Elem. – You Can Be a Good Friend (No Matter What!)

Posted on April 26, 2024 by pslamediaselectionreview

Henson, Taraji P. You Can Be a Good Friend (No Matter What!). Illustrated by Paul Kellam. ZonderKidz, 2024. 978-0-310-16059-5. $19.99. 32 p. Grades K-3.

Little TJ is so excited about her first day of school! She is dreaming about all the things she will learn, the activities she’ll get to participate in, the lunch room, and of course making a million new friends. However, when she arrives at school her first day jitters set in, and she ends up alienating her classmates and attracting a bully. Each day seems to go wrong, and TJ finds herself shrinking to avoid being bullied; she stops wearing her favorite clothes, eating her favorite lunch, and sharing her work in class. TJ confides in her grandmother who offers support, gives her advice on how to deal with a bully, and encourages her to find her confidence once more. The next day TJ feels more like herself again. During recess she finds her rhythm in the music room, and once the other kids see how much fun she is having marching to the beat of her own drum (literally) they come to join her. TJ even finds common ground with her former bully and makes a new friend.

THOUGHTS: With notes from the author about how to help your child deal with a bully, this book is great for parents whose child might be struggling at school. The lessons in this book would also resonate with teachers and could easily be used at the beginning of the school year to encourage classroom community. This picture book has fun, vibrant illustrations that will catch the attention of kids ages 4-8.

Picture Book

Elem. – Bitsy Bat, School Star

Posted on November 9, 2023 by pslamediaselectionreview

Windness, Kaz. Bitsy Bat, School Star. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2023. 978-1-665-90505-3. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades K-3.

Bitsy Bat has big star dreams but is nervous. It’s her first night at a new school, and she’s worried she isn’t ready. After a quick review of raising her wing, painting friends, and sharing snacks Bitsy feels more confident in going to school. As Bitsy flies into Crittercrawl Elementary, readers will see things from Bitsy’s perspective. While the beginning of the story features the bats right side up (close observers will note them hanging not standing), Bitsy’s school looks like a typical elementary classroom with tables and chairs and a variety of students. After her initial confusion over sitting in a chair, Bitsy feels dizzy from being wrong side up. Then she doesn’t paint like her classmates, and her snacks make them squeal. Constantly being told she’s doing things “Wrong, wrong, wrong!” makes Bitsy “Screeeeeeech!” with awful feelings of never, ever fitting in. After being comforted by Mama and Papa, Bitsy flies home and dreams she was “a very small star.” Refusing not to attend school, Bitsy’s Mama and Papa have some good advice for her, explaining how “Everyone shines a little differently.” With a few tools to help her feel safe, Bitsy is ready to share her big star idea. Will her classmates and teacher like Bitsy’s idea, or will it be another way for her to feel like she’s doing everything wrong?

THOUGHTS: The book ends happily then shares more about autism and an author’s note in which Windness compares herself with Bitsy (no, she doesn’t fly or hang from her toes). Highly recommended for elementary collections, this title will help teachers promote an inclusive environment which celebrates the many different ways we each are special stars.

Picture Book

Elem. – Becoming Charley

Posted on September 11, 2023 by pslamediaselectionreview

DiPucchio, Kelly. Becoming Charley. Illustrated by Loveis Wise. Alfred A. Knopf, 2023. 978-0-593-42904-4. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades K-2.

Among a forest full of young caterpillars eating milkweed “just as they’d been taught to do” is Charley who would rather admire the trees, clouds, and stars. Despite his elders scolding him to focus on becoming a big, strong butterfly, Charley wonders if it might be nice to be a spotted fawn or a waterfall. Despite daily lessons – “Think black. Think orange. Think black. Think orange.” and “This. Not that!” Charley is distracted by the sun, the wildflowers, the mountains, and the turquoise sea. When each caterpillar forms its chrysalis, everyone is excited, but Charley feels unsure. Will Charley remember to “Think black. Think orange.” or will the other colors and shapes of nature fill his mind? As millions of butterflies take to the skies in summer, Charley emerges.

THOUGHTS: Charley is determined to be an individual, focusing on the things he loves instead of what others expect of him. Wise’s beautiful illustrations bring to life this story of being true to oneself, even when you’re forging your own path. Young readers will appreciate the detailed digital illustrations and love learning about the life cycle of a butterfly.

Picture Book

MG – Picture Day

Posted on September 8, 2023 by pslamediaselectionreview

Sax, Sarah. Picture Day. Alfred A. Knopf. 2023. 978-0-593-30687-1. 283 p. $13.99. Grades 3-7.

