Small Readers: Okay, Andy! by Maxwell Eaton III

I was skeptical when, several years ago, I first encountered Eaton's deadpan stories with their lumpy, broadly drawn illustrations. I quickly became a fan, however, especially when I saw how much kids giggled over them. When his graphic novel series, Beaver Brothers came out, I was hooked. So I was quite thrilled to see that he's back with a new easy reader series.

It would be easy to call these "the new Elephant and Piggie" and compare them to Willems, but they're a completely different animal. Heh.

The book opens with bright yellow endpapers, patterned with a stick, leaves, stone, turtle, acorn, and cattail. The title page gives the reader the first hint that Andy and Preston's relationship isn't the typical odd fellow friendship, showing the alligator holding the....let's call him a groundhog...up to his mouth. The first chapter, "Rabbit Games", introduces Andy (the alligator) and Preston (the other one). Andy is dreaming of a tasty rabbit dish, when Preston shows up, ready to play with his best friend! They're playing with a rabbit! So much fun! Andy, resigned to the situation, decides that Preston might as well be useful, but the game doesn't end up the way he expects! In chapter two, "Okay Andy" Preston is cheerfully collecting things to add to his acorn and keeps asking Andy if it's okay for him to have them. When Andy loses his footing, his stick, and his temper, will things be okay? Maybe, maybe not. The third and last chapter, "ZZZ" hints that Preston just might not be the friendly but clueless type. Andy just wants to sleep, but Preston wants to play a guessing game! This is the funniest chapter and kids will giggle helplessly as the exhausted Andy guesses all the wrong things for Preston's sound...and they both get a big surprise!

Maxwell Eaton's art has a distinctive, handmade style with big blocks of color and thick, hand-drawn lines. You might expect the dot eyes and lines to create characters that lack expression, but they are wonderfully expressive. Andy's exasperated friendship, Preston's enthusiasm, and Eaton's deadpan humor shine through every part of the art.

The text is simple, in some chapters consisted of only a few words, but this is one that will build children's visual as well as textual literacy, encouraging them to look for clues in the pictures, combine those with the text, and figure out what's going on beyond just the surface of the text. They will also be encouraged to read facial and physical expressions.

Verdict: No surprise that this was the 2014 Cybils winner! Funny and a great mix of text and art, perfect for a beginning reader with a little experience. Highly recommended.

ISBN: 9781609053505; Published 2014 by Blue Apple; Purchased for the library

Nonfiction Monday: Why'd They Wear That? Fashion as the Mirror of History by Sarah Albee

A few years ago I went to a museum exhibit of Impressionist art, with the fashion of the time period to accompany it. It was amazing, but I drove my friends nuts. While they were oohing and aahing over the amazing clothes, I was wondering how long servants had to spend ironing those millions of pleats. So, when Sarah Albee first announced that she was writing a book on fashion, I knew I was going to love it. She has a genius for looking into the small, practical aspects of history and relating them to the bigger events.

The book opens with a foreword by Tim Gunn and an introduction by Sarah Albee, explaining how the book is arranged and a general overview of how fashion and history are intertwined.

The main body of the book is divided into time periods, beginning with "The Ancient World", which includes Egyptian fashion, silk, Celts, and how fashion affected the Roman world. "The Middle Ages" focuses on Europe and the cost and expense of clothing, but also talks about how the Crusades affected European industry and includes snippets of information about Japanese styles. "The Age of Exploration" expands fashion across the globe, including dyes and their effect on the economy. "The Renaissance" focuses on the extravagant European styles, including poisonous make up (which isn't as historical as you might think!). "The Age of Reason" contrasts the clothing styles of the wealthy versus the poor, what colonists wore and how it related to the beginnings of revolution and how clothes were (or weren't) laundered. "Revolutionary Times" explains the importance of beaver pelts in the colonial economy and the growing use of cotton and its effect on the politics and economy of India and the American colonies. "Marching Toward Modernity" covers the mid-1700s to the early 1900s and includes a wide range of information about changes in children's fashions, military fashions, and the growing importance of the cotton and textile industry. "The Industrial Revolution" takes this information and digs deeper, talking about the rapid changes in the world that were affected by the fashion industry and in turn made major changes in fashion from more freedom for women's clothing to labor conditions in sweatshops. There's also a fascinating section on how the discovery of synthetic dyes made a drastic change in clothing styles and their economic and class significance. There are also sections on swimwear, athletic wear, fads in women's hats that affected wildlife, and more. The final chapter "World at War" takes readers through the radical changes in the world during the two world wars and the how the political and economic changes were reflected in clothing.

