Elem. – Give

Posted on January 11, 2024 by pslamediaselectionreview

Arena, Jen. Give. Illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell. Alfred A. Knopf, 2023. 978-1-524-71499-4 . Unpaged. $18.99. Grades Pre K-2.

In a colorful neighborhood setting, a young boy receives a gift tied with a ribbon from his mother. A young girl loses her hair tie in a blast of blustery wind, and the boy takes the ribbon from his gift and offers it to the girl. The two travel to school and throughout the school day, the diverse classmates practice the concept of paying it forward. Their actions of being there for those in need are described with terse phrases. In full-spread pages splashed with bright colors, the reader enters the classroom and meets the teacher and students as they share, help, and make friends. The simple text will appeal to very young children with its circular story and repetitive words that reinforce the concept of giving–even the illustrations repeat the kindness theme with their heart-shaped leaves.

THOUGHTS: Hopefully, this relatable book featuring school children will impress readers with the fragile concept of being generous, a value so appreciated but often not addressed in our contemporary society. This book takes a light touch and is not preachy.

Picture Book

YA – I Kick and I Fly

Posted on July 10, 2023 by pslamediaselectionreview

Gupta, Ruchira. I Kick and I Fly. Scholastic Press, 2023. 978-1-338-82509-1. $18.99. 336 p. Grades 7-12.

Heera comes from the Nat clan in the Red Light district of Forjesganj, India. Even though she and her older brother Salman go to school, Heera gets distracted because she is so hungry, tired, and dirty. Living in poverty, she desperately wants to escape what seems to be her fate, a life of prostitution. Her mother does back-breaking work pulverizing stones on the highway; her father drinks and gambles away what little money they have. A boiled egg is a rare treat for her little sisters. The whole lane is under the thumb of sex traffickers, Ravi Lala, and the local police officer, Suraj Sharma, who is also the father of Heera’s best friend, Rosy. As the annual Kali Mela Fair draws closer to the Girls’ Bazaar, Heera’s father sees no other alternative but to have his fourteen-year-old daughter join the ranks of his niece, Mira Di, as a sex worker. Thankfully, the school’s kung fu team at the nearby girl’s hostel and especially its teacher, Rina Di give Heera respite and empowerment. She takes to kung fu and its philosophy of being in tune with one’s body easily; it seems agility is in her blood, a maternal descendant of people known for their acrobatic feats. As she begins to win competitions, her confidence builds and belief that another type of life for her family is possible grows. When Heera’s life becomes endangered, she moves into the hostel and, for the first time, knows the luxury of sleeping on a bed, having enough food to eat, and getting enough hours to sleep. As her skill at kung fu sharpens, she sees her success changing her parents. When she learns that Rosy is being trafficked, she joins forces with other survivors to rescue her even though it may jeopardize her standing in a special kung fu competition in New York. This compelling book tells a harrowing story at a rapid pace and with a delicate hand. The striking contrast of evil and kindness and the vivid descriptions of conditions of abject poverty is tempered with the well-drawn characterizations of major and minor characters. The author’s note reveals that the plot is not all imagination, but based on similar real-life events. I Kick and I Fly is an important book that should hold a spot in every high school library.

THOUGHTS: This book has a lot of heart, probably because it is projecting the truth. It also contains a lot about kung fu and honors Bruce Lee by inserting his sayings and philosophy. One part where the reader may have to suspend belief is Heera’s sophisticated language as she narrates the story. The background on Heera’s education, her inability to keep up with her studies because of lack of food and sleep, deems it unlikely that her vocabulary would be as rich as Gupta presents it. But that’s okay. Readers need to feel her fear, witness the despair of her family, ache with hope at each new achievement. All characters are Indian. Though it does not spare the horrors of sex trafficking, no acts of sex are described. Mira Di, the cousin who has her brothel set up in the back of the houses, experiences physical abuse as well as the sexual abuse, but the reader finds this out after that action takes place. Violence happens, but Heera triumphs with her kung fu moves. I Kick and I Fly can foster awareness of sex trafficking, poverty, injustice, and inequality.

