What forest knows by George Ella Lyon, illustrated by August Hall

I've loved Lyon's other beautifully poetic picture books, and this seasonal title would be a perfect fit for my library, but I have one quibble that makes me hesitate.

Starting with the endpapers, which feature a stark winter landscape, shadowed by a few trees with a squirrel and rabbit in the foreground, the story begins with a forest in winter. The reader catches brief glimpses of a child and dog exploring the winter landscape. Slowly winter fades "Forest knows buds - soft life pushing through hard wood" and spring and the birds arrive. Animals begin to appear and light and green cover everything, but summer is all too brief. Fall arrives and the animals begin to return to their dens, leaves fall and finally winter arrives again.

I love the poetic language, which is brief and lovely. In general, I like the pictures, but the second to last spread, which slaps a close-up of the dog's face across the whole book is just...jarring. It doesn't fit in at all with the restrained, natural feel of the rest of the story and art. Some of the collage items interposed across the other pictures felt odd too, but I could see them fitting in with the art upon repeated perusals. I just can't take the cartoony dog's face. Or creepy, depending upon how you feel about staring black eyes.

Verdict: I'd love to have this for the beautiful seasonal poetry and the art on the whole, but I will probably pass as there are a lot of season books out there and that weird page just messes it up for me. If I was going to use it in storytime, I'd just skip that page probably.

ISBN: 9781442467750; Published 2015 by Simon and Schuster; Borrowed from another library in my consortium

Nonfiction Monday: Amazing Animals: Tigers by Valerie Bodden

When I finished our huge Neighborhoods project (it hardly seems real that pretty soon I won't be able to say "last year") one of the last things I did was purchase a lot of additional books to fill in weeded sections and empty space. One of the areas I knew we were going to need more titles was in the animals neighborhood. While I purchase almost exclusively from Baker and Taylor, I do make use of one rep who covers Bearport, ABDO, Creative Education, and a bunch of other nonfiction publishers. She came over and we had a cozy sit-down with stacks of catalogs and lots of sample books to discuss. Creative Education's Amazing Animals is one of the series I really liked and while I couldn't afford to get the whole thing, I did buy as many of the most popular animals as I could.

Who doesn't love tigers? I had to get tigers. The Amazing Animals series are a large picture-book sized series, heavily illustrated with photographs. Each page includes a simple paragraph about tigers and occasional supplemental information like the definition of a word, extra fact, or caption for a photograph. The text is simple enough for beginning readers to tackle or for young children to sit through. A sample paragraph; "Tigers live on the continent of Asia. Some tigers live in forests. There can be a lot of snow there. Other tigers live in swamps. It is warm in the swamps." The book ends with a short folktale about tigers. Back matter is one page including two books for further reading, two websites, and a brief index.

The pages are glossy and, unlike the usual bland white background of most easy series nonfiction, has borders that repeat the colors of the photographs. I've had these titles for close to a year and they have held up very well to multiple circulations. The pages are not easily ripped, the bindings are sturdy, and the amount of photographs and colored borders mean there's not a lot of white space to get dingy.

Verdict: These are great for kids just beginning to read or to learn about animals. They have enough information for lower grades doing reports and are definitely worth the $20 price tag. If you're getting ready to update your animal series, take a look at these.

ISBN: 9781583417201; Published 2009 by the Creative Company; Purchased for the library

Thrive Thursday: December 2015

It's time to start collecting awesome school-age program ideas for the December Thrive Thursday round-up! Leave your links here in the comments or over on the Facebook group.

Let the ideas begin!

This week at the library; or, I am feeling disorganized

wings at book club (you can tell who read Magicalamity
and who just likes wings)

