Apple of My Pie by Mika Song; 

published June 8, 2021. (Norma & Belly #2)

Pops and his grandsquirrel are visiting the local Farmer's Market. They stop to sample some apples when - Oh no! Pops is accidentally loaded into a truck full of apples! He's always wanted to visit the country but not via the apple processing factory at the local orchard. Fortunately, Norma, Belly and their friends are on the case to rescue Pops before there is a pie-tastrophe.
This is the second book in the Norma & Belly series. I have not had a chance to read the first one since both copies are currently checked out at my library but I have it on hold.If you have a preschooler/Kindergartner that is ready to jump into the pool of graphic novels, be sure to share this one with them. Lots of good problem solving and a subtle nudge that learning to read can be really important. I liked how everyone pitched in to help rescue Pops.
Be sure to have a yummy apple snack on hand to share at the end!  

Look for Norma & Belly #1!

 

Mellybean and the Giant Monster by Mike White;

published October 13, 2020 (MellyBean#1)

Melly is a dog - usually referred to as Mellybean. She lives in a home with two humans and three cats. Melly is -- annoyingly chipper and cute.  She drives the cats crazy. So they trick her into going outside and then they lock the door. While digging a hole, Melly falls into another dimension - one with a gigantic creature that may - or may not - be a monster. The cats figure this out - eventually - and decide to rescue Mellybean. Can Mellybean be saved? Will she be thrown into a dungeon in the alternate world? Or will she perkily make a bunch of new friends? Giant Monster is the first in the Mellybean series - followed by Wicked Witch. I enjoyed the first one and am looking forward to the second. At 208 pages, this is a little longer than Grumpy Monkey or Norma & Belly but it has chapters so - still very accessible to the K-2nd crowd.

 Look for Mellybean #2!

Grumpy Monkey Freshly Squeezed by Suzanne Lang; 

illustrated by Max Lang; published June 29, 2021

Meet Jim Panzee - aka Grumpy Monkey! If you've ever felt a little grumpy (which TBH is everyone) then this is definitely one to add to your TBR pile. Grumpy Monkey heads out for his calming, morning walk but is quickly ambushed by well-meaning friends who want to accompany him. Many opportunities for grumpiness ensue! 

I am glad that the author/illustrators have decided to expand from their picture book format into a graphic novel format for Grumpy Monkey. Again, this is a great book to introduce graphic novels to younger littles especially if they enjoyed earlier Grumpy Monkey stories. The books are silly and fun with just a tiny bit of potty humor (poop in the pool?!) but also provide opportunities for discussion. How does Monkey work on not being grumpy? And shouldn't that bird cover up his sneezes?! Plus - instructions for making a frozen banana treat!

There are three Grumpy Monkey picture books (each 32 - 44 pages) but Freshly Squeezed moves Grumpy Monkey into the graphic novel scene and is 88 pages long! Lots of room for discussion with all of these books. But also lots of laughs. Be sure to have a few bananas on hand for the treat! And some oranges or something squeezable for your little ones.

     

Thanks to Randhom House and Net Galley for E-ARCs!

 

 

Bubbles.... UP! by Jacqueline Davies; illustrated by Sonia Sanchez Martin;

 published May 4, 2021. 

This books is a celebration of having so much fun swimming at the local pool! It does talk about bubbles - "Mouth bubbles, nose bubbles, ear bubbles, rear bubbles!" because bubbles are a big part of swimming. I grew up in apartment complexes in Texas with pools and this book pretty accurately describes my summer pool fun without the younger sibling. Though the younger brother definitely adds a nice touch! Especially - the Rescue!

I think this is a great summer read aloud. It could be incorporated into a story time about swimming (pair it with Jabari Jumps!) or bubbles (Bubble Bath Pirates!) followed up with bubble blowing! Or just pair it with other books about summer activities. Maybe - just maybe - a read aloud at the local pool? But keep the book away from all those splashes. 

 

 

 

 

If you are moving this summer, you might want to check out this one -

Dear Treefrog by Joyce Sidman; illustrated by Diana Sudyka; 

published May 25, 2021.

A lovely book about moving to a new home and making friends with a tree frog while waiting to make new human friends in the neighborhood. The book takes you through the season of the year - and the seasons in a tree frog's life! The poems describing the young girl's feelings and experiences are offset with factual information about tree frogs.
Of course, September eventually rolls around and it is time to go to a new school - I really enjoyed this fall poem from the book.

No Frogs
today
in the  yard
at the park
        or by the pond

 
Good thing
I took pictures
of you
with my eyes
to
keep
inside me
when I am
       trying to
              be brave

 

 

Ship in a Bottle by Andrew Prahin; published  June 1, 2021

What a delightful story! On one level, this is the story of a mouse who lives in a house with a cat who, unfortunately, wants to eat mouse. So mouse escapes in the ship in a bottle. We then follow mouse as he dodges piratical seagulls and greedy rabbits and finally finds a safe place to land. If you wanted to go deeper, this is the story of a someone who needs to leave the home they love and find a safer place to live. The journey there is dangerous but, hopefully, a safe haven will eventually appear.  There is much to love here - the story itself is fantastic. 

The illustrations and colors are just spot on - especially the expressions on the cat's face. This book would make a lovely read aloud about adventure or finding a new home. You might find yourself wanting a ginger snap by the end of the story, though! 

If you enjoy this one, be sure to find Prahin's book Brimsby's Hats, also! It's another favorite.

    

Scholastic sent me a box filled with books! ARCs and preview copies - it was fun to open it up and go through the contents. There were three picture books and I will briefly discuss them here.

