Monday Reading - New Inviting Books

              Visit Kellee and Ricki at UnleashingReaders and Jen at Teach Mentor Texts to see what they've been reading, along with others who post their favorites.  Your TBR lists will grow! Happy Reading!
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           I hope all of you are doing well and doing the best you can during this time. I'm taking a July break, will keep track of my reading, hope each of you enjoy this middle summer month wherever you are.

Thanks to Candlewick Press for this advanced copy, out in May.

         With lessons to learn from the past, Marcella Pixley has written a poignant story from the summer of '83, a Boston suburb centering on one street, Trowbridge Road. Here is a seemingly quiet and friendly street, neighbors gather to barbeque together, children ride bikes up and down, up and down. Some are friendly; others peek out of windows, like June Bug Jordan's mother. She is living a lie with her mother since her father died of AIDS. Her mother is mentally ill and June Bug keeps all the secrets, but she does venture into the neighborhood, watching families from up in a tree, wishing some were her own. A boy named Ziggy has moved in with his grandmother because of his own family troubles and together, they find solace in their imaginations and support for each other. June Bug reaches a moment where she must choose to tell, for her own and for her mother's survival. The writing that shows the imagination of children trying to survive takes one's breath away. Also to be admired is the sympathy for those touched by mental illness and grief. It's full of heartbreak and a wish that life didn't happen this way for children, but also hope for better as adults step forward to help.

And thanks again to Candlewick Press for the following picture books, published in recent months!

           There's a whole lot of different kids and a whole lot of different animals that you will see from the cover and inside. It's sometimes an opposite book, "I am big. You are small. I am short. You are tall.", but Karl Newson adds delightful surprises on some of the pages. I spent the whole time grinning from page to page, reading the words like "I am playful. You are too. I can't hide as well as you." looking at kids being silly with a turtle and a zebra standing by a black and white striped wall while a young girl peeks behind a houseplant. Its spare text all in rhyme brought to colorfully creative life by Kate Hindley is fabulous. 

1st published in UK by Nosy Crow LTD - 2019

         Every picture on the pages show objects from the British Museum. Each double-page has a main theme, like "Clock or Cup?" and both of those pages have a question, like Do you see any objects with animals on them?" or "Which items would you eat with?" There is a detailed visual index of every page telling about the object: what it is, the artist if needed, time period, etc. This would be terrific for young children to see things not ordinarily seen, to add to their knowledge of the world. If something is particularly intriguing, they will be able to use the index for further research. It's fascinating to view the beauty and the breadth of this object collection which covers transportation, food, art, architecture, and more!

first published 2019 by Walker Books - UK

           It's a unique cumulative tale by Mary Murphy when a young girl says she likes her window most because of the things she sees outside. Those things change and she says: "This window is what I like most in the world." Turn the page and it's "except for apricot jam". I imagine you know how it will go, but those things she likes most are lovely surprises, all shown in the happiest of colors and details by Zhu Cheng-Liang. The end papers move from springtime cherry blossoms to autumn colors - beautiful, too. If you teach, you will want to enjoy this as a mentor text so your students can have lots of fun writing "what they love most", with illustrations! I loved it! 

             

           It's nearly wordless except for day by day announcements of a train on time or delayed. You will recognize almost the same passengers each day, focusing first on a lone artist who watches a young girl and her mother, sits down and draws a funny picture as she watches, later gives it to the engineer with 'thank you' written on it. Everyone seems to love what kindness that artist brings to the ride. One day, that artist is not there and an argument breaks out. What happens as the young girl begins her own "art" is kindness passed on at the "Zero Local". The drawings in nearly all black and white graphite show varied expressions, including fatigue, frustration, anger, and then lovely happiness. 

Currently Reading:  A High Five for Glenn Burke by Phil Bildner - I am enjoying it very much, but had so many things going on this week, just could not finish it!