November Bookshelf
Notes from a Children's Librarian
After two and half months of perfect health, we’ve broken our streak with a case of strep throat for my youngest. But that means I’m able to write you on a random Monday afternoon — what a treat!
Picture Books
It’s difficult to make a book in rhyme that doesn’t feel forced or ridiculous (Chris Van Dusen is a master at this tricky task). It’s Fall! from Renee Kurilla successfully delivers short, rhyming text in a charming way. Artwork and text burst with joy for this special season by celebrating pies, pumpkin patches, trick-or-treating, and gathering together on Thanksgiving. A perfect addition to early elementary classrooms that are marking the changing seasons.
Mr. S is billed as a first day of school book, but it is actually the perfect book to leave with a substitute teacher. When students arrive at room 2B, they are surprised to find no teacher…only a sandwich on the desk and the name “Mr. S” written on the board. They proceed to divide into arguing factions — one camp asserting the teacher is missing, and the other convinced the teacher is actually the sandwich. Hilariously funny, and it has exceptional endpapers that enhance the mystery.
In the Night Kitchen is one of my favorite absurd children’s books. In Dim Sum Palace, Fang’s fantastic ode to Sendak’s classic, Liddy is so excited to go out for dim sum the next day that she can’t sleep. Smells waft into her room, taking her to a psychedelic dream-world filled with buns, baos, and dumplings. Like Mickey’s brief turn in the batter, Liddy ends up in dumpling filling! Quirky and creative — and no nudity!
Early Chapter Books
Bear and Bird by Jarvis is a sweet and funny collection of stories about two friends who always *try* to do things that will make their friend happy. In the collection, there are mistaken identities, packing mistakes, and art fiascos. This is billed as an early reader, but to my mind, the vocabulary is too tricky — it works better as an illustrated read-aloud, which is an area that needs more high quality books. When grown-ups are excited to integrate longer stories in addition to picture books, this style book is the perfect next step.
It is hard to find a perfect second or third grade level book. Speaking in massive generalities, these kiddos are often ready to graduate beyond early readers, love graphic novels, need some illustrations for text support, and are too young, content-wise, for many of the middle grade books published now. The Story of Gumluck is a great new book to fill the needs of these readers as a heavily illustrated novel, and it also happens to be very funny. I shared this with my 7 and 9 year old, and have been enthusiastically recommending it to students ever since.
Family Read Aloud
How many books can I tell you about this month that are done in the style of major classics? Leeva at Last is heavily influenced by Roald Dahl — the grown-ups are atrocious, the kids are precocious, and absurdity is high. Leeva, the unwanted daughter of the mayor and town treasurer, sets out to discover what people are for. Hero librarians, badgers, and a nervous kid in a hazmat suit help her find the touching answer.
All-Star Nonfiction
You also fell in love with octopuses after reading Remarkably Bright Creatures, right? Behold the Octopus is a brilliantly done nonfiction picture book with bold, short text that can be read on its own as a narrative. Each page also has a full paragraph of text on octopus behavior, specific types, and unusual skills. Depending on how you read it, it works equally well for younger readers and/or shorter attention spans, and also bigger kids. I read it to 5th graders and we marveled at the illustrations and fascinating facts. (And then we looked as this website to learn even more! ;)
Amazingly readable, full of cliff-hangers, historical context, intrigue, and mystery, The Mona Lisa Vanishes reads like David Grann or Erik Larson for middle grade readers. I can’t think of many other nonfiction books that are as compelling as this is. I’ve been reading it aloud to my kids before bed and they are riveted. I hope this is the start of a long career in this genre for Nicholas Day.
Bits & Bobs
Sound Detectives is a promising new mystery podcast for kids from Levar Burton (NYT link). I listened to the first ep. with my 7 year old today — his verdict? “I love this!”
We subscribed to Paramount+ just to watch Everything Everywhere All At Once (loved) and Yellowjackets. I don’t even know if I totally enjoyed Yellowjackets, but we did blow through the two seasons in two weeks, so?!
For grown-up books, I’m currently reading Overstory, and am looking forward to starting Weyward and How to Stay Married next.
Stocking up on the Highlights almanac calendar — an easy birthday or holiday gift for now-January.
I’ll see you next month with some cozy holiday books. Stay well and happy reading until then!