281. Fitz and Cleo: Put a Party On It

Fitz and Cleo Put a Party On It (Fitz and Cleo #3) Jonathan Stutzman. Illustrated by Heather Fox. 2023. [August] 64 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Clack clack clack clack clack clack clack whoosh crunch

Premise/plot: Fitz and Cleo (two little ghosties, siblings) are back for their third adventure. In this one these two decide to PARTY. This starts as a way to fight boredom--bored games (pun intended) weren't working. It ends up being a great way to celebrate their cat, Boo. This graphic novel for early readers is told in chapters. The chapters are "Bored Games," "Pizzazz," "The First Rule of Party Squad," "Balloon Animal," "Holi-daze," "Put a Party On It!," "Cleo Presents: The Perfect Party," "Sighing in the Rain," "Mister Boo Presents: The Purrfect Party," "That's a Wrap!," "Fitz Presents: The Perfect Party," "The Great Boo Bash," "Slumber Party."

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one just as much as the previous two graphic novels. I really love Fitz, Cleo, AND Boo. Would I love these two ghosts just as much without the cat? I'm not sure. But together, these three are very entertaining.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Young Readers

280. This Book is Banned

This Book is Banned: A Delightfully Silly Picture Book from the Author of P is for Pterodactyl. Raj Haldar. Illustrated by Julia Patton. 2023. [September] 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Oh no! Didn't you read the title before you decided to open this book?! It's B-A-N-N-E-D. That means NOBODY! should read it. I mean, just look at what's on the next page....GIRAFFES! What do you mean, "So what?" The hippos over here really don't like how those tall giraffes are getting all the leaves for themselves. OK, no more giraffes. BANNED! And you think these hippos complain too much? Let's get rid of them too.

Premise/plot: This Book is Banned is written in the second person and is directed to YOU, the reader. Of course, the author keeps reminding you--the persistent reader--that you really shouldn't be reading this banned book. But stubborn YOU keep turning the pages.

My thoughts: Is it silly? Yes. Is it delightful? Somewhat. Does it address a serious subject in a silly way? YES. Should serious subjects be a laughing matter? Maybe. Maybe not. Does it oversimplify the subject of book banning? Yes. I think so. It is a silly introduction but a shallow introduction. It makes the most incredible over-the-top ridiculous things get banned--giraffes, hippos, dinosaurs, etc.--and for the most absurd reasons. It is a caricature of book banners and banned books. Does the humor make up for it? Possibly.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Young Readers

279. Beulah has a Hunch!

Beulah Has a Hunch! Inside the Colorful Mind of a Master Inventor Beulah Louise Henry. Katie Mazeika. 2023. [October 17] 40 pages. [Source: Library] [2024 Cybils Eligible in Nonfiction Elementary]

First sentence: Beulah Louise Henry was frustrated. Again. Scritch...scratch...erase! Beulah had a hunch, a new idea for an invention. She could see it clearly in her mind, and she desperately wanted to draw it in perfect detail. But no matter how precise the image in her head was, the drawing on her slate was a mess.

Premise/plot: Picture book biography of Beulah Louise Henry. Chances are you've never heard of her, I certainly hadn't. But she was a MASTER inventor earning the nickname "Lady Edison." The back matter elaborates just how many patents she had and some of her inventions. (To name a few, she invented dollies that open and shut their eyes and gave dolls voice boxes. But that's just the smallest fraction of what she thought up.) 

My thoughts: I learned so much from reading this one. I love to learn from children's books. I do. Sometimes I'm familiar with a subject, sometimes it's completely new. This falls into the completely new category. But if someone wanted to do a historic take on Shark Tank as an educational program, she'd keep popping up and making appearances. This does make me curious how many hundreds--if not thousands--of 'untold' stories there are out there.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Young Readers

272-278. Picture Book Parade

272. The Words We Share. Jack Wong. 2023. [October 10] 40 pages. [Source: Library] 

First sentence: Angie! 

Premise/plot: Angie helps out her immigrant parents by translating. The family has [relatively recently] moved to Canada and Angie speaks the best English. She turns entrepreneur--in a way--and makes a 'business' of writing signs in English for others to use in their businesses. But sometimes things get lost in translation....

My thoughts: This is semi-bi-lingual. It is a family-focused picture book that celebrates community. I enjoyed this one.

273. The Yellow Handkerchief. Donna Barba Higuera. Illustrated by Cynthia Alonso. 2023. [March] 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: My abuela wears an old yellow handkerchief that her grandmother gave to her.

