO SMALL:
Fourteen Young Americans Making History

Edited by Lindsay H. Metcalf, Keila V. Dawson
and Jeanette Bradley

Illustrated by Jeanette Bradley

(Charlesbridge; $18.99, Ages 5-9)

 

 

No Voice Too Small cvr

 

★Starred Review – Kirkus

 

There’s no better time than right now to make our voices heard. But this isn’t about our voices. It’s about our children’s voices. And, in particular, it’s about the diverse voices in No Voice Too Small that stand out from the daily din of our world. The fourteen children selected for this rich collection of poetry and prose may not have been known to you prior to reading this book, but you’ll remember them afterward.

Though not your kids, these powerfully productive activists will make you feel proud that they never let their age or inexperience hold them back. They saw something they needed to address and ran with it by organizing marches and walks, fundraising, protesting, DJing, and even starring in a TEDxTeen talk.
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NVTS int Ziad Ahmed
Interior spread of Ziad Ahmed from No Voice Too Small: Fourteen Young Americans Making History, edited by Lindsay H. Metcalf, Keila W. Dawson + Jeanette Bradley with illustrations by Jeanette Bradley, Charlesbridge ©2020.

 

The editors have invited 14 #ownvoices authors and poets to compose poems inspired by the “young Americans who opened hearts, challenged minds, and changed our world.” They include S. Bear Bergman, Joseph Bruchac, Nikki Grimes, Hena Khan, Andrea J. Loney, Guadalupe Garcia McCall, Fiona Morris, G. Neri, Lesléa Newman, Traci Sorrell, Charles Waters, Carole Boston Weatherford, and Janet Wong. The three editors have also contributed.

The poetry provides a compelling and creative way into each highlighted individual’s unique situation. And, as a poetry lover, I appreciated the variety of poetic forms that offers readers an opportunity to experience: Ballad, Cinquain, Concrete poem, Elegy, Free Verse, Onomatopoeic poem, Reverso, Spoken word poem, Tanka and Triolet. Perhaps the subjects covered (racial justice, clean water, LGBTQ+ rights, mental health, Type 1 diabetes, gun violence, and more) will prompt kids to write their own poems on a topic that resonates with them.

The children’s names that follow are ones to watch out for since I’m certain they will continue to make headlines as they fight for their beliefs for years to come. They are: Levi Draheim, Cierra Fields, Judy Adams, DJ Annie Red, Marley Dias, Ziad Ahmed, Jazz Jennings, Jasilyn Charger, Noah Barnes, Zach Wahls, Mari Copeny, Viridiana Sanchez Santos, Adora Svitak, and Nza-Ari Khepra. I was glued to the pages learning about them all, and intend to reread the poems multiple times. Joseph Bruchac’s free verse poem Water Protector inspired by Jasilyn Charger especially moved me. Her protests and runs aim to bring awareness and protections for water preservation for “the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe as well as millions of people downstream.” It opens with this unforgettable line, “We need the river more than it needs us.”

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NVTS int Jasilyn Charger
Interior spread of Jasilyn Charger from No Voice Too Small: Fourteen Young Americans Making History, edited by Lindsay H. Metcalf, Keila W. Dawson + Jeanette Bradley with illustrations by Jeanette Bradley, Charlesbridge ©2020.

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The prose accompanying each poetic spread contains the specific background about the cause these fourteen kids and teens have pursued, along with tips on how kids can get involved and amplify these causes with their own voices.

I reached out to editor and illustrator, Jeanette Bradley, because I was so impressed with her illustrations, the book’s layout, and the kraft paper-like pages and wanted to know more. “The art is created digitally using Procreate for the iPad. It is drawn as if it were charcoal and pastels on kraft paper, but both the paper and the pastels are digital tools. The art was inspired by the book design done by Art Director Diane Earley. Because the book contains multiple layers of text, and poems have unique shapes, the book design had to be done before the illustrations. I then had to draw to fit the art into the remaining space on the spread. When I got the page proofs, Diane’s choice of font made me think of a sign hand-lettered on cardboard, which inspired me to use kraft paper as a midtone background and draw into it with both light and dark ‘pastels.'”

