Alice’s Adventures Under Water by Lenny de Rooy
Publisher: Millennyum Publications
Genre: Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Action/Adventure, Historical
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe
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If you enjoyed Lewis Carroll’s books “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There”, this is the book for you! Finally, there is a third story in the ‘Alice’ series – written in Carroll’s familiar style, but packed with a great number of completely new puns, parodies, and poetry. This time, Alice explores an under-water world, in which she meets new characters who again make her wonder about their strange logic and behaviour. The story can be enjoyed by everyone, even those who have never read Carroll’s books. However, the more familiar you are with them, the more references you will recognise in this exceptionally clever tale…
Book of the Month Poll ~ Alice’s Adventures Under Water by Lenny de Rooy
Alice’s Adventures Under Water by Lenny de Rooy
Alice’s Adventures Under Water by Lenny de Rooy
Publisher: Millennyum Publications
Genre: Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Action/Adventure, Historical
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe
If you enjoyed Lewis Carroll’s books “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There”, this is the book for you! Finally, there is a third story in the ‘Alice’ series – written in Carroll’s familiar style, but packed with a great number of completely new puns, parodies, and poetry. This time, Alice explores an under-water world, in which she meets new characters who again make her wonder about their strange logic and behaviour. The story can be enjoyed by everyone, even those who have never read Carroll’s books. However, the more familiar you are with them, the more references you will recognise in this exceptionally clever tale…
Anything can happen during a boat ride.
The storyline was every bit as delightful and occasionally nonsensical as I was hoping it would be. Honestly, many of the chapters could have worked as standalone stories, and yet they still all came together in the end to explore deeper subjects that kids might not quite understand yet but adults would pick up on.
Ms. de Rooy captured the essence of Alice and her adventures beautifully. This tale contained all of the magic that was included in the original Alice books. I especially loved the subtle modern twists the author added in her references to public figures, songs, and more. She struck the perfect balance between copying the original tone of this series and including things that would appeal to the sensibilities of twenty-first century readers.
I was thrilled to see how many different age groups this was written for. It’s not easy to write for middle schoolers, teenagers, and adults simultaneously, but the author did a wonderful job of speaking to all three of these groups by including multiple levels of meaning in her writing. This was something I’d love to read aloud to a classroom or at an extended family reunion. It truly had something for everyone.
One of my favorite things to do while reading this story was to take note of as many cultural references as I could find and find out where they came from. It certainly wasn’t necessary to figure out all or even any of them, but it was a great deal of fun to determine which classic poems inspired a lighthearted underwater version of itself here or why certain characters had such unusual names.
Alice’s Adventures Under Water was an incredible adventure I’d recommend to kids and adults alike.
The Old Man and the Penguin – A True Story of True Friendship by Julie Abery
The Old Man and the Penguin – A True Story of True Friendship by Julie Abery
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Non-Fiction, Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by AstilbeTold in rhyming verse, this is the touching true story of an oil-soaked penguin, the man who rescues him and an unlikely friendship.João hears “a sorry screech” as he walks along the shore near his home. It’s from a penguin, whose feathers are soaked in oil.Too tired to swim, too weak to stand, he’s barely moving on the sand. João must save this little guy. Without his help, he’ll surely die.João takes the penguin home. He cleans him, feeds him and nurses him slowly back to health — and the pair develop a special bond. When the penguin is fully recovered, João knows it’s time to return him to the wild where he belongs. But the penguin has other ideas …Told in rhyming verse, this heartwarming picture book tells the true story of João Pereira de Souza of Brazil, who cared for a Magellanic penguin that had been caught in an oil spill. When João tried to release him back to the wild, the penguin returned to João’s home and stayed for months. The penguin, named Dindim by João, did eventually leave, but he now returns to visit his friend for five months of every year. A charming read-aloud showcasing a tender relationship between an animal and human, this book also promotes environmental awareness and stewardship, and explains how human activities often threaten wildlife. Author Julie Abery includes information about João and the penguin, how wildlife is affected by oil spills every year, and what to do if you find wildlife in distress. The lively art by award-winning Pierre Pratt brings a touching sweetness and emotional depth to the story. There are character education lessons here on empathy, kindness and caring.
Good deeds are never wasted.
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The friendship between João and Dindim brought a tear to my eye. Normally, I’m a little cautious about stories about wild animals who are captured or tamed by humans, but the narrator made it very clear that this wasn’t exactly what was happening here. João was always incredibly respectful of the fact that Dindim wasn’t a pet and could leave at any time. It was delightful to see the relationship that blossomed between them as the penguin recovered and became strong enough to return to his usual migration patterns.
