Elem./MG – The Eyes and the Impossible

Eggers, Dave. The Eyes and the Impossible. Illustrated by Shawn Harris. Knopf. 2023. 978-1-524-76420-3. 249 p. $19.99. Grades 3 and up. 

Meet Johannes. A dog who lives on an island with all sorts of friends, various types of birds, raccoons, squirrels, and buffalo. Johannes is free and lightning fast, but the buffalo are not. He is the eyes of the island who works with the other helpers to report back to the buffalo nightly. Johannes loves beauty. He is mesmerized by the rectangles that are being brought into the new building and appreciates all of the natural beauty he is surrounded by. When a large herd of goats are brought onto the island to clean up weeds, Johannes’ world expands in a way he never thought possible. Would his life be forever changed by meeting a new friend? The art in this book is existing landscapes that Shawn Harris added Johannes to in a seamless manner.

THOUGHTS: This Newbery winning title is interesting. Very thought provoking, funny at times, heart wrenching at others. The altered illustrations are fascinating. Harris has added Johannes to each landscape, and it seems like he has always been there!

Fantasy

Elem. – Cone Dog

Howden, Sarah. Cone Dog. Illustrated by Carmen Mok. Owlkids Books, 2023. 978-1-771-47514-3. $18.95. Unpaged. Grades PreK-2.

When Emma comes home from the vet with a plastic cone on her head, she is very perturbed. The cone makes digging more difficult, and it makes the other dogs stare at her. All she wants to do is lay around and sulk. Before long, however, a game of catch leads to a surprising discovery: there are actually benefits that come from wearing the cone! For instance, Emma is able to catch more than one ball at a time. Best of all, she is able to use the cone in a creative, hilarious way to scare off Keith, the sneaky neighborhood squirrel who loves to tease her. Maybe the cone isn’t so bad after all! But will Emma be okay when it’s finally time to take the cone off?

THOUGHTS: This humorous story is a great selection for young animal lovers. Readers will appreciate its subtle message about finding the silver lining and making the best of any situation. For double the fun, pair it with Cone Cat (2020), another amusing story by the same author/illustrator team.

Picture Book

Elem. – Early Animal Encyclopedias (Series NF)

Early Animal Encyclopedias. Abdo Books. 2023. $32.95 each or $197.70 for set of 6. Gr. K-4.

Hinman, Bonnie. Farm Animals. 978-1-09-829042-9.
Hulick, Kathryn. Dinosaurs. 978-1-09-829040-5.
MacMillan, Kathy. Cats. 978-1-0982-9039-9.
Miller, Marie-Therese, PhD. Dogs. 978-1-09-829041-2.
Ventura, Marne. Horses. 978-1-09-829043-6.
—.
Sharks. 978-1-09-829044-3.

The reviewer read the book Cats from the Early Animal Encyclopedia series. This book is a beginner’s guide to cats. Cats is an early reader encyclopedia brimming with cat information. The book is organized alphabetically by breed name and discusses the appearance, behavior, and history of said breed. In addition, a map is included to show from where each breed originated. Filled with information, this book is a cat-lover’s dream.

THOUGHTS: This title is a great beginner encyclopedia about cats. Each breed is outlined in the same format, making it easy for readers to find a flow with the information provided. This book is filled with nice photographs and easy-to-read text.

500s-600s Animals

Elem. – Wonder Dogs!

Ashman, Linda.  Wonder Dogs! Illustrated by Karen Obuhanych. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2023.  978-1-534-49453-4. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades K-1.

Written in simple rhyming text, this picture book is a celebration of dogs. Told from the point of view of a young girl’s pet, a little dog describes what makes canines so wonderful as the pair goes for a walk. He sees dogs that fetch, chase and catch, as well as serve and protect. He watches them run agility courses and sees others use their sense of smell for search and rescue. After observing these animals in action, the small pooch feels that he is coming up short, because he cannot do any of these things. Thinking over his relationship with his guardian, the puppy begins to realize that he has some wonderful talents also. He can comfort the girl during a storm and encourages her to keep fit by taking him on walks. Most of all, his “superpower” is the love he gives to her. Obuhanych uses a variety of media to create whimsical illustrations of many different dog breeds. Her images of the dog narrator are simply darling.

