Little Bot and Sparrow by Jake Parker Book Review

Little Bot and Sparrow by Jake Parker
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Release Date: September 27, 2016

When Little Bot is thrown out with the garbage, he finds himself in a strange new world. Fortunately, Sparrow is there to take him under her wing. Together, they explore the forest, share adventures, and learn what it means to be forever friends.

An odd little story with a big heart, Little Bot is one very confused and sad robot. I liked that Little Bot never meets a human, but rather experiences the world through the eyes of a bird. The illustrations are the real draw here though. Soft and beautitful, Parker makes great use of the spreads, pulling the reader in. A lovely story of friendship that is perfect for little ones on the lower age range of picture books. 

Hotel Bruce by Ryan T. Riggins Book Review

Hotel Bruce by Ryan T. Riggins
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Release Date: October 18, 2016

Remember Bruce? The grumpy bear who ended up adopting a gaggle of geese? Well, Bruce is still grumpy, but he is also a dutiful parent and so he migrates with his goslings every winter, when he really should be hibernating. Bruce is tired. Which is why he is so upset when he returns home to find the mice have turned his home into a hotel. At first he just growls and grumbles, but when things get really crazy, Bruce flat out demands his home back.

I really love these books. Bruce has such a great personality, this grumpy bear with a not-so-secret heart of gold. Any bear who goes south for the winter with his geese children definitely deserves a medal. There is also a lot going on in these pictures. Just like in the first book there are so many wonderful little moments on every page. So much chaos. Beautiful fun chaos. A great sequel to Mother Bruce, kids are going to love this one.

Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty Book Review

Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty
Illustrations by David Roberts
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
Release Date: September 6, 2016

In the beginning Ada was slow to talk, but once she started, she was full of questions. Why are there pointy things stuck to a rose? Why are there hairs growing inside your nose? Ada sees problems that need solutions at every turn. Everything is question just waiting to be answered and so, using the scientific method, Ada performs her experiments and gets in a bit of trouble too.

Another wonderful book by Andrea Beaty that champions both diversity and girls in science. Ada is like so many young children, full of questions and burning with curiosity. I also love Ada's family, who is mystified at first, but supportive in the way that every budding scientist needs. This is such a wonderful book with such a broad audience. I kind of which I had read this before I bought all my nieces and nephews their birthday presents.

Hank's Big Day by Evan Kuhlman Book Review

Hank's Big Day: A Story of a Bug by Evan Kuhlman
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade
Release Date: September 13, 2016

Hank is a little pill bug with a rather busy life. His daily routine includes nibbling a dead leaf, climbing a long stick, avoiding a skateboarding, and pretending with his best friend, a human girl named Amelia.

Anthropomorphizing a roly poly (it's what we called pill bugs when I was a kid) is a new type of bug perspective I haven't seen before. It's a simply story, great for little preschoolers who have a fascination with bugs. I loved Amelia's little aviator hat which felt like a hat tip (haha hat tip) to Amelia Earhart. This is a great read aloud that would work well for a story time although obviously any craft ideas should not include real pill bugs. For the parent's sakes.

Six Dots by Jen Bryant Book Review

Six Dots: A Story of Young Louis Braille by Jen Bryant
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Release Date: September 6, 2016

An inspiring biography about Louise Braille, the inventor of an alphabet for the blind. There were quite a few interesting things in this story that I had not previously been aware of. For example: The dots had originally been part of a communication system used by the French Army. He used that system to come up with his own alphabet. Also, there were books for the blind that existed before Braille invented his system, but one word often took up an entire page as they had to be large enough for the student's to run their fingers across.

My only major complaint is that the publisher did not have any raised braille in the entire book. This seems like a travesty in a book about the man who invented it. Also, as someone who works in production, I do know the cost of dotting the paper or adding spot gloss to the end pages and I feel like it was a missed opportunity that would have raised the printing cost of the book, but would have been worth it.

A Child of Books by Oliver Jeffers Book Review

A Child of Books by Oliver Jeffers
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Release Date: September 6, 2016

I am a child of books. I come form a world of stories. A little girl sails her raft across a literal sea of words and goes on an adventure into a world of stories and words.

An absolutely beautiful book that uses typography like arc, interlacing words into mountains, oceans, and trees. There is a loose plot, but this is a story mostly about the power of books on the imagination and the places that words can take you. Beautifully done, I expect to see this book earn a few accolades and I am a bit curious how young readers will respond to it.