It’s picture day at Brinkley Middle School! Olivia “Viv” Sullivan is determined not to fade into the background in the hand knitted cardigan and boring braid that her mother wants her to wear. She wants a look that’s cool, bold, and true to herself – while also setting her apart from the many other Olivias in her grade. After all, that’s what Viv’s favorite influencer, Quinn Sparks, would recommend! To that end, Viv chops off her braid in the school bathroom. She’s finally ready for her close up (and quite pleased with her new look), but her mom is apoplectic and whisks her off to the salon for a stylist to repair the DIY chop. With newfound confidence, Viv realizes that she has a knack for helping other students stand out from the crowd, from a new Conservation Club promotion to a Halloween Dance proposal. Along the way, though, she neglects her two best friends and their preparations for the upcoming Tengu Con. In helping others to solve their problems, Viv creates some of her own, and must figure out her true priorities to move forward. Sarah Sax’s energetic, digitally created artwork in a variety of panel layouts keeps the pace rolling briskly along, and a wonderfully diverse group of characters is represented.

THOUGHTS: With elements of influencer culture, individuality, and friendship, Picture Day has something for almost everyone!

Graphic Novel

Elem. – Patchwork

Posted on December 12, 2022 by pslamediaselectionreview

de la Pena, Matt. Patchwork. G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2022. 978-1-9848-1396-1. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades K-2.

In this inspirational work, de la Pena describes the amazing potential of each child and how it can be realized as an adult. Every child has his or her own interests and qualities, but these do not remain static. Over time, attributes may be transformed or repurposed and individuals will choose their own destinies as adults. A boy, who talks out in class and makes jokes, can grow up to use his outgoing nature to become a “favorite teacher” to a fidgety student. A girl, who loves the rhythm of dance, can grow up to appreciate the patterns of math as a coder. The author cautions against becoming discouraged when things seem to go off-track, because each path is unique. Like a patchwork quilt, the possibilities found in each child come from the “scraps” of personal experiences and emotions. As de la Pena puts it, “You are more than a single note played again and again. You are a symphony.” Luyken uses soft and muted colors in her drawings, which are done with gouache, ink, and pencil. Each image contains a subtle patchwork design and the illustrator uses a different color for each child’s vignette.

THOUGHTS: This is a reassuring and uplifting story of individuality and self-realization. Recommended for elementary collections.

Picture Book Denise Medwick, PSLA Member, Retired

Elem. – My Life Begins!

Posted on October 13, 2022 by pslamediaselectionreview

MacLachlan, Patricia. My Life Begins! Katherine Tegen Books, 2022. 978-0-063-11601-6. $16.99. 119 p. Grades 3-6.

Jacob is 9 years old. His greatest wish is to have a puppy, perhaps even a whole litter of puppies. Puppies are not in Jacob’s immediate future, however. Jacob’s mother is having triplets. Jacob refers to his newborn siblings as The Trips. The Trips don’t do much at first. The family must dress them each in different colors to keep track of which is which. Jacob watches his exhausted parents as they feed, dress, and rock the triplets to sleep. When a school research project is assigned, Jacob decides to study the changes in the lives of the newborns as they grow and mature. He titles the project “A Litter of Trips – from Birth On” and begins to keep notes on their development. The early journal entries claim The Trips do nothing and are all the same. Then, one night Jacob is awakened by a crying baby. Knowing his parents could use a rest, Jacob realizes he can change and feed her himself. As he comforts Lizzie, he is rewarded with her first smile. Suddenly Jacob realizes that his newborn sisters each have a distinct personality. The Trips all have favorite ways to get attention. Char, the quiet one, will wave her hands excitedly when Jacob passes, Kath, the bold one, will make vocal noises, and Lizzie will smile and take Jacob’s hand. As The Trips grow, so too does Jacob. He begins to realize he no longer thinks of the triplets as The Trips, but he is not sure exactly what to call them. When Mom returns to work, the family hires Mimi, an experienced mother of five, to help out. Mimi, who is adored by the entire family, sees Jacob’s kind, caring nature. Mimi helps Jacob to understand “the girls” and himself. Jacob finishes his school report with an in class visit by the triplets, who he now refers to as his “sisters.” Jacob comes to realize that as we mature our lives begin again and again with new experiences, new people, new skills and interests. Told partly in journal entries, and partly through narrative, this is a delightful look at the first year of life through the eyes of an older brother. Illustrated with great care by Daniel Miyares.

THOUGHTS: An utterly delightful read that will resonate with children and adults alike.

Picture Book Anne McKernan, Council Rock SD

MG – Dear Student

Posted on July 7, 2022 by pslamediaselectionreview

Swartz, Elly. Dear Student. Delacorte Press, 2022. 978-0-593-37412-2. $16.99. 293 p. Grades 6-8.