THOUGHTS: This book is sure to be a hit for dog lovers, who will be eager to talk about the talents of their own pets. A worthwhile purchase for elementary collections.

Picture Book

Elem. – Holly and the Pittie Party

Frischherz, Julian. Holly and the Pittie Party. Illustrated by Leesh Li. Jolly Fish Press, 2023. 978-1-631-63704-9. 32 p. $19.99. Grades K-2.

Holly is a pit bull puppy that finds herself being left in the city alone. She makes her way through the city finding a dog park and then ends up in an animal shelter. She discovers that being loved and accepted for who she is, is possible. There are others like her that are searching for love and their forever home.

THOUGHTS: This story hit home for me. I have 2 pit bull dogs that we rescued as puppies. They are the most loving dogs, and they get a bad rap because of their breed. The story shows how this breed is misunderstood and how shelters are filled with pitbulls because they are supposed to be “bad” dogs. Kudos to the author for showing kids that not all dogs are mean and hurtful. I also hope this raises awareness of the breed.

Picture Book

Elem. – Cinderella – with Dogs!

Bailey, Linda. Cinderella – with Dogs! Freya Harris. Nancy Paulsen Books, 2023.  978-1-984-81382-4, 32 p. $18.99. Grades K-2.

What if your fairy Godmother appears, and she is a fairy dogmother? This story spins the tale of Cinderella and her fairy dogmother. She learns to take in the moment and enjoy the little things, like chasing squirrels. Her dogmother creates her ball gown out of a cozy blanket that any dog would love to lay on. Her hair ensemble resembles a poodle. When she shows up to the ball, she runs in like a dog chasing a toy not caring what the other people are thinking. All the royal dogs join in with her, as well as catching the eye of the royal prince who is a dog lover as well.  

THOUGHTS: With colorful, vibrant illustrations, this picture book would make a great read aloud. Most students know the story of Cinderella and will get a kick out of the dog version. Students will enjoy seeing the various dogs throughout the story. Any dog lover will enjoy reading this modern twist on a fairy tale classic.

Picture Book

Elem. – Puppy Bus

Brockington, Drew. Puppy Bus. Abrams Books, 2022. 978-1-419-75191-2. 40 p. $17.99. Grades PK-2.

Puppy Bus begins with a young boy who reluctantly climbs on the bus for his first day at a new school after a big move. He takes his seat… and quickly realizes that he has climbed onto the wrong bus. He’s on the PUPPY BUS!  And where does the puppy bus go!? Puppy school! What to do!? Go to class! But class is strange and confusing, and the food is terrible! The boy begins to miss his old friends and family…and wants to go home–until a friendly puppy offers friendship. Puppy school might not be so bad after all! 

THOUGHTS: Unique to this book is the storyline that the main character is starting a new school after a move (rather than it being the first day of school). This welcome addition to shelves of school stories will bring smiles to young readers’ faces and make the task of going to school seem just a little less daunting (at least they serve people food at school!). Recommended, particularly for schools looking to refresh their school stories shelves and for those looking for a fun welcome for their move-ins!

Picture Book          Hannah J. Thomas, Central Bucks SD

Elem. – Hot Dog

Salati, Doug. Hot Dog. Alfred A Knopf, 2022. 978-0-593-30843-1. 40 p. $17.99. Grades PreK-2.