Premise/plot: A young girl is VERY conflicted about her grandmother's yellow handkerchief. She both loves her grandmother--abuela--and is ashamed of that old yellow handkerchief. She seems to wrestle with embarrassment that her family--particularly her grandmother--is different from her friends' families. 

My thoughts: This one has a mini coming-of-age lesson within. This one celebrates family and community. I liked it.

274.  The Umbrella. Beth Ferry. Illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld. 2023. [March] 48 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Dreary.
Weary.
Dim.
Grim.
Drip.
Drop.
Nonstop
Gotta go--rain or snow
Come on, pup.

ETA: I read this one in April 2023. When a physical book-book copy came into the library I had to check it out and reread it a couple of times. 

Premise/plot: There have been plenty of books about rainy days--featuring umbrellas or other rain gear--published through the years. I've never seen a rain-themed book with this big a twist. So the premise, a girl and her dog live in a community where it is seemingly ALWAYS raining, ALWAYS gray. But maybe just maybe change is coming!

My thoughts: I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this one. I loved the text. I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED the rhythm and rhyme of it. I am very particular when it comes to rhyming books. I can be harsh if the rhythm is off or weird. The lyrical flow--the rhythm--of this one is perfectly perfect in every way. I love the language--the onomatopoeia. I love how relatable it is. Rainy days CAN feel endless and always gray. Literally and figuratively--I think this one works. I also love the repetition. Every time we came back to Come on, pup...I just smiled.

I love the illustrations. I absolutely love the use of limited colors. Thematically, this one just works really well. I love that the illustrations are capable of carrying the story on their own. So little ones who can't quite read yet, can "read" the pictures.

 Text and illustrations--both perfectly perfect. This is a picture book. But it needs to be a BOARD BOOK and a PICTURE BOOK. I want this book to say in print forever and ever.

 

275. I Am Cat! Peter Bently. Illustrated by Chris Chatterton. 2023. [May] 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: I am Cat. Cat is me. A most superior thing to be. I like stretchy-stretchy paw. I like scratchy-scratchy claws. Cat is hungry. Pad, pad, pad. Human sleeping. That's too bad. 

Premise/plot: Cat narrates a lovely rhyming picture book.

My thoughts: I ENJOYED this one oh-so-much. It was a delight. I loved the rhythm and rhyme. I loved the subject! The cat is ADORABLE. The story was amusing. Definitely recommend to cat lovers of all ages.

276. Jack the Library Cat. Marietta Apollonio. 2023. [May] 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Jack snuck through the doors of the library each morning.

Premise/plot: Jack, the starring cat of our picture book, LOVES the library. The allergic-to-cats librarian does not appreciate Jack and his desire to be IN the library. She frowns upon those who let the adorable Jack inside the building. But Jack has fans and supporters who understand his need for STORIES. Will the librarian realize that Jack deserves to be in the library?

My thoughts: What a cute story. I enjoyed this one. I liked the library setting. I loved Jack. I loved that it celebrated BOOKS, stories, and CATS.

277. The Digger and the Butterfly. Joseph Kuefler. 2023. [May] 48 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: It was spring, and the big trucks were busy. Working. Building. Transforming.

Premise/plot: Digger makes friends, in a way, with a caterpillar/butterfly. 

My thoughts: I'm not quite sure what to think of this one! Digger gets a chance to SLOW down and relax when the caterpillar makes its cocoon literally ON him. His construction buddies continue to do the work, Digger not so much. 

This one is cute enough, I suppose. It stars construction vehicles (talking ones of course) but also celebrates nature and the natural world. This is definitely an interesting combination. It is part of a series, apparently. I have not read the other books.

278. Champion Chompers, Super Stinkers and Other Poems by Extraordinary Animals. Linda Ashman. Illustrated by Aparna Varma. 2023. 48 pages. [Source: Library] [Poetry book]

First sentence: Calling all contestants! Think you're tops? The most? The best? Are you bigger....taller....faster....smaller....stronger than the rest? 

Premise/plot: A collection of animal poems. The two-page spreads do NOT go together. This has to be intentional. The poem acts like a RIDDLE asking children to guess the animal. There is nonfiction facts about each animal as well.

My thoughts: I didn't love this one as much as I wanted to. I like the premise well enough and the fact that it includes poetry and nonfiction facts.

