Cybils Awards Announced!

The Cybils Awards have been announced! If, like me, you are planning to do a huge display of award-winning books in March (after everything has finally been ordered...maybe April) check out this list!

You can see all my Cybils fun this year here, including my thoughts on the finalists and nonfiction picture book reviews.

Now to start squirreling away nominations for Cybils 2012!

Cybils Finalists!

Cybils finalists are up! And this is my last Cybils post for 2011...and my first post for 2012! Anne Levy mentioned the idea of a "personal shortlist" of books that didn't make the "real" shortlist, which I think is kind of interesting, but I have to say I'm completely satisfied with our Nonfiction Picture Book shortlist. Did I have favorites that didn't make the list? Yes. But everything on the list is completely deserving and I get behind it 100%!

So, here's my take on the finalists! I'm going to make an effort to buy as many as possible of the shortlists in February, so as to have a really good Cybils award display. So this reflects my personal opinion and what I plan to purchase for the library, not the particular merits of the books which excellent judges have debated before me (-:)

Easy Readers and Beginning Chapter Books
I have lots of love for this category. It was my first experience with Cybils and I loved it soooo much! Beginning Chapters and Easy Readers are two of the top-circ'ing items in my library and I feel that they are often overlooked. Over the past few years - ever since my first Cybils experience in fact, I have worked hard on adding new and interesting fiction and nonfiction in this category and patrons have responded with enthusiasm.

• Aggie Gets Lost by Lori Ries (I'm not a huge fan personally of the Aggie books; we only own a few and their circulation is not amazing, but decent. Still, this goes on the purchase list)
• Dodsworth in Rome by Tim Egan (Again, not a Dodsworth fan. I find them too....adult? I feel the humor isn't really for younger kids. A bit too sophisticated for my audience)
• Frog and Friends by Eve Bunting (Missed this one! Looks fun though...oh, it's a series! Will buy it!)
• I broke my trunk by Mo Willems (Own of course! Looking forward to our new Elephant and Piggie Kids' Club, which is going to focus on being friends and telling stories - folk tales and puppetry!)
• Clementine and the family meeting by Sarah Pennypacker (Already own! Love the beginning of this story)
• Have fun Anna Hibiscus by Atinuke (Already owned and reviewed! These don't circulate as much as I would like, but they're popular with those who have discovered them and I've gotten some teachers interested)
• Just Grace and the double surprise by Cherise Harper (Have to admit I have not bought any Harper chapter books b/c I don't like her art style. Will skip this one because I'd have to buy the whole series...)
• Like pickle juice on a cookie by Julie Sternberg (I just don't get the popularity of this one. I really don't. But...I have a sad feeling it's my own prejudices that are holding me back. So onto the order list it goes for February!)
• Trouble with chickens by Doreen Cronin (I didn't really "get" this one either, but tested it on some kids and it was a go, so I bought it!)

Fantasy and Science Fiction (Middle Grade)
I've been focusing on realistic fiction this last year, trying not to get too overwhelmed with thick fantasy sequels. Thanks to all the panelists who picked out the best for me as I add in just a couple more things...I can't buy EVERYTHING, sadly, but I've noted which things I think will circulate best in my library.

• A Monster calls by Siobhan Dowd and Patrick Ness (I wasn't sure about this one, but a patron asked for it last month and I just bought it. We'll see how it circs.)
• Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu (It's been on my to read list for a while, but I hadn't added it to the library yet. I was sort of waiting for it to win an award....Will now put it on the order list.)
• Dragon castle by Joseph Bruchac (Another one that's been waiting on my to read list! I've gotten really behind on my fantasy reading. My kids loooove their dragons, so this should be a hit when I purchase it)
• Icefall by Matthew Kirby (hmmm, not really sure about the appeal of this in my library. Seems too...historyish? But I will trust the Cybils judges and buy it!)
• Cheshire Cheese cat by Carmen Agra Deedy (I'm going to pass this one by. I just don't see it appealing in my library. The whole Victorian/Dickens thing...uh, no)
• Inquisitor's Apprentice by Chris Moriarty (If I'm going to buy a history-based fantasy, Icefall is it, so this one is a pass this time around)
• Tuesdays at the castle by Jessica Day George (Bought it! My kids love George's middle grade fantasies. I was so disappointed that I didn't manage to read the whole thing - had to return it for the kids waiting for it and life just took over me. It's still on my to read and review list. But I loved the first couple chapters!)

Fantasy and Science Fiction (Young Adult)
I'm never quite sure what to do with the young adult collection in the area of fantasy. YA is only 3% of my total circulation, but is read by adults as well as teens and tweens. I have readers who are fans of Twilighty romances, Hunger Games dystopias, Eragon-like epic fantasies, and some who will just read anything I hand them, while others will only touch those books with covers they like. With my new budget, I receive 4 books a month from Junior Library Guild, which I feel covers the more "literary" and older young adult section, leaving me free to purchase 10 books a month that are, well, FUN. So, what have I missed this year? Probably a lot, but Cybils will hopefully fill the gaps!

• Angelfall: Penryn and the end of days by Susan Ee (I'm guessing this is the self-published book Anne Levy hinted at. Sadly, it's not available through my vendor and I rarely buy books through Amazon, so I'm going to pass on it.)
• Anna dressed in blood by Kendare Blake (Hmm, horror and mystery. I'll buy it)
• Blood red road by Moira Young (I've bought several other dystopias - and received some war-torn fiction through JLG - and I think the language in this will be too much for most of my teens. Pass on this one)
• Misfit by Jon Skovron (I can hand this to my teen and adult fans of Cassandra Clare I think. I'll buy it)
• Red glove by Holly Black (I've been trying to steer away from series, buying only the first book. But Holly Black is quite popular - she gets stolen regularly. I'll put my faith in our soon-to-be-installed security cameras and buy this one)
• Girl of fire and thorns by Rae Carson (When I read the reviews of this, I recommended it to Sara The Librarian. She was SO ENTHUSIASTIC about it, that I just purchased it and it's on the new cart in my office right now!)
• Shattering by Karen Healey (Hmmm, I remember looking at Guardian of the Dead, but I don't think I bought it. I'll go ahead and buy this one, sounds intruiguing)

Fiction Picture Books
This was definitely the most time-intensive panel I've been on, when I was part of Round 1 Judging for this group last year in 2010. I've had to miss out on a lot of picture books this year because of budget concerns and the over-crowding of our picture book section, but now that I've finished weeding the picture books and have a budget increase, I plan to go nuts with picture books in 2012!

• Blackout by John Rocco (Beautiful. So glad I bought this one)
• Do you know which ones will grow? by Susan Shea (Finally got this one a few weeks ago - instant favorite! Only used it in storytime once, but already a hit!)
• I had a favorite dress by Boni Ashburn (Illustrated by Julia Denos, so OF COURSE I bought it. Lovely new look at the "Joseph had a little overcoat" story cycle)
• I want my hat back by Jon Klassen (Have to admit I wasn't one of the fans of this book. Will break down and buy it now)
• Me...Jane by Patrick McDonnell (This was moved out of our nonfiction category. I've seen LOTS of buzz for it, but have always been doubtful about picture book bios for the very young  - well, for anyone, really, but we don't want to discuss that now - anyways. I will go with the masses and buy this one)
• Press here by Herve Tullet (Bought this one. Bought it again. Plan to buy a third copy soon)
• Princess and the pig by Jonathan Emmett (Oh, this one is FUN. Just discovered it and plan to buy it asap)

Graphic Novels (Elementary/Middle Grade)
I aspire to be on this panel. Yep, I'm a panel-hopper. I didn't really discover graphic novels and comics until I was in graduate school, having confined my interest to Asterix and Tintin before that time. However, a traumatic encounter with Neil Gaiman's Sandman inspired me to read more graphic novels - preferably NOT involving serial killers - and I've become a fascinated devotee of the form. Joining No Flying No Tights as a reviewer was one of my most exciting new things this year and I have plans to expand the juvenile graphic novel section in our library in the near future.