The backmatter includes details on each poet’s connection to the subject they wrote about, a description of the poetry forms, and an additional free verse poem by the editors. The separate endpapers include quotes from all of the children featured in No Voice Too Small.

This timely anthology of youth activism is the go-to book for students and families who are not only looking for a rewarding read, but are especially eager to find inspiration and motivation. I hope that the excellent examples of kids making themselves heard and making a difference will spark something positive in your youngster because they are our future, and their voices do matter.

    •Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

 

NOTE: The editors of No Voice Too Small are donating one percent of hardcover sales to Teaching For Change, (teachingforchange.org), “a nonprofit that helps youth learn to participate actively in a diverse democracy.”

 

Find out more about Jeanette Bradley here.

Find out more about Keila V. Dawson here.

Find out more about Lindsay H. Metcalf here.

 

Click here to order a copy of No Voice Too Small or visit your local indie bookstore.
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Recommended Reads for the Week of 10/5/20

 

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Kids Book Review for Presidents’ Day – The Superlative A. Lincoln by Eileen R. Meyer

THE SUPERLATIVE A. LINCOLN:
POEMS ABOUT OUR 16TH PRESIDENT
Written by Eileen R. Meyer
Illustrated by Dave Szalay
(Charlesbridge; $17.99, Ages 6-9)

 

 

 

No matter how many children’s books I read about Abraham Lincoln, I continue to learn something new in each one. Sometimes something I already knew, but had long forgotten, is presented in such a way that I’ll now always remember it. Both these experiences apply to The Superlative A. Lincoln by Eileen R. Meyer with art by Dave Szalay.

Perfect for Lincoln’s Birthday (yesterday, 2/12), Presidents’ Day or National Poetry Month, Meyer’s nonfiction picture book contains 19 poems that vary in style and content. Each poem is also accompanied by a factual paragraph on the bottom of the page to put the poem’s subject in context. Best of all, teachers can use the superlative poem titles such as “Best Wrestler”, “Worst Room Name,” and “Strongest Conviction,” and couple them with the excellent activities offered on Meyer’s website, for an engaging Language Arts lesson.

 

SuperlativeALincoln FNL sprd1
The Superlative A. Lincoln: Poems About our 16th President written by Eileen R. Meyer and illustrated by Dave Szalay, Charlesbridge ©2019.

 

Did you know our 16th president was an inventor? Thanks to Meyer, in “Most Likely to Tinker,” we read how Lincoln’s penchant for problem solving resulted in his being awarded a patent for a design that helped “boats float over shallow river spots …” I didn’t recall Lincoln being a doting dad, but in “Most Permissive Parent,” we get a glimpse via Szalay’s charming woodcut looking illustration of First Sons, Willie and Tad, taking full advantage of their father’s parenting style. Throughout the book, Szalay’s art humanizes Lincoln and events whether in scenes of him chopping trees or meeting Frederick Douglass with a firm and friendly handshake. There’s a warm, folk art quality about the illustrations that pairs them perfectly with all of Meyer’s telling poems.

 

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The Superlative A. Lincoln: Poems About our 16th President written by Eileen R. Meyer and illustrated by Dave Szalay, Charlesbridge ©2019.

 

One of my favorite poems, “Best Advice” addresses Lincoln’s signature beard. What a surprise it was to learn he was the first president to sport one! I had no idea that growing whiskers had been recommended in a letter to candidate Lincoln by eleven-year-old Grace Bell. Lincoln even met with her on his travels to offer thanks. In addition to his beard, most children probably associate Honest Abe with his stovepipe hat. It certainly came in handy as a writing surface and a convenient place to carry things. “Best Use of an Accessory” cleverly conveys the hat’s perspective. “We don’t need a leather briefcase. / We don’t want an attaché. / You can keep that canvas knapsack. / I’m a traveling valet.” And by the way, “Least Favorite Nickname” enlightens young readers about Lincoln’s dislike of the nickname Abe. They would be hard pressed to find anyplace where he personally used it, preferring to sign his name Abraham Lincoln or A. Lincoln as in the book’s title.

