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One Day a Dot: The Story of You, the Universe, and Everything by Ian Lendler , illustrated by Shelli Paroline and Braden Lamb . PICTURE BOOK. First Second (Roaring Book Press), 2018. $18. 9781626722446. BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE Starting with the appearance of a simple dot, that then got so excited it burst into lots of other dots, that then joined together and made light, and eventually...the world as we know it came to be and we all exist. This is a simplified--and fantastic!--explanation of evolution, taking the readers from the very beginnings all the way to their own life on earth today. The author leaves us with the one thing no one can agree on or explain today--where that first dot actually came from. I liked this the first time I read it, and loved it the next time I gave it a go. The illustrations are colorful, artsy, and perfect for the material. The way a somewhat complex topic like evolution is simplified down here is great an

Her Right Foot By Dave Eggers , Art by Shawn Harris, 104 pages. PICTURE BOOK, NON FICTION Chronicle Books 2017 $19.99 1452162816  BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL  AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH  The Statue of Liberty has been welcoming people in the harbor for over 125 years. But there's more to her than we think. Eggers describes the construction in Paris, the transportation and reassembly in New York, even why she is green. but then, he goes on to tell about the symbolism of her right foot - have you noticed, she's in stride! Where is she going?  Eggers writing style makes the reader feel smart! Full of "you probably know" and "you may have noticed" the text practically begs the reader to share the information they just learned (or already know but had forgotten). Harris's illustrations are the perfect companion to this amazing quick read about acceptance. I'll never see the statue of liberty the same way again. Includes a bibliography for further

Cook’s Cook: The Cook who Cooked for Captain Cook by Gavin Bishop .  PICTURE BOOK.  Gecko Press, 2018.  $18. 9781776572045 BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE In 1768 James Cook one ship and 94 men to search for a giant continent south of New Zealand.  When they returned home in 1771, 56 men were still alive. Cook’s cook, John Thompson, had to be thrifty, ingenious, and pragmatic to cook for so many men for such a long period of time. Unfortunately Thompson didn’t not live to see England again. A great way to show students how long travel used to take place and what life might be like on a sailing vessel.  Be warned -- they do talk a couple of times about eating dog and also kangaroo.  Unfortunately there is no back matter to help you with further research, nor to know how perfectly true the narrative is. A bad oversight indeed. Cindy, Middle School Librarian

Charlotte’s Bones: The Beluga Whale in a Farmer’s Field by Erin Rounds , illustrated by Alison Carver . NONFICTION PICTURE BOOK.  Tilbury House, 2018.  $18.  9780884484851 BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE As the ice age ended, the now fields of Vermont were covered by a massive inland ocean.  When one Beluga whale got caught in the grassy marshes, she was left behind as her pod swam away.  Left to discovered in a farmer’s field in 1849. What a great introduction to the fossil record, archaeology, the Ice Age, or many other topics.  I will be sharing this with my middle school science teachers to see who needs it for their classroom use for sure. Cindy, Middle School Librarian

Memphis, Martin and the Mountaintop: The Sanitation Strike of 1968 by Alice Faye Duncan , illustrated by R. Gregory Christie. PICTURE BOOK. Calkins Creek (Highlights), 2018. $18. 9781629797182. BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE AUDIENCE APPEAL: EL, MS - LOW Lorraine is a young girl in 1968 Memphis when her father and other sanitation workers go on strike. The strike quickly becomes another piece in the Civil Rights movement taking place and Martin Luther King, Jr. even comes to hold a march and draw attention to their cause. While in Memphis for speeches and marches, Mr. King is assassinated by James Earl Ray. Shortly thereafter the federal government sends an official labor representative to negotiate an end to the strike. This historical fiction picture book is based on the memories of an actual witness to the events of 1968 Memphis, and I liked the way the story was told from the perspective of a child. This is one of those picture books that is generally too long for

If Polar Bears Disappeared  by Lily Williams  PICTURE BOOK, NON FICTION Roaring Brook Press, (Holtzbrinck), 2018. $18.00 9781250143198 BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL - OPTIONAL  AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE  The sea ice is melting because of climate change. Polar bears depend on the sea ice for hunting, traveling, and caring for their young. Less sea ice means less habitat for the plants and animal that live in the polar regions; climate change affects all of them, seals, whales, shrubs, caribou, even lemmings.  Williams text seems a little heavy handed - it has a disclaimer "The information in this book is a simplified description of a complex process", so be sure to read the author's note. Includes a bibliography, acknowledgements and additional sources.  Lisa Librarian

We Rise We Resist We Raise our Voices   edited by Wade Hudson and Cheryl Willis Hudson, forward by Ashley Bryan.  PICTURE BOOK. Crown Books for Young Readers, 2018. $19. 9780525580423 BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL, MS - OPTIONAL AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE This book is offered, per the forward, as a safe place to unpack what it means to be a young person of color. The introduction makes reference the 2016 elections and how it was confusing to young listeners to hear speeches about “taking our country back” and how this book can offer hope in that confusion. The book then contains over twenty short pieces by a variety of authors, each accompanied by a piece of art by different artists.  Some of the pieces are essays, some poetry, some lists and instructions, and some music.   I want to clarify that the buying advisory may shift if you have a large population of students of color - it will appeal to those readers and offer community. It is a book that is politically charged, which is neithe

Lights! Camera! Alice! : The Thrilling True Adventures of the First Woman Filmmaker by Mara Rockliff , Illustrated by Simona Ciraolo, PICTURE BOOK, BIOGRAPHY, Chronicle Books. 2018. $18. 1452141347 BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE EL, MS - ESSENTIAL  AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH   Alice Guy Blaché is one of the world's first movie makers. She worked for a camera company and was allowed to make movies after hours which she used to demonstrate the new motion picture camera. Soon her films became a huge success in France. One of the first pioneers of motion pictures, she is little known - mostly because she was a woman. She made hundreds of films in America and even more in France.  Formatted like a silent movie, in frames and short ideas - sprinkled with French and title cards this was a delight to read. I want to know more about Alice! Good thing the author has included a short author's note, bibliography, articles and movies. A fun read for a theater or film study class, or a les