• Hereville: How Mirka got her sword by Barry Deutsch (I loved this one, but I just don't think it will circ well for us. Oh well)
• Nursery Rhyme Comics (Hmmm, I liked this, but wasn't sure about circulation. I will go with the majority here and add this one in)
• Sidekicks by Dan Santat (Loved it! Bought it!)
• Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick (Bought it, of course.)
• Zita the Spacegirl by Ben Hatke (Oh, I did love this one. So did all the kids I have handed it to.)

Graphic Novels (Young Adult)
I've focused on manga this past year for the young adults, as I've had trouble pushing graphic novels on the older kids. But there's some really good stuff this year which I think will circulate!

• Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol (Reviewed this for No Flying No Tights - it's definitely the successor to Telgemeier's Smile. On the order list!)
• Bad Island by Doug TenNapel (I found this fascinating, but wasn't sure if the kids would be interested. Will buy it and see)
• Feynman by Jim Ottaviani (I've found this author's nonfiction fascinating, but nonfiction graphic novels are really, really hard to push, especially in the teen section, so I'll give this a pass)
• Level up by Gene Luen Yang (Might see if my director wants to buy this for the adult collection. I don't think it's of interest to the younger teens in my teen section)
• Page by Paige by Laura Lee Gulledge (Oh, I loved this one. Love, love, love! Bought it asap after ALA Midwinter last year)

Middle Grade Fiction
This is the category I've really focused on this past year in the juvenile fiction. I felt I was emphasizing fantasy too much and really needed more realistic, funny, contemporary fiction. Let's see what I missed...

• Darth Paper strikes back by Tom Angleberger (This is a great series, popular with kids, parents, and teachers. Easy to booktalk, fun to read, with plenty of points for discussion and deeper thought. Bought it, of course)
• Ghetto Cowboy by G. Neri (It's on my To Read list, but I'm not sure it would circ. Pass on this one)
• Nerd Camp by Elissa Weissman (Totally missed this one! Looks hilarious! Will buy it!)
• Friendship doll by Kirby Larson (I've got an ARC of this somewhere...it's an intriguing concept, but would be a hard sell. Will pass)
• Great wall of Lucy Wu by Wendy Wang-Long Shan (Passed over this when I saw it before, but another look at the reviews...I'll buy it)
• Warp speed by Lisa Yee (Read it. Reviewed it. Loved it. Bought it.)
• Words in the dust by Trent Reedy (Put it on the order list, took it off, put it on, took it off...now I'm really going to buy it this time)

Nonfiction for Middle Grade and Young Adult
This is a hard age for nonfiction. I personally love historical and archaeological titles, but kids only seem to like factoid books and sports. Somehow, we manage to meet in the middle. Let's see what Cybils is presenting...

• Amelia Lost by Candace Fleming (The only Amelia Earhart biography you will need. I need to replace our entire biography section and this is one of the first steps)
• How they croaked: The awful ends of the awfully famous by Georgia Bragg (I was satisfied with Dreadful Fates, until I read this recently. Now we need both! Ordering now!)
• Into the unknown by Stewart Ross (On my to read list, but the flaps and loose bits aren't going to work well in my library. Have to pass.)
• Many faces of George Washington by Carla McClafferty (This is one I'd enjoy reading, but I don't think it will circ. enough. Have to pass.)
• The Notorious Benedict Arnold by Steve Sheinkin (Bought this - been meaning to move it from the 973s where it ended up to the biographies, where it will circ. more, I think.)
• Unraveling Freedom by Ann Bausum (I went back and forth on buying this - fairly local author, interesting topic, but I felt the presentation was a little disorganized and it would be a hard book to push. Hmmm....I'm going to buy it)

Nonfiction Picture Books
My category! We saw, as I had expected, a lot of picture book biographies but also many other amazing books (and some less than amazing, although nothing as truly hilariously awful as some of the picture book nominations last year...) I'm excited for more nonfiction read-alouds, as it's a major part of my Preschool Interactive program.

• All the water in the world by Kate Coombs (My review here. Bought this a while ago and it is already well-loved)
• Bring on the birds by Susan Stockdale (My review here. I expect this to be as popular as Fabulous Fishes. Added to the order list!)
• Can we save the tiger by Martin Jenkins (Bought this and was initially disappointed by circ. numbers, but it seems to be picking up. My review here.)
• I feel better with a frog in my throat by Carlyn Beccia (Very fun - and gross - looking forward to booktalking this one, as soon as I buy it. My review here.)
• Planting the wild garden by Kathryn Galbraith (I've loved this one since I saw the galley at ALA Midwinter last year. I've used it in many storytimes and it's always popular. My review here.)
• Case of the vanishing golden frogs by Sandra Markle (Scientists in the Field for younger children. 'Nuff said. Haven't bought it yet only b/c it's only available in library bound. Will now expend the needed cash. My review here.)
• Thunder birds by Jim Arnosky (Amazing. Just amazing. How did I miss this earlier this year? Buying it now. Review here.)

Poetry
I sometimes feel bad that I rarely buy poetry. Well, not very often, but occasionally. We have approximately four shelves of poetry books however, which is a HUGE collection for a library our size. I simply can't justify buying more books in this area without weeding a lot - and there are so many other things that need to be weeded. And so many other things that circulate more. However, I do buy a few every year - let's see if we need another book or two in this area.

• Cousins of Clouds by Tracy Zimmer (Nope.)
• Dear hot dog by Mordicai Gerstein (Nope.)
• Emma Dilemma by Kristine George (This one I've been planning to buy and will do so - putting it in picture books)
• Requiem by Paul Janeczko (Nope)
• Self-portrait with seven fingers by J. Patrick Lewis and Jane Yolen (Nope)
• We are America by Walter Dean Myers (Nope)

Young Adult Fiction
See remarks above about young adult fantasy. In this category, I hover between "literature" and well-reviewed titles, and chick lit romances. And I never have enough mysteries or "guy books". I'm hoping my new orders from Junior Library Guild in 2012 will help even things out.

• Anna and the French kiss by Stephanie Perkins (couldn't make up my mind on this one - will go ahead and buy it now)
• Between shades of gray by Ruta Sepetys (ran out of money for this one, but plan to buy it...oh, someone bought it for adult. Well, that takes care of that)
• Bunheads by Sophie Flack (another one I meant to buy - will go ahead and do so now)
• Everybody sees the ants by A. S. King (I'm not convinced teens will check this out. Pass on this one)
• Frost by Marianna Baer (I actually checked this out but was disappointed - my teens prefer more action and resolution in their stories. Pass)
• Leverage by Joshua Cohen (Could have sword I ordered this! Will do so now)
• Stupid fast by Geoff Herback (Got this through Junior Library Guild)

And that's the list! Looking forward to wonderful award displays and books in February!

Cybils Nonfiction Picture Books: The Numbers

Yay! I have read and reviewed all 87 Cybils Nonfiction Picture Books nominations. I have some interesting numbers if anyone would care to share my obsession with statistical data...I don't guarantee all these numbers are correct - tell me if you see a mistake!

Also, a reminder that all of my reviews etc. reflect my opinion and not that of the judging committee, etc.