 

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The Superlative A. Lincoln: Poems About our 16th President written by Eileen R. Meyer and illustrated by Dave Szalay, Charlesbridge ©2019.

 

The back matter in The Superlative A. Lincoln includes an author’s note, a comprehensive timeline as well as book and website resources and a bibliography.  I could easily describe every poem in the book because I thoroughly enjoyed them all, but I’ll leave that pleasure for you. Instead I’ve chosen to end my review with one of many popular A. Lincoln quotes:

“I want it said of me by those who knew me best,
that I always plucked a thistle and planted a flower
where I thought a flower would grow.”

 

  • Reviewed by Ronna Mandel
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Kids Picture Book Review – SumoKitty

SUMOKITTY
Written and illustrated by David Biedrzycki
(Charlesbridge; $18.99, Ages 5-8)

 

 

“Fall down seven times; get up eight.” These words reveal the central message of SumoKitty, a heartwarming story about never giving up. Set in a Sumo wrestling training center, a hungry stray cat is given a job chasing mice in exchange for food. All is well until the kitty gains so much weight he can no longer hold up his end of the bargain and is kicked out of the center.

 

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Interior spread from SumoKitty written and illustrated by David Biedrzycki, Charlesbridge ©2019.

 

With words of wisdom shared by Kuma, the head rikishi (wrestler), we journey with Kitty on his path back to mice-chasing shape. Kuma tells Kitty, “After the rain, the earth hardens,” adding “When life gets tough, Kitty, it makes you stronger.” Kitty is determined to get back into the center and imitates the rikishi’s training, the way only a feline can. “When he attacked the teppo (striking post), I attacked my scratching post.” When Kitty gets another chance to earn his keep, he uses many of the Sumo moves he’s observed, successfully ridding the training center of mice and earning the name SumoKitty!

Youngsters will delight in following kitty on his journey from hungry stray to official mouse chaser and finally, a beloved and respected member of the Sumo wrestling family.

 

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Interior spread from SumoKitty written and illustrated by David Biedrzycki, Charlesbridge ©2019.

 

Author/illustrator Biedrzycki includes many Japanese terms related to Sumo wrestling, providing readers with an added layer of authenticity. His varied illustration layouts, from full-page spreads to comic book style blocks of action, keep the reader engaged and entertained.

 

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Interior spread from SumoKitty written and illustrated by David Biedrzycki, Charlesbridge ©2019.

 

The many wise sayings woven throughout SumoKitty add depth and complexity to this sweet, uplifting story. Each quote provides an opportunity to discuss its deeper meaning and children will identify with and root for Kitty as he perseveres, and is ultimately triumphant. Readers will be comforted by the fact that as hard as life can become, what matters most is that, like SumoKitty, we must we never ever give up.

Click here for an activity guide.

Read a review of another picture book by David Biedrzycki here.

  • Guest Review by Lisa Bose – writer, reader, mother, teacher and wife – not necessarily in that order.

 

 

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Best Picture Books of 2015

 

THIS YEAR’S BEST PICTURE BOOKS

Making a List and Checking it Twice!
Bookseller and reviewer Hilary Taber’s Top 15 Picks

GRWRCoveted-Bookseller-Award

 Of course this list of 15 picture books is influenced by my own personal taste, but as a bookseller of many years I hope to guide you to some of my personal favorites from the 2015 publishing year. This is by no means a comprehensive list because I have so many favorites, but these are the picture books I would really love to give as gifts. I’ve tried to arrange these in age order and hope that helps you if you plan to give books as presents to children this holiday season. Happy Reading!

vegetables-in-underwearVegetables in Underwear
Written by Jared Chapman
(Abrams Appleseed; April 2015, $14.95. Ages 2-5)

What could be funnier than veggies in undies? Clever text pairs brilliantly with discussion of all different types of underwear and the text can help a child transition from diapers to underwear. Or it can just be a hysterical, giggly book about underwear. Consider Vegetables in Underwear appropriate for two-year-olds and up.

