It's Monday - Sharing Some Great Reads!

    

        Visit Kellee and Ricki at UnleashingReaders and Jen at Teach Mentor Texts to see what they and others have been reading! Your TBR lists will grow! I feel so busy and finally finished David Grann's The Wager. You may know his work from Killers of The Flower Moon which is terrific, as is The Wager, and I was totally amazed at the endurance of these seamen. 

        FYI - I shared my review of Irene Latham's new picture book, The Museum on the Moon last Poetry Friday here! It's a terrific book!

       "Astounding" may not be enough to begin a response to David Grann's newest adventure in story-telling. "Comprehensive" comes to mind, too, as Grann takes us on this harrowing journey of the HMS Wager, in 1740, with other vessels from Great Britain on a trek to capture gold. They must venture around Cape Horn, a journey told in excruciating detail of the sea weather battled, the lives lost, even before they wrecked. The descriptions of diseases encountered add to the sorrow for men who so wished for acclaim, for honor in the completion of their goals, only to then be stranded as this ship broke onto rocks by an island that offered little sustenance for survival. This part, Grann shows, is only the beginning for those who sought to survive. That some did, and those kept journals of their days, gives authenticity to this tale that makes one want to grimace (and perhaps understand) at their decision-making in numerous ways. The intense detail shows the extraordinary effort of Grann's research as blow-by-blow, readers learn of the characters, the weather, and the sea as a foe like no other. It took me longer to read because I also was mesmerized by the detailed notes and bibliography. On a personal note, I have sailed on a three-masted schooner and though my voyages were calm adventures, I did know the flavor of the ship, the sailing terms, the feeling of the ocean swells when way out to sea. I'm glad to have had the experience when reading this awesome tale.

Thanks to Charlesbridge for this copy!

          Astrid Kamalyan celebrates her childhood memories by sharing an

Armenian tradition by letting readers spend time with a family on rug-washing day. Little Tato grabs a cherry plum and rushes off to join everyone as Bábo, her grandmother, directs them to wash those rugs! There are delightfully joyous scenes of children scrubbing and playing in soap bubbles, guided by happy Bábo, along with hilarious ones when the chickens get loose! And Astrid includes other cultural traditions like an apricot pie at the end. Information about the Armenian carpet-weaving tradition is also added along with some words in the Artsakh dialect are interspersed in the text with a glossary at the end. What a heart-warming book that will delight and inspire readers to share other family traditions, new or old. 

Thanks to Charlesbridge for this copy!

       It's a board book showing three children picking apples, and then they notice there are three colors, so they sort them, each taking a color. But wait! There are a few apples that are all three colors! What to do? It teaches sorting, comparing, and contrasting along with problem-solving.  plus a few tips for teachers or parents are at the back. This is one of six of the story-telling math series both written and illustrated by Grace. It seems very inviting!

       The notes tell this is the first of four books for young readers yet I wonder how interesting it would be for all ages to read and see the worry of young Koo who already sees problems in the world and then also takes in, as always, Stillwater's wisdom. They travel through the day, first at home, Koo cleaning up his room, then feeding and brushing their cat, and finally making a cake for new neighbors. Koo only is told later in the day that small acts of kindness are part of saving the world which he really wants to do. When one sees the actions that happen in Stillwater's and Koo's day, it is possible to see that their world has indeed been made better. Jon J. Muth gives hope for our world in his stories, through his calming, clear words and beautiful illustrations. He offers an author's note sensitive to children's needs which is an important part of the book, too.

            It feels like everyone will enjoy Polly Faber's book showing an extraordinary journey of a surprise ordered by Gran to her grandson Jay. In deliberate steps, Klas Fahlen's blocky and colorful illustrations show the trip of this surprise to the doorstop. It includes a dozen people (among thousands) from packing to train car, across the ocean in a container ship to delivery truck and on, this "book" arrived just in time for Jay's birthday. As the words state: "And he loves it!" At the back, Faber shows what she calls "Special Delivery Numbers", like "More than 5,000 container ships are at sea on any one day. Around 200 million containers are moved every year." It's a fascinating story "delivery", perhaps inspiring further research. 

       I must write that this brought tears, a very special story of the "Famous Ducklings", where I still own my original Make Way for Ducklings and while I didn't know the story of those wonderful sculptures in the Boston Public Garden, by Nancy Schön, I have visited them several times. Angela Burke Kunkel tells the story of both people which almost feels like a fairy tale while Claire Keane's illustrations show the story in gorgeous sepia tones, a marvelous history told.

       Celebrating their ancestral home, a young mother takes her children walking over land, telling them of all the wonders of their world. Written in poetry, and both English and Cree, she tells of the foxes, eagles, fireweed, and more, plus that it is the place for their spirits to "feel" their ancestors as they pass by. Rendered in gorgeous paintings by Carla Joseph, reading aloud and "walking" along with this family is a special pleasure, and will be most wonderful to introduce the history of the Cree's original native lands of the prairies and the plains. This is Tonya Simpson's first picture book and she says it was originally written as a lullaby for her son. The text is presented and translated into Cree by Jean Okimasis. All three women live in Canada where the book was published. I'm grateful that my library had a copy!

        

       From Goodreads: "Based on the viral poem by Coretta Scott King honoree Junauda Petrus, this picture book debut imagines a radically positive future where police aren’t in charge of public safety and community well-being."

       With food and love, plus radical support from all kinds of grandmothers, Junauda's poem is rendered the very best way to run our lives in Kristen Uroda's debut illustrations, vibrant and inspiring. Wishing may not always make it so but we can take lessons from these grandmothers pictured and offer constant support for every child. Truth is found throughout in actions and all could do well to remember the final line: "The grandmothers have no fear."

Now reading: To Build A Dream by Greg Hickey and The Song of Us by Kate Fussner.