Animals (including bugs, fish, and birds) (21)

• A butterfly is patient
• A place for fish
• About hummingbirds
• After the kill
• Animal fights
• Animalogy
• Bring on the birds
• Bugs by the numbers
• Can we save the tiger
• Eco dogs
• Gorillas
• Hatch!
• Howler monkey
• Olivia's birds
• Saving animals from oil spills
• Star of the sea
• Guardian team
• Incredible life of Balto
• Thunder birds
• Time to eat
• Zeal of zebras

These books featured the following animals:

• 2 insects
• 1 fish
• 5 birds
• 1 mollusk
• 4 mammal (gorillas, dogs, monkeys)
• 8 covered a variety of animals
• 
  
• 15 wild animals
• 3 domesticated animal

Biographies (24)

• A nation's hope: the story of boxing legend Joe Louis
• Before there was Mozart (Joseph Boulogne)
• Ben Franklin
• Diego Rivera
• Eliza's cherry trees (Eliza Scidmore)
• For the love of music (Maria Anna Mozart)
• Henrietta King
• In the bag (Margaret Knight)
• Irena Sendler
• J. R. R. Tolkien
• Jim Henson
• Just being Audrey (Audrey Hepburn)
• Harriet Tubman
• Night Flight (Amelia Earhart)
• Nurse soldier spy (Sarah Edmonds)
• Pablo Neruda
• Queen of the falls (Annie Taylor)
• Sarah Emma Edmonds was a great pretender
• She loved baseball (Effa Manley)
• House Baba built (Ed Young)
• Quite contrary man (Joseph Palmer)
• Watcher (Jane Goodall)
• Tillie the terrible Swede (Tillie Anderson)
• When Bob met Woody (Bob Dylan)

This breaks down to:

• 10 male
• 13 female
• 
  
• 10 well-known
• 13 obscure

Occupations

• 3 musicians
• 4 sports
• 1 artist
• 4 politician/activist
• 2 business
• 3 author
• 2 actor/entertainer
• 2 other
• 1 being annoying
• 1 scientist

Time period

• Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
• Joseph Boulogne (1745-1799)
• Maria Anna Mozart (1751-1829)
• Joseph Palmer (1791-1894)
• Harriet Tubman (1820-1913)
• Henrietta King (1832-1925)
• Margaret Knight (1838-1914)
• Annie Taylor (1838-1921)
• Sarah Edmonds (1841-1898)
• Eliza Scidmore (1856-1928)
• Tillie Anderson (1875-1956)
• Diego Rivera (1886-1957)
• J. R. R. Tolkien (1892-1973)
• Amelia Earhart (1897-1937)
• Effa Manley (1900-1981)
• Pablo Neruda (1904-1973)
• Irena Sendler (1910-2008)
• Joe Louis (1914-1981)
• Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993)
• Ed Young (1931-still alive)
• Jane Goodall (1934-still alive)
• Jim Henson (1936-1990)
• Bob Dylan (1941-still alive)

Location

• 16 North America
• 1 South America
• 5 Europe
• 1 Asia

Gardening and Food (5)

• Edible alphabet
• First garden: White house garden
• How did that get in my lunchbox
• Rah rah radishes
• Watch me grow

Geography (7)

• A walk in London
• Arlington
• Celebritrees
• Cursed grounds
• Only the mountains do not move
• Orani
• T is for Taj Mahal

Destinations in these books by continent

• 2 Europe
• North America
• Africa
• 2 World
• 1 India

History (8)

• Basketball Belles
• Big Wig
• Franklin and Winston
• I feel better with a frog in my throat
• Right where you are now
• Unforgettable season
• Underground
• Wild women of the wild west

Events in history

• 2 sports
• 2 political
• 1 misc.
• 3 timeline (covers a series of events throughout history)

Time periods

• Underground railroad 1860s
• Wild West 1860s
• 1890s
• 2 WWII 1941
• 3 timeline

Geography

• 4 North America
• 3 World

Science (Weather, Nature, Ecology) (12)

• All the water in the world
• Energy island
• How hybrid cars work
• How the weather works
• Meadowlands
• Monster hunt
• Mystery math
• Planting the wild garden
• Prairie storms
• Super science: Feel the force
• Swirl by swirl
• Case of the vanishing golden frogs

Featuring the following scientific...things

• 3 water cycle/weather
• 2 alternate energy
• 1 ecology
• 2 research
• 1 math
• 1 propagation
• 1 physics
• 1 patterns

Other Subjects (10)

• Mali under the night sky (no idea. It's not really a biography, or about art, kind of about being a refugee, but not really, not really about activism...of the three libraries in my consortium which own it, 1 put it in picture books and 2 in the 700s for art. But...the featured art isn't by the artist it's about so...)
• Manners mash up (etiquette)
• Picture yourself writing poetry (writing)
• Relativity (doesn't actual explain the concept, so doesn't really have a subject)
• Ruby violet lime (colors - concept)
• Spiky slimy smooth (texture - concept)
• Great big book of families (family relationships)
• Human body (uh, human body)
• Mangrove tree (activism? there isn't enough about the scientist to make it a biography, not enough about the trees to make it science)
• What does it mean to be safe (safety)

More Numbers

• 72 books had illustrations (paint, collage, drawing, etc.)
• 13 books had photographs
• 1 combined photos and illustrations
• 
  
• 4 were alphabet books
• 3 had movable parts/foldouts/pop ups

And which ones ended up in my library?

I purchased for the library:

• Butterfly is patient
• About Hummingbirds
• All the water in the world
• Edible alphabet
• Can we save the tiger
• Hatch!
• Jim Henson
• Monster hunt
• Planting the wild garden
• Rah rah radishes
• Time to eat
• Watch me grow

Currently on a wishlist/potential order list (obviously my eyes are bigger than my budget):

• Walk in London
• Arlington
• Ben Franklin
• Big wig
• Bring on the birds
• Cursed grounds
• Eco dogs
• Energy island
• Howler monkeys
• I feel better with a frog in my throat
• In the bag
• Just being Audrey
• Mystery math
• Nurse soldier spy
• Ruby violet lime
• Saving animals from oil spills
• Spiky slimy smooth
• Star of the sea
• Swirl by swirl
• Case of the vanishing golden frogs
• Guardian team
• House Baba built
• Watcher
• Thunder birds
• Wild women of the wild west

And, Finally, Storytime Picks!

• Butterfly is patient
• About hummingbirds
• All the water in the world
• Edible alphabet
• Planting the wild garden
• Bring on the birds
• Rah rah radishes
• Swirl by swirl
• Guardian team
• Watcher

Cybils Nonfiction Picture Book Nominations

 Manners mash-up: A goofy guide to good behavior by various authors

This book is just plain fun. In the style of their previous collaborations, Why did the chicken cross the road? and Knock, Knock! Fourteen illustrators give their take on etiquette. 

• Bob Shea instructs readers on the proper way to ride a school bus – no drooling and don’t clean the driver’s teeth, even if he’s a crocodile! 
• Lynn Munsinger illustrates proper cafeteria manners, although her furry pigs don’t seem to be following her good advice. 
• Henry Cole warns against staring – even when you see some pretty funny/icky stuff, especially in the school office. 
• Leuyen Pham has a sweet spread on playground manners. 
• Peter Reynolds illustrates classroom manners with several groups of excellently behaved children and dialogue that sounds like it was written for a teaching special on listening to teacher. 
• Tedd Arnold blasts off into outer space and illustrates good sportsmanship with slug-like aliens playing slime ball. 
• Adam Rex shows a hapless evil scientist trying to instill a few good table manners into his evil monster creations. 
• Judy Schachner has a warm and colorful spread of good manners at a happy birthday party with a huge variety of children and activities pictured. 
• Frank Morrison gives good advice for being a good visitor – which the wild group of kids in the living room don’t seem to have listened to!
• Sophie Blackall has a darkly humorous illustration of what not to do in a doctor’s office, including the instruction “prosthetic legs aren’t toys.” 
• Dan Santat instructs on proper behavior at the theater – even when it’s grand opera! 
• Joe Berger shows some of the things you should NEVER do in a grocery store. 
• Kevin Sherry gives pool rules, which should be followed even by giant squids. 
• Tao Nyeu has a beautifully embroidered spread…about not picking in public, noses, toenails, etc.

The final pages give the authors a chance to talk about their goofiest manners mishap and gives a brief list of each author's titles.

Verdict: This is an amusing book that kids will enjoy looking over, but it’s not particularly substantial and there’s no actual plot to make it a good read-aloud. An additional purchase.

ISBN: 978-0803734807; Published February 2011 by Dial; Borrowed from the library

 Great big book of families by Mary Hoffman, illustrated by Ros Asquith

This book explores the many different kinds of families in simple text and cartoonish illustrations. The story begins, “Once upon a time, most families in books looked like this: One daddy, one mommy, one little boy, one little girl, one dog, and one cat.” The author encourages children to look for a family that matches their own in the following pages, as well as to find the cat who appears on every page. 

