Nina Soni: Former Best Friend

Three-day weekends are great for tackling your TBR pile. Today, as I was going through my stacks, I picked up NINA SONI: FORMER BEST FRIEND (written by Kashmira Sheth and illustrated by Jenn Kocsmiersky). Published by Peachtree Publishing Company, It's been out since Oct. 2019 so you can get this right now!

First thing I need to say: I truly enjoyed this book! I swallowed up the pages fairly quickly, but so many good points in the book made me stop and take note.

Nina is forgetful so she makes lists in her notebook (which she has named ❤️📒), and she doesn't feel like her family is very exciting at all. She's having trouble getting along with her best friend Jay, Dad is out of town too much, and she's got a big writing project at school she hasn't even started. Add a very active little sister to the mix and that makes her life super busy.

I jotted down so many aspects of the story to connect with: writing assignments, science experiments, recipes (roti and kachumber) and even social emotional learning! I like to make books come to life by pulling out aspects of the book to connect to other books and activities. I have TONS of ideas for this one. And I think I will use it for a book club in 3rd grade!

I am one of Nina's fans now, and I can't wait to bring this chapter book series into our library. Ordering and recommending!

Lucky for me, Peachtree Publishing Company just sent me the second installment of this one so I'm going to read that one next!

PUDDLE by Richard Jackson & Chris Raschka

Books about talking things! Have you read many of those? I recall How to Eat Pizza by Jon Burgerman. I am sure there are so many others! When I have time, I'll start a list! ;-)

Also: How often do we give children the writing assignment that sounds like this:  "Write from the viewpoint of an object." Plenty! (Add this title to the list of mentor texts for that, by the way.)

When I opened this book, I don't think I was quite ready for it. I came to it through Chris Raschka, remembering his previous books (The Hello Goodbye Window, Ball for Daisy, Yo! Yes? and more).  His work with watercolor and gouache are his signature and always a feast for the eyes! ( I have a sweet memory of being at the 2012 Youth Media Awards announcement in Dallas and hearing that A Ball for Daisy was the winner of the Caldecott Medal that year. It was my very first ALA!!)

Richard Jackson wrote A Kiss for Akaraka (Greenwillow, 2018) -- a perfect book for fall now that I think of it. (Note to self: Find that book and share it!)

With all of this in mind, I opened up Puddle and was -- immediately-- entranced by the art. Raschka's signature watercolor and gouache illustrations are always captivating! At first, though, the puddle character jarred me -- a puddle-- talking? But then after rereads and some reflection, I came to understand this book better.

That puddle we avoid? We do it without a second thought.

And the puddle in THIS book can feel it.

Puddle laments over his life: looking different than its "siblings:, tired of being filled up with rain, knowing that with more water, it will grow into a pond.

We see visitors drop in: a fishy smelling seagull, a boy with hole-filled sneakers (toes exposed) jumping in it, and the ultimate disgrace: a dog that choosing the puddle as a good place to relieve itself. But then the day rolls on, bringing an unexpected wonderful moment: Puddle is noticed and appreciated for lovely colors appearing in its shimmer.

And this moment makes everything better.

In reading books lately connected to aspects of social emotional learning, I'm adding this book to my list of recommended titles.

We all feel at times that life isn't fair, or going our way at all. Life gets hard, and day to day, we get overwhelmed. We get where Puddle is coming from! But when someone stops to notice and appreciate (like the girl in the book), our world changes. The art in the picture book reflects the tone of the story, of course, but in particular the colors brighten to full rainbow at the end, and Puddle's form is clearer -- less murky--almost heart-shaped at the end (appropriate!).

Puddle is a book about the power of appreciation-- the power we all have to change someone's day for the better by showing just one bit of kindness -- and noticing each other.

Puddle is available now, published by Greenwillow Books. '
Thank you for the copy, @HarperChildrens!

BIRD COUNT by Susan Edwards Richmond

I've always been fascinated by the work of John James Audubon, most especially his Birds of America prints. The details and color are glorious to me! I suppose I became especially intrigued by his work after reading A Nest for Celeste by Henry Cole. 

And when I attended ALA Annual this past summer, I came upon some of these prints in Washington, DC. I walked from frame to frame, as happy as can be. 

So when I learned about this upcoming picture book about the Audubon Christmas Bird Count, my interest was piqued to say the least! 

Cover image courtesy of Peachtree Publishers

Bird Count (Peachtree, 2019) is a picture book telling the story of a girl named Ava - - a budding young scientist about to participate in the Christmas Bird Count with her family. Readers see as she prepares for the day, bundling up, expressing her excitement. As Ava narrates the events of the day, she teaches readers about the bird count: how the count operates in teams and the routes they follow. Ava tells readers that birds aren't just found in the forest -- indeed they can be in many places! (A fact that young readers will be very intrigued by!)

And then we learn that Ava is now not only counting the birds, but she is also keeping the tally on her family trip, something she is proud to do. 

And here is one of the absolutely brilliant features of this story: the right side of the double page spread (the recto) now includes a page from Ava's notebook. With each page turn, we see her tallies and the names of the birds. The names of the birds are bold-faced in the text. A scientist at work! What a fabulous mentor text for science notebooks! 

Readers listen in on the conversations , the observations -- seemingly simple, but so very scientific, too. This is citizen science unfolding within a story -- teaching while also entertaining. 

As the story progresses, we see how the count is a community event, a time of gathering, sharing, and tradition. I found it all so delightful and wished I could participate, too. In fact, author Susan Edwards Richmond (in a very informative author's note), lets us know how we can take part, too. Richmond participates in the count each year, and in the note, she explains its background. I learned so much!

Author Susan Edwards
Photo courtesy of Peachtree Publishers

Not only was I delighted by the story, but I appreciated the art as well. Stephanie Fizer Coleman's illustrations are soft and playful, conveying the beauty and peace of nature -- showing what makes the count so very special. My eyes found so much to enjoy. The last double page spread, portraying the day's end, is my favorite--- We see the count participants wrapping things up, enjoying toasted marshmallows, reading by the fire, enjoying hot chocolate.  We see that science and nature can be celebrated and shared. We see that nature can bring people together.

I highly recommend this picture book! Bird Count is a treasure for scientists/readers of all ages. I have added this one to my next book order.

*Please see the back matter of this book (listing the birds found in the story). I especially appreciate that Edwards refers readers to The Cornell Lab of Ornithology I participated in an AASL webinar with them and thoroughly enjoyed it! 

Bird Count will be released on Oct. 1, 2019. 

Cover Reveal: FLY ON THE WALL by Remy Lai

Dear readers,

I am SO excited and grateful to be taking part in this cover reveal today for Remy Lai, an author whose first work I absolutely LOVED Pie in the Sky (Macmillan, 2019).

Pie in the Sky, a middle grade novel by Remy Lai, is an exceptional story about a boy whose family has moved to a new country after the loss of their father. Not only does the main character have to deal with this tragedy, but he also must learn English and adjust to a new country, new school, etc. Lai tells this story so very well, and it is funny, poignant, and powerful all at once! I highly recommend it!

So, because I loved Pie in the Sky so much, I am thrilled to be sharing the cover for Lai's next novel: Fly on the Wall (release date is May 15, 2020). Many thanks to Macmillan Books for Children for this honor!

Read more about the new book here: FLY ON THE WALL by Remy Lai.

I can't wait until May to read this book! I am DEFINITELY adding it to my TBR pile!

Cover image courtesy of Macmillan Children's books