Realistic Fiction

MG – Nothing Else but Miracles

Posted on June 26, 2023 by pslamediaselectionreview

Albus, Kate. Nothing Else but Miracles. Margaret Ferguson Books, Holiday House, 2023. 978-0-823-45163-0 $17.99. 278 p. Grades 4-7.

The Bryne children–seventeen-year-old Fish, eleven-year-old Dory, and six-year-old Pike–are on their own in the middle of World War II after their dad enlists. Their mother died a few years prior, but Pop is sure the tight knit Lower East Side neighborhood will take care of his children while he’s away. And they do. The ethnically diverse neighbors lavish food and care on the small family. No one anticipates, though, the entrance of a mean-spirited landlord after the sudden death of the kindly one. Dory, the protagonist, is a magnet for trouble, and does little to avoid getting in scrapes. When the new landlord presses to see their elusive father and threatens foster care, Dory takes it upon herself to find a solution. Caputo’s, their friend’s Italian restaurant, houses an ancient dumb waiter that acts like an elevator. Dory sneaks in and risks all to try out the unused equipment only to find that the ascending floors reveal an abandoned hotel. Once school is out for the summer, the family takes up residence there, avoiding detection from both social services and the restaurant staff. Until D-Day. Pop’s letters–and the rent checks–stop coming. Fish takes a job to help the money situation, but as more of the neighborhood’s fathers’ and sons’ blue service stars get replaced by gold, the children’s fear that Pop may not be coming back grows more real. This historical fiction book gives a vivid picture of a working class New York City neighborhood in the 40’s. Author Albus creates a memorable character with spunky Dory and does not stint on mystery or historical background. All characters seem to be white.

THOUGHTS: Though not a deep read about life during World War II, Nothing Else But Miracles drops a lot of names, places, and objects connected to the time. Give this book to readers interested in World War II stateside. Similar to Island Spies by Sheila Turnage, this book has some suspense, but the former has higher stakes for the country (spies vs. foster care, Pop’s return). Pair with the poignant The War That Saved My Life, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley’s book with its exquisite narrative and soulful characterization. Albus’s book is so much lighter, even with the loss of life. The reader never gets the same feeling here as one gets when Ava (in Bradley’s book) describes sleeping on sheets for the first time. A footnote: at one point, the family wants to go to the observation deck of the Empire State Building and needs $3.00, a small fortune at that time. I researched this and found that the Empire State Building did charge $1.00 admission. However, as a twelve-year-old New Yorker in the sixties, I recall walking into the lobby of the Empire State Building one evening and just taking the elevator up for free. My siblings confirm this.

Historical Fiction

Elem. – Lemon Bird Can Help

Posted on February 28, 2023 by pslamediaselectionreview

Ganucheau, Paulina. Lemon Bird Can Help. RH Graphic, 2022. 978-0-593-12267-9. 98 p. $12.99. Gr. PreK-3.

Lemon Bird, a precious piece of citrus with a beak and wings, may have trouble flying, but has more than enough traits to compensate. She makes a best friend in Pupkin when she rescues the pumpkin/pup from some aggressive vines. The pair romp about the farm yard but make the mistake of napping in the back of a produce truck. They wake up far from home, but clever Lemon Bird comes up with a plan. The sweet, kind pair make new friends all along the journey, even winning over sour Keylime, who originally bullies Lemon Bird and mocks her for not being able to fly. This graphic novel could have been saccharine sweet, but manages to pull off adorable and heartwarming. Lemon Bird reminds others that it is OK to ask for help, and OK to be scared, good lessons for young readers, too. Ganucheau’s oversized illustrations are perfect for primary readers, drawing them into the story. One delightfully ironic vignette has Lemon Bird and Pupkin taken in by an elderly woman and her Boarnana, who daintily sips tea from a china cup, while Lemon Bird and Pupkin end up being the pigs and making a mess at the table. It is hard to imagine anyone not falling in love with Lemon Bird and Pupkin! As an added bonus, at the end of the book Ganucheau includes a lesson on how to draw Lemon Bird, as well as an exercise in imagining other Fruit Animals.

THOUGHTS: This thoroughly delightful graphic novel should be popular with readers young and older. The produce-animals are adorable and engaging, the illustrations delightful, and while the storyline seems simplistic, it is an appreciated reminder that being kind is easy, and has unanticipated benefits.