 

ItstoughtoloseyourballoonIt’s Tough to Lose Your Balloon
Written and illustrated by Jarrett J. Krosoczka 
(Alfred A. Knopf BYR; $17.99, Ages 3-7)

Anyone who has ever taken care of a child knows this truth. It is really hard to loose your balloon to the sky above when you let go of it! In a simple and straightforward way Krosoczka points out that many childhood hardships are tough, but there’s an upside to a lot of them. You could scrape yourself, but you also might get a glow in the dark band aide! We grown-ups tend to forget how these common childhood dramas are powerful and important to children. The strength of this book is in affirming that the adult in their lives notices these hard times. At the end of the book the author encourages children to notice that when it rains you can look for the rainbow in all kinds of situations! A great reminder to get your kiddo to be able to reframe, stay positive, and look on the bright side.

Counting Crows counting-crows-cvr
Written by Kathi Appelt
Illustrated by Rob Dunlavey
(Atheneum BYR; $17.99, Ages 4-8)

Black, white and red illustrations accompany perhaps the most perfect book about crows I’ve seen. With their red scarves on they fly to get some snacks. They snack all the way to a dozen. In the meantime a cat has been watching these crows with a possible snack in mine! Counting Crows is a charming counting book that I highly recommend!

IfYoureaRobotIf You’re a Robot and You Know It
By Ukelele and Drum Combo, Musical Robot
Illustrated by David A. Carter
(Scholastic; $16.99, Ages 3-5)

A new pop-up book! What fun! Carter delivers yet another wonderful book! Set to the words from the song, “If You’re Happy and You Know It” with “If you’re a robot and you know it clap your hands, jump and beep, shoot laser beams out of your eyes!” Children will delight in the familiar song set to a new theme, and the pop up elements are used to make the robot do everything that’s in the song. With the pull of a tab the robot claps it’s hands, jumps, shoots lasers out of its eyes, and more! Recommended for those children able to handle a pop-up book with care.

Butterfly Park 
ButterflyParkWritten and illustrated by Elly MacKay
(Running Press Kids; $16.95, Ages 3 and up)

This book gave me the chills because it’s that beautiful. A girl moves from the country to the city, and finds that next door is a Butterfly Park. She wonders where all the butterflies have gone! Soon all her new neighbors are helping her to discover that what is needed here are flowers to attract the butterflies. The park is restored and a special fold out page reveals the Butterfly Park full of children and butterflies once more. Each page is filled with light and glowing color. A science lesson on the side provides depth, while the illustrations provoke awe and wonder. A picture book that does not disappoint!

The Moon is Going to Addy’s House TheMoonisGoingtoAddysHouse
Written and illustrated by Ida Pearle
(Dial Books; $17.99, Ages 3-5)

This dreamy, magical book is a cut paper triumph. With gold swirls in the night sky on some pages, this book begins with the end of a play date. Addy begins the nighttime journey back to her own home. Addy and her sister play a game of hide and seek with the moon as they watch it seemingly disappear and then reappear on the car ride home. Under a bridge and behind a mountain the moon seems like a constant friend who follows you home. Rich colors and a masterful command of the cut paper style make this a perfect bedtime book. Is this book a possible Caldecott winner? Only time will tell!

OnceUponaCloudOnce Upon a Cloud
Written and illustrated by Claire Keane
(Dial Books; $17.99, Ages 3-5)

Veteran Disney animator Claire Keane, whose background includes her work on Disney’s “Tangled” and “Frozen,” brings to life Celeste’s dream journey on her
request to bring back the perfect gift for her mother. Along the way she meets the stars, moon and sun. However, the right gift for her mother just doesn’t present itself. The next morning she is inspired by all the beauty she has seen! She finds flowers that remind her of the stars in her dream and ties up the perfect gift with her own hair ribbon. A visual delight in purple and pink, Once Upon a Cloud makes a perfect gift for a thoughtful child you know who particularly delights in fantastic illustrations.