Final sections encourage thinking about how our clothing choices today reflect our world, from mass-produced clothing in third-world countries to wearing fur. Back matter includes a time line, final notes from the author, bibliography, further reading and resources, index, and credits for the extensive illustrations and photographs that fill the book.

Sarah Albee's great skill is in making history come alive and showing how the sometimes distant and unreal events like wars and politics, affected everyday people; not to mention how everyday people and events affected larger events. Of course kids have always wondered exactly how you went to the bathroom in one of those giant hoop skirts or how a knight in armor went to the bathroom (the answer...well, would you stop in the middle of battle to take all your armor off so you could go....)- but did they ever stop to think about how people fastened their clothes with no buttons, zippers or Velcro? Or how the cotton they might see growing in the fields or wear every day had a major effect on world events? It might even start some kids thinking about where their clothes come from and how they can make more informed choices.

Verdict: Copious photographs and a constant stream of interesting, weird, and gross facts will keep kids' interest, even if they aren't history or fashion fans, and by the end of the book they'll not only be amused, they'll also have learned some subtle lessons about how the small choices we make affect the world around us. Highly recommended.

ISBN: 9781426319198; Published 2015 by National Geographic; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library

This week at the library; or, Spring is here and so is flu

What's going on in my head and at the library

• Well, flu. A large number of kids, selected teachers, and my own Pattie are down. I am feeling a bit queasy myself. Have I not been sick enough this winter?? Possibly not. I subbed for Pattie's storytimes Tuesday morning, using Jess's storytime from Monday night. Yay! No planning required! I also went home early on Wednesday, after all the extra hours I put in last week.
• This was the week of unexpected outreach. Another cub scout troop showed up Monday night (although they didn't need a tour) and our special education school called on Tuesday to ask if they could come Wednesday for a tour. And this is why having a second person is awesome! I have a backup plan for this school (which works as long as they bring kids at roughly the same developmental stage).
• Then I spent two hours at Walmart and running errands on Thursday. All told I did 10 programs this week. I'm so tired...but I'm excited that I'm getting summer outreach with the schools set up already!

Programs

• Playgroup with Pattie (cancelled)
• Tiny Tots (Jess)
• Toddlers 'n' Books (2 sessions) (I subbed)
• March Outreach: Spring Hatchlings (5 sessions)
• Winter Wigglers: Dance Party
• Lakeland Outreach (Jess)
• Books 'n' Babies (Pattie)
• Family Game Night (Pattie)
• Mad Scientists Club: Mixing Magic part 2
• We Explore Favorite Artist Beth Krommes

Stealth Programs

• 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten
• I Spy Aquarium
• Birdwatching station
• Take Home Storytime: Let's Eat!
• Take Home Storytime: For the birds
• Activity Table: Bring on the Spring

What the kids are reading (selections)

• Poetry at a 3rd grade level
• Encyclopedias (cub scouts earning badges at the library)
• Book of Life dvd (checked out)
• Greek cookbook
• Care Bears books and movies
• Potty training books

Hilda and the Black Hound by Luke Pearson

I just love the Hilda stories. That doesn't keep me from taking forever to read them. I am a little embarrassed to admit how long I had this one out from the library. So I'm not going to say.

The stories are never what you expect and I'm always surprised, amazed, and in love all over again.

Hilda still misses the wild hills but she's cautiously excited when her mother encourages her to join the Sparrow Scouts. But things are quickly complicated by the appearance of a Nisse, a house spirit, and Hilda's inability to stop helping him despite the catastrophes that follow in his wake. Then there's her mother's eagerness to see her do well at Scouts and Hilda's nagging misery that everyone but her is getting badges. What's even worse, is that there's a dangerous black hound on the loose - is it something supernatural or just her imagination?