© 2023 Becky Laney of Young Readers

271. Horace and Bunwinkle

Horace and Bunwinkle. PJ Gardner. 2020. 224 pages. [Source: Library] [Animal fantasy; early chapter book mystery series]

First sentence: Horace Homer Higgins III was gravely ill. His head throbbed. His stomach ached. And his sniffer was clogged. This happened every time he rode in the car.

Premise/plot: Sometimes a cover can 'sell' a book. This cover just screams out read me, read me. The premise is simple: Horace, a Boston Terrier, teams up with a potbellied pig, Bunwinkle, to solve mysteries on the farm and surrounding neighborhood. Animals are going missing. Horace is new to the country and farm life. Bunwinkle is new to the family and the farm--having just been separated from her mother and siblings. 

My thoughts: I liked it. I really found the cover appealing. I was excited to check this one out from the library. I was so convinced that I was going to love this series that I checked out all the books at once. I'm not sure I have any interest in reading more. It was entertaining enough, cute enough. But there wasn't much plot--at least in my opinion. Maybe others in the series would have more plot since the characters won't be new and needing to be established.

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Young Readers

267-270. Picture Book Parade

267. Hopefully the Scarecrow. Michelle Houts. Illustrated by Sara Palacios. 2023. [August] 40 pages. [Source: Library] [Picture book]

First sentence:  A scarecrow stood in the garden. Tall, proud, smiling. Like most of us, he didn't remember the very beginning of his days. He only knew he was created with loving hands. Carefully crafted. Wonderfully made. He did remember the first time she placed him on his perch. She set him up straight, stood back, and smiled. Hopefully, the scarecrow will keep the birds away," she'd said. He hadn't known his name was Hopefully. But he liked it.

Premise/plot: Hopefully (the scarecrow) has a great life--for the most part. It is made better by the stories he hears every day. But the 'little' girl who is his faithful friend and companion doesn't stay 'little' forever. She grows up...and life changes....but can Hopefully still find his place in the world?

My thoughts: This one is lovely, sweet, and enjoyable. I love a good fall-themed story, especially if it is NOT Halloween themed. This one celebrates STORIES and friendship as well. I absolutely love the ending of this one. Definitely recommended.

268. A Walk in the Woods. Nikki Grimes. Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney and Brian Pinkney. 2023. [September] 40 pages. [Source: Library] [Picture book]

First sentence: A week after the funeral,
I stare in the morning mirror,
angry that my father's eyes
stare back at me.
Why, Dad?
Why did you have to leave?

Premise/plot: A Walk in the Woods is, in my personal opinion, a picture book for older readers. The protagonist is a boy grieving the loss of his father. It occurs soon after his father's death. He goes on a walk in the woods. He's following the clues his father left behind to find 'treasure.' This is a nature-centric picture book celebrating life, love, and loss. 

My thoughts: Nikki Grimes and Jerry Pinkney are two BIG names, both beloved. They started this project--a nature-themed picture book--together. He was able to complete a rough draft of illustrations before his death. His son--also an illustrator, also a big name--finished the illustrations. The picture book means so much to all involved. Yes, that's the case with all books, I imagine, but especially so in this case.
It is written in prose AND verse. The themes are, in my personal opinion, complex and weighty. Everyone--no matter their age--can appreciate nature. But this one has a weightiness to it that adults may appreciate more. 

269. I Love You, Daddy. [Board book] Stephanie Moss. Illustrated by Kathryn Inkson. 2023 (2021). 24 pages. [Source: Library] 

First sentence: The morning birds wake us together at dawn. "Daddy, I love you," I sleepily yawn. 

Premise/plot: A lion and his cub spend the day together. This board book is written in rhyming verse.

My thoughts: This one was originally published in the UK. I couldn't figure out if it was also published in the U.S. or if the library just ordered it from the UK. It is cutesy and adorable. If that's your favorite kind of board book, then this one should appeal. If you are drawn to the cover, then you'll appreciate the interior illustrations as well.

270. The Baddies. Julia Donaldson. Illustrated by Axel Scheffler. 2022/2023. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [picture book]

First sentence: There once lived a troll and a ghost and a witch. They were horrible baddies all three. They never said sorry or thank you or please, and their hearts were as hard as could be. 

Premise/plot: Three villains or "baddies" scheme to steal a little girl's handkerchief. Will any of them succeed?

My thoughts: I did not care for this one. You might. I do think humor might be different in the US versus the UK. But I'm not sure that's the reason I didn't like it. I just didn't care about the story or the characters. The 'so what' was missing for me.

© 2023 Becky Laney of Young Readers