Samson in the Snow by Philip C. Stead Book Review

Samson in the Snow by Philip C. Stead 
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Release Date: September 27, 2016

One sunny day Samson, a large and friendly woolly mammoth, encounters a little red bird who is looking for yellow flowers for her mouse friend (whose favorite color is yellow). As she flies off with the flowers, Samson wonders what it must be like to have a friend. He wonders this for so long, in fact, that he falls asleep and wakes up to a world covered in snow. In the midst of a blizzard, Samson finds and shelters the little red bird and flower-loving mouse in a tender tale of kindness and unexpected friendship. 


A gorgeous picture book with a simple story that felt a bit meandering, but the illustrations more than made up for it. The pencil animals stood out against the chalk-like backgrounds with pops of color that were integral to the plot. I am quite interested in the artistic process with this one and will be on the lookout for interviews or videos that cover this. If you follow me on Twitter, expect to see something about it if it exists.

Leave Me Alone by Vera Brosgol Book Review

Leave Me Alone by Vera Brosgol
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Release Date: September 13, 2016

Grandmother just wants to be left alone. And so she leaves her tiny home full of a very big family and searches for a place where she can finish her knitting. Turns out, there are a lot of places that it is unsuitable to knit.

Despite this book being almost trope, grumpy old person who just wants to be left alone, I thought it was unique in the places she found herself. Obviously this is a spoiler, but in the end, the best place to knit is in the void. Literally, nowhere. How else are you going to knit dozens of sweaters. This book does fall into the category of will-a-kid-like-it? I'm sure there are kids who will, but this book seems to be an eye wink to adults who can't get stuff done because of the kids. Even so, it is funny and the illustrations are quit wonderful. And if the adults in a kid's life are knitters, they may get it too.

The Water Princess by Susan Verde Book Review

The Water Princess by Susan Verde
Illustrations by Peter Reynolds
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Release Date: September 13, 2016

Water. A precious commodity for some. In Princess Gie Gie's kingdom, clean drinking water is scarce and she and her mother must walk hours to get it. Each morning she rises and makes the long journey, carrying a heavy pot on her head. Each day she dreams of living in a place where water is around the corner and is crystal-clear.

I love books like this. Books that show young children the realities of how other children live in other places. That introduce concepts that will make them think and perhaps even act. The tragedy of not having clean drinking water nearby, of not having clean water, affects everything in a child's life. I am assuming that the children who read this book will never know this tragedy, but there are things they can do. Many organizations exist that help to dig wells and create easier ways for people to get water in their villages. Even something as simple as a rolling barrel with a handle reduces the amount of time it takes to get the water. Although I think parents can do a lot with a book like this, I'm not entirely sure how a school or library would use it and would hope that it would be used in conjunction with some kind of fundraising effort.

How This Book Was Made by Mac Barnett Book Review

How This Book Was Made by Mac Barnett
Illustrations by Adam Rex
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Release Date: September 6, 2016

Ever wondered about the process of making a book? Well, this picture book covers the process from the initial idea to being printed on a printing press to being read by a reader. As someone who works in publishing, I am always trying to explain my part in the process of bookmaking. It should be no surprise then that I absolutely adore this book. Yet another fun and absurd book from Barnett and Rex that succinctly explains the book making process to kids. It also answers many of the questions I hear kids ask at book events like Where do you get you ideas from? and How many drafts did you write? It also addresses some of the "secrets" behind publishing like where books are printed and how they are transported. Of course, it is a picture book so it can't include every little step, but it is a nice overview. It also a book that I think I will be adding to my bookshelf so the next time someone asks how a book is made, I can hand them this book with a smile.

They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel Book Review

They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Release Date: August 30, 2016

The cat walked through the world, with its whiskers, ears, and paws . . .as he walks he runs across many different animals who see him in a multitude of perspectives. 

Although a bit heavy-handed I loved this book's message that everyone and everything sees life differently. This may be because we have different kinds of eyes, or the thing we see is scary, or it looks different depending on your size. Young children are constantly trying to make sense of the world and understand it from their limited perspectives. For example: Children may be scared of someone who is rather tall, because to them someone who is 6'4 is a giant. The illustrations were lovely impressionist examples of the different looks that a cat could have. I especially love the spread from the mouse's vantage point. A lovely book for toddlers and one that would lend itself well to storytimes.

The Uncorker of Ocean Bottle by Michelle Cuevas Book Review

The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles by Michelle Cuevas
Illustrations by Erin E. Stead
Publisher: Dial Books
Release Date: August 23, 2016

The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles lives atop a hill, alone but with a very important job, to deliver the messages that arrive on his shore. He loves this job, although is a bit sad that he will never receive a message of his own. Then one day a message arrives without an address or a name. It is undeliverable and yet it is this message that allows him to make new friends. In essence, the message become his.