Graphic Novel Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

MG – A Work in Progress

Posted on January 9, 2023 by pslamediaselectionreview

Lerner, Jarrett. A Work in Progress. Aladdin, 2023. 978-1-665-90515-2. $17.99. 41 p. Grades 5-8.

Will was once a happy fourth grader with a large group of friends. Friends he could never imagine losing, fourth grade friends who had sleepovers and promised to one day be college roommates. One day a classmate teased Will about his weight, humiliating him in the hallway in front of the entire grade. With this one word, Will began to see himself differently. By middle school Will is a loner who buries his feelings by eating. Will chooses to draw constantly instead of engaging with others. He sits alone at lunch, avoids crowded hallways, and buries his head in his sketchbook when people try to engage with him. Will’s inner voice tells him he is an unworthy monster that no one will ever understand or want to be friends with. Will is sure that if he can just change his physical appearance then everything will go back to the way it was before that horrible moment so long ago. Long lost friends will return to inviting him for sleepovers, and girls will stop being disgusted by him. Will often sneaks outside at lunchtime to hide behind the auditorium. Here he meets a new student, Markus, who also is avoiding the lunchroom so that he can ride his skateboard. Markus has moved all over the country. This is his eighth new middle school. Markus is confident and kind, but Will has forgotten how to make and be friends with kids his age, and he pushes Markus away. Eventually Will’s unhealthy plan to lose weight catches up with him, and he collapses in the hallway at school. As he recovers, Will opens up to his parents, and accepts help from a therapist. Markus sticks with Will, gently encouraging him to be a friend, ride a skateboard, and to stop trying to change himself for others, but to accept himself. Markus explains that we are all “works in progress” capable of change and growth through accepting help from parents, friends, teachers, and mental health specialists. Will begins to realize that working one day at a time, he can improve his self-image.

THOUGHTS: This is an important, emotionally moving novel. Will’s thought process and the characterization of his inner monster are written in verse with illustrations from his sketchbook. The inner-angst of peer pressure, of overhearing unkind comments, the middle school awkwardness of running into an old friend, all are heartbreakingly real. The narrative cleverly changes to prose when Markus reveals his different, but difficult, backstory. Anyone who has ever struggled with food and body image, confidence, isolation, peer pressure, or bullying will relate to this beautifully written book. Equally significant, this novel shows the direct effect of a single unkind word. A fabulous read aloud that will provide an excellent opportunity for class discussions about the many issues raised in this novel. Publication date: May 2, 2023.

Illustrated Novel in Verse, Realistic Fiction

MG – When Winter Robeson Came

Posted on November 17, 2022 by pslamediaselectionreview

Woods, Brenda. When Winter Robeson Came. Scholastic, 2022. 978-1-524-74158-7. $16.99. 176 p. Grades 4-7.

The Coal family from 103rd Street, just west of Figueroa, not too far from Watts, is expecting a special visitor, Winter Robeson from their old hometown, Sunflower, Mississippi. The most excited person is aspiring composer, Eden Louise Coal, who hasn’t seen her country cousin since the move to the great metropolis of Los Angeles two years ago. An affable Winter has come with an agenda and a plan: on his list is visiting the happiest place on earth, Disneyland; but his priority is finding his long-lost father, J.T. who has been gone for ten years. Eden joins him in his search, and together they spend two weeks of the summer of 1965 getting closer together and closer to the truth of Winter’s father’s disappearance. As they try to trace J.T.’s whereabouts, they dance to the vinyl records with the neighborhood kids; win the hearts of the gracious friend, Winona; and meet Miss Betty West, owner of a Steinway baby grand piano. Told in verse and narrated by Eden, When Winter Robeson Came is an uplifting story of a family reunited and a close knit community surviving on the edges of the violent Watts riots and police brutality. Eden and Winter bond in genuine friendship and concern to make each others’ lives a bit brighter. That magnanimity extends to their neighbors and even virtual strangers when the need arises. The pair offer aid to the elderly, respect their parents, and kindly tolerate even friends with irritating habits. This brief, positive book offers a comforting tale against the backdrop of a tragic historical event.

