Monthly Archives: February 2022

Elem. – Orange is an Apricot, Green is a Tree Frog

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Estellon, Pascale. Orange is an Apricot, Green is a Tree Frog. Princeton Architectural Press, 2021. 978-1-648-96014-7. Unpaged. $18.95. Gr. PreK-1.

Colors appear throughout nature from fruits and vegetables to birds and sea creatures. Each color is unique and brings about an understanding of the natural world. Combined, the colors enrich everyday items and create associations. Each highlighted color in Orange is an Apricot, Green is a Tree Frog begins with “__________ [the color] looks like”, and then has dots of varying shades of that color along with images of plants, animals, and food that are the highlighted color. Through this setup, children can see the varying degrees of each color while learning the color and a variety of everyday items they may encounter. 

THOUGHTS: Although plain in design, the use of white space helps to highlight each color and those natural things with the color. Words are sparse, but that also is important because they are names of the pictures and colors. This is a great book for teaching students colors and about nature.

Picture Book        Erin Bechdel, Beaver Area SD

Elem. – Stick and Stone Best Friends Forever

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Ferry, Beth. Stick and Stone Best Friends Forever. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2021. Ill. Tom Lichtenheld. 978-0-358-47302-2. Unpaged. $17.99. Grades PreK-1.

We’ve always heard, “Sticks and stones may break my bones…”, but when Stick and Stone get together, they don’t break bones. They play on a slide; they read books; they hike and canoe; they are best friends. So, when Stick decides he wants to find his family tree, Stone goes with him on his quest. “They wander [and] explore”, but Stick can’t find his family. When pinecone shows up after a scary experience in the forest, Stick realizes he may never find his family tree, but that’s okay because he’ll always have Stone. 

THOUGHTS: This is a beautifully illustrated story of what it means to be a family. Stick doesn’t know what type of tree he is, but Stone says that’s okay because they have one another, and it doesn’t matter “if you’re oak or you’re pine […] you’ll always be mine.” This story shows children that all friends and families come in different shapes and sizes, and it’s love for one another that makes a family. This is a wonderful story of acceptance, and as always, Tom Lichtenheld’s illustrations are vibrant and beautiful.

Picture Book          Erin Bechdel, Beaver Area SD

Stick and Stone are best friends. When Stick decides he wants to find out where he came from, the duo head out in search of Stick’s family tree. Their journey takes them through forests, across valleys and creeks, and into the mountains. Before long, they become lost and frightened. Eventually, they run into Pinecone, who guides them safely home. Although Stick doesn’t find his family tree, he does learn something about what family means and realizes that he had one all along. The rhyming verse and cheerful illustrations will have children devouring this delightful story about friendship.

THOUGHTS: I could see this book resonating especially with students from unconventional or broken homes. It could help them understand and appreciate the value of “found family.” Fans of Mo Willems’s Elephant & Piggy books would also enjoy this amusing tale of friendship.

Picture Book          Julie Ritter, PSLA Member

Elem. – Vampenguin

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Cummins, Lucy Ruth. Vampenguin. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2021. 978-1-5344-6698-2 p. 48. $17.99. Grades K-3. 

Adventurous young readers will love Lucy Ruth Cummin’s picture book, Vampenguin, about a vampire family that spends the day at the zoo. As the Vampire family visits each exhibit and examines all the exciting animals, baby Dracula seems VERY interested in the penguin exhibit. Likewise, a young penguin finds that the Vampire family may be his ticket out of the penguin exhibit to explore the zoo for the very first time. But, alas, this kind of mischief calls for the old switcheroo plan, and suddenly this Saturday adventure has become much more enjoyable. Baby Dracula quietly slips into the penguin’s house to spend the day swimming, eating, and hanging out with the other penguins. At the same time, the baby Penguin sneaks into the baby stroller to explore exhibits and animals at the zoo that he has never seen before. So while the zoo employees are busy with their chores and everyday activities, and the parents have their attention on other things, the babies (Dracula and Penguin) have the adventure of a lifetime pretending to be each other. 

