Twenty Yawns by Jane Smiley, illustrated by Lauren Castillo

Generally, when adult, young adult, or even middle grade authors move down to write picture books I...reserve judgment. It rarely ends well. But Jane Smiley hits all the right notes in her picture book debut and, paired with Lauren Castillo, one of my favorite illustrators, they have created a classic bedtime story.

Lucy, a sweetly plump biracial preschooler spends a wonderful day at the beach with her parents, playing in the sand and water. When they all begin yawning, it's time for bed! A glowing sunset illuminates the sky as Lucy prepares for bed and soon her mother is asleep...but Lucy is still wide awake! She gets up to go find her bear, Molasses, and tiptoes through the sleeping house. Eventually she finds all her stuffed friends and, with a yawn each, they head to bed. One by one, everyone, including the family in her pictures, gives one last yawn....and then Lucy falls asleep.

Careful counting will discover 20 yawns in the story and you're sure to find yourself yawning by the end, but it's the peaceful, gentle rhythms of a happy day at the beach, the routines of bedtime, and the final trek through the quiet house that really send you off to dreamland. Lauren Castillo's lovely art truly shines in this comforting family tale from the blazing sunset to Lucy's exuberant curls and softly blushing cheeks. I especially love the moonlight stretching across the house at night - it's mysterious but not at all frightening.

Verdict: This is a lovely, dreamy book that's perfect for a bedtime storytime, before bedtime read, or calming night fears. Cuddle up with your favorite bear and a cuddly baby and enjoy. Highly recommended.

ISBN: 9781477826355; Published 2016 by Two Lions; Review copy provided by the publisher; Donated to the library.

Nonfiction Monday: Animal Hospital: Rescuing Urban Wildlife by Julia Coey

Anybody who likes adorable pictures of baby animals and those who want to help wildlife will want to read this book. So, basically, everybody.

This book walks readers through daily life in an animal rehabilitation center and talks about how animals are assessed, cared for and released. It also explains why a rehabilitation center is needed and includes practical ways kids and adults can get involved in helping animals from correct treatment of possibly injured animals to not damaging habitats or releasing animals into strange places.

The text is not too dense and includes many sections on the stories of different animals, dealing with common animal rescues like rabbits and baby birds, and how animals are housed and released.

Verdict: This is a great overview for urban and suburban wildlife and kids and adults will enjoy being introduced to the subject. Recommended.


ISBN: 9781770855724; Published 2015 by Firefly; Borrowed from another library in my consortium

This week at the library; or, I have returned

Finished a set of mini quilts

What's happening in my head and at the library

• Monday
• I went out to Milwaukee for a meeting to present my Reading Explorer program (this sounds very fancy, but it wasn't really) and then met with Pattie to finalize the summer calendar. And then I did many things. And then the furnace died. Typical. Juuuuust typical. Yep, I'm back.
• Tuesday
• Toddlers 'n' Books (2 sessions) (Pattie)
• Bookaneers
• Redid all the circ numbers - nearly had a heart attack when I saw them yesterday, but turned out it was the wrong ones! Phew! Only 4 kids for book club.
• Wednesday
• Worked at the children's desk. No programs!
• Thursday
• Books 'n' Babies
• Lego Club
• Tap to Play
• I came in at noon because of our last Tap to Play (not that we expect anyone). It's our month for the 3-D printer and the sound is driving me INSANE. I am not a fan. I was going to say today was really slow - Lego Club was so empty that I left Jess in charge and went back to have a scheduling meeting with my aides. Then everything went insane. 50 people came to Lego Club and when everything (finally) calmed down one of the kids lost their glasses. Oy. Nobody came to Tap to Play - this is the last one.
• Friday
• Opened and worked 2 hours on the information desk. Finished my monthly report, sent orders, and answered innumerable phone calls.
• Saturday
• Went with Sara the Librarian and Jess to the Wisconsin After School Association conference. It was interesting to see things from a different perspective and we got some good ideas. Also, bacon.

Projects in Progress and Completed

• Collection development
• Put together summer calendars and some of the summer reading materials to present at the staff meeting on Monday
• Monthly reports and other paperwork

Reader's advisory, requests, and notes

• Spirit Animals
• Alvin and the Chipmunks new movie (gag)
• R2D2 folding and doodling
• Civil War books
• Palace pets chapter books
• beginning reader questions (complicated)
• boxcar children
• there was an old lady who swallowed.... different books
• My sonic fan asked again - really need to get more for him
• wimpy kid
• bedtime books
• Gidwitz - tale dark and grimm
• lift the flaps - found some board books with movable parts

Digby O'Day and the Great Diamond Robbery by Shirley Hughes and Clara Vulliamy

I don't usually review sequels, but after the first Digby O'Day was more popular than I anticipated, I thought I'd take a look at the next in the series.

