BUILDING DREAMS

    

If I Built a School by Chris Van Dusen; published August 13, 2019

 

Someone Builds the Dream by Lisa Wheeler and illustrated by Loren Long; published March 23, 2021

I just finished reading Someone Builds the Dream and I loved it! One person may dream of a project - a book, a bridge, or a building; a fountain or an amusement park; but it takes many people to bring that dream to life. This book honors both the visionaries and the folks that turn those visions into reality. Inspiring text and lovely, inclusive illustrations make this a definite addition to any collection. 

 

The book would make an excellent basis for a STEM or LEGO club - there are so many activities that could be created in conjunction with reading this. There are whimsical illustrations in this book - the dinosaurs in the amusement park and the animals in the fountain, for instance. But for an additional imagination spark, read Chris Van Dusen's If I Built a School which was the Bluebonnet Award winner for this past year. Combining these two books should prompt some truly amazing creations!

   

    

Too Small Tola by Atinuke; illustrated by  Onyinye Iwu; published March 2, 2021.

Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey by Erin Entrada Kelly, to be published May 5, 2021.

Sydney & Taylor Take a Big Leap by Jacqueline Davies; illustrated by Deborah Hocking; book #2 in the Sydney & Taylor series, to be published August 3, 2021.

Bear Can't Wait by Karma Wilson; published March 30, 2021

We Became Jaguars by Dav Eggers and Woodrow White; published March 30, 2021

Parents and grandparents; librarians and teachers who are looking for early chapter books to hand to kids transitioning from beginning readers to short chapter books will love these first three books! Two of these are Advanced Reader Copies but I wanted to put them on your radar to order or place a hold on them once your library has them. Plus Sydney & Taylor #1 was published in February.

The last two are new picture books. I love all of Karma Wilson's Bear books and this one is no exception - a good book to share with little ones waiting for something big. We Became Jaguars by Eggers is a surreal, imaginative adventure undertaken by a grandmother and grandson. 

 

On Wings of Words

The Extraordinary Life of Emily Dickinson

by Jennifer Berne; illustrated by Becca Stadtlander

published February 18, 2020

This book is a lovely introduction to the poetry of Emily Dickinson - and to the poet herself.  It will hopefully inspire further exploration into both poet and poetry. Here are two to get you started.

“Hope” is the thing with feathers 

"Hope" is the thing with feathers - 

That perches in the soul - 

And sings the tune without the words - 

And never stops - at all - 

 

And sweetest - in the Gale - is heard -

And sore must be the storm -

That could abash the little Bird

That kept so many warm -

I’ve heard it in the chillest land -

And on the strangest Sea -

Yet - never - in Extremity,

It asked a crumb - of me.

 

I'm Nobody - Who Are You?

I’m Nobody! Who are you?
Are you – Nobody – too?
Then there’s a pair of us!
Don’t tell! they’d advertise – you know!

How dreary – to be – Somebody!
How public – like a Frog –  
To tell one’s name – the livelong June –  
To an admiring Bog!

 

        

THIS WEEK'S BOOKS

As I began to write this week's post, I realized that all three out of four books are about orphans and finding a forever family. There all explore different concepts of what makes up a family and home. These books fall squarely into what I would call "tween" reads - 3rd-6th grade roughly. One is historical fiction, two are realistic with touches of magic, and one is a fantasy. All revolve around a quest or a compelling desire.

The Year I Flew Away by Marie Arnold; published February 2, 2021.

