Reviews
The Whispering Town
“Rounding out this literary threesome of resistance and escape is ‘The Whispering Town,’ a picture book written by Jennifer Elvgren and illustrated by Fabio Santomauro. The setting is a Danish fishing village, but one of the book’s charms is how little context you View →
The Milo & Jazz Mysteries: The Case of the Superstar Scam, Lewis B. Montgomery, 2013. Ages 7–11, 112 pp., $6.95 paper. ISBN 978-1-57565-519-2. The Kane Press; www.kanepress.com. Second- and third-grade students would love to follow Milo and Jazz,… View →
The Purim Superhero
“Look on any bookseller’s website and you’ll find a long list of books about children with same-sex parents. Some attempt to explain how children were conceived or adopted, and others reassure children that having a family that’s different is okay. As a gay… View →
“Each pose is perfection; parents will achingly recognize a magical time in their own children’s development, and young readers will recognize themselves in the careful explorer. The simple and elegant artwork provides a rich environment for the text…. Absolutely… View →
“Children ages 1-4 can learn about the holiday of Purim in this adorable and sturdy board book. ‘When It’s Purim’ is filled with entertaining and bright illustrations. Kids will love flipping the pages as they watch cute forest animals make hamantaschen for all their… View →
A Watermelon in the Sukkah
“When Miss Sharon asks her students to bring their favorite fruits to help decorate the school sukkah, most children’s contributions are small, light, and easy to hang. Michael’s watermelon, however, presents an interesting problem. The class tries a variety of… View →
Expressing the Inner Wild: Tattoos, Piercings, Jewelry, and Other Body Art
“Body adornment and modification are well established markers of status, artistry, rebellion, and the sheer joy of ostentation, and this title reminds adolescent readers that even the most outré of contemporary styles has probably been bested in other times and cultures.”… View →
Water Can Be . . .
“The text is perfect for creating mental images and showing children what the words look like. The traditional and digital media used for the illustrations create a delicate tone for the book. Each page has an ethereal beauty that brings the text to life.” —School Library View →
Shabbat Is Coming!
“While most Shabbat books for young children highlight the holiday rituals and symbols—the candles, the wine, the challah—the simple, repetitive text in this board book focuses on the preparations before sunset: ’Friday’s here. Jump and cheer. Shabbat is coming.’… View →
The World Series: Baseball's Biggest Stage
“Endlessly fascinating and a sharing opportunity for children and adults who love the game.” —Kirkus Reviews View →
The Whispering Town
“The direct simplicity of the story’s telling serves well as an introduction for younger children to the Holocaust. Dark cartoon sketches reminiscent of Tomi Ungerer in opaque black, blues, grays and khaki green markers and word bubbles with the key words of direction paint the… View →
Cold, Crunchy, Colorful: Using Our Senses
“Teachers and parents eager for their children to experience the world in a different way will be thrilled.” —Kirkus Reviews View →
The Only Alex Addleston in All These Mountains
http://bookegg.blogspot.com/2014/01/its-monday-january-13th-what-are-you.html Monday, January 13, 2014 It’s Monday, January 13th What Are You Reading? It’s Early… View →
Wild Animal Neighbors: Sharing Our Urban World
The content holds obvious appeal, and Downer’s presentation is clear and engaging….[A] useful and thought-provoking book that will prove to be a hit with city-dwelling animal lovers and wannabe wildlife scientists." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s… View →
ABC Hanukkah Hunt
Adorably colorful and wide-eyed Jewish family members celebrate Hanukkah in this newest Kar-Ben offering for preschoolers . . . All around, a rare treat of a Hanukkah book that children will ask to read more than once." — AJL Reviews View →
Eight Is Great
“A new Hanukkah board book, told in simple rhyme, Eight is Great shares a family celebrating with a multitude of holiday customs. Each page has two sentences, each with a connection to the number eight and the holiday, such as ‘two dreidels with four sides—that’s… View →
Don't Sneeze at the Wedding
“This is a humorous tale of an almost-disastrous wedding that young children will love!” — Feathered Quill View →
The Case of the Vanishing Honeybees: A Scientific Mystery
“[The title] stands as fine example of science writing for newbie science readers—and teachers extending their use of trade books under Common Core.” —The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
I Don't Want to Go to the Hospital!
“This is sure to be a big hit with young readers….The colorful illustrations are humorous, young children will love reading about the Little Princess.” —Library Media Connection View →
Dance Is Fun!
“Clean, crisp design supports the easy-reader format of this set, as does the repetitive, simple texts….Color photos of diverse children (including a girl in Football) illustrate each point and enhance the basic information.” —School Library Journal, Series… View →
Bone by Bone: Comparing Animal Skeletons
“I’ve been longing for another kind of picture book: one that appeals to young children’s wildest imagination in service of real evolutionary thinking….Bone by Bone, by veterinarian and professor Sara Levine, fills the niche to near perfection.”… View →
Cookie, the Walker
“Though the illustrative style and storyline will make this book a favorite for younger children, this ‘be careful what you wish for’ tale has several themes that will provide topics for classroom discussion with older children.” —Library Media Connection View →
“Hays is a gifted storyteller, offering up an effective balance of credible emotion, understated wisdom, and gentle humor.” —starred, The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books View →
Researching Rocks
“Award-winning author Sally M. Walker has written a beautifully crafted earth science series for young readers….Informational text that is widely accessible to children is a must in every library, and this series fits the bill.” —starred, Library Media Connection View →