Below are a few new books we have added to the collection, as well as some ALA award winners! Come and check one out today.
ALA Winners
*Caldecott Winner* Finding Winnie: The True Story of the Worlds Most Famous Bear by Lindsay Mattick (Grades 1-3)
This sweet tale of the black bear that inspired the legendary children's book character Winnie-the-Pooh will resonate with readers. In the framing story, a mother tells her son, Cole, a bedtime tale about how veterinarian Harry Colebourn, a young Canadian soldier on his way to train and fight in Europe during World War I, stumbled upon a baby black bear that he bought off a trapper at a train depot. Colebourn named the bear Winnie, short for Winnipeg, a gentle reminder of his hometown, and took the bear with him to England. Winnie quickly became the mascot of his unit. But when the time came to ship out to France for combat, Colebourn left his beloved pet in the capable hands of the London Zoo. Later, Milne and his son, Christopher Robin, visited the London Zoo and Christopher Robin took an immediate shine to Winnie, developing an unusually strong bond with the animal and even playing with her in her enclosure. The boy imagined all sorts of adventures for Winnie, which became the basis for the now-famous stories written by Milne. Washes of muted colors convey a cozy cheeriness that imbues the book with warmth and comfort, while occasional interjections from young Cole add to the fun. Blackall's characters are rosy-cheeked and expressive, while Winnie is curious and whimsical. A perfect melding of beautiful art with soulful, imaginative writing, this lovely story, penned by Colebourn's great-great granddaughter, is ideal for sharing aloud or poring over individually. VERDICT Children everywhere will enjoy this tale for years. A must-have. ~Jody Kopple, School Library Journal
*Caldecott Honor* Waiting by Kevin Henkes
Five toys sit on a windowsill, each waiting for something. There's an owl with spots waiting for the moon, a pig with the umbrella waiting for the rain, a bear with a kite waiting for the wind, and a puppy on a sled waiting for the snow. And then there's a "rabbit with stars," content to simply look out the window. With an economy of words and gently repeating patterns, the text informs readers about the emotional ups and downs of this tiny band of friends: what makes them happy (getting what they've waited for), what makes them sad (when one of them goes away), and what surprises them (gifts, visitors, new friends.) Along with happiness and friendship, there are small moments of grief, anxiety, and existential wonder—all thoughtfully and authentically depicted with childlike honesty and optimism. On thick, creamy pages, Henkes uses brown ink with touches of watercolor and colored pencil in muted shades of pink, green, and blue to depict the softly rounded figures, shown small before the expanse of the four-paned window. Henkes varies the compositions with vignettes and a four-page wordless sequence showing the beautiful (a rainbow, fireworks) and sometimes scary (lightning) sights that the toys observe from the vantage point of their windowsill. The careful placement of the text and images establishes a leisurely pace, encouraging readers and listeners to slow down, examine the pictures, and discuss. Are these sentient little beings or are they moved and posed by an unseen child? Henkes leaves it up to readers to determine. VERDICT Waiting further cements Henkes's place alongside picture book legends like Margaret Wise Brown, Crockett Johnson, and Ruth Krauss, through his lyrical text, uncluttered yet wondrously expressive illustrations, and utmost respect for the emotional life of young children. ~Kiera Parrott, School Library Journal
*Newbery Honor* The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (Grades 4-6)
Bradley turns her keen historical eye from Monticello (Jefferson's Sons, Penguin, 2011) to the British home front during World War II. Ada isn't exactly sure how old she is; for as long as she can remember, she's been a virtual prisoner in her mother's third floor one-room apartment. She was born with a clubfoot and her mother uses her disability as an excuse to abuse her both emotionally and physically. Ada watches the world through the narrow confines of the apartment window, waves to neighbors in the street, and carefully gauges the danger of being beaten during each encounter with her hateful mother. She envies the freedom of her little brother, Jamie, who goes to school and generally roves the neighborhood at will. When her mother prepares to ship Jamie out to the countryside with other children being evacuated from London, Ada sneaks out with him. When the two fail to be chosen by any villagers, the woman in charge forces Susan Smith, a recluse, to take them in. Though Susan is reluctant and insists that she knows nothing about caring for children, she does so diligently and is baffled by the girl's fearful flinching anytime Ada makes a mistake. Though uneducated, Ada is intensely observant and quick to learn. Readers will ache for her as she misreads cues and pushes Susan away even though she yearns to be enfolded in a hug. There is much to like here-Ada's engaging voice, the vivid setting, the humor, the heartbreak, but most of all the tenacious will to survive exhibited by Ada and the villagers who grow to love and accept her. ~Brenda Kahn, School Library Journal