The first spread in the main body of the book is titled “Families” and the border is childlike drawings of various families. It talks about the kind of families children might live with – two daddies, two mommies, foster or adoptive parents, grandparents, or single parents. The next spread continues the border of childlike family drawings and talks about “Who’s in your family?”; siblings, relatives, or just two people. Then the book talks about where families live, go to school, different kinds of work, holidays, food, clothes, pets, family celebrations, hobbies, transportation and how families express their feelings. The book ends with an example of a family tree and a recap of how families are the same, no matter how different they appear on the outside. The cheerful cartoons that decorate the pages include some silly examples (kids using rocket packs in the transportation section for example) and lots of little details to pore over. There’s plenty of humor and honesty in the book, showing a wide variety of cultures, ethnicities, and individual family traditions and behaviors.

Verdict: Know your audience – the book does reference two mommies and daddies at the beginning, so don’t choose it for storytime if it’s going to inspire a walk-out of your entire storytime group, but it’s certainly a great choice for your library collection and a good title to hand to parents who are trying to explain family changes to children or kids who live in an “untraditional” family.

ISBN: 0803735162; Published April 2011 by Dial; Borrowed from the library

An edible alphabet: 26 Reasons to love the farm by Carol Watterson, illustrated by Michael Sorrentino

I’m always looking for new farm books. Living in a quasi-rural community, I’ve become aware there just aren’t too many realistic books about life on a farm (my own rural experience was shown to be painfully lacking when I visited a fifth grade class and my question of “what do you do that’s creative?” was met with the enthusiastic response, “Pig racing!” uh…wha…?)

Anyways, this is a really fun alphabet book with, once again, my favorite design – simple text for reading aloud to younger children and more detailed facts and information for older readers or one-on-one sharing. This book has multiple threads you can follow, a very simple one suitable for toddlers, longer sentences just right for preschoolers, and simple paragraphs for elementary readers and listeners. The book is packed with a plethora of food, creatures, machines and more. In order…

• Ants on asparagus
• Blueberries, beets, and beans
• Clip, Clop, Crunch (carrots)
• Dig in for dinner (root vegetables)
• Eager ewes
• Flip flop fry (fish)
• Gaggle of giggling geese
• Happy Herefords hiccupping home
• Ice cold ice cream
• Juggling jiggly jams and jellies
• King-sized kohlrabi
• Ladybug’s lunch
• Making merry in the mud and muck (pigs)
• Nibbling nectar (pollinators)
• Oh! Overalls in the orchard (apples)
• Pea pods pop!
• The queen’s quivering hive
• Reliable red rooster
• Stink, stank, stunk (manure)
• Tip top tasty tomato
• Udders under umbrellas
• Vegetable voyage
• Woolly bears worry watermelons
• Xtra-large eggs with yummy yellow yolks
• Zoom zoom zuchinni

The text also includes rhymes, facts, silly stories, and more! The final pages include a list of words and images to find throughout the book.

The illustrations are bright and colorful, created in collage with acrylic and hand painted paper. Some of the faces are oddly structured, but the overall effect breathes enthusiasm and colorful life.

Verdict: This book is packed with so many different things, it’s a great choice for programs, storytime, reading aloud, and display. Highly recommended.

ISBN: 978-1582464213; Published July 2011 by Tricycle Press; Borrowed from the library; Purchased for the library

How did that get in my lunchbox? The story of food by Chris Butterworth, illustrated by Lucia Gaggiotti

 Ok, first just a question…do any kids talk about lunchboxes anymore? Seems like that word is a little outdated. Yes? No? Well, moving on…

Neatly divided clumps of text explain the process of food; growing, harvesting, cooking, preserving, packaging, and shipping for a simple lunch; bread, cheese, tomatoes, apple juice, carrots, chocolate chip cookies, and clementines.

The illustrations are bright and cartoony with a tinge of 50s style graphics. Smiling workers are shown farming, harvesting, cooking and packaging food, extra whimsical touches, like the bunnies after the farmer’s carrots hopefully following the boxes of packaged carrots off to the trucks.

Extras: A final page explains the importance of a balanced diet and additional food facts are also included, as well as an index.

Verdict: This is a nice introduction to the process of food, especially for kids who only see food in a grocery store. But part of me felt the whole thing was too…cheerful. There’s no mention of artificial additives or chemicals and all the workers look happy, healthy, and simply thrilled to be preparing a healthy lunch (and how many kids actually see a lunch like this? Not the kids I meet at the library, who seem to subsist on candy and soft drinks, or the menus I’ve heard announced at the schools, which always seem to be choices between chicken nuggets, pizza, and fish sticks.) On the other hand…this isn’t meant to be a book about sustainable farming, environmental concerns, organic food, or healthy eating. It’s a simple introduction to how food gets from the land to your lunchbox and its cheerful images are suitable for early elementary students learning about this subject. I’m on the fence on this once, you’ll have to supply your own verdict.

ISBN: 978-0763650056; Published January 2011 by Candlewick; Borrowed from the library

 Rah rah radishes: A vegetable chant by April Pulley Sayre

An infectious, enthusiastic rhyme and glowing photographs introduce children to a variety of vegetables in this crowd-pleasing nonfiction read-aloud. “Eggplant’s extraordinary/Pumpkin’s art/Don’t eat zucchini?/Time to start!” 

The format of the book is simple; solid colored backgrounds of purple, orange, red and green show up couplets in bold font and a large photograph on each page. The photographs show a huge variety of vegetables in all their glory at a farmer’s market, in bins, tubs and piles. The acknowledgements give the source of the photos as the South Bend Farmer’s Market and “A few more bites” explains what a vegetable is and why they should be an important part of our diet (not to self – eat more vegetables!)

Verdict: I’ve read this in multiple story times and it never fails to raise a giggle from parents and delighted enthusiasm from kids. Be prepared for them to want to investigate the photos more closely, pointing to different vegetables and colors. Have them try out unfamiliar names and point to their favorite vegetables. This would also be a great read-aloud in a healthy eaters class! Highly recommended.

ISBN: 978-1442421417; Published June 2011 by Beach Lane Books; Borrowed from the library; Purchased for the library

Watch me grow: A down-to-earth look at growing food in the city by Deborah Hodge, photographed by Brian Harris

I loved the previous book by Hodges and Harris, Up we grow, but this one is even better. Based in Vancouver, this book shows how gardens can grow anywhere – even in a city. The book is divided into four sections; Growing, Sharing, Eating, and Caring.

 The growing section shows the many places in the city where gardens are growing and the people who are caring for them. There are suggestions for small spaces to fit in a little garden, like herbs on a sunny windowsill. Animals in the city are also included, like chickens and bees. Sharing talks about the ways people share land and crops; in community gardens, with city farmers, and with wildlife. Eating celebrates the deliciousness of fresh-grown fruit and vegetables and talks about ways to harvest, preserve, and share crops. The final section, Caring, talks about how growing gardens together not only cares for the land and nature, but also builds community relationships.

A final note about the book explains a little more about urban agriculture and lists the gardens and groups pictured throughout the book.

Verdict: This book is a great starting place for simple gardens, whether you live in the city or the country. It has great ideas for tucking growing things into small spaces and building community through gardening. And lots of great photographs of kids and adults working in and enjoying their gardens. (Incidentally, this is also the book that sparked off my dormant desire to move out to the northwest coast when I read it last year and I moved that goal back to the top of my list)…Highly recommended!

ISBN: 978-1554536184; Published February 2011 by Kids Can Press; Borrowed from the library; Purchased for the library

How hybrid cars work by Jennifer Swanson, illustrated by Glen Mullaly

Cartoon-style illustrations and some comic panels help explain how a hybrid car works. Photos, timelines, and more show the history and evolution of hybrid cars, back to when cars ran on steam to present-day electrical hybrids. Information also includes greenhouse gases and how hybrid cars help decrease pollution, as well as alternative fuels.

An index, glossary, and link to the publisher's website for more information are also included.

Verdict: There was a lot of information in this book, but the organization was a little confused (this may be because I read it as an electronic pdf). I really didn't care for the mix of fuzzy photos (again, could have been epub) and cartoon-style illustrations. Also, this is one of the publishers who charge an arm and a leg for library-bound nonfiction, which will be outdated in a few years. An additional purchase if you have interest in alternative energies.


ISBN: 978-1609732172; Published August 2011 by Child's World; Electronic review copy provided by publisher for Cybils

Relativity by Michael Smith, illustrated by Octavio Oliva

A confused jumble of rhymes that supplies no actual information. The pictures are passable, but can't make up for the bewildering text which offers a series of comparisons and then tells the reader to find out on their own what relativity is. Not worth reading.