Don't judge a book by its cover? At least, not this one. There are witches and talking rats in this book - and I would never have guessed that from looking at the cover. Our story begins in Haiti where Gabrielle is surrounded by good friends, loving parents, and a community where she belongs. But her parents decide to send her to America for a better life and soon she finds herself in Brooklyn with her Uncle's family and with no friends. And at school there is a bully who makes her life miserable. Gabrielle would give anything to fit in - to be American. And a local witch, Lady Lydia, hones in on that desire by offering her three wishes. But magic in this world comes at a cost. Each time Gabrielle uses a wish, she loses something. And if she uses all three wishes, the witch will control her essence. Yes - Lady Lydia is definitely a bad witch. Fortunately, Gabrielle has found a few friends - Carmen, a school friend; Rocky, a talking rat who wants to be a rabbit and has an invisibility cloak; and the school librarian who is also from Haiti. They help her overcome her mistakes and fix the mess she makes - though Gabrielle is ultimately the one who has to have the courage to admit that she messed up big time.

Gabrielle and Carmen are ten years old but the magical elements in the book should grab the interest of older readers also. I think this book would make a great read-aloud. Kids will be able to relate to Gabrielle and her mistakes. The book also addresses how difficult it can be for a new student from another country to fit in at school. And encourages students to not give up on their culture and customs but embrace and share them with others.

The Elephant's Girl by Celesta Rimington; published May 19, 2020.  

This book took me completely by surprise. In fact, it's not a book I normally would have picked up but it is a Bluebonnet nominee and I try to read all twenty nominees each year. I am glad it was nominated because I really enjoyed it. Lexington Willow (Lex) is our protagonist. She was found in the elephant enclosure at the Lexington Zoo after an F-5 tornado leveled a large part of her town. Unfortunately, her parents were never found and no one stepped forward to claim her so Roger, the zoo's train engineer, became her guardian. But wait!  There's a ghost! And a hidden treasure. Plus Lex's desire to unravel the mystery of who her parents were. So much packed into one book! Highly recommended, this book would pair nicely with The Year I Flew Away and would also make a great read-aloud.

A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus; published February 2, 2021. 

I love a good historical fiction. This one is set in Great Britain during World War 2. After the death of their parents nine-ish years ago, William, Edmund, and Anna have been raised by their rather uncaring grandmother. You don't really get to meet her because the story opens during her funeral. Or the reception after the funeral. The children have a tidy inheritance but no one to look after them. So the solicitor suggests that they evacuate to the countryside - along with thousands of other children from London - and see if fate grants them a family. Which, of course, does not happen. At least not right away. The story touches on bullying, neglect, prejudice, and death but it is an overall heartwarming read. Follow it up with The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. The author was influenced by C. S. Lewis' Narnia series and the Edmund in this story is based upon none other than Edmund Pevensie. Though both Edmunds have healthy appetites, there is no Turkish Delight in A Place to Hang the Moon. But you could certainly read The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and compare the two characters!

Foxheart by Claire Legrand; published October 4, 2016. 

I picked this up because Legrand is publishing a stand-alone companion book, Thornlight, next month and I had never read Foxheart. A young girl is left at a St. Martta's Convent of the White Wolf. She knows her name but she sees no reason to reveal it to anyone else so the nuns call her Girl. The other orphans in the convent call her Pig and torment her endlessly. The sisters at St. Martta's serve the Wolf King who is striving to stamp out all magic in the land - especially the witches. Our protagonist does have one friend at the convent, a yellow dog she names Fox. They are constant companions and become very adept at stealing and making mischief in general. Until the night she and Fox find themselves alone on the streets of Willow-by-the-River. Having long ago decided that she wanted to be a thief, she christens herself Quicksilver and sets about to become the best thief in the kingdom. Which she does - but not at all in the way she has expected. This was a lovely high fantasy with tons of adventure and quite a bit of sadness. 

 UNICORNS, TIGERS, and TRUCKS, OH MY!

Believe in yourself and do not give up on your dreams.

             

 

Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn by Shannon Hale; illustrated by LeUyen Pham; published March 23, 2021.

 My absolute favorite book this week -- a little kitten is convinced she is a unicorn. But Parakeet and Gecko try to dissuade her with inconsiderate and unkind comments.  Kitty-Corn responds with confidence - until a true unicorn appears. But there's more to this unicorn than meets the eye! I love, love, love this book. The illustrations are adorable and the message is timeless. Flaunt your inner Kitty-Corn! This would actually pair nicely with Laxmi's Mooch.