Starting middle school is difficult for most students, but for sixth-grader Autumn Blake, it’s a lonely, anxious time not only because her friend Prisha has moved to California but also because her father has decided to “seize the day” and grant his lifelong wish to help others by joining the Peace Corps in Ecuador. Now, Autumn, her mom, and her little sister, Pickles, have to move to the apartment above her mother’s veterinary practice, and Autumn has more responsibilities to help with her sister, their home, and the practice. Though she feels like a misfit at school, she responds to her father’s daily advice to challenge herself and applies for the position as the advice columnist for the school newspaper, The Daily Express. As she awaits the decision on the newspaper slot, Autumn is surprised by the attention from popular, confident classmate, Logan. Selected as the anonymous advice columnist, Autumn reveals that under her awkward and self-conscious exterior lies an insightful and wise counselor. She even winds up giving advice to Logan and learning about her new friend’s hidden insecurities and needs. Autumn also balances this friendship with Cooper, a newcomer to her small community, whom Logan says is weird. When she responds to a disturbing accusation about Beautiful You, a cosmetic business in her community that has provided jobs for many, including Cooper’s mother, her reply sparks controversy around suspected animal testing; and when word leaks out that Autumn is the one dispensing advice, both Logan and Cooper turn against her. To make matters worse, her fantasy about her dad returning home for her birthday fizzles. Ultimately, Autumn realizes she is strong enough to grab hold of her Fearless Fred –a nod to a family story–and summon the courage to do what is hard to make things right. The premise of the friendly advice columnist being the introverted character has been done in Lifetime movies, but Elly Schwarz’s middle school take on it is refreshing and unique. Hard to tell what race the characters are, but both Logan and Autumn are white; Autumn refers several times to her Jewish religion.

THOUGHTS: Give this book to the shy student, the one who travels under the radar whom you suspect has something valuable to say. This book may be a good springboard for Social Emotional Learning–after all, Autumn is providing advice and the situations in which she finds herself can be good What if? examples. What if a parent chooses to go away for a long time? What if you need to move because your family’s financial situation changes? What if you are given more responsibilities? What if you make presumptions about how you impress people and how other people appear to you? What if you need to take a stand about something you really believe in and a friend disagrees? What if a situation arises where you need to speak up? Autumn Blake, with her complicated feelings and struggle for confidence, is a character middle school students would like to meet.

Realistic Fiction Bernadette Cooke, School District of Philadelphia

Elem. – You Might Be Special

Posted on November 5, 2021 by pslamediaselectionreview

Kokias, Kerri. You Might Be Special. Illustrated by Marcus Cutler. Kids Can Press, 2021. 978-1-525-30333-3. $17.99. Unpaged. K-3.

In this playful and silly story, a quiz is given to determine whether or not the reader or listener is special. A young girl ponders these questions along with her diverse cast of classmates. The answer of course is that everyone is special. Positive message about self acceptance for young students.

THOUGHTS: This would make an excellent choice for a lively and interactive read aloud.

Picture Book Nancy Summers, Abington SD

Elem. – It’s Okay to Smell Good

Posted on July 6, 2021 by pslamediaselectionreview

Tharp, Jason. It’s Okay to Smell Good. Imprint, 2021. 978-1-250-31133-7. 32 p. $18.99. Grades K-3.

Panda Cat (a skunk) lives in Smellsville, one of the stinkiest places imaginable. He begins each day by making himself as smelly as possible thanks to his garlic and onion toothpaste and rotten egg hair gel. He also smears moldy mayonnaise into his armpits, guzzles spoiled milk with his breakfast, and eats toast with toejam and rotten apples. When he arrives at school, his friends share the news that celebrity stink-scientist Smellbert Einstink will be judging their science fair. Later that afternoon, Panda Cat practices his experiment: making the stinkiest soap ever. But, something goes terribly wrong. Even though he adds the smelliest ingredients he can find, the soap somehow comes out bright pink, smelling like cotton candy and sugar cookies. And, to Panda Cat’s horror, he finds that he actually kind of loves the smell. He wonders if he secretly likes smell-good stuff, but he’s too worried about being different from everyone else and sadly flushes the soap down the toilet. The next day at the science fair, Panda Cat repeats his experiment, and this time, his concoction smells even better: like caramel apples, sugar cookies, cotton candy, and strawberries! Panda Cat is worried about looking like a failure in front of everyone, but Smellbert Einstink confides one of his biggest regrets is that his work has created a world where stinky smells replaced nice scents. He asks Panda Cat to consider how we can ever truly appreciate really stinky things without nice smells to compare them to. He also reassures Panda Cat that it’s okay to like whatever you like, even if it makes you feel different than everyone else.

THOUGHTS: This title celebrates the idea that it’s okay to have your own preferences and like what you like, even if those tastes make you stand out from the crowd. It will be a good conversation-starter during morning meetings and will also be a crowd pleaser thanks to multiple references to farts, ear-wax, and other gross-out humor.

Picture Book Anne Bozievich, Southern York County SD

Literature Review

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Tag Archives: Individuality

MG – Picture Day

Elem. – Patchwork

Elem. – My Life Begins!

MG – Dear Student