Chicken Little and the Big Bad Wolf by Sam Wedelich; published March 2, 2021. This is a story about not jumping to conclusions, always checking your facts, and finding space in your own tribe for those that need a place to belong. This would be great for story time! 

Wishes by Mượn Thị Văn; illustrated by Victo Ngai; published May 4, 2021. A sad but hopeful book about leaving one home in search of another. Told from the perspective of one of the children, the sparse text of the story follows a series of wishes as a mother and her three young children board a ship in search of a new home. The author's note explains that she fled Viet Nam at a young age for Hong Kong, eventually coming to the United States. The illustrations are beautiful! Spend some time with this one. 

 The Little Butterfly That Could by Ross Burach; published April 6, 2021. Does that butterfly look familiar? If you read Burach's book about a very impatient caterpillar, the answer is yes! Finally a butterfly, our insecure protagonist is attempting to migrate with fellow butterflies 200 miles across a large body of water - but is separated. What to do? Seek advice from a whale! Even though filled with fear and trepidation - butterfly does eventually work up the courage to finish the trip. Butterfly's expressiveness reminds me a lot of Mo Willems' pigeon. Another good book for story time - or to share with toddlers and preschoolers who are worried about, "What if I can't?". 

Thank you for these books, #Scholastic!  I'm looking forward to reading all the chapter books, too!

I also checked out a few new books from my local library - and read one that won't be out until September, 2021!

   

Keeping the City Going by Brian Floca; published April 27, 2021. This is the first picture book that I have read that focuses on the pandemic and how it impacted us. Set in New York City, it is a thank you to all of the people who kept things going and also an acknowledgement of what it was like for those who stayed home. I think this is a great book to share with your family as a way to explore and discuss some of the emotions from the past fourteen months. Maybe it will inspire you to step out on your own porch at 7:00 PM and shout, "Thank you!"

It's So Quiet: A Not-Quite-Going-to-Bed Book by Sherri Duskey Rinker; illustrated by Tony Fucile; published February 23, 2021. First let me say - I do like this book! I think it is a good story time book, it is a great books for noises and onomatopoeia and for encouraging kids to listen. The illustrations are fun - there's an older grandpa mouse, dozing on the front porch in his rocking chair with his dog beside him. And all kinds of critters and things making noise. Frogs and owls, trees and houses. The book is rhyming and it is also repetitive. In fact, I had to go back and double check because, at first, I thought the book had been bound with duplicate pages. It hasn't - it's just little mouse realizing that things are not so quiet after all.  I think kids will enjoy making all the different sounds - and, of course, there is a bit of shouting involved which is always fun. This is one that you want to be familiar with before you read it, though - so you can use a different level of intonation for the repetition. 

Norman Didn't Do It! (Yes, he did!) by Ryan T. Higgins; due to be published September 7, 2021. Put this one on your radar - especially if you are a fan of Higgins' Bruce books. Norman is a porcupine. His best friend is a tree. Named Mildred. If you can wrap your head around that, then this is the book for you! Just go with it. A seedling sprouts up beside Mildred and Norman is JEALOUS. He wants Mildred all to himself so he does something that is not very nice. Upon reflection, he realizes he has made a mistake. Fortunately for Norman, his actions can be amended. This will be a big hit at story time or any read aloud, for that matter. Plus - so much room for discussion!

 

Are you reading any fun new books? Also - if you get the chance, watch Celebrity Antiques Roadshow!

Jason Reynolds is on the first week, Marc Brown the second, and Mo Willems is in the third episode! I did not realize how much he was influenced by Charles Schultz until I watched this - seriously. Lucy is the pigeon.

       

A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat; published March 24, 2020.

I LOVED this book. Have you ever been told by someone you admire that you are worthless? And that no matter what you do, you cannot change? This dystopian fantasy for middle graders is set in the fictional city of Chattana which is based on Thailand and its culture. It is a retelling of Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables - the themes of love and redemption; justice vs. injustice; and revolution against unjust authority are wound throughout the story of Pong and Nok. The author is Thai-American - or maybe I should say Thai-Texan since she was raised in Weatherford and currently lives in Austin. She earned a Newbery Honor for this book and I highly recommend it. 

 

Over the Shop by JonArno Lawson; illustrated by Qin Leng; published January 5, 2021.

A young girl and her grandparent need to rent the apartment over their store - so a sign is placed in the store window. Lots of people look at the space (which definitely needs some TLC) but no one wants to rent it. Until finally, someone does. This is a book to pore over - especially noting the expressions on the faces of the people that choose not to rent the apartment. And the cat. And the neighbor! Lots to discover and discuss. This is a book that is almost wordless -- the only words are the sign above the store. And it is presented in panels which give it a definite graphic novel feel.

Red Panda & Moon Bear by Jarod Roselló' published March 26, 2019.
It took me a while to get into this one -- there are several chapters so I would say it was around Chapter 3 that I began to understand what was going on. Having Red Panda and Moon Bear's back story helped. But I'm an adult -- I am guessing kids will pick up on everything right away. There's a lot to love in here -- the close knit family, the care for community, and the love the siblings have for each other and their friends. But it's all done in a zany way that is fun. I happily anticipate more adventures with Red Panda and Moon Bear! The author is Cuban-American and recently spoke at the Texas Libraries Association Conference - I am going to listen to his recorded session because I want to hear what he has to say!

 

Currently reading - Leaving Lymon by Lesa Cline-Ransome which is a companion book to Finding Langston. Both books are set during the Great Migration. A third book - Being Clem - is scheduled for August, 2021.