THOUGHTS: Lucy Ruth Cummins is the author and the illustrator of this story, and observant readers will giggle over the details not necessarily said in words but told within the art. This story is a case of mistaken identity, and the grown-up characters are none too wise! A picture book that is perfect as a read-aloud that will get a few laughs from the readers!

Picture Book          Marie Mengel, Reading SD

Elem. – Fuzzy, Inside & Out: A Story about Small Acts of Kindness and Big Hair

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Ohora, Zachariah. Fuzzy, Inside & Out: A Story about Small Acts of Kindness and Big Hair. Abrams, 2021. 978-1-419-75190-5 p. 40. $18.99. Grades K-3. 

Fuzzy Haskins is the best kind of friend. He has a huge heart and spreads cheer and goodwill everywhere he goes in his neighborhood. His community counts on him, and he is loved and adored by his neighbors. Fuzzy is active and fast-thinking, but his one challenge is his unruly hair! It takes two blow dryers to dry completely, and the humidity is most definitely his enemy! Author Zachariah Ohora depicts Fuzzy as the excellent character he is, both inside and out, in his picture book Fuzzy, Inside & Out. When Fuzzy gets into a dilemma of his own, it’s up to the community that relies on him to come through and help him out of his own predicament. As they say, “it takes a village,” and Fuzzy’s village is full of heart and resilience too. 

THOUGHTS: It is always a gem when a story oozes love and big-hearted acts of kindness, but it is even more delicious when the characters exude coolness and confidence. Fuzzy may have excessive hair that gets in the way, but it works for him, as does his everyday acts of generosity towards his friends and community. This adorable picture book is enjoyable to read!  Readers will want a friend like Fuzzy or be inspired to BE a friend like Fuzzy! 

Picture Book          Marie Mengel, Reading SD

Elem. – Hello, Jimmy!

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Walker, Anna. Hello, Jimmy! Clarion Books, 2021. Unpaged. 978-0-358-19358-6. $17.99.  Grades K-2.

Jack is a young boy who stays at his father’s house from time to time. Usually his dad tells jokes and they talk, but lately the house seems quiet. Jack worries that his parent feels lonely, just like him. On his next visit, the boy is surprised to learn that his Dad has taken in a parrot that he found on his doorstep. The bright green bird, known as Jimmy,  is very talkative with its favorite phrase being “Hello, Jimmy!” His father enjoys talking to the parrot and telling it jokes, as he used to do with Jack. Now the house is no longer quiet. Neighbors are amazed by the animal and Jack wishes people thought he was amazing and worries that his father likes the bird more than him. One night the young boy dreams that his bedroom is full of birds, and he opens a window to let them out. In the morning, he realizes that Jimmy is gone and goes outside searching for him. When the worried father finds his son, Jack learns that his dad was not looking for the parrot, but for him and realizes that strong bond between them will never be broken. Walker’s charming illustrations are done in gouache and pencil with a lot of white space on the initial pages. As the parent and child grow closer, the pages fill with more color and the bare branches of the trees appear replete with foliage.

THOUGHTS: This is an endearing story of the love between father and son. While children living in two homes can connect to the story, many children can relate to the emotions Jack experiences in their own families. A quiet, comforting story that is appropriate for all elementary collections.

Picture Book          Denise Medwick, Retired, PSLA Member

MG/YA – The Chemistry of Food

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Mooney, Carla. The Chemistry of Food. Nomad Press, 2021. 978-1-647-41026-1. 118 p. $17.95. Grades 6-10.

This comprehensive overview does a deep dive into the formal chemistry of cooking and preparing food as well as a breakdown of the food humans eat and the impact it has on their bodies. Typical of most nonfiction books, there are bolded words, popouts, color photos, but this text also includes QR codes throughout for videos to enrich the experience. The content is broken up into five chapters, most of which have popup comic boxes with characters that follow along throughout the book.