*Newbery Honor* Echo by Paul Munoz Ryan (Grades 5-6)
"Long before enchantment was eclipsed by doubt," a young boy named Otto lost in the woods is rescued by three sisters imprisoned there by a witch's curse. In return, he promises to help break the curse by carrying their spirits out of the forest in a mouth harp and passing the instrument along when the time is right. The narrative shifts to the 20th century, when the same mouth harp (aka harmonica) becomes the tangible thread that connects the stories of three children: Friedrich, a disfigured outcast; Mike, an impoverished orphan; and Ivy, an itinerant farmer's child. Their personal struggles are set against some of the darkest eras in human history: Friedrich, the rise of Nazi Germany; Mike, the Great Depression; Ivy, World War II. The children are linked by musical talent and the hand of fate that brings Otto's harmonica into their lives. Each recognizes something unusual about the instrument, not only its sound but its power to fill them with courage and hope. Friedrich, Mike, and Ivy are brought together by music and destiny in an emotionally triumphant conclusion at New York's Carnegie Hall. Meticulous historical detail and masterful storytelling frame the larger history, while the story of Otto and the cursed sisters honor timeless and traditional folktales. Ryan has created three contemporary characters who, through faith and perseverance, write their own happy endings, inspiring readers to believe they can do the same. ~Marybeth Kozikowski, School Library Journal
Mother Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins (Grades K-3) Remember our friend, Ryan? He's famous!
Bruce the bear likes to keep to himself. That, and eat eggs. But when his hard-boiled goose eggs turn out to be real, live goslings, he starts to lose his appetite. And even worse, the goslings are convinced he's their mother. Bruce tries to get the geese to go south, but he can't seem to rid himself of his new companions. What's a bear to do? ~ Amazon Review
Out of the Woods by Rebecca Bond (Grades K-3)
This deceptively simple and original picture book recounts an event that happened to the author's grandfather when he was four years old. In 1914, Antonio Willie Giroux lived in a logging hotel run by his mother in the forest by Gowganda Lake in Ontario. Lively and bustling, the hotel catered to travelers and outdoorsmen, as well as to lumberjacks and silver miners. Antonio was an active little boy, curious about the doings of the employees and the goings on of the hotel, and his activities are described in detail. One night, a fire broke out in the woods, and everyone fled to the lake. Ordinarily, different guests inhabited separate areas of the hotel (with travelers on one floor and working men on another), but that night everyone stuck together—including the animals, who took refuge in the lake as well. Distinguished pen-and-ink illustrations with sepia-toned watercolor washes depict the events and characters realistically, dynamically conveying the movement and flow of the story. Some might doubt the plausibility of the animals and people standing so close together, though this is a minor quibble, as this book is less a strict biography and more a remembrance, with some artistic license taken. ~Ellie Lease, School Library Journal
The Full Moon at the Napping House by Audrey Wood (Grades K-2)
Readers who have long embraced the silly serenity of The Napping House (HMH, 2009) will love the raucous mood of The Full Moon at the Napping House—where no one in the house is sleeping. One night the full moon pours its light into a restless house; Granny is wide awake, the child is fidgety, the dog is playful, and there's a prowling cat and a worried mouse. Eventually, a chirping cricket comes to the rescue with his soothing song that kicks off the needed calm that helps the inhabitants finally get some rest. Like the original story, this cumulative tale is told through lyrical language and rich vocabulary. The final watercolor illustrations shows a full moon overlooking a peaceful household. VERDICT A wonderful storytime addition, particularly where The Napping House is popular. ~Gwen Collier, School Library Journal
The Nonsense Show by Eric Carle (Grades PreK-2)