Laxmi's Mooch by Shelly Anand; illustrated by Nabi H. Ali; published March 2, 2021. 

 One day during recess, Laxmi's friends suggest that she should play the part of the cat in their game because she has whiskers like a cat. Laxmi is suddenly aware that she has hair on her lip - and all over which makes her different and self-conscious. But her parents lovingly explain that hair is not just for heads and mustaches (or mooches) aren't just for boys. All of the women in Laxmi's family have them. Laxmi returns to school with a new attitude and soon all of her friends are begging to have a mooch, too! A great book for teaching kids that differences are cool. I think it is important that this book shows that her friends did not mean to be cruel - but their words still made Laxmi sad and eroded her self-confidence. It would be a great discussion starter about being kind and always aware of what we are saying.

Mr. Brown's Bad Day by Lou Peacock; illustrated by Alison Friend; published November 10, 2020.

Mr. Brown is a VERY busy tiger. One day, while eating his lunch in the park, his VERY important briefcase is accidentally stolen by a baby. Mr. Brown goes on a frantic chase to recover his VERY important briefcase - and readers who follow the fun will be rewarded with a peek at the VERY important contents of Mr. Brown's briefcase! I would pair this with Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Pete Brown for a tiger storytime. And I know my friend Gerald (the tiger) would approve!

Big Rig Rescue by Chris Gall; published January 5, 2021.

Oh no! There's a bad snow storm and an 18-wheeler has flipped over! Don't worry - the driver is safe and the tow truck is on its way help. Hand this book to your truck lover - they will read it over and over. A plus - one of the tow truck drivers is a woman. 

 

Ready to Fly: How Sylvia Townsend Became the Bookmobile Ballerina by Lea Lyon and A. LaFaye; illustrated by Jessica Gibson with a foreword by Sylvia Townsend; published January 28, 2020.

Such an inspiring book - Ready to Fly is the true story of Sylvia Townsend, an African American girl living in Northern California in the 1950s who refused to give up on her dream. She falls in love with ballet but the ballet schools would not allow her to enroll. Fortunately, there was a bookmobile and a helpful librarian. Sylvia began teaching herself - and her classmates - how to dance. After she and her dance troupe appear in the school talent show, she is introduced to a teacher who believes dance is for everyone.
Be sure to read the foreword from Sylvia Townsend plus the author's note that explains how she learned about Sylvia's story. There is also a brief history of the bookmobile and a further reading list.

 

 

Did you know that 2021 is the 25th anniversary of 

National Poetry Month?

National Poetry Month was launched by the Academy of American Poets (poets.org) in April 1996 to "remind the public that poets have an integral role to play in our culture and that poetry matters. Over the years, it has become the largest literary celebration in the world, with tens of millions of readers, students, K–12 teachers, librarians, booksellers, literary events curators, publishers, families, and, of course, poets, marking poetry's important place in our lives."

 

 

The One Thing You'd Save 

by Linda Sue Park; illustrated by Robert Sae-Heng 

published March 16, 2021.

What a great book for poetry month! Linda Sue Park explains in her author's note that she borrowed from the line structure for sijo (pronounced SHEE-zho), a 14th-century Korean syllabic verse form, to create the poems for this book. Sijo usually has three lines of thirteen to seventeen syllables but there are variations. As Park says, "Using old forms in new ways is how poetry continually renews itself, and the world."

I enjoyed reading the thought process behind the choices of the students. I also really liked that the teacher admits that she had chosen one thing but has changed her mind after listening to what her students selected. Using this book could spark some great discussions in a classroom -- or for your next Zoom meeting! Just be sure to give the participants plenty of time to think about their response. It isn't easy! But the students in the book can offer a lot of great ideas.

Also - don't overlook Robert Sae-Heng's lovely illustrations. They add a lot of context to the poetry and the different choices that are made.