THOUGHTS: This easy to read book fits lower middle grades best with its emphasis on family and its optimistic outcomes, despite the setting of the Watts riots. Perceptive students will pick up on the discrimination and racism toward people in neighborhoods in and around Watts. However, the children in this novel are nurtured and joyful. They make connections with older people and keep focused on an important task even if it puts them in danger. Pair this book with Karen English’s It All Comes Down to This to compare and contrast the same historical event.

Historical Fiction Bernadette Cooke, School District of Philadelphia

Elem./MG – Your Pal Fred

Posted on November 11, 2022 by pslamediaselectionreview

Rex, Michael. Your Pal Fred. Viking Press, 2022. 978-0-593-20633-2 255p. $12.99. Grades 3-8.

Fred is activated in a post-apocalyptic world after two brothers accidentally discover him in a pile of trash. Fred embarks on a journey over a land that has been destroyed by war, aliens, a comet, and cats. It is now ruled by two opposing characters: Papa Mayhem and Lord Bonkers. Fred is on a quest to bring peace to all. Along the way he makes friends with disgruntled characters who join him to bring kindness to all. Will he be able to convince the two top dogs that peace is the answer and not war?

THOUGHTS: This graphic novel is full of silliness and fun, and how one individual can create a positive chain reaction through one act of kindness at a time.

Graphic Novel Victoria Dziewulski, Plum Borough SD

Elem. – Brave Every Day

Posted on October 13, 2022 by pslamediaselectionreview

Ludwig, Trudy. Brave Every Day. Alfred A. Knopf, 2022. 978-0-593-30637-6. $24.99. 40 p. Grades PK-2.

Camila worries all the time. When she worries, she likes to hide. Her world is filled with what ifs and can’t. Classmates make fun of Camila. Her teacher doesn’t seem to understand or notice how anxious she is. When a field trip to an aquarium overwhelms Camila, she tries to hide behind a potted plant. She isn’t alone. Kai, who loves everything about the ocean and its inhabitants, is also overwhelmed by the crowd, the noise, and the opportunity to touch a real live stingray. Kai begs Camila to go with him to the Sea Friends Meet & Greet exhibit. Camila is nervous, but realizes helping her friend makes her want to try to overcome her own fear. Camila steps out of her comfort zone and enters the exhibit with Kai. Here she learns about a sea creature who hides to protect itself: the octopus. Camilla returns to school eager to share what she has learned, and encouraged to try to be brave when she has the urge to hide. End notes include questions for discussion, and a recommended reading list.

THOUGHTS: Many children bravely face challenges big and small at school every day. This social-emotional book can provide comfort for children with anxiety, with simple language to use when feeling worried or overwhelmed. The book can also help to educate peers on the difficulties their classmates encounter and the bravery they show every day in many small ways. Beautifully illustrated in cool, layered, aquarium tones by Patrice Barton.

Picture Book Anne McKernan, Council Rock SD

Elem. – Can Sophie Change the World?

Posted on October 13, 2022 by pslamediaselectionreview

Wallace, Nancy Elizabeth. Can Sophie Change the World? Chronicle Books, 2022. 978-1-452-18156-1. $16.99. 32 p. Grades PK-2.

When Sophie asks her Grandpop what he would like for his birthday, he replies that he doesn’t need anything but would love it if Sophie would change the world. Grandpop explains the basic concept of mitzvah and asks Sophie to do kind deeds in his name. Sophie is worried she won’t be able to change the world. Throughout the week Sophie performs simple acts of kindness: helping a friend, picking up trash, watering a neighbor’s plants, playing with her baby brother. When Sophie sees Grandpop the following Sunday, she confesses she has not changed the world. Grandpop gently explains how each and every act of kindness does indeed change the world. Together they create a flower shaped birthday card, writing each mitzvah on a petal. Illustrations by Aura Lewis.

THOUGHTS: Though the definition of mitzvah has religious implications, the book does not mention any other religious teaching or tradition. Sophie’s house is decorated with a menorah and a Star of David. This is a sweet story that simply shows the direct results of kindness and introduces the term mitzvah to children. Incorporated in the storyline are the days of the week, as well as encouragement for problem solving, being kind, and taking care of others.