Digby and Percy are taking off for a vacation at a fancy hotel. Unfortunately, they get off to a bad start with a big car nearly running them off the road, rude hotel staff, and a flurry over a famous actress. However, after they save a man from drowning the vacation looks up and they get into some exciting adventures. They have fun but Digby thinks he'll try somewhere less exciting for their next vacation!

The illustrations are as adorable and full of fun as in the first book. Black and white, set off by touches of red and pink, catch the eye and keep the heavily illustrated story moving right along. The interviews at the beginning with Digby and Percy and at the end with the authors were adorable.

Verdict: If you purchased the first title, you'll definitely want to buy this. The audience for this has turned out to be primarily read-alouds to younger children - they like the copious illustrations and mild action and mystery. This one features a diamond robbery, so extra exciting!

ISBN: 9780763674458; Published 2015 by Candlewick; Purchased for the library

Lockwood and Co.: The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud

I'm going to admit, up front, that I'm not a huge fan of Jonathan Stroud. I couldn't get into the Bartimaeus trilogy at all, no matter how much my friends raved about it. The description of this sounded like something I'd like, but it sat on my to read list for....a long time. However, at the end of 2015 I was determined to clean out my list and finally sat down to read this one. I was immediately hooked.

In an England infested by dangerous ghosts, spirits, and all manner of strange things, only children have the power to see - and fight - these terrifying and dangerous creatures. After a tragic betrayal, Lucy Carlyle flees her home, her family, and travels to London, hoping to find a new place in a ghost-hunting corporation. Unfortunately, nobody wants an inexperienced girl with a murky background. When she finds the eccentric Lockwood & Co. they're both desperate. Anthony is trying to run his own agency - the only one in London not supervised by adults - and Lucy needs a job and a home. Along with their somewhat nasty colleague George they team up to take on ghosts, snooty corporations, and whatever else comes their way.

Unfortunately, they get into trouble almost immediately. Lockwood isn't exactly the ideal supervisor, and they're all hiding secrets that could get them into serious trouble. When they get a commission to clean out the most ghost-ridden house in England, it seems like it could solve all their problems...if they manage to survive the experience.

After reading this, I realized that there were some inconsistencies that didn't make sense, but I didn't care when reading the book, I was having so much fun. I originally thought the story was set in a sort of alternate of Dickens' London, because of the description of street children and the general feel of the story. Then I realized there were automobiles. Then I decided I didn't care. The writing is so much....fun. Well, fun is perhaps not the right word as it's quasi-horror, but I loved Lucy's character - she's not the typical "spunky" female character, she's a distinct person on her own, tough but with vulnerable aspects. Lockwood is very much a Sherlock Holmes type, but, like Lucy, has his secrets and more vulnerable side. The ghosts were horrible but not so terrifying that I felt it was a gore fest.

Verdict: I loved this and I wish I'd bought it when it came back. I'm going to rectify that now. As to who I'm going to give it to...that's a little trickier. I think it will appeal to kids who like adventure, mild horror, and well-written fantasies. However, it does fall in that gray area right between middle grade and teen and it's thick enough to be challenging. The new covers will appeal much more to the kids than the originals (my kids are very NOT into anything that looks remotely steampunk) and I will promote this to my high-level readers.

ISBN: 9781423164913; Published 2013 by Disney-Hyperion; Borrowed from another library in my consortium

Read, Read, Read, said the Baby: The Big Book of Silly, The Big Book of Happy by Natalie Marshall

 These two, over-sized board books are a little different but definitely intriguing.

The Big Book of Happy uses a large format to parallel the activities of animals and children. A red-haired girl and dark-haired boy take turns mimicking the activities of animals "Owls are happy when they are hooting./I am happy when I am singing." The art is bold and colorful with small details of animals, colors, and shapes to point out.

The companion book, The Big Book of Silly feels like it was aimed at a slightly older audience. It features animals in increasingly silly situations and invites the reader to compare their own silly behavior: "I just want to be silly...like a rhinoceros wearing red polka dot pajamas and eating three hundred jelly beans before bed!" While this title had equally vibrant illustrations, it did not have a cohesive structure and just seemed to meander through the various scenarios.