Pearson's art, as Hilda has moved from the wild moors to the town, has become appropriately more focused on the people she now interacts with and the tighter, more civilized environs of the town, rather than the more abstract landscapes of the hills and mountains. Hilda's emotions have become more complex as well and that's reflected in her facial expressions and those of the kids and adults she tries to relate to. Of course, there are also a lot of Nisses with full-facial hair in this story, so not so much expression there. It's a magical blend of cute and mysterious that never fails to delight.

Verdict: I keep thinking that these are so different kids won't be interested in them, but I'm proved wrong again and again. If your library doesn't own any, try the first volume and see what happens!

ISBN: 9781909263185; Published 2014 by Nobrow/Flying Eye; Purchased for the library

Small Readers: Smick by Doreen Cronin

I've never reviewed a picture book in Small Readers, which is my series for easy readers. But when I read this through, the first thing I thought was Geisel. Absolutely, Geisel all the way.

There are fifteen words and they tell a sweet and simple story, with plenty of humor. The main word, of course, is "Smick" the name of the dog. An unseen narrator gives Smick instructions, "Sit, Smick." When things go wrong, they add commentary, "Oh, Smick, oh!"

I hadn't heard of Medina before; I think this is her first children's book in the US, although there are images on her website that imply a lot of other books I wasn't able to find any other titles. Anyways. She has a loose, cartoon style that was a great counterpoint to Cronin's repetitive, limited text. With spare charcoal lines, lit up by a blue collar and gold tag, Smick sits, jumps, runs and leaps across the page. The second character, Chick, is one of the two other items that appear - the other being a photograph of a stick. Chick's body is a flower petal with a speckled yellow center and red edges.

The illustrations spread across pages with generous white space, leaving nothing to distract from the simple story. The font is extra large and bold, perfect for the earliest beginning reader or to share with a baby.

Verdict: This is one of those books that shows that simple can be best. A great choice for a beginning reader, to read aloud to a baby, or to share in storytime. Highly recommended.

ISBN: 9780670785780; Published 2015 by Viking/Penguin; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library

Nonfiction Monday: Zoology for kids by Josh and Bethanie Hestermann

Kids who are fascinated with animals will love this introduction to zoologists which, as the subtitle says, covers both "Understanding and Working with Animals."

The book opens with an introduction from the Kratt brothers and the co-authors, followed by a timeline of somewhat random events, from the opening of zoos to the contributions of people in the field.

The main text of the book starts with a brief introduction defining zoology, then jumps into the first chapter that defines animals. Readers are warned that this is a little dense, and it is challenging, discussing cells, species, types of animals, and various special skills like echolocation. The next chapter explains animal behavior; life cycles, communication, and more. The third chapter explains how animals relate to and are intertwined with their environments, the concept of biomes, neighborhoods, and food chains. This is the first part of the book.

The second part of the book is much less dry with lots of stories and real-life anecdotes about animals and the zoologists who work with them. There are chapters on zookeepers, veterinarians, wildlife researchers, and conservationists. Each chapter explains in detail what the jobs entail, including education requirements, typical daily life on the job, and interviews with real zoologists and scientists. Each chapter ends with talking about the different careers available in the field and the best preparation for them. I appreciated that they included all the many different support positions, like groundskeepers and receptionists, that are included in the field.

Back matter includes acknowledgements, a detailed glossary, resources (various organizations), selected bibliography, and index. Hands-on projects are included in each chapter, ranging from creating your own species survival game (yes, this is a little morbid) to performing your own backyard animal research to playing an echolocation game. Additional information is included in charts and offset paragraphs throughout the book.

This isn't a book for a casual browser or a struggling reader. The text is fairly dense and the vocabulary challenging. The authors are honest about the difficulties and competition you will face in trying for a career as a zoologist. However, it's well-written, informative, and provides a wealth of information in an attractive format.

Verdict: Motivated animal lovers will devour this book, especially if they're serious about pursuing a career as a zoologist. Teachers will appreciate the variety of hands-on projects, which are suitable for a wide range of ages and abilities, and will want to use this as a resource. Although this won't have the high circulation numbers of, say, a National Geographic factoid book, it's a needed purchase for any library looking to balance their animal collection with some challenging, thorough resource materials.