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

• I don't know why. I just am.
• Kohls Wild Theater is an annual event at our library. This year I booked it in May, sent out letters to the schools in August, reminded the schools again in October, forgot that I'd booked it and had a panic attack in early November when I sent out the school information again, and then spent an hour or two creating self-guided tours of the library. 
• Thursday afternoon, I realized I had better put the colored arrows for the tours out NOW and scrambled to do that simultaneously with Lego Club. There was a lot of coming and going of me, my associate, and my aide, but I finished, kids built Legos, and all was well. Until a little girl helpfully collected a big handful of the arrows. Oy. My awesome associate, who does not like seeing her boss cry, put back the arrows and taped them all down. I was lucky to have an adult who likes to attend our after school clubs break down most of the tables and chairs for me.
• Friday morning, I arrived at the same time as the Kohls van (they were early!) let them in and gave them the run-down of what to expect. I finished setting up the room with chairs, laid down tape markers on the floor, and selected books for a display. Then I finished the last bits of prep for the tours (putting out books and coloring sheets at different points and making sure everything was more or less in order, pennies at the front desk for the wishing well, staff prepared, etc.).
• At 9:30 three classes of four year olds arrived on their bus and I started them off on the self-guided tours. They had to pace entering the library so they didn't get jumbled up. For the next half-hour, I zipped back and forth between letting the public into the performance room and making sure they sat in the areas delineated for them, checking on the tours ongoing in the library, and connecting up random kids (from the afternoon class) who arrived to join in.
• At about 9:50 two classes of four year olds arrived from another school (walking) with lots and lots of parent chaperones and siblings. I moved them into their area, made sure they all knew about sitting on their coats and which door to get out of, then shepherded the classes returning from the tours into their space.
• The program lasted about 30 minutes. During it I clapped, filled out their evaluation form, brought in latecomers, kept an eye on the audience for any emergencies, from sensory overload panic (I don't know if there's a specific name for this, but you know what I mean) to screaming babies, bathroom runs, or fingers in the floor electrical socket that's missing a cover.
• Afterwards I helped shepherd the two walking classes out their door, helped teachers and parents keep kids from making a break for it, said "hi" to my friends, distributed hugs and coloring sheets, and thanked the teachers for coming. Then I went back into the room and chatted with the classes who had to wait for their bus to come (one of the teachers is also the bus driver) and shepherded them out their various doors.
• Then clean up the display, pull up the tape, make sure the performers collected all their stuff, and went around the whole library picking up anything left from the tour (including peeling all the arrows off the floor). Normally I'd also have photographs to post to Facebook and organize, but I don't do photography with school groups.
• And then I left because I was exhausted and I'm working tomorrow.

Programs

• Monday
• Pattie's C.A.F.E.
• Tiny Tots (Pattie)
• Tuesday
• Toddlers 'n' Books (2 sessions) (Pattie)
• Rock 'n' Read
• Wednesday
• November Outreach: Tales and Tails (5 sessions)
• Thursday
• Books 'n' Babies (Pattie)
• Lego Club
• Friday
• Kohls Wild Theater and tours

Some projects completed/in progress this week

• Supervising, shifting nonfiction and holiday books and oversize.
• Finally dealt with some of the mess of the library pinterest boards by transferring previous school booktalk lists over to my own pinterest pags and slimming down the library's pages.
• Created self-guided tours for 4K groups on Friday.
• Cleaning out files in an attempt to be more organized
• Finished shifting YA

What the kids are reading; A Selection

• Read-alikes for wimpy kid and big nate - Odd Squad and Stick Dog
• Dot the fire dog - only had the movie
• Football books for a 4th grader - Mike Lupica and Jake Maddox. Wanted movies too, but all I could think of was Wild Soccer Bunch.
• Made a kid very happy by telling her we just got Chi's Sweet Home 12 in.
• What bees do in winter
• Trains
• Curious George
• 1000+ lexiles
• I survived read-alikes (time to get that list up!)
• fire trucks
• American Girl (historical fiction for 4th grader, was reading AG but teacher wouldn't pass it b/c not 100 pgs, so I showed them Beforever...heh heh heh)

Emily Feather and the Starlit Staircase by Holly Webb

In the final book if the Emily Feather quartet, Emily's feelings of displacement that have been lingering since the first book, when she discovered she was the adopted human child in a family of fairies, are finally put to rest. However, there are a lot of dangerous adventures before that can happen.

This is the most emotional of the quartet, as Emily finally realizes who she is and where she fits in her family. She and her twin sisters, Lark and Lory, and little brother Robin are figuring out how to get along now that things are different and Emily not only knows about magic but has a little magic of her own. They have normal sibling rivalries and squabbles, but with a little extra magic. But then they find that Eva, their mother, has been hiding a secret: she's going to have a baby, and it's happening soon. All the children react differently; Lory is furiously angry that her mother kept a secret, Robin is worried about no longer being the baby, and Emily is alternately excited about a baby and devastated to think that this child will "belong" in a way she never can. Emily is nearly lost for good when she abruptly leaves home to hide out with her human friend and try to think things over, but her parents' and siblings response makes her slowly start to let go of her fears and insecurity. When Robin takes her back in time to see her possible past and she meets her scared teen mother, Emily realizes she really does belong to her family. But her mother still has to give birth in fairyland and there's something dangerous lurking in the wood...