Told in spare text, this story of a woman and her long-haired dachshund is no trivial tale. The unnamed pair live in a city and set out on a hot summer morning to run errands. With a to-do list in hand, the woman leads her adorable pup along crowded and noisy sidewalks, and the urban chaos upsets the tiny canine. Refusing to budge another inch, the animal sits down in the middle of a busy street in protest. The guardian scoops up her pet and realizing their need to get away, they head to the seashore by train and ferry. They breathe in fresh sea air and with umbrella in hand proceed to the beach to spend the afternoon. Without a leash, the little dog runs free and enjoys digging in the sand, splashing in the waves, and collecting rocks, which the woman uses to make rock art. As sunset approaches, both of them board the ferry for home. The twosome exit the subway to streets that are now quieter, less crowded and cooler. Feeling refreshed, they return home for dinner and  a “deep ocean sleep.” The lyrical text is sprinkled with alliteration, onomatopoeia, and rhyme. What makes this story shine is the amazing artwork. For the initial city scenes, the images are vertically placed, each framed with a black border. This technique cleverly demonstrates the overcrowding, frenzy and din of the streets, and a few drawings give the dachshund’s perspective. The horizontal pictures at the seaside and of the city at night are unframed and are mostly full or double page spreads, which creates a sense of tranquility and openness. Salati uses pencil, gouache, and Photoshop to craft  illustrations that touch the senses. There are the familiar scents of the city on their return (dog-trash can; woman-vegetable stand). City sounds are portrayed by the overwritten words on the drawings of the traffic jam (Hawwnk…Honk…Beep) and the construction site (Tukka…Tukka…Tukka). The orange and yellow image of pedestrians in the sweltering heat looks almost too hot to touch. The artist creatively represents the wind in the flapping ears and ruffled fur of the pup on the ferry, and the reader can almost feel the gentle breeze as the sheer curtains in the bedroom billow out from the open window. 

THOUGHTS: This outstanding picture book reminds us to take time to relax and enjoy the beauty of the world with those we love. This is an essential purchase for elementary libraries. Young readers won’t be able to wait to take Hot Dog home.

Picture Book          Denise Medwick, Retired, PSLA Member

MG – Fenris and Mott

van Eekhout, Greg. Fenris and Mott. HarperCollins Publishers, 2022. ISBN 9780062970633. 195 p. $16.99 Grades 4-6.

Mott is a lonely girl who has recently moved to LA with her mother; she languishes during summer break while her best friend from back home travels to Germany. She finds Fenris, a seemingly innocent puppy, in a recycling bin and takes him to a shelter, only to realize that he is really a wolf and that he can eat lampposts, cars, and even enemies. When Thrudil, the Valkyrie protector of Fenris, arrives on the scene as well, she gallops around LA trying to avoid other mythical enemies and monsters and trying to prevent the end of the world.

THOUGHTS: Fans of Rick Riordan, especially his Magnus Chase series, will love this humorous take on the tale of Fenris, eater of the moon and destroyer of worlds in Norse mythology. Mott and Thurdil have a quirky, friendly relationship, and the book doesn’t take itself too seriously, making for a quick read that will be easy to recommend to students who like fantasy, adventure, and sharp humor!

Fantasy Fiction          Erin Faulkner, Cumberland Valley SD

Elem. – Knitting for Dogs

Molk, Laurel. Knitting for Dogs. Random House Studio, 2022. 978-0-593-43458-1. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades K-2.

Izzy is a talented maker. She has made birdhouses, bee houses, a wooden swing, and more. One day, she decides to take up knitting. She has no problem knitting scarves and hats, but when she tries to knit a sweater, it doesn’t turn out as planned. She reassures her dog, Max, that “failure is part of the creative process.” Again and again, Izzy tries to knit sweaters, but each one turns out even more disastrous than the one before. Finally, just as she is about to give up, inspiration strikes. Izzy figures out a way to repurpose her sweaters, and this idea is even more brilliant than her original plan! Cheerful illustrations, rendered in watercolor, pen-and-ink, and Photoshop, accompany this uplifting tale of persistence. End matter includes instructions for knitting a scarf, but they are very vague; children certainly would need additional guidance to complete this project.

THOUGHTS: I absolutely love the message this story sends about making mistakes during the creative process. It is important for students to realize that mistakes can always be fixed, and sometimes, they can even lead to fabulous new outcomes. This would be the perfect story to share with students before beginning a new art project. 

Picture Book          Julie Ritter, PSLA Member