ISBN: 9781613749616; Published 2015 by Chicago Review Press/IPG; Review copy provided by the publisher; Donated to the library

This week at the library; or, winter drags on

What's happening in my head and at the library

• I still have a cold. I think I am allergic to winter.
• Busy, busy, busy. Planning, meetings, programs, reports, and so forth.
• Friday afternoon I just ignored all the other things I have to do and cleaned out the YA magazines. Phew, that felt good!

Programs

• Pattie's CAFE (Pattie)
• Tiny Tots (Pattie)
• Cub scout tour
• Toddlers 'n' Books (2 sessions) (Pattie)
• Bookaneers
• Preschool Interactive: For the birds
• Books 'n' Babies (Pattie)
• Messy Art Club: Paper weaving
• March Outreach: Spring Hatchlings (3 sessions)

Stealth Programs

1,000 Books Before Kindergarten
I Spy Aquarium
Birdwatching station
Take Home Storytime: Let's Eat!
Activity Table: Bring on the Spring

What the kids are reading (or what I can remember)

• Bone books (lots of requests for these b/c of the poster I think)
• Transportation books (yay neighborhoods!)
• Read-alike for 26-story treehouse - gave them Buckley's Nerds
• Adventure books to read aloud to a 5th, 7th, and 8th grader on a car trip. I suggested Ranger's Apprentice and....another book I can't remember now. Guys Read Thriller maybe? 
• Transportation books (yay neighborhoods!)
• Paw Patrol and Princess Sofia - new movies are on order

Olive Marshmallow by Katie Saunders

The classic new baby formula gets a fresh and funny new look in this new title.

Archie lives in a blue boy world - his pajamas are blue, his toys are blue, and he loves "planes, robots, and football." But something is changing...Mommy's tummy has gotten big and her office is...pink! Archie is a little worried about all these "fluffy, frilly, very pink things" and then he finds out there's a baby in Mommy's tummy! Then Mommy goes to the hospital and comes back with the new baby (and the promised surprise for Archie). New baby Olive looks just like a marshmallow but Archie is more interested in his new tractor. But maybe those pink toys aren't so bad after all...and neither is Olive Marshmallow. Soon Archie and Olive are best friends...just in time for another surprise!

The quirky illustrations show an adorably curly-haired and stereotypical little boy who gradually warms up to the idea of a little sister, finally ending up with both of them romping through the playroom in pink wings and fairy crowns. The art style is a kind of modified Lauren Child, with soft colors and interesting patterns and shapes.

There are a couple odd notes - I find it hard to believe that the parents wouldn't tell Archie about the new sibling until his mom was, as can be seen in the picture, very close to giving birth. The ultrasound picture shows a cartoon baby with rosy cheeks, smiling in her sleep. Any child who sees an actual ultrasound is going to be in for a bit of a surprise! The final part of the story zips Olive from infant to toddler with surprising speed and although she looks like a mature toddler or young preschooler, it says that "Olive doesn't have much to say yet" so kids may be disappointed that their own infant siblings take a little longer to get to the point where they can play together.

Verdict: Although I do have some quibbles with the plotting of the story, it's a fun take on the new sibling theme and although I'd rather have seen Archie have a bit more of a toy variety at the beginning it was nice to see them all blended together at the end, as he realizes that Olive's toys are as fun as his own. A fun additional purchase if you're looking to expand your selection of new sibling purchases. I look forward to more titles from this new publisher.

ISBN: 9781499800197; Published March 2015 by Little Bee Books; F&G provided by publisher; Added to backlist of picture books

Read, Read, Read, said the Baby: Wild! by Courtney Dicmas

To be completely honest, I haven't felt very enthused about the picture books I've seen from Courtney Dicmas. I haven't been able to really get into her art style. However, when I got this new set of board books she has written and illustrated I had a very different reaction. I think her art is really suited to this medium - the bigger picture books seem to have a lot of white space and make her art too minimalist, fading into the background.

Wild! shows animals in four different daily activities; at play, eating, taking baths, and at bedtime. Wild! Bathtime has a simple rhyming text but paired with the wacky pictures is hilariously funny. When it says "Let's scrub our hands, and our faces," we see a mother cat and kitten washing their faces with tongue and paws and when it continues onto the next page, "And all those other...hard to reach places!" there's a troop of monkeys picking at each other's fur.

