Mercy Watson is Missing! by Kate DiCamillo

 

Mercy Watson is Missing! by Kate DiCamillo. Illustrated by Chris Van Dusen. Candlewick, 2023. Children's chapter book.

If you are not familiar with the adventures on Deckawoo Drive, run to the nearest library and check them all out! Mercy, the porcine wonder, seems to be gone. Mr. and Mrs. Watson call in their friends and neighbors to help find her. Private investigator Percivval Smidgely and his girlfriend, Louella Smith (SMITH? :) ) become involved as do Leroy Ninker and his horse Maybelline and others. Put some toast in your toaster and join the fun! Yippie-i-oh! Maybe look into some Butter Barrel stock, too!

And Then Comes School by Tom Brenner

  And Then Comes School by Tom Brenner. Illustrated by Jen Hill. Candlewick, 2023.  Children's picture book.

     If you made a list of all the things that happen when school starts each year and then list all the things that happen after school begins, you couldn't come up with better lists than in this colorful picture book. Elementary school teachers always look for books that are writing prompts and this very relatable tale is perfect for the WHEN/THEN pattern. The children and their friends and family are charming and the sly humor of narrative and illustrations both add to the fun. This positive book with its and eager anticipation of a new school year will appeal to teachers, children, and parents alike.

Seed by Maggie Li

 

 Seed by Maggie Li. Little Life Cycles series. Templar Books, an imprint of Candlewick Press. Board book. 2022.

School librarians are often asked for books on life cycles. From corn to frogs to apples, children need nonfiction titles to help them understand life itself. This smallish board book takes explanation to a minimum with the story of Pip, one of the tiny seeds inside an apple. A bird spreads the seeds when it eats the apple. Some seeds get too cold, others land in too salty water. When a little girl finds Pip, she plants him. Colorful pictures show the growth of the seed into a tree that produces its own apples. A center cut-out in the shape of a seed shows the little smiling face of Pip and will intrigue the youngest readers. This book would also be useful in talking about the seasons. 

John's Turn by Mac Barnett

 

 John's Turn by Mac Barnett. Illustrated by Kate Berube. Candlewick Press, 2022. Children's picture book.

John's school has a traditional that on Fridays in the cafeteria, one student is able to perform for the whole school. One student played a tuba. One student did a card trick. One student told jokes. Now, it's John's turn. 

After breakfast, John puts on his costume: a leotard, pants, and slippers. John is going to do a dance. When Mr. Ross presses PLAY, John begins. Multiple pages show the dance steps as John glides and sways and jumps. He bows, the audience claps. The performance is a success!

In simple words, Barnett tells this story. He tells of John's nerves, but readers will also feel John's confidence. Barnett lets readers know what is expected at a performance. Illustrator Berube does a grand job of adding more to the story with subtle colors and emotions. The dance pages are filled with detail and sequence. The audience members are so typical of an elementary school that many adults will feel they recognize some children! John's smile and the excited clapping of the audience signal John's success. 

Love in the Library by Maggie Tokuda-Hall

 Love in the Library by Maggie Tokuda-Hall. Illustrated by Yas Imamura. Candlewick Press, 2022. Children's picture book.

During World War II, many Japanese Americans were forced to leave their homes and live in camps as prisoners. The author's grandparents met and married and had their first child while living in the Minidoka camp in Idaho. This lovely picture book does not dwell on the politics. It is the love story of Tama, a young woman who works in the library, and George, a young man who loves Tama more than he loves to read. Told in simple words, the story describes their situation: "Constant questions. Constant worries. Constant fear." Yet, there are miracles, too. Love is a miracle. Hope is a miracle. Being human brings oneness. "The miracle is in all of us." wrote Maggie's grandmother.

With all the the divisions in our world today, this is a reminder of the wonders that can happen, the loves we can find, the resilience we can nurture in ourselves and others. It is based on a true story about love and family. It was Maggie Todkuda-Hall's to tell and she has done it well. 

Baby Bookworm by Dr. John Hutton and Dr. V.G. Jain

 

 Baby Bookworm by Dr. John Hutton and Dr. V.G. Jain. Illustrated by Leah Busch Rocket. Blue Manatee Press, 2022. Board book.

The reason I am so in love with this small book is that years ago I worked with young families who had babies in the neonatal intensive care unit. They were often scared. Many were single teenage mothers who totally unfamiliar with hospitals and at-risk babies. How I wish we had had this comforting little book back then!

The soft watercolor illustrations are lovely. The words are simple and rhyming. The real asset to the board book, is the hospital setting. The little book is small enough to fit into a purse and take anywhere. It is designed to read to babies in isolettes and elsewhere. Its words are calm, reassuring, and hopeful. Telling about what tiny babies need and encouraging parents to talk and read to them is more than helpful, it is essential.

The authors are pediatric and neonatal specialists. Blue Manatee Press is to be commended for such a publication and should be encouraged to do more like it!

My First Pop-Up Mythological Monsters by Owen Davey

 

  My First Pop-Up Mythological Monsters. By Owen Davey. 2020.  Candlewick Press, First US edition, 2021. 

   Certainly millennial parents who are great fans of mythology will want this simple pop-up book for their little ones! Fifteen monsters from all over the world are portrayed in the beautifully colored pop-up pages. The illustrations have been created digitally and really fill the square pages disgned to fit inside a child's hands.  A dragon, a unicorn, and a jackalope may be recognizable to some readers, but griffin, chimera, shachihoko, and fenrir may be new to many. The kraken, Medusa, and cylclops are also included as are others. Certainly, younger children need help navigating the delicate pages of pop-up books. The one or two sentences about each creature will make it easy for an adult to share with a child. Use this as a resource when one of the creatures is mentioned in another storybook. What a fun addition to the library of mythology fans! 

The Beatryce Prophecy by Kate DiCamillo

The Beatryce Prophecy by Kate DiCamillo. Illustrated by Sophie Blackall. Candlewick Press, 2021. Children's chapter book.

Is this a fable? Maybe. Is it a fairy tale without fairies? Perhaps. Is it my new favorite book? Absolutely! Beatryce is a small girl who is found in the pen with a goat by Brother Edik, a monk with a wandering eye and a wish to hear a tale about a mermaid. The girl, the goat, the monk, a boy named Jack Dory, and Cannoc, a weird man with a long, gray beard, go on a quest like no other. Beatryce, at first, knows only her name. But, the girl can READ in a medieval time when girls cannot. And Brother Edik knows a prophecy about her. And, soon, the king himself is after her. As Beatryce begins to remember her past, the tale really takes off for Beatryce is about to discover her future. 

I cannot fathom DiCamillo's imagination as she creates unique and memorable characters like these. I can only envy her smooth writing as it pulls readers in and gives more clues. I admire the way she gives characters love, light, and an appreciation for books and reading. Sophie Blackall's black and white illustrations really beg for full color; they are sparse and few, but add to the story. The gorgeous endpapers of gold and ivory make me wish for wallpaper like it. The combination is stunning, comforting, and truly a tale for our times.

"We shall all, in the end. be led to where we belong. We shall all, in the end, find our way home."   ---p. 185