I would have liked to see more details included in this picture book. For example, what did João’s family and community think of the penguin who lived among them while recovering from his ordeal with the oil spill? There were other moments in the plot that I also thought could have been explained better even though I deeply enjoyed what was shared and am still telling everyone I know who cares about penguins or wildlife rescue in general to check it out.
With that being said, I loved the way this tale shared its messages about compassion and the importance of helping others whenever possible. It trusted its audience to pick up on these themes ourselves which meant that the plot was free to unfold without any unnecessary explanations of what was happening. Writing it this way also meant that the storyline could appeal to a wide range of readers. A small child’s understanding of it might not be identical to how an adult would react to the same information, but there was something meaningful here for children and grown-ups alike.
The Old Man and the Penguin was a heartwarming read for environmentalists and animal-lovers of all ages.
Igor by Francesca Dafne Vignaga
Igor by Francesca Dafne Vignaga
Publisher: Windmill Books
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Action/Adventure, Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by AstilbeThe only thing Igor knows about himself is his name. When he’s not busy playing, he likes to watch what the animals do, but why has he never seen anyone else like himself? Maybe it is time to leave home and go on a journey of self-discovery.
Where do baby monsters come from? More specifically, where did baby Igor come from, and what sort of creature is he?
I appreciated this picture book’s prudent and sparse use of language. It’s minimalistic descriptions of Igor’s life and thoughts fit his curious personality perfectly. Of course he wouldn’t bother explaining obvious things when he could be off having adventures instead. The audience could infer why he made the choices he did through careful observation, and that’s exactly what this reader did. It was delightful to come up with my own theories about what might happen to him next before discovering whether or not they were correct.
The ending didn’t quite seem to fit the themes of the beginning and the middle. After his long journey, I had certain expectations of what Igor would find and how he’d react to the answers he received about where he came from and who he was. It would have been helpful to have more development in this section as I did find it confusing based on everything that had happened to him earlier.
With that being said, I adored Igor as a character. His unflappable personality was the perfect fit for all of the unexpected twists and turns in his adventures. There was nothing that would stand in his way of seeking the truth. I did feel I got to know him well, but I can’t help but it hope there will be more stories about him coming in the future.
Igor is a good pick for imaginative and adventurous readers of all ages.
Dear Librarian by Lydia M. Sigwarth
Dear Librarian by Lydia M. Sigwarth
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Non-Fiction, Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by AstilbeWhen Lydia was five years old, she and her family had to leave their home. They hopped from Grandma’s house to Aunt Linda’s house to Cousin Alice’s house, but no place was permanent. Then one day, everything changed. Lydia’s mom took her to a new place ― not a house, but a big building with stone columns, and tall, tall steps. The library.
In the library, Lydia found her special spot across from the sunny window, at a round desk. For behind that desk was her new friend, the librarian. Together, Lydia and the librarian discovered a world beyond their walls, one that sparkled with spectacular joy.
Paired with warm art by newcomer Romina Galotta and a foreword by Ira Glass, Dear Librarian is a “thank you” to anyone who has offered a child love and support during a difficult time.
Homelessness comes in many forms, including ones that involve children and young families.
I appreciated this picture book’s gentle but honest approach to the topic of homelessness. It explained everything clearly while remaining sensitive to the questions young children might have about why some people don’t have a home to call their own. This was something I’d eagerly read to the little ones in my life in order to explain this topic to them.
Public libraries serve so many important roles in a community, from providing free educational resources to giving everyone a chance to find something entertaining to do over the weekend. I hadn’t spent much time thinking about how libraries can help people or families who need a safe, quiet place to go and forget their troubles for a while, though! There is something so valuable about giving everyone the chance to do just that, and I loved seeing how Lydia and her family used their local library while her parents worked to make their lives better.
The ending was beautifully written. After learning about the difficulties Lydia and her family experienced when she was a little girl, I was eager to find out more about her life. My curiosity was satisfied in the most wonderful way. It was almost as if I’d gotten the chance to meet her in real life and ask her a few questions about what it was like to be homeless at five years old. That’s how detailed and memorable those scenes were!
Dear Librarian was a joyful and heartwarming read. Anyone who loves their local library or would like to read about one woman’s true story of overcoming adversity should pick this tale up!