The books are about 12 x 9 inches and I'm a little doubtful about how they will hold up to a lot of use as the cardboard feels thin and bendy. Each book has 8 pages.

Verdict: I really only liked Happy, personally. However, the large size of the books makes them a great choice for storytime, especially with the activities listed in Happy. I strongly recommend purchasing The Big Book of Happy and, if it's very popular and holds up, you might want to add The Big Book of Silly for fans.

The Big Book of Happy
ISBN: 9781499800906; Published 2015 by Little Bee Books; Borrowed from another library in my consortium

The Big Book of Silly
ISBN: 9781499800913; Published 2015 by Little Bee Books; Borrowed from another library in my consortium

The Opposite Zoo by Il Sung Na

I have long been fascinated by Il Sung Na's unique illustration style and charmingly odd perspectives and I was excited to explore this new picture book, where he branches out into a new art style.

The book opens with a dreamy blue-gray sky, dotted with tiny stars. We follow a keeper into...The Opposite Zoo. The zoo is closed, but there's a monkey loose and ready to explore. The reader follows the monkey on a journey of discovery as we compare very different animals to each other. An owl is awake, a panda is asleep. A chameleon is shy, a peacock is bold. Seals are black, swans are white. Each pair of opposites is shown with a single word for each contrasting trait. Finally, the sun rises, the monkey returns to its cage, and The Opposite Zoo is open and ready for visitors!

Il Sung Na's style in his previous books has been very specific - he uses what looks almost like collages with lots of background patterns. I love it and it's colorful and amazing, but I'm excited to see he's using a new technique in this latest book. His new art style retains the wonderful colors but has a much more sketchy and loose feel. The vibrant colors pop off the page - an orange an yellow line with a swirly mane, blue and green hippo, rainbow tortoise with watercolor swirls on its shell, and small, spiky hedgehog with reds and purples under its black spines.

From a purely professional standpoint, I am quite pleased that Il Sung Na has added another style to his repertoire, since I can now feature him in one of my We Explore Favorite Artists programs this summer - with both collage and watercolors. I also love the details that are still include although he's branched out into a less-stylized medium.

Verdict: Great for teaching kids about opposites, featuring in programs on art, and just reading for fun. Don't miss this latest book from Il Sung Na. Highly recommended.

ISBN: 9780553511277; Published 2016 by Alfred A Knopf; Galley provided by publisher; Purchased for the library

Nonfiction Monday: Animal Planet: Ocean Animals and Polar Animals

If you don't purchase nonfiction in paperback, read no further. However, I am a bit of an oddball (apparently) in that I do, frequently, purchase nonfiction paperbacks. I do not do this randomly - I have a somewhat complex internal set of metrics for deciding whether or not to purchase titles in paperback or budget-destroying library binding. One of those rules is that I never purchase animal books in paperback. In fact, I've spent the last few months carefully withdrawing all the nonfiction paperbacks I've found hiding in the 590s.

So why did I immediately add all of the, undeniably paperback, Animal Bites series to my order cart?

This is a new series from Animal Planet and I received two titles for review. Ocean Animals and Polar Animals. Each book begins with a guide to use - the book is arranged by colored tabs, jumping back and forth between the different sections. One spread may explore an animal's habitat, like creatures that live in volcanic vents and is marked with the "where they live" tab while another focuses on a specific animal, such as the Siberian husky. There are colorful spreads comparing different types of penguins, and stunning photos of animals in their habitats in the "vista" section. Most spreads include a few sentences in large, bold type with additional facts, information, and fun extras in smaller type. Each book also contains some simple activities, resources (including places to visit, websites, and other Animal Planet books), glossary, index, and photo credits.

The books cost roughly $8 with my library jobber discount and have a sewn paperback binding and thick, glossy pages.

So, why break my rules for these books? First, because unlike many paperbacks they have a thicker spine, so they won't get lost on the shelf. The spine is wide enough to hold the title and is in an eye-catching green. Secondly, because I have realized that my animal section (well, ALL my nonfiction to be brutally honest) is sadly outdated and I simply don't have the funds to replace it all. I'm going to have to compromise a little to get those empty shelves filled and those tattered and dirty books from the 80s withdrawn. Thirdly, because these are exactly the type of books kids love to pore over, especially in the summer. They're full of photos and facts, easy to read, perfect for browsing. In short, these are gateway books to further reading and exploring the world!