I have a hard time with books illustrated by Erin E. Stead. On the one hand, they are absolutely beautiful with soft colors that lend themselves well to the content. On the other, it seems that the kinds of books she writes and/or illustrates have a tendency to be these rather esoteric picture books that are sure to appeal to more adults than children. They'll be recognized for how pretty they are and the story, or lack thereof, falls to the wayside. This story was, in essence boring. Not a good thing for a short picture book to be. The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles is a rather boring grown man who has no name, is unrelateable, and for reasons unknown has the very unimportant job of getting messages from bottles to their recipients. I love the idea of messages in a bottle, but I'm not sure that I care at all weather it gets to the intended person as those messages feel more like tying a note to a balloon. The intended recipient is the one who picks it up. The only children in the story show up halfway through, which is another reason why I think this book is not for children. And I think a lot of gatekeepers (aka the adults publishing and distributing this book) forget that sometimes. As it stands, it will probably win some kind of award and end up on many bookshelves, because beautiful picture books about boring people play to adult sensibilities rather than farting ponies or cakes that talk.

Quit Calling Me a Monster! by Jory John Book Review

Quit Calling Me a Monster! by Jory John
Illustrations by Bob Shea
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Release Date: August 23, 2016

Floyd Peterson is so much more than shaggy purple fur and pointy monster teeth — why can’t people just see him for him?


This book had so much potential. Labels and names are things that we often deal with in our society. It sucks to be called or lumped into a group that you don't like or don't want to be a part of. It is also a normal human reaction to want to categorize people. Children are doing this almost subconsciously, trying to make sense of this strange world they are a part of. 

When first introduced, this monster insists that he is not, in fact, a monster. That label doesn't fit him. Except it does. The illustrations quickly show you that this is a rather unreliable narrator who, despite his protestations, really is a monster. He is the standard definition of a monster and fully deserves the label. This did make the book funny, but I so desperately wanted there to be a twist in the end. Where we discover that despite meeting almost all the definitions he doesn't actually scare children, only eats other monsters, or has a propensity towards giving candy to the kids he scares. Instead, this is a story about a monster, who claims he isn't, but actually is. It is a cute Halloween book, but it could have been so much more. 

The real problem is that the book promised to be more and wasn't. If you want to talk about stereotyping and bucking stereotypes then the "monster" has to actually buck those stereotypes. He can't just have a normal-ish name and dislike being labeled, he needs to actually change the stereotype. Imagine if this story was about a person who didn't like being called ghetto or white trash, but then perfectly defined all of your expectations of those terms. No one would be okay with that. Just because it is a monster does not give it a pass. 

NanoBots by Chris Gall Book Review

NanoBots by Chris Gall
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: August 23, 2016

A boy inventor creates the ultimate in high-tech superheroes that could one day save the world. These NanoBots are super tiny. They're almost too small to see and each one does something different, from medicine to carpet munchers and everything in-between. They are high-tech friends of the future that would make life so much easier for humans.

I don't understand this book. Is it a story about fantastical robots or is it trying to be a bit science-y and introduce the basic concepts of nanobots? Since some of the robots are quite ridiculous, one imagines the first, but is written more like non-fiction. This is the book's primarily problem. The illustrations and subject matter would appeal to the usual preschool audience, but due to the amount of text, it felt rather long. Even I, a grown adult, grew bored. That said, this book does have some practical applications and would certainly work well for any kind of introduction to robots and making your own robots. Obviously, one would need to supplement greatly and explain that these kinds of robots are cool, but don't exist, but it may work to open up the imagination to the many different robotic possibilities.

Ned the Knitting Pirate by Diana Murray Book Review

Ned the Knitting Pirate by Diana Murray
Illustrations by Leslie Lammle
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Release Date: August 23, 2016

The crew of the pirate ship the Rusty Heap are a fearsome bunch! They're tougher than gristle and barnacle grit. They heave and they ho and they swab and they . . . knit? Well, one of them does, at least! Unfortunately for Ned, his knitting doesn't go over well with the captain and crew. They urge him to hide his hobby and strive to be scurvier, like pirates should be. But when the briny ocean beast shows up to feast on the Rusty Heap and its crew, maybe Ned's knitting is just the ticket to save the day!

I like pirates. I like books about pirates who do absurd things that are un-piratelike. But I didn't like this book. Firstly, pirates/sailors were actually fairly good at sewing as they were expected, with no women on board, to darn their own socks, wash their clothes, sew up holes, fix hammocks, repair sails, etc. It wouldn't have been such a leap to think there were seamen who knew how to knit and crochet. Second, the rhyming schema felt a bit clunky to me. I read it once to myself and then out loud and found myself stumbling over the text. The illustrations were quite lovely, but couldn't carry the entire book.