How to Be Kind in Kindergarten by D.J. Steinberg
How to Be Kind in Kindergarten by D.J. Steinberg
Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by AstilbeFrom the best-selling author of the hugely popular Kindergarten, Here I Come!, here’s a guidebook in verse that shows children how to be kind in the new and exciting world of kindergarten.
Small enough to fit in a child’s backpack, this collection of short poems–one to a page–spans the entire year of kindergarten, offering sweet and simple tips on how to be your best self–sharing your umbrella with a friend; taking turns on the swings, and inviting someone to join in a game. This is the perfect companion to DJ Steinberg’s enormously successful Kindergarten, Here I Come!
It’s never too early to teach someone how to love others.
This picture book did an excellent job of showing young readers many examples of how they can show kindness to others at school. I loved seeing the wide variety of ideas the author had to share. There were examples for all sorts of kids, from talkative and outgoing ones who make friends easily to shyer children who might appreciate quieter methods of helping others feel welcome. It was also wonderful to see kids from so many different backgrounds represented in this tale. Kindness is more than just about making others feel included. Sometimes it can be a powerful way to fight back against many different types of discrimination as well!
I did find myself wishing that all of the examples had been arranged into a more defined storyline, however. They came across as anecdotes or specific moments in time instead of, say, showing a group of students learning how to treat each other kindly throughout the course of a single school day or something similar to that. If the scenes had been arranged more thoughtfully, I would have eagerly picked a higher rating for this.
The rhymes were well written. I found myself reading them out loud to no one in particular simply because they sounded so nice together. This was definitely something that works best that way, especially once I got into the rhythm of it and began to guess which words might be paired together next. It was the sort of poetry I would have loved as a preschooler and kindergartener.
How to Be Kind in Kindergarten was a beautiful reminder of just how important it is to treat others well no matter who they are or what they look like.
The Old Woman by Joanne Schwartz
The Old Woman by Joanne Schwartz
Publisher: Groundwood Books
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Historical
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by AstilbeThe Old Woman is a beautiful portrait of an old woman who lives contentedly with her dog, from award-winning author Joanne Schwartz and illustrator Nahid Kazemi.
An old woman shares her home with a scruffy old dog, her best friend and constant companion.
One fall day, they go for a walk and the woman throws sticks for the dog. She loves hearing the autumn leaves under her feet and the wind in the trees. She looks up at a crow in the sky and imagines what it might feel like to fly. As the wind comes up and the light begins to fade, she remembers playing outside as a child, never wanting to go in. Suddenly she notices a stunning harvest moon against the darkening sky. The next morning, as she sits outside to watch the sun rise, she looks forward to spending a new day with her friend.
Gentle illustrations accompany this portrayal of an elderly person who lives peaceably with her dog, appreciating what each moment brings.
Even the quietest patch of forest is filled with interesting things to observe for anyone who takes the time to look around them.
I adored the gentle atmosphere of this story. The main character and her dog were both getting older and moving more slowly than they used to. Seeing them take the time to marvel at the beautiful scenery around them on their walk made me smile. They were both good at spotting all of the little things that can make visiting the woods as the trees change colour and the wildlife gathers that last bit of food for the winter so rewarding.
There was some foreshadowing in the first few scenes that was never mentioned again as well as some pacing issues later on. Based on the foreshadowing, I thought the storyline would quickly pick up speed once the old woman and her dog came home from their walk. It was disappointing to see those hints go to waste as they were well written and would have given this picture book an extra layer of depth that could make it appealing to much older readers as well as younger ones.
The author did a good job of capturing what it feels like to go on a walk in the woods in the autumn when all of the plants and animals are busy preparing for winter. There is a subtle sense of expectancy in wild places during that season that isn’t always easy to capture, but she did so beautifully.
The Old Woman was a peaceful autumn read.
Leif and the Fall by Allison Sweet Grant and Adam Grant
Leif and the Fall by Allison Sweet Grant and Adam Grant
Publisher: Dial Books
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by AstilbeLeif is a leaf. A worried leaf. It is autumn, and Leif is afraid to fall. “All leaves fall in the fall,” say the other leaves. But Leif is determined to find a different way down, and with his friend Laurel, he uses the resources around him to create a net, a kite, a parachute in hopes of softening his landing. The clock is ticking, the wind is blowing. What will happen when a gust of wind pulls Leif from his branch?
In a culture that prizes achievement, kids are often afraid to fail–failing to realize that some of the very ideas that don’t work are steps along the path to ones that will.
