YA – My Name Is Jason. Mine Too: Our Story, Our Way

Reynolds, Jason, and Jason Griffin, illustrator. My Name Is Jason. Mine Too: Our Story, Our Way. Atheneum, 2022. 978-1-534-47823-7. Unpaged. $19.99. Grades 7-12.

College roommates turned best friends, Reynolds and Griffin moved to New York City with the hopes of pursuing their poetic and artistic dreams. Though glamorous, life in the city wasn’t easy and to make it work they had “No food. For the first six months we only ate cereal, peanut butter toast. Tuna. Fried Tuna. Tuna and rice. Rice and soup.” With little aside from their friendship to sustain them, they figure out ways “to make it” against the odds when everyone else seems to think they’re “probably stupid.” Griffin’s multimedia art including watercolors, collages, and sketches compliment Reynolds’ poems as their story unfolds. A tribute to their perseverance and friendship, this stunning work encourages readers to follow their dreams even when they seem unattainable and emphasizes the importance of having a good support system to help you get there.

THOUGHTS: The powerhouse duo behind Ain’t Burned All the Bright is back for another artistic collection of poetry. Fans of Reynolds’ work will enjoy learning the story behind how he got where he is today. Highly recommended for middle grade and young adult collections.

Poetry          Maryalice Bond, South Middleton SD
Graphic Memoir

Elem. – Hello Earth! Poems to Our Planet

Sidman, Joyce. Hello Earth! Poems to Our Planet. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2021. 978-0-8028-5528-2. 62 p. $18.99. Grades 3-6.

This collection of free verse poetry about Earth was first published in Spain in 2016. An example of creative nonfiction, this volume contains verses in which a narrator, representing “some of your children-the human ones,” talks to the planet about its wonders. Sidman begins with a poem (“Floating”) about Earth’s place in the solar system and in the next two, brings us back to its surface. Following this, the narrator chats with Earth about its age, formation, and history, asking “What was your favorite part?” Other poems focus on volcanoes, earthquakes, continents, day and night, ecosystems, water and plants, giving us a good look at our world. The oversized volume ends by reminding us to enjoy the amazing marvels of our planet and to take care of it.  The back matter provides more information, organized by topic and its related poem(s). Sidman’s works are best known for stunning illustrations and creative layouts. By contrast, the watercolor and acrylic drawings by Miren Asiain Lora may not seem as engaging. People are drawn on a small scale and the font is subdued and orderly. Perhaps this is done to focus our full attention on Mother Earth. A class of Earth Science students and their National Geographic certified teacher helped Sidman with understanding “how Earth works.”

THOUGHTS: This book of verse is perfect for Earth Day storytimes and works as an introduction to Earth Science Units. This imaginative work is a great addition to elementary collections, especially where poetry is popular.

811 Poetry          Denise Medwick, Retired, PSLA Member