Wild! Mealtime shows another set of funny animal couples, parent and child, at mealtime. The mother snail has veggies for her baby, while the mother chipmunk warns her baby, with bulging cheek pouches, "Just take it slow." It ends with a naughty raccoon baby who's been hiding his peas - or so he thinks!

A series of playful animals are featured in Wild! Playtime from zooming otters to the harried father lion on the front page. Several of the animals are linked to natural behavior in the wild like dancing cranes and hopping kangaroos.

Wild! Bedtime is, I think, the funniest and features some of the more unusual animals. A perky little bunny shows up with her "teddy" to her mother's horror - it's a real bear! A flock of cygnets settles in on a swan's back, and "Kiss you, and turn out the light." is matched with an anglerfish, complete with glowing light.

Dicmas' art shows animals and backgrounds created with loose shapes in pastel hues. Additional details are added in a bright rainbow of colors. Some color schemes are similar to natural coloring, like the gray elephants and pink piglets, while others show a vibrant imagination, like the pink and purple cats with rainbow whiskers. In a few of the pictures the loose art style makes the activity unclear; from an adult perspective, I know the foxes are diving into the snow (to hunt mice probably) but the minimalist art won't make that clear to a child. However, most of the pictures work quite well for an older toddler and parents will appreciate the added humor of the pop-eyed animal  parents trying to survive their offspring's shenanigans.

The rhyming text isn't always perfect and there seem to be a lot of unnecessary commas, but since the primary draw of a board book is the art, especially for the younger toddlers, that's not a major issue. The books are a nice, sturdy square, about 7x7 inches, 7 pages each.

Verdict: This is a fun series with cute illustrations and generally acceptable text. Recommended as an additional purchase if you're looking to add to your board book collection. Board books are a major part of my circulation and collection and I would happily add them.

Wild! Bathtime
ISBN: 9781846436864

Wild! Mealtime
ISBN: 9781846436840

Wild! Playtime
ISBN: 9781846436857

Wild! Bedtime
ISBN: 9781846436871

Published March 2015 by Child's Play; Review copies provided by publisher; Donated to the library

Nonfiction Monday: Beetle Busters: A Rogue Insect and the People Who Track It by Loree Griffin Burns, photographs by Ellen Harasimowicz

I've really liked the other work that Loree Griffin Burns has done; Hive Detectives and Handle with Care. However, this fell short of my expectations.

The narrative opens with the emotional discovery of two teens boys that a wide swathe of trees has been cut. Why? They were infested with Asian longhorned beetles. The first chapter describes the beetle and its life cycle, which destroys trees. "To save trees, we have to kill the beetle, but to eliminate the beetle, we have to kill a lot of trees."

The next chapter explains how the beetle came to infest the US and the history of the six infestations that have been found - so far. Clint McFarland and Mike Bohne are part of the team of scientists and foresters trying to stop the infestation and the following chapter moves into their current efforts to eradicate the most recent beetle infestation in Worcester, MA. Unfortunately, it wasn't just the town that was infested - the beetles had moved to a small, wild forest nearby. The final chapter discuses the effects of tree cutting and the continued spread of the beetle and re-posits the original question "Was cutting those trees the right thing to do?"

An author's note explains that Loree Griffin Burns experienced the beetle infestation in her town and this book grew out of her experiences with how the beetles were handled. She doesn't entirely agree with Clint McFarland on his solutions for the ALB infestation, but supports continuing dialogue and research into the problem. Back matter includes sources to learn more, including books, movies, and websites, glossary, bibliography, acknowledgements, and index.

This departs from the usual model of the Scientists in the Field because it doesn't really focus on any of the characters involved and I think that's why I felt so disconnected from the story. The sources say that the book is primarily based on interviews conducted by the author over the course of three years with additional research, but I didn't get the feeling of seeing into the lives and passions of the scientists. Although this is obviously a very personal issue for the author, she didn't explain her own involvement until that final author's note and this left the whole book feeling very impersonal.

Verdict: I really wanted to like this one, but I just couldn't connect with it. The older Scientists in the Field title, Science Warriors is still a better choice in my opinion. If your budget is large enough, or if invasive species is a topic of interest to your patrons, you could have both, but if you can only have one go with Science Warriors.

ISBN: 9780547792675; Published 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Borrowed from another library in my consortium