THOUGHTS: A fun introduction to cooking and food investigation for middle grade students. The book can easily be adapted for classroom use or specific project research.

664 Food Technology          Samantha Hull, Ephrata

Elem. – Natural or Man-made? A Compare and Contrast Book

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Natural or Man-made? A Compare and Contrast Book. Arbordale Publishing, 2021.978-1-643-51824-4. 32 p. $10.95. Grades K-3.

Full of captivating and familiar color photographs, Natural or Man-made opens the door to conversations about where our food, electricity, and things come from. Many of the photos are paired by their natural state (sheep in a field) and their product state (mittens and gloves) and some of those pairings might be a little shocking or confusing to younger learners (cows paired with leather belts; live turkey paired with thanksgiving meal). Written in an inviting first person, there are also questions to stimulate further connections, as well as creative activities and short quizzes for enrichment. 

THOUGHTS: This title would be a good addition to a lower elementary classroom library. The interactive style is best for students to read in small groups or one on one with an adult who can assist with questions that come up or concerns the young learner might have. 

333.7 Land Economics            Samantha Hull, Ephrata

Elem./MG – The Science of Song: How and Why We Make Music

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Cross, Alan, Emme Cross, and Nicole Mortillaro. The Science of Song: How and Why We Make Music. Kids Can Press, 2021. 978-1-771-38787-3. 48 p. $17.99. Grades 4-8.

A concise and colorful historical and psychological foundation of sound that starts with the origin of music over 40,000 years ago and how we hear to digital and artificial music makes this book a great addition to intermediate and middle school libraries. The content is broken into 19 one page chapters that summarizes the topic at hand. Each section also has engaging images and a three song playlist to accompany it. The book ends with a timeline, glossary, and index that can be helpful for curious young minds. 

THOUGHTS: A fun and low stakes way to introduce younger minds to the psychology and importance behind the music we all hear on a daily basis. This title would be a great addition to an elementary, intermediate, or middle school library looking to refresh their nonfiction collection.

780 Music          Samantha Hull, Ephrata Area SD

YA – you don’t have to be everything: Poems for Girls Becoming Themselves

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Whitney, Diana. you don’t have to be everything: Poems for Girls Becoming Themselves. Workman Publishing, 2021. 978-1-523-51099-3. 165 p. $14.95. Grades 9-12. 

I want this book on my coffee table, but I also want it on my nightstand. And I also want it in my office, and maybe in my car. It’s beautiful and consumable and has something for any woman, in any moment. Whitney’s subtitle is “poems for girls becoming themselves,” but I think many women never got the chance to be themselves. The collection is organized by eight themes: seeking, loneliness, attitude, rage, longing, shame, sadness, and belonging. There is something in this small book for everyone, they just have to be willing to let the poetry awaken their heart and the affirmation of who they are and how they feel will be present. 

THOUGHTS: If your high school students are as hungry for poetry as mine are, add this to your collection. The art and design make the work of legends like Angelou and Oliver as accessible as their modern day counterparts like Gorman, Acevedo, and Baer. At the very least, get this book to just have in your office and hand out the poems like candy on Halloween, but every day. 

Poetry         Samantha Hull, Ephrata Area SD

Elem. – I Say Please and Thank You

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Rogge, Robie. I Say Please and Thank You. Holiday House, 2021. 978-0-823-44919-4. 28 p. $17.99. Grades PK-1. 

An interactive and imaginative book with human, animal, and make believe characters all doing their best to practice their manners. Each page has a situational phrase, followed by the appropriate response under the flap. Unicorns are waving hello, gorillas are new friends, mermaids are pointing fingers at farters. The colorful and silly illustrations are engaging. The pages are extra thick to minimize ripping for those eager flap lifters. 

THOUGHTS: A fun book to gift, to use for reading aloud, and for the littles to practice what manners they might already know as well as fine motor skills of opening flaps and turning pages. A fresh addition for libraries that serve the littlest minds!

Picture Book         Samantha Hull, Ephrata Area SD