Although this book, and the whole series, tackles serious feelings, it's done in a light and gentle way that neither over-dramatizes nor discounts the real emotion Emily feels. Her teen mother is a little overly dramatic and the final revelations about her new baby sister, Wren comes a little pat, but it all fits into the light fantasy feel of the story. There aren't any final and definitive answers; Emily will never know for certain what happened to her birth mother, she doesn't know what her magic will turn into, and her family will always be different but she no longer doubts that she belongs.

Verdict: This is an utterly satisfying end to Emily's story. Perfect for fantasy fans who can't handle a 400 page tome of drama and embroiled plots, but like a little more character development than the typical beginning chapter book. Definitely worth taking a little trouble to purchase the UK editions.

ISBN: 9781407130958; Published 2014 by Scholastic UK; Purchased for my personal library

Emily Feather and the chest of charms by Holly Webb

I love Holly Webb her fantasy series for younger readers. After Emily discovers she's adopted and her family are fairies in the first book, Emily Feather and the Enchanted Door, she has a lot of complicated feelings about where she belongs. In the second book, Emily Feather and the Secret Mirror, she has some frightening adventures that don't allow her to really deal with these feelings, but do draw her a little bit deeper into fairyland.

In the third book, Emily's spark of magic and her relationship with her sisters is explored a little more. One of her sisters has apparently become enamored of a boy that none of her siblings, including her twin sister, like. Turns out they were right when he is shown up as a villain. Emily has to force herself past her feelings of inadequacy to join with her sister and brother to save her older sister. In the process, she learns more about her family, has some exciting and frightening adventures, and realizes that she really does have a spark of magic.

Verdict: This series just gets better and better. It has all the sparkly magic one expects from a fairy story, an age-appropriate, more serious discussion of what it means to be part of a family, and exciting adventures - all condensed into less than 200 pages. This one is worth purchasing from the UK, since it's not available here in the States, and worth getting in paperback, even if you have to replace it a couple times. Give it to the kids who have outgrown Rainbow Magic but still love fairies and to those who want a fantasy that isn't 400 pages long.

ISBN: 9781407130941; Published 2014 by Scholastic UK; Purchased for my personal library

Small Readers: Pig and Pug by Laura Marchesani and Zenaides A. Medina Jr., illustrated by Jarvis

This easy reader has been the surprise hit of the year at my library. Easy readers, except for popular series like Fly Guy or Biscuit, aren't usually asked for by title. But I've had several enthusiastic kids asking for Pig and Pug. I don't know where they saw it, as I haven't booktalked it, but I'm glad they liked it as it's adorable.

Pig is lonely. On his farm, everyone has a job and a friend who is just like them. The cows give milk, the sheep eat grass, the chickens lay eggs. But poor pig is all alone. One day, a strange animal shows up. Is it another pig? Has pig finally found a friend? No, it's a pug. Pig can't be friends with a pug...or can he?

Soft pastel illustrations with scribbly details fill out the storyline without detracting attention from the text. Simple details, like Pug's panting tongue and Pig's small but expressive mouth add humor and dimension to the silly and sweet story.

This is a level 2 from Penguin, which is still pretty easy. The text is bold and simple with a few more advanced vocabulary words. There are still a lot of repeated words and phrases to keep early readers going.

Verdict: This has a subtle but neatly presented message about friendship and differences and is just a light, fun, and deftly presented story. Highly recommended.

ISBN: 9780606366106; Published 2015 by Penguin; Purchased for the library

Outside by Deirdre Gill

I have to admit I wasn't really grabbed by this cover, but I'm glad I listened to recommendations to try this one out.

The title page shows a dark green wall and, centered on the page, a window looking out at snowy trees. A small red dragon toy lounges on the windowsill. The next spread (whatever you call the pages with the publication information; I am drawing a blank) shows a pale blue landscape and a lonely trail of footprints leading to and around a trio of trees. The story begins with a snowy day and a bored little brother. Reluctantly, he sets out alone into the snowy wilderness. His red coat stands out brightly against the soft shades of white and blue. Surrounded by looming, snow-covered trees he begins to create; a giant snow dog and then a castle. His creations come to life in a blaze of color as a dragon appears and they soar across the snowy landscape. Finally, he bids farewell to his snowy creations in the twilight and heads home, where he meets his brother, finally ready to play outside.