Verdict: Break the rules and give these books a chance. Even if they only last one summer, it will be money well-spent. In addition to the two titles here, Wild Animals and Farm Animals are coming out this June.

Polar Animals
ISBN: 9781618931610

Ocean Animals
ISBN: 9781618931627


Published 2016 by Animal Planet; Review copies provided by publisher; Donated to the library

This week I'm not at the library!

To my surprise, my indoor
morning glories bloomed!

Vacation Tally
We were closed on Friday and I took the whole week off for Spring Break. Naturally, I had a lengthy to-do list. To be entirely honest, there was much more sleeping in, reading of trashy romances, listening to audiobooks, watching cartoons, and other unrecorded amusements than work. I was tired.
I still have one more day left before I return to work - I intend to eat Chinese food and discuss collection development and finish the stack of reviews for No Flying No Tights that are sitting on my desk - I have 5 in progress to be turned in before nightfall!

Outings

• Breakfast and collection development with Sara the Librarian! Then we visited the library to make die-cuts and finish some stuff from Thursday night...
• I went to the grocery store. Hey, it counts.
• More breakfast and collection development with Sara the Librarian! Then we went to Home Depot and bought pots. We lead exciting lives. That evening I went to the library to do some paperwork and hang out with the knitting ladies (even though I was technically quilting).
• Went to Ikea with Sara the Librarian and a friend from work. Living the high life here. It snowed ferociously, with high winds, then melted, then snowed, then the sun shone, you get the idea...

Writing:

• 15 total reviews for Jean Little Library written and stored for future scheduling. I now have 4 beginning chapter, 2 middle grade, 6 nonfiction, 5 picture book, 5 board book, and 1 easy reader review stored.
• 54 short reactions posted on Flying Off My Bookshelf
• 11 movies watched/skimmed and reviewed on It's Animation, not Cartoons (spoiler - I didn't care for the Peanuts movie)
• Edits, publisher contacts, and other fun paperwork that has been backing up was taken care of.

Cleaning, Cooking, and Gardening

• On a sudden whim I cleaned my bedroom window. First time for everything, right? It's a complicated process b/c of the sliding double windows and badly worn woodwork around the edges. So naturally I had to clean out the bedroom garden and vacuum and wash sheets and then move paperbacks and movies (partly so they're all mixed now...)
• Clearing out the garden.
• Made new garden plans to take into account requests for parsley, tomatoes, and the new pots I got.

Other Projects

• Finished binding off a small quilt

Small Readers: What am I? Where am I? by Ted Lewin

This is part of Holiday House's I Like to Read series, which, as I'm sure you know, I am generally not a fan of. However, some of the titles are decent and, more importantly, the kids really like them. They've been specifically requested by an early literacy/beginning reader class that meets at the library and my colleague who works with them. So, I've been read as many as I can borrow to find some that will meet both my aesthetic standards and the needs of my patrons.

I had high hopes of this book, as it's a guessing game and my patrons absolutely love those - Edward Gibbs' I Spy titles are some of their favorites. However, there were several issues with this book, primarily with the art, that made it a disappointment to me.

The book is set up as a series of questions. The first page asks "What am I?" and shows a small thumbnail of an animal against a white background. The next spread shows a full picture of the animal, identifies it, and asks "Where am I?" with the next page showing the animal in its habitat. The animals pictured are a lion, reindeer, camel, sea otter, and tiger. The last pages shows a boy standing in front of a picture of the earth and says "What am I? I am a boy. I am on the beautiful earth."

I am not personally a fan of Lewin's watercolors - I find them washed out and static. However, they can be lovely in certain settings when they fit the text well. However, I felt this was a bad choice for this text. Only the lion and possibly the tiger are identifiable. The reindeer is represented with some gray horns which could be pretty much any type of horned animal. The camel is a mess of fur - absolutely no kid I ever met is going to think of camel. The sea otter is a blur of white and gray and only when you turn the page do you realize it's meant to be a section of its whiskers. For a title that is supposed to be assisting kids in learning to read, the illustrations should be simple and to the point, not distract attention from the text or confuse the reader.

Verdict: Not recommended. Try Edward Gibbs or Laura Hulbert instead for guessing books.

ISBN: 9780823428564; Published 2013 by Holiday House; Borrowed from another library in my consortium