Nonsense indeed! A rabbit pulls a boy out of a hat, a mouse chases a cat, and a girl plays tennis with an apple instead of a ball. These are just a few of the goofy images readers will find in Carle's latest picture book. In rhyming text and surrealist illustrations, the book is full of Carle's distinct art featuring bright and colorfully textured images. Some figures will be instantly recognizable to readers, such as the yellow duck (10 Little Rubber Ducks) and the mama kangaroo (Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too?), but with a fantastic twist; the rubber duck has human feet and the kangaroo is carrying a human child in her pouch. Children will love seeing everyday images turned on their heads and will delight in exploring these illustrations again and again. VERDICT A sure hit as a read-aloud and a definite purchase for picture book collections. ~Amy Nolan, School Library Journal
The Wonderful Things You Will Be by Emily Winfield Martin (Grades PreK-2)
Childhood is a time full of potential, and Martin celebrates this promise in this work. The general premise of Dr. Seuss's classic, Oh, The Places You'll Go is pared down to elegant simplicity. "Will you stand up for good/By saving the day?/Or play a song only you/Know how to play?" While the rhyming text falters a bit in spots, the word choice overall is spare, inspiring, and accessible to preschoolers. Children are encouraged to be kind, clever, and bold, to take care of the small, and to help things grow. Martin's oil paintings have the same retro, mid-century feel as her other illustrations, with large-eyed children of many ethnicities playing, gardening, and sharing together. VERDICT A go-to gift for new parents, and a potential bedtime favorite for many children. ~Martha Link Yesowitch, School Library Journal
One Day: Short, Very Short, Shorter-than-Ever Stories by Rebecca Kai Dotlich (Grades 1-3)
A series of cleverly crafted tales involving a precocious girl doing ordinary things in a creative and energetic manner. Nine "shorter-than-ever" stories of a dozen words or less become considerably more sophisticated when readers delve into Koehler's dynamic cartoon illustrations. While brief, the text plays an integral role in each story. The first tale reads "One day…I went to school. I came home. The end." This spread shows the narrator involved in six different activities, including climbing over the letters of the word went while chasing a cat. Dotlich and Koehler are ideally teamed and offer a genius method of encouraging narrative dialogue, as well as attention to text. Not quite wordless, each simple story sets the stage for the illustrated adventures, which tell the rest of the story. The colorful images represent nine individual tales, yet there is a cohesiveness among them, with images linking back to earlier tales. VERDICT These very short stories are ideal for sharing, providing opportunities for word recognition and writing prompts, dialogic reading, and narrative discussion. ~Gaye Hinchliff, School Library Journal
Little Robot by Ben Hatke (Grades 3-6)
Once again Hatke delivers a delightful graphic novel with a positive female role-model, fun non-humans, and a message of friendship. When a brown-skinned cherubic girl chances upon a robot that looks like a trash can, she finds a friend worth protecting. Each day they explore the junkyard and the surrounding forest, with the little girl acting as a guide to new sights and concepts. Both love playing together, but when the robot wants to leave, things go downhill. It is up to this resourceful girl to save him from the bad bots of the factory. With her trusty wrench in hand, she repairs parts, builds traps, and fixes hearts. Like the characters in the movie Wall-E, these robots have a limited range of facial expressions, so they "speak" and emote in sound effects. Changes in font size, punctuation, and position play just as large a role in comprehension as body language and composition. It's Hatke's skill in communicating the narrative and emotional complexities through visual cues that makes this such a strong offering. Though the girl and her bot start their journeys separately and in silence, by the end, music and friends surround them. Young readers, and those new to graphica, will find the easy-to-follow illustrations, large borderless panels, and steady pace welcoming. VERDICT A pleasantly colorful adventure of discovery and friendship. Highly recommended. ~Rachel Forbes, School Library Journal
On the Run by Tristan Bancks (Grades 4-6)