ISBN: 978-0979933981; Published September 2011 by East West Discover Press; Electronic review copy provided by publisher

Cybils Nonfiction Picture Book Nominations

Only the mountains do not move: A Maasai story of culture and conservation by Jan Reynolds

In this nonfiction picture book, Jan Reynolds introduces the reader to the culture of the Maasai and their struggles to conserve their land and traditional way of life. Each page is filled with photographs and many also feature a traditional saying or proverb. The book begins with the traditional roles for women, men, and children. It introduces these roles with real people and shows how they all work together to survive. In addition to work, we see some of the games the adults and children play and the rhythm of life in their enkang, or village. Food, and how the Maasai use the bush and protect themselves, follows and then the author moves into the changes in the Maasai’s traditional way of life, especially those caused by droughts, climate change, and loss of territory and how they are changing to deal with these new challenges. The Maasai must find new ways to make a living and survive on the land now that their traditional way of life is no longer feasible. Farming and tourism are two of the ways they are changing to meet these challenges.

The Extras: the story begins with a map, showing where the specific tribe lives which is featured in this book. After the main story, the author discusses int more detail the modern challenges to traditional life not just for the Maasai, but for other cultures and speculates on how things will continue to change. A glossary and source notes are also included.

Verdict: This is an interesting book and would be a good starting point for a student researching other cultures. I would suggest buying it in paperback if possible, as the rapid changes in political and environmental cultures may make this outdated very soon.

ISBN: 978-1600603334; Published October 2011 by Lee & Low; Electronic review copy provided by publisher

 Swirl by swirl: Spirals in nature by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Beth Krommes

Confession time: I wasn’t enthusiastic about House in the Night. I didn’t really see why it won the Caldecott. But this, oh yes, this title I can get behind, text and art! Krommes’ gorgeous scratchboard art is perfect for the poetic sentences of Sidman and together they have created an amazing read-aloud nonfiction picture book. In clear, large type, Sidman presents spirals in nature in lyrical but general terms, “A spiral is a growing shape/It starts small/and gets bigger,/swirl by swirl.”

Her simple, lovely language is gorgeously expanded by Krommes. The art accompanying the quoted text shows a nautilus, both swimming in cross-section, showing how the shell grows from a tiny baby into a large adult. Each page follows this pattern, with the art expanding and explaining the text. Neat captions adorn the various spirals from “breaking ocean waves” to “spiral galaxy.”

Extras: Each page on spirals is expanded into more information about spirals in nature with small illustrations.

Verdict: This is a must-have for your library collection and storytime repertoire. Pair it with Sarah Campbell's Growing Patterns for a science program. Highly recommended.

ISBN: 978-0547315836; Published October 2011 by Houghton Mifflin; Borrowed from the library; Added to the library's wishlist

Bugs by the numbers by Sharon Werner and Sarah Forss

It’s impossible to separate the text and art in this intriguing book on insects. 23 different bugs, insects, and other creepy-crawlies are combined with statistics and numbers to create unique art and text. The introduction features a cheery rhyme explaining the ubiquity of bugs and why the authors chose to bunch insects, bugs, arachnids, and others together under the heading “bugs.” Each creature stretches across a full spread, its body composed of numbers. Cut paper flaps conceal and reveal more information and additional facts – all mathematically related of course – abound. 

For example, on the spider’s page we learn that spiders have 8 legs and a little about what those legs do. On the left, a blue page divided into six sections tells us that Daddy Longlegs aren’t spiders and have only 1 body segment, Golden Orb Web spiders make the biggest webs, spiders have 6 silk glands, Tarantula is the largest spider, and a Black Widow’s poison is 15 times more venomous than a rattlesnake’s. Lift the blue flap and you will see a web composed of 1s and sentences about spiders and three spiders constructed out of stylistic 8s.

Many children will be thrilled to spend hours finding all the numbers and facts about the different creatures and learning fascinating new facts. However, I was disappointed to see there were no sources listed for the many facts and numbers. Where did they get the numbers from? Also, some of the facts are a little vague, for example, the spider page tells us that Daddy Longlegs are not spiders, but doesn’t tell us what they are. Despite the introduction at the beginning, it’s confusing and disappointing to tell budding scientists that it’s ok to call things by the incorrect name because “most folks” do (although I’ve never met anyone who called an earthworm a bug!)

Verdict: This book is unique and fascinating and would make a fun addition to your library collection, but make sure you have plenty of more solidly grounded factual books on insects, arachnids, and whatever earthworms are (looked it up – invertebrates apparently?)

ISBN: 978-1609050610; Published April 2011 by Blue Apple; Borrowed from the library

 A butterfly is patient by Dianna Hutts Aston, illustrated by Sylvia Long

The Text: Dianna Aston does one of my favorite things with easy nonfiction: she has two parallel texts, one simple sentences perfect for reading aloud, another a longer paragraph for reading alone or with older children. The simple sentences give facts and attributes of butterflies, “A butterfly is patient/a butterfly is creative/a butterfly is helpful” while the longer text explains in further detail. “A butterfly is patient” explains how an egg is hidden and hatches into a caterpillar. “A butterfly is creative” explains how a caterpillar grows and begins metamorphosis. “A butterfly is helpful” discusess butterflies’ role in pollination. The differences between moths and butterflies, butterfly species, migration, feeding habits, and more are also included.

The Illustrations: Sylvia Long’s illustrations glow with brilliant color. Her watercolors are delicately detailed and perfect for identifying butterflies or just basking in their beauty. The book was handlettered by Anne Robin and Sylvia Long and most of the butterflies and caterpillars are neatly labeled. The layout of the illustrations and text is a big part of this book as they are so carefully integrated. Some of the spreads swirl across the entire page with  a section of text carefully placed in the middle. Other pages spotlight a few pictures against a white background, alternating with text.

The Extras: The acknowledgements include a long list of professional sources on butterflies. No guide to identification is needed, as the illustrations include captions.

Verdict: This is a beautiful, beautiful book. Perfect for reading aloud or enjoying alone, highly recommended for any library collection.

ISBN: 978-0811864794; Published May 2011 by Chronicle; Borrowed from the library; Purchased for the library

All the water in the world by George Ella Lyon, illustrated by Katherine Tillotson

Like Swirl by Swirl, This is another beautifully illustrated, lyrically written title about an aspect of nature. This time, it’s the water cycle. George Ella Lyon’s beautiful poem about the amazing beauty of water and the water cycle is perfectly spread out over Katherine Tillotson’s digital illustrations on handmade paper. The poem has a warm, friendly feel, “Everything waits/for an open gate/in a wall of clouds/for rain sweet and loud/to fill the well/and start the stream/Honey/living things dream/of water/for all to drink/use in tub or sink/wash in, splash in.” 

Tillotson’s illustrations show the progression of water through the water cycle as well as droughts, but her illustrations also explode with the life that comes from water, with a spray of droplets and waves hiding animals and people in its splashes. The book ends with an exhortation to conserve water and keep earth green for everyone.

Verdict: This is a great way to introduce very young children to the water cycle as well as being a fun and lovely read-aloud. I successfully used it with my pre-kindergarten classes last summer and they loved the exuberant language and details in the pictures. The text is integrated into the illustrations, so you’ll need to practice reading this aloud as it’s not always easy to follow the words. Highly recommended.

ISBN: 978-1416971306; Published March 2011 by Atheneum; Borrowed from the library; Purchased for the library

Cybils Nonfiction Picture Book Nominations

Eliza’s Cherry Trees: Japan’s gift to America by Andrea Zimmerman, illustrated by Ju Hong Chen

The Text: In short, brisk sentences, Zimmerman tells the story of the life of Eliza Scidmore, traveler and journalist, and of her long quest to plant cherry trees in Washington D.C. Eliza was the first woman “to have an important job” at the National Geographic Society and she traveled to many places most people had never seen, certainly not the average American woman – Alaska, Russia, Japan, and more. Her interest in Japan and its culture encouraged her to take on the task of convincing Washington park keepers to plant cherry trees. It took over twenty years for her to convince them it was a good idea, but although Eliza is mostly forgotten, her cherry trees are a symbol of Washington D. C.