Success is never guaranteed.
I was impressed by the wide range of ages this picture book seemed to be written for. Some layers of meaning sure seemed like they were meant for older kids, but the basic storyline about the importance of persistence was straightforward enough to be appreciated by younger readers as well. This isn’t something I see done very often, but it makes me smile every time it happens. It’s delightful to find examples of stories like this one that can speak to kids of all ages.
There were a few times when I wondered why Leif kept throwing away his inventions. It seems wasteful, especially as other leaves began to fall and he had fewer friends to help and fewer materials to work with. Surely he could have found a better use for his inventions or kept trying to improve them! This was a minor criticism of something I otherwise enjoyed a lot, but it is something I’d want to discuss with young readers after finishing this tale.
The ending made me smile. I nodded along as Leif put all of the pieces together and realized what had just happened to him after his time to fall from his tree finally came. This conclusion was as logical as it was downright funny! While I was satisfied with how everything was wrapped up, it also left room for a sequel if the author ever decides to write one.
Leif and the Fall was a humorous take on a serious subject that I was glad to read this autumn.
Sophie Washington: Lemonade Day by Tonya Duncan Ellis
Sophie Washington: Lemonade Day by Tonya Duncan Ellis
Publisher: Self Published
Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary
Rated: 4 stars
Review by RoseWhen Life Gives You Lemons…Make Lemonade Sixth-grader Sophie Washington and friends learn lessons about entrepreneurship and team work when they sign up for a city-wide, Lemonade Day event. Sophie wants to buy her mother something special for her birthday, but she’s short on cash. Her bestie, Chloe, comes up with the perfect solution. Build their own lemonade stand to raise money at Lemonade Day! The girls add friends Carly and Nathan, and Sophie’s little brother, Cole, to their team, and decide to donate some of their earnings to a local animal shelter to help save stray animals. Things are going great, until the family dog destroys their supplies. They get worse when Sophie tries to impress another boy in their class and upsets Nathan. Can they save their business in time for the event?
What a wonderful new addition to the Sophie Washington series. It’s great fun revisiting the characters from previous books and getting to see them in new adventures. This book featured lessons on learning to get along with each other as well as learning about working together for charity and to earn money for themselves. This reader was also very interested in learning about Lemonade Day – I had not heard of it before and love the idea!
The book is written in such a way that kids of all ages would enjoy it. The characters come alive and there is enough action and tension from problems that occur to keep everyone’s interest! It also shows kids how important it is to be careful about what you say and how to choose friends wisely.
Thanks for another great episode, Ms. Ellis!
Princess and the Peas by Rachel Himes
Princess and the Peas by Rachel Himes
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Historical
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by AstilbeThe Princess and the Pea gets a tasty twist in this fresh retelling of the beloved classic fairy tale.
Ma Sally cooks the best black-eyed peas in Charleston County, South Carolina. Her son, John, is a highly eligible bachelor, and three local women vie for his hand in marriage by attempting to cook as well as Ma. At the last minute, a surprise contestant named Princess arrives at the door. Princess and John are well-matched, but Princess has her own ideas. When told she has won John’s hand, she asks him to scrub the pots and pans before she’ll give him an answer. Her answer, it turns out, is that she wants to spend some time getting to know John first.
Complete with Princess’s recipe for Black-eyed Peas, Princess and the Peas is a charming, food-filled read aloud perfect for the whole family.
Before anyone lives happily ever after, they’ll need to make some smart decisions first.
One of the best things about this retelling was how well it worked both for readers who are already familiar with the original fairy tale as well as those who haven’t heard it yet. This story was different from its source material in so many important ways that it could be enjoyed by a wide variety of ages and perspectives. That isn’t something I see very often in this sub genre, and it was as delightful as it was thought provoking.
It would have been nice to have a better explanation for why Ma Sally decided to interfere with her son John’s attempt to find a wife. While her intentions seemed to be honorable, she also came across as a little overbearing to me at times because of how much influence she wanted over this decision. That was one part of the plot I’d feel the need to explain to the little ones in my life, and I’m saying this as someone who really enjoyed the storyline in general.
I adored the messages about what really makes someone a good person. The author took such a practical and wholesome approach to the question that I kept nodding vigorously as I read more scenes. They knew exactly how to dig deeply into their character’s personalities to find the most important traits for anyone to look for if they want a spouse or even a new friend!
Princess and the Peas made me smile. I’d recommend it to anyone who likes realistic retellings of classic fairy tales.