The most adventure Ben sees on a daily basis is in the stop-motion movies he makes alone in his room, and that's the way he likes it. However, his safe, sedentary life is altered when Ben's parents whisk him and his sister away on a road trip to an isolated cabin in the woods. His parents claim they are on vacation, but Ben begins to think they are on the lam. He pieces together clues to discover that millions of dollars were mistakenly deposited into his parents' bank account, and they've chosen to run off with it. He is torn between turning in his parents to the authorities, thereby ending the misery of being on the run, and staying loyal to them, thereby seeing if money (even if stolen) can indeed buy happiness. This is an adventure story with broad appeal, from high-speed police chases, to wilderness survival. There are a number of extended, suspenseful scenes, including one in which the boy and his sister must survive on their own in the woods for several days. Ben is a well-developed, sympathetic character, grappling with a cruel father, weight problems, and evolving confusion about his place in his family, with age-appropriate confusion and insecurity. VERDICT This is a story that will appeal to avid consumers of adventure stories and reluctant readers alike. ~Jenna Lanterman, School Library Journal
Auggie and Me by RJ Palacio (Grades 4-6)
Over 2 million people have read the #1 New York Times bestseller Wonder and have fallen in love with Auggie Pullman, an ordinary boy with an extraordinary face. Readers have also been treated to three stories offering a special look at Auggie’s world through new points of view. Previously only available in ebook, now they’ll be published all together--complete with an introduction from the author on how she came to write them--in a gorgeous hardcover package! These stories are an extra peek at Auggie before he started at Beecher Prep and during his first year there. Readers get to see him through the eyes of Julian, the bully; Christopher, Auggie’s oldest friend; and Charlotte, Auggie’s new friend at school. Together, these three stories are a treasure for readers who don’t want to leave Auggie behind when they finish Wonder. ~Amazon Review
The Wolf Wilder by Katherine Rundell (Grades 4-6)
Feodora "Feo" Petrovich is a "dark and stormy girl" who lives deep in the snow-covered Russian forest with her mother circa 1917. They are wolf wilders, brave souls who help reintroduce wolves into the wild, once the animals have outlived their usefulness as pets and entertainment for the aristocracy. When the deplorably evil General Rakov threatens their livelihood, burns down their home, and arrests Feo's mother, the plucky young girl sets off into the woods with her three lupine companions and a newborn wolf pup. She's soon joined by a runaway soldier from the tsar's Imperial Army who's not much older than Feo herself. Together, the ragtag band of humans and wolves must outrun Rakov and his men, survive brutal winter conditions, and figure out a way to liberate Feo's imprisoned mother. As in her previous two novels, Rooftoppers (2013) and Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms (2014, both S. & S.), Rundell gives readers a fierce young heroine whose strength and independence are as appealing and authentic as her painstakingly concealed vulnerabilities. Though appearing only briefly in an handful of scenes, Feo's mother is a well-drawn, larger-than-life presence in the girl's life; readers will believe that Feo will risk anything to save her. The pacing slows in the middle, as the characters visit a struggling village and recruit other kids to their cause. The ending, though satisfying, comes quickly and stretches credulity just a bit. Rundell's strength is in the beauty of her writing—lyrical sentences that evoke the drama and simplicity of fairy tales and folklore, combined with descriptions of a setting that will have readers shivering along with the frozen characters as they trudge across the unforgiving terrain. VERDICT A solid addition to middle grade collections; hand this novel to kids who appreciate strong characters and harrowing survival stories. ~Kiera Parrott, School Library Journal
Darling: Mercy Dog of World War I by Alison Hart (Grades 3-6)
Darling, the book’s charming narrator, is an adventurous dog from a loving home in England. When WWI breaks out, the British army teaches her to be a mercy dog—one who locates wounded soldiers on the battlefield regardless of danger: gunfire, bomb blasts, poison gas, uneven terrain, and barbed wire. Renamed “War Dog 204,” Darling takes the reader from her village, to the training ground, and into the trenches of war-torn Belgium. She relates the sights, sounds, smells, and fears associated with war while valiantly putting her life on the line. In the heat of the Battle of Messines Ridge, Darling is wounded but manages to save trapped soldiers. This chapter book offers an introduction to the Great War but focuses on the unsung heroes of the battlefield. Darling’s tale is supplemented with interesting facts and background information about dogs and war, and this first book in the Dog Chronicles series will certainly delight young readers who love stories about their canine pals. Grades 3-5. ~Jeanne Fredriksen, Booklist