The Illustrations: Ju Hong Chen’s illustrations are mixtures of brilliant color, like Eliza’s first meeting with the parks keeper in a blaze of orange, and surrealistic landscapes as in Eliza’s introduction to cherry trees, where cherry blossoms float in giant cotton candy blobs above a flat green and blue background.

The Extras: A timeline of Eliza Scidmore’s life is included

The Verdict: This is not one of Andrea Zimmerman’s better efforts. The language sounds bland and choppy “She worked hard and made good money.” “Eliza was very happy” and is often vague, as when we are told Eliza has “an important job” with the National Geographic Society…doing what, exactly? The illustrations were uninspired and often had a flat, lifeless quality. Eliza’s life is interesting, but the text is too long for the average picture book – or preschooler - and the illustrations will not hold the attention of older children. I would have liked to have seen a chapter book of her life with more discussion of her travels and life in general and more original documents.

ISBN: 978-1589809543; Published March 2011 by Pelican; Borrowed from the library

Olivia's Birds: Saving the Gulf by Olivia Bouler


11-year-old Olivia Bouler was very upset when she heard about the Gulf oil spill. She'd always loved birds and wanted to help, so she started an online fundraiser with her bird art. In this book, she combines her pictures of birds around the world with facts and information about the amazing world of birds. The book ends with Olivia's story of her efforts to aid conservation, the plight of birds in the Gulf oil spill and in other areas, what she would do if she were president, and how kids can help.


Verdict: Kids will be interested to see a real book written by one of their peers. There's nothing particularly outstanding about the art or text, but if you're looking for books to inspire kids to get involved and make a difference, this is a good choice.

ISBN: 978-1402786655; Published April 2011 by Sterling; Borrowed from the library

A place for fish by Melissa Stewart, illustrated by Higgins Bond


Stewart follows the formula of her other "place" books, mixing a few simple sentences about the various threats to fishes' well-being with a sidebar of facts about a specific species of fish and how they are in danger. The simple sentences give environmental information including the danger of over-fishing, pollution, capturing rare fish for pets, and invasive species, among other threats. The sidebar information includes species such as hammerhead sharks, smallmouth bass, lined seahorses, Atlantic salmon, and more.
Bond's acrylic illustrations are photographic with intense detail in the landscapes and fish.

Extras: There is a list of simple things kids can do in the last sidebar, as well as additional fish facts, bibliography, suggested websites, and the endpapers contain maps showing the location of the various species highlighted throughout the book


Verdict: This series seems to be popular among librarians, but I've never quite gotten the point of it (although I love Melissa Stewart's Under the Snow and similar books). In this particular volume, the simple sentences seem aimed at a younger audience, but what purpose does telling kids "When people find other ways to make electricity, fish can live and grow" serve? The suggestions for kids to get involved are ok, but these books are basically a list of all the things that are killing fish; very few of them are things kids can affect, and the "solutions" are so vague and general they don't offer much hope. I would rather have practical books about ways kids can recycle and help the environment, concrete examples of how scientists and activists are making changes, and books about fish that are just...books about fish. Feel free to try to change my mind and explain how you use these books!


ISBN: 978-1561455621; Published March 2011 by Peachtree; Borrowed from the library


About hummingbirds: A guide for children by Cathryn and John Sill

Sill's "About" series pairs simple facts with exquisite watercolors detailing species, habitats, and details of the featured animals.
This title focuses on hummingbirds and Sill talks about their feeding habits, different species of hummingbird, reproduction, and more. The illustrations are, as always, beautifully detailed and perfectly illustrate the simple sentences.

Extras: The afterword includes extensive details on each color plate and the hummingbird or aspect of hummingbirds it features. There is also a glossary, further reading, sources, and information about the authors and their other titles.

Verdict: This is a popular series which I use frequently in story time as it works well with young children. The text in this particularly title felt a little bland in comparison with some of their other titles, but this is still an excellent addition and one I recommend for any library.

ISBN: 978-1561455881; Published July 2011 by Peachtree; Borrowed from the library; Purchased for the library

Bring on the Birds by Susan Stockdale

The Text: Susan Stockdale’s simple rhymes introduce young children to a variety of birds and their special attributes. “Swooping birds/ whooping birds/birds with puffy chests/dancing birds/diving birds/birds with fluffy crests.” The rhythm of the text is perfect for chanting aloud. A guide at the end of the story identifies each bird and explains a little more about their special ability from the rhyme.

The Illustrations: Stockdale’s colorful acrylic illustrations are simple enough to be easily seen by a large group of children, but detailed enough to identify the birds. Each picture is set within a simple red border and the colors are carefully harmonized to make the birds show up brilliantly against their surroundings.

The Extras: In addition to the identification guide and information about the birds mentioned above, further resources/sources on birds are also included.

Verdict: This title, like Stockdale’s Fabulous Fishes, is a perfect nonfiction read aloud for story time. You can read it straight through, have the kids echo the lines to chant along, or read it with the kids identifying the birds (with help from the guide as needed) or all three! Highly recommended, especially for preschool and kindergarten.

ISBN: 978-1561455607; Published February 2011 by Peachtree; Borrowed from the library; Purchased for the library

Cybils Nonfiction Picture Book Nominations: History

I feel better with a frog in my throat: History’s strangest cures by Carlyn Beccia

The Text: In a quiz format, Beccia introduces us to the weird, wacky, and just plain gross medical cures throughout history. The book shows cures for a disease, for example “History’s strangest cures for Sore throats” gives “A frog down the throat/A necklace made of earthworms/A dirty sock tied around the neck” then the reader turns the pages to see a more information on which cures actually worked and why people thought they would.

The Illustrations: Beccia’s medieval caricatures are the perfect fit for her gruesome text, showing reluctant children and adults trying out the often disgusting cures given to them.

The Extras: An author’s note explains the difficulty of tracking the exact origin of many old cures and gives a selected bibliography.

Verdict: A fascinating, funny, and icky book. Packed full of well-organized information, this will be a hit with kids who like history and the gross and weird. Beccia’s Raucous Royals has been a huge hit at my library, even for kids who aren’t history buffs, and this title will be even more popular. Highly recommended.

ISBN: 978-0547225708; Published October 2010 by Houghton Mifflin; Borrowed from the library

 Franklin and Winston: A Christmas that changed the world by Douglas Wood, illustrated by Barry Moser

The Text: Wood introduces the two key players in this excerpt from history, Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt, with quotes and a brief description of the events that led them to become powerful world leaders, set to save the Allied nations from the Axis in December 1941. Churchill made the dangerous trip to America to meet with the president. Churchill charmed the press and staff, although he was often an eccentric and difficult guest. Together Churchill and Roosevelt built an alliance and a friendship that had far-reaching impact on the world.

The Illustrations: Moser’s lush watercolor illustrations show the world of 1941 as well as the characters of Roosevelt and Churchill. Their friendship is an overarching theme through the illustrations of meetings, speeches, meals and daily life during Churchill’s visit. The illustrations were based on photographs, giving them a realistic style while still allowing the artist to add depth and emotion to the characters.

The Extras: An afterword lists the important accomplishments of Churchill and Roosevelt during their visit and an author’s note mentions the personal connections of World War II for Douglas Wood. An extensive bibliography and information on the art and typeface is also included.

Verdict: This is a beautiful and well-written book, focusing on an interesting aspect of World War II. However, I think it would be best used in a school library setting, where it could offer supplementary material to students studying World War II. The picture book format and lack of action make it unlikely to be a browsing choice in a public library.

ISBN: 978-0763633837; Published September 2011 by Candlewick; Borrowed from the library

 Big Wig: A little history of hair by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Peter Malone

The Text: Kathleen Krull traces hair from prehistory, when people groomed each other, to wigs in Egypt, hair dyes in 16^th century Venice, elaborate wigs in Versailles, to present day styles made popular by celebrities.

The Illustrations: The kooky illustrations match the tongue-in-cheek text, showing prehistory punk Scotchmen scaring proper Englishmen in bowlers with their chalked hair, ancient Greeks battling over cures for baldness, and a slyly smiling French courtier shooting a miniature cannon in her elaborate wig towards her friend’s matching bird in a cage embedded in her hair.

