A Different Pond by Bao Phi

October 14, 2021 By 1 Comment


A Different Pond by Bao Phi
Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
Genre: Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Historical
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

A Different Pond is an unforgettable story about a simple event – a long-ago fishing trip. Graphic novelist Thi Bui and acclaimed poet Bao Phi deliver a powerful, honest glimpse into a relationship between father and son – and between cultures, old and new. As a young boy, Bao and his father awoke early, hours before his father’s long workday began, to fish on the shores of a small pond in Minneapolis. Unlike many other anglers, Bao and his father fished for food, not recreation. A successful catch meant a fed family. Between hope-filled casts, Bao’s father told him about a different pond in their homeland of Vietnam. Thi Bui’s striking, evocative art paired with Phi’s expertly crafted prose has earned this powerful picture books six starred reviews and numerous awards.

Fishing isn’t always just a fun hobby. Sometimes it’s the best way to hopefully feed a family!

Some of my favorite scenes were the ones that gently but realistically showed the reader what life was like for Bao’s family as low-income Vietnamese immigrants. His parents worked incredibly hard to keep their family fed and housed. What made them even more admirable were the subtle signs of the better lives they hoped their children would have in the years to come. The various ways these moments could be interpreted was one of the biggest reasons why I chose such a large age range for this picture book. Young children can understand the basic storyline, but older readers will have the opportunity to dig much more deeply into these characters’ lives.

I adore tales that present a moral dilemma or a complicated topic to their readers but then leave it up to the audience to think critically about it. There were plenty of opportunities here to get to know Bao’s family and the many struggles his parents faced in improving their English and finding jobs that would make it easier to financially support their children. The compassion the narrator showed for this family was quiet but unrelenting. I felt the author’s love for these characters shining through strongly, and it cemented my opinions on the issues he raised quickly.

The final page couldn’t have been written better. While I was expecting it due to everything Bao had shared about his childhood earlier, it was nice to have my educated guess reinforced. This scene made me want to crawl into the story and give him a big hug. He was such a brave and hardworking kid. Seeing how the author acknowledged that was satisfying.

A Different Pond was a beautiful read.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

Cole and the Giant Gingerbread House by Riya Aarini

October 11, 2021 By Leave a Comment


Cole and the Giant Gingerbread House by Riya Aarini
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Historical
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Cole and Claudia are poor and homeless on Christmas Eve. Cole’s kindness toward another hungry child draws attention from Santa Claus, who gifts the siblings with a very special gingerbread house. Cole and the Giant Gingerbread House is an enchanting holiday tale about love, hope, and gratitude.

Every act of kindness matters.

I adored what this picture book had to say about helping others even if it’s difficult. Cole and his sister Claudia gave away something they desperately needed to two strangers who needed it even more in one of the earliest scenes. This was a hard decision for them to make, especially since these characters came from a poor family that didn’t have enough money to meet their needs.

As much as I enjoyed the rest of it, the ending felt a little abrupt to me. There were still some parts of the plot that hadn’t been tied up by the end of it. This was something I’d read to the little ones in my life for sure, but I’d also feel the need to explain a few things like why it was so important for Cole to follow the instructions he was given even though he didn’t understand them at first.

The fantasy elements of the plot were delightful. They truly captured the magic of Christmas, especially later on in the storyline after Cole and Claudia went home with empty bellies and sad hearts. That may not sound like a particularly festive way to spend the holidays, but take heart. Nobody knows what the future holds, and anything is possible during the most magical time of the year.

Cole and the Giant Gingerbread House was a heartwarming read.

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In a Jar by Deborah Marcero

October 1, 2021 By 1 Comment


In a Jar by Deborah Marcero
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Here’s a marvelous picture book, charmingly written and beautifully illustrated, about the power of memory and the magic of friendship.

Llewellyn, a little rabbit, is a collector. He gathers things in jars–ordinary things like buttercups, feathers, and heart-shaped stones. Then he meets another rabbit, Evelyn, and together they begin to collect extraordinary things–like rainbows, the sound of the ocean, and the wind just before snow falls. And, best of all, when they hold the jars and peer inside, they remember all the wonderful things they’ve seen and done. But one day, Evelyn has sad news: Her family is moving away. How can the two friends continue their magical collection–and their special friendship–from afar?

If you’ve ever wished you could bottle up a moment and make it last forever, this might be right up your alley.

One of my favorite parts of this picture book was seeing all of the things Llewellyn thought to collect. Some of them were spectacular like a sunset that was the color of a tart cherry syrup. Feathers and heart-shaped stones were among his more ordinary picks, although his enthusiasm for them was just as contagious. He somehow managed to find moments of beauty no matter where he was or what he was currently doing, and that made me smile.

This was such a gentle and life-affirming read. I appreciated the way the author provided a little bit of tension in the plot to keep everyone interested while also writing for such a tender age group. It was easy to relax and lose myself in the storyline. No matter what might happen to Llewellyn and Evelyn next, I couldn’t wait to find out how they reacted to it or what marvellous twists might still be ahead in their journey.

I adored the messages about friendship and staying in touch when a loved one moves far away. They were simple enough for a child to understand at first glance but contained plenty of thought-provoking content for adults as well. This is the sort of fantasy that can so easily seep into our world in all sorts of wonderfully realistic ways. No one here on Earth can literally capture a sunset in a jar, but we can all find creative ways to reach out to people we care about. It was delightful to compare the magic of human connection to the types of magic these characters used to fill their jars with all sorts of incredible moments.

In a Jar filled my heart with joy. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

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Book of the Month Poll ~ Alice’s Adventures Under Water by Lenny de Rooy

September 30, 2021 By 4 Comments


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

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

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…

READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE!

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Alice’s Adventures Under Water by Lenny de Rooy

September 27, 2021 By 1 Comment


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

Voted BoM by LASR Readers 2013 copy

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.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Old Man and the Penguin – A True Story of True Friendship by Julie Abery

September 22, 2021 By Leave a Comment


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 Astilbe

Told 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.

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.

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , ,

Igor by Francesca Dafne Vignaga

September 20, 2021 By Leave a Comment


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 Astilbe

The 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.

Filed Under: Reviews, Science Fiction/Fantasy, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Dear Librarian by Lydia M. Sigwarth

September 16, 2021 By Leave a Comment


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 Astilbe

When 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!

Filed Under: Non-Fiction, Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , , , ,

How to Be Kind in Kindergarten by D.J. Steinberg

September 16, 2021 By Leave a Comment


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 Astilbe

From 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.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , ,

The Old Woman by Joanne Schwartz

September 15, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Old Woman by Joanne Schwartz
Publisher: Groundwood Books
Genre: Children’s (0 – 6 y.o.), Historical
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

The 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.

Filed Under: Reviews, YA/Middle Grade/Children's Tagged With: , , , ,
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