This is a wonderful tribute to winter and imagination. I love how the story encourages solitary, imaginative play and the little boy embraces both his time alone playing outside and having fun with his brother. The text is extremely brief and simple, the force of the story coming from the softly glowing pictures that expand the simple story into a creative tour de force.

Verdict: Even if you don't live in a place where snow is familiar, this is a simple and lovely celebration of imagination and play. Highly recommended.

ISBN: 9780547910659; Published 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Borrowed from another library in my consortium

Nonfiction Monday: Frogs by Seymour Simon

I am not a huge fan of Seymour Simon. I know, I know, heresy! Everyone loves Seymour Simon! It's not that his books are bad or lacking in quality, it's just that they're not quite what I need when I'm looking for elementary nonfiction.

A one-page author's note begins the book, explaining Simon's background as a teacher and interest in explaining the world around him. The book starts with a basic explanation of the characteristics of amphibians, then describes the different habits and habitats of some of the different species. More information about the amphibians is woven into the text describing the various types of frogs.

The text is illustrated with large, often full page photos of frogs in different stages of development and of different species in action. The last few pages of the book describe familiar species of frogs in more detail. The final two spreads discuss the importance of frogs in global climate change and conservation.

Words in the text highlighted in bold can be found in the back in a short glossary. There is also a brief index and links to websites for learning more - Seymour Simon's website, a conservation website for frogs, and the National Wildlife Federation.

So, what's not to like? Large font, gorgeous photographs, excellent expository writing. Well, the problem for me is the layout. In a school library, this would be an ideal book to recommend to an elementary school reader. But in my library, the large chunks of text - usually a whole page or more - will discourage younger readers or parents from picking up the book to read aloud or struggle through on their own. Elementary-age readers who can read this on their own are reluctant to pick up books that look like picture books. This is a weird peculiarity of my own town it seems, but one I've not been successful in getting over. A popular animal book like this one will probably circulate well, but Nic Bishop's titles, with less text and more photographs, have a wider audience.

Verdict: If you need more frog books and have a strong elementary audience for nonfiction, this is a perfectly good selection. If you're a school library, I'd say it's a definite purchase. For my library, it's an additional purchase that I'll add if the budget allows.

ISBN: 9780062289124; Published 2015 by HarperCollins; Borrowed from another library in my consortium

This week at the library; or, FAIRY TALE ADVENTURE

Jess made this. She has mad crafting skills.

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

• I have so many things to do. I am doing them like crazy. Luckily, I did not schedule a ton of programs this week and talked myself out of trying to do something fancy for Mad Scientists Club. ARE YOU CRAZY YOU CAN'T EVEN FIND YOUR TO DO LIST UNDER THE OTHER TO DO LISTS!!
• Also I am getting a cold or a sinus infection or something and losing my voice and have had a low-level headache for days.
• Fairy tale adventure went really well and we are all exhausted.
• Lots of happiness from patrons for the Fairy Tale Adventure, some great comments from parents on Bookaneers - it's doing what I wanted it to do, bring together kids at all levels and stages of reading to have fun with books - new families coming in via four year old kindergarten outreach, and a gazillion fairy tale books checked out. All the happys!

Programs

• Tuesday
• Toddlers 'n' Books (2 sessions) (Ms. Pattie)
• Bookaneers
• Thursday
• Books 'n' Babies (Ms. Pattie)
• Mad Scientists Club: Force and Motion
• Tap to Play
• Saturday
• Fairy Tale Adventure

Some projects completed/in progress this week

• Finished weeding biographies and put together order
• Ran a report and ordered BOB books
• Finished tentative schedule for 2016
• Planning for programs (which happened immediately afterwards) book club, tours, fairy tale adventure, upcoming tours with 4K next week
• Finished ordering materials for mini-grant

What the kids are reading; A Selection

• Lexile help - Nim at sea
• Lexile help - Mandie
• Laura Numeroff
• Very beginning easy readers (really, really need to make a list or something)
• Hunting and martial arts
• um....I forget