A Tower of Giraffes: AnimalsTower-of-Giraffes-cvr.jpg in Groups
Written and illustrated by Anna Wright  
(Charlesbridge  $17.95 Ages 3-7)

What a gorgeously illustrated book. Did you know that a group of geese is called a gaggle? Or that a group of owls is called a parliament of owls? Or that a group of peacock is called ostentation of peacocks? Each page introduces the groups by their collective names and gives a brief summary of each animal. A wonderful introduction to animals! Pen and ink drawings are combined with watercolor or fabric pieces. My favorite page is a group of sheep in sweaters made with a swatch of sweater fabric. You only have to look at each page to see how lovingly each page was created. I would be pleased to see this win the Caldecott!

The Bear Ate Your SandwichTheBearAteYourSandwich
Written and illustrated by Julia Sarcone-Roach 
(Alfred A.Knopf BYR;  $16.99 Ages 3-7)

This is by far one of the best picture books this year for gift giving. A narrator who is unknown at the beginning of the book directly tells the audience about who took your sandwich. A bear wakes up one eventful day in the woods to follow a truck filled with the delicious scent of berries all the way to the big city! Many adventures ensue with the discovery of the sandwich in question. Visual clues give away the fact that our narrator is in fact a dog seen in the park on one page. He is one unreliable narrator because guess what? He ate your sandwich! Sure he saw the whole thing happen. Blame the bear! Grin worthy text pairs nicely with illustrations infused with light and the bear’s epic journey from woods to city and back again.

Lenny and Lucy LennyandLucy
Written by Philip C. Stead and illustrated by Erin E. Stead
(Roaring Brook Press; $17.99, Ages 3-7)

Philip Stead brought us the Caldecott Award winning Sick Day for Amos McGee, and this new book is equally endearing. Peter and his dog, Harold, have just moved into a new house on the edge of a wood. Feeling that they need some backup, Peter wisely uses big pillows to create Lenny to guard the bridge that runs between their house and the woods beyond. Lenny is a wonder to behold! However, maybe Lenny is lonely out there all alone? Enter a new big, pillow friend for Lenny in the form of Lucy! The four of them become great friends and add one more to the group. Peter’s next-door neighbor is a little girl who is fond of owls. So, the woods beyond the bridge might not be so bad after all, especially with good friends by your side.

TheWhispercvrThe Whisper
Written and illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski
(HMH Books for Young Readers; $17.99, Ages 4-7)

A girl borrows a magical book from her teacher, but when the words spill out, the little girl is disappointed. However she soon realizes that she can create her own story out of all the words that were once inside the book! A celebration of imagination married with absolutely stunning illustrations make me wonder if this might be a Caldecott winner this year.

 

One FamilyOneFamilycvr.jpg
Written by George Shannon and illustrated by Blanca Gomez
(Farrar, Straus and Giroux BYR; $17.99, Ages 4-8)

How many things can the number one be? A counting book and also an ode to all the different kinds of families out there make this multicultural picture book a must have for your family. Children will enjoy scenes they see everyday from doing laundry to going to the zoo. “One is one and everyone. One earth. One world. One family.” This strong ending helps us all to recognize how important all families are.

We Forgot Brock!
WeForgotBrockWritten and illustrated by Carter Goodrich
(Simon & Schuster BYR; $17.99, Ages 4-8)

How I love this book. Phillip has an imaginary friend named Brock who is always up for adventure. Off goes Phillip’s family to the fair, along with Brock of course. Brock wants to ride the big kid rides, but Phillip and Brock get separated. When Phillip finds that his imaginary pal is missing, he goes searching for him. Luckily another little girl who has an imaginary princess friend with her at the fair sees Brock and takes him home with her. Phillip is at last reunited with Brock, and now they have two brand new friends. All imaginary friends are drawn in crayon which gives this book a special flair!

