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Showing posts from February, 2025

The Skull: A Tyrolean Folktale by Jon Klassen

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  Klassen, Jon . The Skull . Candlewick Press , 2023 . Grades 2-4 .   In the Skull, Jon Klassen reimagines a Tyrolean folk tale and combines his distinct artistic style to reach new audiences. Klassen is an award-winning children's book writer and illustrator who is a past recipient of the Caldecott Award. Klassen is known for his simple, clean, and expressive style, but in this book, he portrays Otilla as emotionless. The eeriness of the tale combined with the sepia tint carries a spooky but age-appropriate feel. His purpose in retelling this classic tale began when he first encouraged the story in a Library in Alaska; unable to get it off his mind, he eventually located the original and realized his memory of the story and the source material did not match. Liking his version better, he set out to continue the tradition of passing on folk tales while putting your own spin on them. While Klassen is an authority in the world of children's books, he does not include historica...

Review 6 - Between Us and Abuela: A Family Story from the Border

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    Perkins , Mitali and illustrations by Palacios, Sara . Between us and Abuela: A Family Story from the Border . Farrar, Straus and Giroux , 2019 . Ages 3 and up. Do you have a little one with questions about the border? This book follows the story of a family meeting up with their grandmother for Las Posadas Sin Fronteras, which is a Mexican celebration that occurs on the border of Tijuana and Los Angeles. The book has sprinkles of the Spanish language and highlights the resilience and struggles of families separated by the border. It is an informative read with moving, expressive illustrations to further connect readers to the story. The illustrations are detailed, colorful, and highly engaging. They further aids in the understanding of how the border works while highlighting culture and unity. Readers might relate to the family or just want exposure to another culture. The book highlights the theme of family separation, keeping memories alive, and a great discussion sta...

Review 5 - Watercress

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   Wang , Andrea and illustrated by Chin, Jason . Watercress . Random House Children's Book , 2021 . 3 to 7 years. Watercress ties the story of a young girl who feels ashamed of her family's activities with the history of her Chinese immigrant parents to the Watercress plant in Ohio. After being made to pick Watercress for dinner off the side of the road like her parents did in China, our protagonist learns more about her family history and gains a new appreciation for food. The themes of communication, shame, acceptance, and cultural traditions make this a perfect read for anyone looking to learn about other cultures or who might relate to feeling like an outsider. The illustrations are done on two-page spreads and in watercolor. The pictures speak for themselves and help readers further connect to the mother's story. A beautiful multigenerational story that teaches young readers about sympathizing with others while encouraging them to be proud of their culture would b...

Review 4 - Knock Knock: My Dad's Dream for Me

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  Beaty , Daniel illustrated by Collier, Bryan . Knock Knock: My Dad's Dream for Me . Little Brown and Company , 2022 . 4 to 8 years. This book tackles the themes of grief, loss, and relying on community for children in a very thoughtful way. The story follows the tradition between a young boy and his dad who would knock on his door to awaken him. Suddenly the knocking stops and the boy is left to grieve the loss of his father while questioning when he will return. The illustrations and color scheme change with the story to showcase the light loss when his father disappeared while gradually changing back as time passes. Additionally, the pages of illustrations are full of metaphors and can be further analyzed to gain new insights from older readers. This book provides an opportunity to engage young readers in difficult topics in a language that they understand, making it a great addition to diversified collections for young readers.

Review 3 - Hot Dog

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  Salati , Doug . Hot Dog . Random House Children's Book , 2022 . 3 to 7 years. Full of vivid illustrations highlighting this dog's adventure out of the city to relax, the distinct art style is sure to please both young readers and their adults. While there is some text, the story relies mostly on the illustrations to tell the story. Readers will be enchanted by the vast amount of details in the illustrations and were awarded the 2022 Caldecott award. The message teaches children that city life can be stressful, therefore it is ok to need to take time for yourself to recharge. It also reminds children to be mindful of how the city can affect animals and shows illustrations of the city as well as the beach escape. The illustrations are also inclusive and age-appropriate. This would make an excellent addition to any children's collection because of its highly engaging art style and universal appeal.