The Extras: An author’s note begins the story, explaining Krull’s interest in the history of hair. “Big Wig Hair Extensions” gives a timeline of additional information about hairstyles through the ages and their connections to history. A list of sources, marked with the best pictures and best for young readers, is also included.

Verdict: This is a weird and interesting book with a sly sense of humor. While I would have liked to see more sources and less speculation, it’s all in good fun and kids who like wacky facts will scoop this one up right away.

ISBN: 978-0439676403; Published August 2011 by Arthur A. Levine Books; Borrowed from the library

 Basketball Belles: How two teams and one scrappy player put women’s hoops on the map by Sue Macy, illustrated by Matt Collins

The Text: The beginning of women’s basketball is told through the eyes of Agnes Morley, one of the first players. From her childhood on a ranch, Morley went to college at Stanford, where she was introduced to basketball. The story then focuses on a play by play recounting of the first basketball game played between two women’s teams, Berkeley and Stanford.

The Illustrations: The paintings are slick and glossy and focus on the movement and interaction of the players throughout the game. I didn’t quite get the feeling of movement and excitement from them that I expected; the players barely seem to be mussed at all, even in the final spread when it says “Our hair is messy. Our bloomers are torn. Our faces are streaked with sweat.” all I see is a little loose hair. The artist did do a good job of showing the various plays and ways the older basketball rules differed from today in the way the players move around the court.

The Extras: An author’s note explains why Macy chose to use Morley as the narrator of the story and gives more details about her life. A timeline of women’s basketball and resources, books, museums and websites, are also included.

Verdict: I felt that the scope of the book was too limited. After only two spreads on Agnes Morley’s early life, the rest of the book is a play by play account of the game. The story doesn’t really explain the subtitle “How two teams and one scrappy player put women’s hoops on the map” since it ends with Agnes’ excitement about winning the game. The additional information expanded on the story a great deal, but I would have liked to see all of it incorporated in a longer book for older children. It’s hard to interest children or adults in historical sports titles and including more history about women’s basketball up to the present would have made it easier to interest patrons in this book.

ISBN: 978-0823421633; Published April 2011 by Holiday House; Borrowed from the library

 Mali under the night sky: A Lao story of home by Youme Landowne

The Text: A little girl named Mali loves her peaceful, happy home in Laos. She loves her family, climbing trees, and celebrating together. But war is coming closer and nothing is safe or happy anymore. So Mali and her family run through the night, cross the great river in a small boat, and escape. When they arrive in a new country, they are put in jail “for not having a home.” Mali keeps her memories and stories close though, knowing they will stay with her through the journey to a new home.

The Illustrations: The pictures have a simple, childlike quality. Mali and her family and the world they live in are shown in swirling colors. The illustrated spreads are bordered with colored patterns, making each picture stand out like a separate glimpse into Mali’s life.

The Extras: Malichansouk Kouanchao has included a message about her experiences and her belief in the power of creativity and stories. One of her pieces of art, Self Portrait, is also included. An additional message from author and artist Thavisouk Phrasavath is also included.

Verdict: The simple text and illustrations do a good job of expressing the story of a refugee from a child’s point of view. However, I would have liked more background information and framing for the story. I couldn’t figure out what Phrasavath had to do with the story and there isn’t any information about the events in Laos/Thailand. We don’t even know the names of the countries from the stories, only from the publisher’s flap copy. Is there some significance to the patterns in the borders? How did Mali get from Thailand (presumably the country where her family was imprisoned) to the US? Did Youme collaborate with Mali to write this story? Too many questions are left unanswered.

ISBN: 978-1933693682; Published October 2010 by Cinco Puntos Press; Borrowed from the library

 Right where you are now by Lisa Montierth, illustrated by Ashley Burke

The Text: The author looks at prehistory, showing how “right where you are now” the landscape was very different, with volcanoes, prehistoric animals, jungles, and oceans.

The Illustrations: The pictures and wild and colorful, but difficult to identify even with the visual dictionary at the end of the story. Some of them are odd and creepy and don’t seem to fit into the story, like the ending spread showing children and a dog imagining what might be there in the future; something that looks like a Pacman with massive teeth, a bone with a ribbon, and a flying rabbit?

The Extras: A visual dictionary identifies most of the animals and a few geographical events introduced in the book.

Verdict: Some of the pictures were attractive and it’s a good basic concept, but the art was uneven and there weren’t enough sources and information about the massive amounts of information condensed into the book. I didn’t like the vagueness of “right where you are now” which makes it sound like there were volcanoes, jungles, floods, and prehistoric animals all in the same place. Also, when I saw the author list her favorite dinosaur as a brontosaurus, that made the rest of the information suspect to me and I wanted to see a bibliography and sources and maps. Not recommended.

ISBN: 978-0984442225; Published September 2011 by Craigmore Creations; Review copy provided by publisher for Cybils

 Underground: Finding the light to freedom by Shane W. Evans

The Text: Brief, powerful words and short sentences accompany the illustrations, showing the emotional impact of escaping on the Underground Railway. The main focus of this story, for example the first three pages’ text reads, “The darkness/The escape/We are quiet”

The Illustrations: The illustrations are rough images in the dark, showing the fear and tense atmosphere of the journey on the Underground Railroad, until the passengers arrived at the light and freedom and the pictures blossom into flaming gold , yellow and orange.

The Extras: An author’s note explains briefly how he came to write this story and expands on a modern person who helps the homeless, Pastor Alice, to whose organization a portion of the book’s proceeds are given.

Verdict: This is a powerful and beautiful book, but there are so many titles on the Underground Railroad and the information in this title is extremely sparse. I would only recommend purchasing this if you are a large library with the budget for and interest in extended/additional purchases in this area.

ISBN: 978-1596435384; Published January 2011 by Roaring Brook; Borrowed from the library

Unforgettable season: the story of Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams and the record-setting summer of ’41 by Phil Bildner, illustrated by S. D. Schindler

The Text: Bildner tells the story of Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams record-setting streaks in the summer of 1941 in excited, breathless sentences. The story alternates between the two men, showing their initial unpopularity among fans and the slow build of enthusiasm as people watched their hitting streaks continue.

The Illustrations: The art is watercolor, ink and gouache and focuses on the faces and attitudes of the players and fans. There are small touches of advertisements, clothing, and furniture, bringing the reader into the time period of the 1940s. The enthusiasm and cheerfulness of the text is shown in the faces of the players and fans.

The Extras: Some additional baseball statistics are included at the back of the book. Sources are included in the copyright information at the beginning of the book.

Verdict: I’m generally reluctant to purchase historical sports books, but this is a nice introduction to two very famous players for younger children. The writing has a brisk pace, the illustrations are attractive, and overall I would recommend this title for any library collection.

ISBN: 978-0399255014; Published March 2011 by Putnam; Borrowed from the library

Cybils Nonfiction Picture Book Nominations: Geography

This next installment of Cybils nominations are all roughly geographical, centered around places both modern and historical.

Orani: My father’s village by Claire Nivola

The Text: In lush, breathtaking prose, Nivola presents the Sardinian village where her father was born and grew up and which she visited often as a child. Her childhood memories form the bulk of the book, as she visits cousins and experiences all the life of the small village, including the small businesses, often owned by family, the festivals, and all the warmth and excitement of summer.

The Illustrations: Nivola’s lovely illustrations capture the life and color of the small village, as well as the wilderness of the surrounding mountains and hills. The vibrant colors and and simple houses combine to perfectly show the simple, happy life she experienced as a child.

The Extras: A lengthy author’s note talks about her childhood and family’s experiences in leaving Orani and her own feelings about the small village when she returned. The endpapers contain drawn maps of the Mediterranean and the island of Sardinia.

Verdict: This is a lovely book, but I have trouble seeing an audience for it. It is a somewhat idealized vision of a child’s memories of life in a small, rural town. Some children may be interested in the exotic feel of the very different experiences and the illustrations are attractive, but it’s appeal to the children in general is limited. It will be of more interest to adults, especially those who immigrated as children from similar small towns.