WaitingWaiting
Written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes
(Greenwillow Books; $17.99, Ages 4-8)

Caldecott Award winner Kevin Henkes hits another one out of the ballpark with this sweet story of five toys who sit on a windowsill waiting for things to happen. Each toy has a special thing that they enjoy seeing. The owl waits for the moon. A pig with an umbrella waits for the rain. This tale of friendship amongst toys is a special one with soft illustrations on rich, creamy paper. The toys move to different spots on the windowsill and it’s up to the child to say if they are being moved or do they move by themselves? What a treat! This is especially good for youngsters transitioning to longer picture books. I’m calling possible Caldecott on this one! Those gorgeous, but simple illustrations are simply genius. Henkes does it again.

TheSongofDelphineThe Song of Delphine
Written and illustrated by Kenneth Kraegel
(Candlewick Press; $15.99, Ages 5-8)

This story of an orphan named Delphine tells the tale of the power of a kind soul and a song sung from the heart. Delphine serves the Princess Theodora where they both live on the savannah. Delphine’s life is very difficult, so she sings to lift her spirits. When Theodora’s niece, Beatrice arrives Delphine’s expectations of having a playmate her own age are dashed when Beatrice proves to be spoiled and prone to blaming Delphine for her own mistakes. Delphine’s song is heard by twelve giraffes who take her on a journey across the savannah. When they return Delphine to her home they mistakenly put her in Beatrice’s room. There Delphine finds the reason for Beatrice’s unhappiness for Beatrice’s own mother had recently passed away. Beatrice is comforted by Delphine’s song and the two go on magical adventures together. Kraegel’s The Song of Delphine, a Cinderella story with a magical twist of visiting giraffes? I’ll take it!

 

We hope this helps you to make your list and check it twice! Wishing you and your loved ones a happy holiday season!

– Reviewed by Hilary Taber

 

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Flashback Friday – What Really Happened to Humpty? by Joe Dumpty as told to Jeanie Franz Ransom

From The Files of a Hard-Boiled Detective

Booklist “Starred Review”

Winner of the 2011 “Children’s Choice” Award for the state of New Mexico

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What Really Happened to Humpty? by Joe Dumpty as told to Jeanie Franz Ransom with illustrations by Stephen Axelsen, Charlesbridge, 2009.

Okay, I’ll admit it. I’m a huge egg fan, see. They can be real smooth at times, make you think they’re one thing, when they’re really another. I like that in an egg. Hard-boiled, sunny-side up, over-easy, scrambled, but my all time favorite is the Humpty-Dumpty kind, especially served up fresh in a Film Noir or Dragnet-style kind-of way.

First reviewed in 2009, today we’re revisiting What Really Happened To Humpty? by Joe Dumpty as told to Jeanie Franz Ransom (Charlesbridge, paperback $7.95, Ages 6-9) with illustrations by Stephen Axelsen. The tale, recounted tongue-in-cheek (can you say that for an egg story?) by Humpty’s hard-boiled detective brother Joe, opens like this:

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
Humpty Dumpty was pushed.

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What Really Happened to Humpty? interior spread, © 2009, Charlesbridge

Now if that hasn’t got you itchin’ (you’re not allergic to eggs, are you?) to find out more … This clever, easy-to-read book simply cracked me up with its puns, plot and pictures. The mystery revolves around poor pushed Humpty, a pair of binoculars and a big wind. Readers’ appetites for a good, hearty romp around Mother Gooseland is whet by some well known personalities from childhood. The cast of possible culprits includes the Muffin Man, Old Mother Hubbard, Little Miss Muffet or Muffy, Spider, Goldie (as in Locks) and Chicken Little.

I really can’t tell much more without giving away all the good gags, but suffice it to say that its ending will leave readers satisfied. Kids will be happy that Humpty survives intact and his brother Joe, now vindicated for having solved the crime, can move on to new, more pressing business like helping Bo Peep find those missing sheep.

Click here to preview the book.

– Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

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