Dragon Was Terrible by Kelly DiPucchio Book Review

Dragon Was Terrible by Kelly DiPucchio
Illustrations by Greg Pizzoli
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Release Date: August 23, 2016

We all know dragons are terrible, but this one is especially awful. He scribbles n books, steals candy from baby unicorns, burps in church. Seriously, who does that? The King, the knights, and the villagers search desperately for a solution to no avail. Sometimes the unlikeliest heroes are the ones who can do the greatest good.

It turns out that dragons are actually exactly like horrible bratty children. Obviously, there are some kids who may find themselves relating to dragon, although I hope for any parent, your kid's dragon days are few and far between. Fighting with dragon does no good and so the solution to dragon's problem takes a bit more compassion. The resolution did feel a bit rushed, but I doubt any child will care about this. Perfect for the preschooler who loves dragons and a propensity toward being occasionally naughty.

Poor Little Guy by Elanna Allen Book Review

Poor Little Guy by Elanna Allen 
Publisher: Dial Books
Release Date: June 7, 2016

Looks will fool you. There is this little bitty, glass-wearing fish just minding his own business when an octopus snatches him up, intent on eating him. Poor little guy! But octopus is in for a rude surprise because this little fish has a defense mechanism that works just as good as any ink.

As a grown adult who reads way too many picture books, one would think that I was no longer surprised by twist endings, but I was pleasantly surprised. Such wonderful dark humor. At first I thought, really is the author really going there with this? It is the circle of life, but fish being eaten by predators always feels like something more appropriate for non-fiction. Allen knew what she was doing though. I am really attempting not to give anything away in this review, which is hard when a book is only thirty-two pages. My advice is to get this book from your local library or bookstore and see the twist for yourself.

Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn by Kenard Pak Book Review

Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn by Kenard Pak
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.
Release Date: August 16, 2016

As trees sway in the cool breeze, blue jays head south, and leaves change their colors, everyone knows--autumn is on its way!

Although you wouldn't know it around here in NC, fall began on September 21. Temperatures in NC today are expected to be 88 degrees, which is just ridiculous when you are the kind of person who loves cold weather. This book made me yearn for the blustery days with a scarf and campfires. Living in an apartment complex, I miss watching the squirrels forage for nuts in our front yard as they did when I was a kid. Eagerly, I stare at the trees and wonder if I see a bit of a change in color, or is it my imagination. 

I know this book is supposed to be an introduction for young readers about the changing of a particular season, but I read it in an almost nostalgic way, hoping for the things outlined in its pages. Also, because I think we are still at a place where we need to point this out and praise it, the main character of this story is dark skinned. In a world where diverse books are still fighting for traction, it is important that the authors and publishers know that this is appreciated and we need more of it. 

Diana's White House Garden by Elisa Carbone Book Review

Diana's White House Garden by Elisa Carbone
Illustrations by Jen Hill
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Release Date: May 3, 2016

World War II is in full force across the seas. It's 1943, President Roosevelt is in office, and Diana's father, Harry Hopkins, is his chief advisor. And Diana wants to be part of the war effort. After some well-intentioned missteps (her quarantine sign on her father's office door was not well-received), the President requests her help with his newest plan for the country's survival: Victory Gardens!

I don't know why it never occurred to me that the White House had a victory garden, in fact it makes perfect sense, but it is just a nugget of information that I either learned and forgot or never learned at all. This book is a lovely example of fictionalized informational books for a younger audience. It carefully explains the realities of war in a way that young children will be able to understand and possibly even identify with. The author includes some interesting info in the backmatter as well, for readers who are intrigued. Jen Hill's illustrations are beautiful and engaging, pulling in design elements from the 1940s, while also satisfying a modern audience. 

Superhero Instruction Manual by Kristy Dempsey Book Review

Superhero Instruction Manual by Kristy Dempsey
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Release Date: May 17, 2016

Becoming a hero requires a lot of planning. First you much select a secret identity, choose a superpower, pick a sidekick. There are just so many aspects to becoming a superhero and sometimes one needs a little help to get off the ground.

A wonderful book for all the aspiring superheros out there. There were so many funny moments throughout like when the boy chooses the dog as his sidekick over his sister. In the end though, it is his sister who teaches him to be a true superhero. This book was also a prime example of how picture books should be a marriage between illustration and text. The illustrations are so bright and engaging and tell a story on their own, although the text is certainly needed to make the story complete. This one has a lot of read-aloud potential for classrooms and storytimes.