So, we are just now starting to get new books in our children's department. Granted, because we flooded, every book is a new book. We just got our first cart of recently published books (late Feb. and March) though, and I have been pursuing the picture books. I want to give a shout out to my friend over at LibrarianTruBlu. I worked with her while I was displaced from Harvey and liked her idea of reviewing new children's books as they come in. Go check out her awesome blog for book reviews and cool library program ideas!
The Little Red Fort by Brenda Maier
Blue Willow Bookshop
Amazon
The Little Red Fort by Brenda Maier checks a lot of boxes for me. Adapted from The Little Red Hen, a young girl named Ruby decides she is going to build a fort. Will her brothers help her? Of course not, at least not until it is done and they want to play in it. So, we've got a young Hispanic female showing independence and engaging in STEM activities (3 checks). Also, I love how the illustrations show her family is supporting her even if her brothers are being lazy. You can see her mom, dad and grandma giving Ruby a helping hand. By the end, after the brothers have added their own finishing touches to the fort, everyone goes inside to share a plate of cookies. This book has given a fresh, updated twist to the Little Red Hen that is sure to grab kids' attention. There is even a page of sample fort-building ideas. How fun! (We all know couch cushion forts are the best though, right?)
The Backup Bunny by Abigail Rayner
Blue Willow Bookshop
Amazon
I'm sure we can all remember a special stuffed animal or toy we had as a child. I'm sure our parents can all remember a time we lost that special friend and we screamed bloody murder. In The Backup Bunny by Abigail Rayner, some brilliant parent had the forethought to buy a "backup bunny". This story is told from the perspective of that bunny, who lives in the mom's sock drawer until he is needed. When Max misplaces his bunny, the backup bunny thinks his moment has finally arrived. Max isn't fooled though, and puts the backup bunny through the ringer. Slowly, Max and backup bunny establish a friendship and backup bunny (whom Max has named "Fluffy Bunny") helps Max to find his lost friend so they can all be happy together. This is a charmingly funny story that both kids and parents can relate to, but be wary of showing this to your kid if you have your own backup toy plan at home.
The Magician's Hat by Malcolm Mitchell
Blue Willow Bookshop
Amazon
Can I just say this book made my little librarian heart super happy? I expected a story about a traditional magician, but what I got was an ode to the love of reading along with a message about following your dreams. In The Magician's Hat by Malcolm Mitchell, a magician comes to the library with his own tale of how he discovered the magic of reading. He asks the kids what they want to be when they grow up then tells them to reach deep into his magic hat. They then pull out a book containing everything they would need to know to pursue their dreams. One boy even tries to throw him off by saying he wants to be a dog when he grows up ( haha kid, you're so funny), but the magic in the hat is able to see the truth and surprises the boy with a book filled with space, stars and rockets. The story ends with the an invitation to the reader to reach inside the hat themselves and see what dream-filled books you may pull out. This book is beautifully illustrated and really taps into the magical whimsy of the story.
Harriet Gets Carried Away by Jessie Sima
Blue Willow Bookshop
Amazon
Harriet, in Harriet Gets Carried Away by Jessie Sima, and I share a love of costumes. Any time I have a chance to dress up, I go for it. There's just something fun about temporarily adopting another persona. Harriet wears costumes all the time, at the dentist, in the park, even at the laundromat. One day, she dons her best penguin suit and heads to the store with her dads. While there, she comes across a group of penguins (fun fact: a group of penguins on land is called a waddle!) buying bags of ice. She is carried away with them on a grand adventure and leaves the city far behind. Realizing she has gotten carried away, for real this time, she asks for help from an orca and some city pigeons to get back home. She arrives back just in time to buy some nice party hats for her rooftop costume party. This book is beautifully illustrated in shades of purple and gold, which really brings the urban landscape to life. I also love that Harriet is the daughter of a homosexual couple, but it's not the focus of the story. I think it's important to show diverse families, but not treat them as "other" and this story just shows us a snapshot of this family's happy, imaginative life together.
The Little Red Fort by Brenda Maier
Blue Willow Bookshop
Amazon
The Little Red Fort by Brenda Maier checks a lot of boxes for me. Adapted from The Little Red Hen, a young girl named Ruby decides she is going to build a fort. Will her brothers help her? Of course not, at least not until it is done and they want to play in it. So, we've got a young Hispanic female showing independence and engaging in STEM activities (3 checks). Also, I love how the illustrations show her family is supporting her even if her brothers are being lazy. You can see her mom, dad and grandma giving Ruby a helping hand. By the end, after the brothers have added their own finishing touches to the fort, everyone goes inside to share a plate of cookies. This book has given a fresh, updated twist to the Little Red Hen that is sure to grab kids' attention. There is even a page of sample fort-building ideas. How fun! (We all know couch cushion forts are the best though, right?)
The Backup Bunny by Abigail Rayner
Blue Willow Bookshop
Amazon
I'm sure we can all remember a special stuffed animal or toy we had as a child. I'm sure our parents can all remember a time we lost that special friend and we screamed bloody murder. In The Backup Bunny by Abigail Rayner, some brilliant parent had the forethought to buy a "backup bunny". This story is told from the perspective of that bunny, who lives in the mom's sock drawer until he is needed. When Max misplaces his bunny, the backup bunny thinks his moment has finally arrived. Max isn't fooled though, and puts the backup bunny through the ringer. Slowly, Max and backup bunny establish a friendship and backup bunny (whom Max has named "Fluffy Bunny") helps Max to find his lost friend so they can all be happy together. This is a charmingly funny story that both kids and parents can relate to, but be wary of showing this to your kid if you have your own backup toy plan at home.
Blue Willow Bookshop
Amazon
Can I just say this book made my little librarian heart super happy? I expected a story about a traditional magician, but what I got was an ode to the love of reading along with a message about following your dreams. In The Magician's Hat by Malcolm Mitchell, a magician comes to the library with his own tale of how he discovered the magic of reading. He asks the kids what they want to be when they grow up then tells them to reach deep into his magic hat. They then pull out a book containing everything they would need to know to pursue their dreams. One boy even tries to throw him off by saying he wants to be a dog when he grows up ( haha kid, you're so funny), but the magic in the hat is able to see the truth and surprises the boy with a book filled with space, stars and rockets. The story ends with the an invitation to the reader to reach inside the hat themselves and see what dream-filled books you may pull out. This book is beautifully illustrated and really taps into the magical whimsy of the story.
Blue Willow Bookshop
Amazon
Harriet, in Harriet Gets Carried Away by Jessie Sima, and I share a love of costumes. Any time I have a chance to dress up, I go for it. There's just something fun about temporarily adopting another persona. Harriet wears costumes all the time, at the dentist, in the park, even at the laundromat. One day, she dons her best penguin suit and heads to the store with her dads. While there, she comes across a group of penguins (fun fact: a group of penguins on land is called a waddle!) buying bags of ice. She is carried away with them on a grand adventure and leaves the city far behind. Realizing she has gotten carried away, for real this time, she asks for help from an orca and some city pigeons to get back home. She arrives back just in time to buy some nice party hats for her rooftop costume party. This book is beautifully illustrated in shades of purple and gold, which really brings the urban landscape to life. I also love that Harriet is the daughter of a homosexual couple, but it's not the focus of the story. I think it's important to show diverse families, but not treat them as "other" and this story just shows us a snapshot of this family's happy, imaginative life together.
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