ISBN: 978-0374356576; Published July 2011 by Farrar Straus Giroux; Borrowed from the library

T is for Taj Mahal: An India alphabet by Varsha Bajaj, illustrated by Robert Crawford

The Text: This is the latest addition to Sleeping Bear’s Discover the World series. Framed by the alphabet, the reader is introduced to 26 people, places, events and general concepts in India. Each page has a somewhat forced poem presenting the subject, for example “A is for Aryans/Ancient history tells us/the Aryans came to stay./The Vedas tell us stories/about life in their day.” The concept is further explored in a few paragraphs. The book includes the following: Aryans, Bollywood, Cricket, Dress, Epics, Festivals, Gandhi, Himalayas, Independent India, Jewelry, Kathak, Languages, Music, Neighbors, Ocean, Prime Minister, Qutab Minar, Religion, Spices, Taj Mahal, Urban Centers, Villages, Wildlife, eXports, Yoga, and Zero.

The Illustrations: Crawford’s illustrations show a variety of historical and contemporary people, places, and concepts, from a richly decorated Kathak dancer, with stylized facial features and large eyes, to a simple set of flashcards showing various words that have been adopted into English. The landscapes are broadly painted with panoramas of oceans, skyscrapers and more. The pictures focusing on people are richly colored and decorated, showing the vibrant life and color of the various groups in India.

The Extras: A detailed map of India is placed at the beginning of the book.

Verdict: India has a wide variety of ethnic groups and it appeared to me that only the lighter-skinned groups were depicted. Some of the skin colors are indeterminate, being closer to gray, but most are uniformly light. One boy in the picture depicting “Independent India” has darker skin and appears to have slightly curly hair. I was disappointed that none of the people shown had the rich, dark skin I’ve seen in many of my own friends from India. The facial depictions vary wildly from unrealistically stylized,with large curved eyes, to more realistic expressions. The information about India is interesting, but the short poems are clunky and the alphabet device seems overworn to me – the lengthy information about the subjects is directed at children who are certainly beyond alphabet books. It’s an interesting concept, but one I don’t see a place for in my library.

ISBN: 978-1585365043; Published March 2011 by Sleeping Bear Press; Borrowed from the library

 Arlington: The story of our nation’s cemetery by Chris Demarest

The Text: Chris Demarest follows the history of Arlington from the construction of Arlington House in 1802 to the rules and regulations that govern it as Arlington Cemetery today. Arlington House was built by George Washington Parke Custis and filled with paintings and memorabilia of George Washington. In 1831, his daughter Mary married Robert E. Lee and the two lived in Arlington House until the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, when Lee resigned from the army and went to lead the Southern troops. In 1864, Arlington was turned into a military cemetery for Northern soldiers. Over the years, soldiers from the Revolutionary war, Spanish-American conflict, World War I, and every other war were buried in Arlington. Demarest explains some of the special monuments and people in Arlington, including the Tomb of the Unknowns and presidents Kennedy and Taft. Throughout the timeline of the history of Arlington, Demarest includes information on the rituals and ceremonies associated with Arlington and the design and maintenance of the grounds.

The Illustrations: Demarest is an official artist for the Coast Guard and his paintings capture the cemetery during many historical periods. One of the most interesting things about the illustrations are the carefully researched views of Arlington from a variety of angles. Demarest also includes some interesting notes, like an oak tree that begins as a sapling in the first illustration and continues to grow throughout the history of the cemetery, finally being surrounded by new saplings.

The Extras: A few black and white photos, timeline, partial list of memorials, and a brief section on Freedman’s Village, where slaves from the Arlington estate and some freed slaves from the south lived for many years during and after the Civil War. An author’s note discusses the significance of Arlington Cemetery and the illustrations. Acknowledgements, recommended reading, and websites are also included.

Verdict: This title will not have a wide audience, but fills a niche, especially if you have military families in your community. It’s also a useful title for people planning to visit Arlington. Recommended for purchase.

ISBN: 1596435178; Published October 2011 by Flash Point; Borrowed from the library; Added to my library's wishlist

 Celebritrees: Historic and famous trees of the world by Marji Preus, illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon

The Text: After a brief introduction, the reader is shown a wide variety of famous trees around the world. Each tree has a name or title, species, location, and estimated age with a few paragraphs about the history of the tree. The history includes explanations of some of the things that make the tree special For example, the section on Methuselah explains that it is the oldest known living thing on earth with an age estimated at 4,800 years, mentions the age of Methuselah during some major events, and notes the name comes from the Biblical character who was said to have lived 900 years. Trees from around the world are included; the tallest and biggest Redwoods in California, the thickest trees, a Chestnut and Cypress in Italy and Mexico, the famous Bodhi tree sacred to Buddhists, The Chapel Oak in France, The Major Oak in England, The Boab Prison Tree in Australia, a variety of trees with historical significance in America, and trees planted on the moon.

The Illustrations: The pictures are cheerful and colorful, with many small touches of humor and interest. Faces are usually smiling and have an almost doll-like quality. Some of the illustrations are anthropomorphized, like the smiling moon.

The Extras: Further information about the trees is given in the section following the main portion of the book, adding details about the trees’ species and history. Ecological information to help trees grow and thrive is included and a bibliography and list of websites.

Verdict: This is an interesting book with cheerful illustrations on a unique topic. I think the illustrations would have been better suited to a picture book; I enjoyed them, but found it frustrating that I couldn’t really identify the trees because of the style of the paintings, for example the Tule Tree in Mexico is supposed to have unusual bark formations, but the illustration just shows a mass of brown with finer line scrawls across it. However, I did enjoy this book on the whole and would recommend it for purchase.

ISBN: 978-0805078299; Published March 2011 by Henry Holt; Borrowed from the library

 Cursed Grounds by Steven L. Stern

The Text: The author presents eleven reputedly cursed places in the world, beginning with the cursed city of Bhangarh in India, and ending with the Billy Goat curse on Wrigley Field in Chicago. Other cursed places include the Devil’s Pool in Australia, the Palmyra Atoll in the Pacific Ocean and various towns in the USA. Evidence on both sides is presented for the scary phenomena.

The Illustrations: A variety of paragraphs are included throughout the story. The backgrounds and edges of the pages show a spider’s web of tree branches and the creepy cobweb effect is continued down over some of the photographs. Other photographs show reconstructions of historical places as well as photographs of skeletons, mummies, and the frightening places where they were found.

The Extras: Small captions appear throughout the book identifying various images and information. A map of the places discussed in the book, glossary, short bibliography, suggested reading, and link to more information on Bearport’s website are also included.

Verdict: The creepy photographs and stories will make this a hit with kids who like scary nonfiction. This is one of the newest additions to Bearport’s Scary Places series and this series is a good choice for filling in your 133 sections. Recommended.

ISBN: 978-1617721472; Published January 2011 by Bearport; Borrowed from the library

A Walk in London by Salvatore Rubbino

The Text: A mother and her daughter go on a trip through London, visiting famous landmarks and places. They start in Westminster, hearing the sound of Big Ben, visit St. James’s Park, watch the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, travel through Trafalgar Square, eat and watch the performers in Covent Garden Piazza, then enter the oldest part of the London, the City or Square Mile. They visit St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Bank of England’s museum, see The Monument commemorating the Great Fire of London, and finally end their tour with a trip to the Tower of London and a ferry journey on the Thames. Throughout the story, which is told through simple dialogue between the mother and daughter, detailed captions explain various landmarks, historical events, and give facts about monuments and geographical information.

The Illustrations: Rubbino’s mixed media illustrations charmingly capture the bustle and excitement of the city, emphasizing the many historical landmarks. His sharp-nosed characters peer excitedly around corners and up at buildings, showing a variety of activities centered around the various places visited in the story.

The Extras: The endpapers show a map with the route followed by the main characters show in red arrows and souvenirs of their trip scattered about.

Verdict: I don’t think I would put this title in the nonfiction section of the library, because of the fictionalized dialogue that composes the story, but I’d definitely add it to the picture book collection. Children will enjoy poring over the detailed pictures and following the mother and daughter on their journey throughout the city.

ISBN: 978-0763652722; Published March 2011 by Candlewick; Borrowed from the library