Raise the Flag: Terrific Flag Facts, Stories, and Trivia!  by Clive Gifford, illustrated by Tim Bradford.  PICTURE BOOK/NON-FICTION. QEB Publishing (The Quarto Group), 2018. $15. 9781682973387 BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL, MS - ADVISABLE AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE This book is divided up into bite size pieces of information on flags. No topic in this book takes more than a two page spread, making all the information short and concise. Some pages tackle the design of the flag, while others cover the history of certain symbols used on flags. There are pages on the history of flags and pages with geography and corresponding flags. The book contains some photography, but mostly illustrations.  This reads like a basic trivia or fact book, but with more depth, given it is all one topic - flags. My favorite pages were the pages on flags that look similar and why that is and what sets them apart. I never felt like I got a handle of the organization of the book since the maps and corresponding f

Picturing America : Thomas Cole and the Birth of American Art  By Hudson Talbott   PICTURE BOOK, Biography, Penguin Random House, 2018. $18. 9780399548703 BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL,  MS - ADVISABLE  AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE   Thomas Cole loved to draw. He and his sister walked all over the hillsides in England drawing everything they could see. In 1818 his family moved to America, and Thomas learned to paint, making beautiful landscapes. No one painted like Thomas Cole.  This picture book biography is stunning. Talbot has incorporated Cole’s art, and seamlessly tells the story while introducing and explaining his works. So accessible to young readers, I’m showing this to my art teacher.  Lisa Librarian 

Persuading Miss Doover  by Robin Pulver , illustrated by Stephanie Roth Sisson, PICTURE BOOK Holiday House 2018 $18.00 978-0-8234-3426-8 BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL, MS - ADVISABLE  AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE Jack and Samir are in trouble again. Besides drawing a picture of the principal (which he found) they put a whoopee cushion on Miss Doover's chair. Now they don't get to sit together anymore. But wait! For writing workshop, Miss Doover has assigned a 4 sentence persuasive essay. Maybe the boys can revise their essay until it's perfect and persuade Miss Doover to reconsider the seat change. Pulver has created great characters - the boys are delightful and I just love Miss Doover, always correcting their grammar, using fun vocabulary words like frivolous, and guiding them to write the perfect paper. Full of great writing advice, I'm handing this to my Language Arts teacher. Also, a fun shared read, because it is told in dialogue bubbles.  Lisa Librarian

Holes in the Sky by Patricia Polacco  PICTURE BOOK, G. P. Putman's Sons ( Penguin Random House, 2018. $18.99. 978-1-5247-3948-5 BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL, MS - ESSENTIAL AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH  After Patricia's beloved grandmother passes away, her mother moves the family to San Francisco. Patricia misses Babushka terribly, and is always looking for the promised sign that she is watching over her from heaven. San Francisco is in the middle of a draught, so when a boy her age (Steven) shows up on her porch with fresh flowers, she's excited to help him make may baskets and meet all the neighbors selling them with him, but still no sign from heaven, Steven's  grandmother, Miss Eula, gets the neighborhood involved in a community project - maybe Patricia will find her Babushka's sign as she helps revitalize an old garden.  Patricia Polacco has the best stories! Remember Miss Eula from "Chicken Sunday?" Grieving is a sensitive subject, and Holes in the Sky has

The People Awards by Lily Muray, illustrated by Ana Albero , 76 pages. PICTURE BOOK/NON-FICTION. Lincoln Children’s Books, 2018. $20. 9781786030641 BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL, MS - ESSENTIAL AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH This book is a collection of more than thirty mini biographies of men and women who have had a positive impact on the world. The people range from athletes to inventors to teachers and most are well known figures from history as well as contemporary conversations. Each person is represented on a two page spread and has a short biography, four or five illustrations of important moments from their life, what award they are being given, and why they are being given that award.  This book is effective because it is highly engaging aesthetically. The illustrations are cartoons, but realistic and done in muted colors. The part I predict will hook the most readers is the description of the award they are given and why. I was a little frustrated that the table on contents has page

--> The Great New York Subway Map by Emiliano Ponzi , NONFICTION PICTURE BOOK. The Museum of Modern Art, 2017. $20. 9781633450257 BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS- OPTIONAL AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE Massimo Vignelli was a graphic designer. He was a minimalist who thought that the items he designed didn’t need decoration and should be simple. He used this minimalism theory to update and recreate the subway map for New York City. It was a long process that required a lot of research to create the most simplistic, easy to read version of the map. The styling of this picture book is really great. It’s an eye-catching look at a topic that would otherwise likely be uninteresting. The research process is highlighted and those who have ridden a mass-transit train or who have been to New York will really understand how Vignelli contributed to the system. There is an author’s note in the back. Shay, High School Librarian, MLS

Living Through The Revolutionary War by Clara MacCarald . NONFICTION PICTURE BOOK. Rourke Educational Media, 2019. $25. 9781641564144.  BUYING ADVISORY: EL(K-3), EL - OPTIONAL AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE The history of the American Revolution is lightly covered in this elementary-level informational text. The author covers the bare basics of what led to the Revolution through the post-war establishment of government. Each page has got some text along with a lot of pictures, side bars and more. There is a glossary and a reading guide included. I realize this book is written for an elementary audience--I'd guess its aiming for 3rd/4th grade?--but sometimes the information included versus the information excluded surprised me. The pictures will appeal to kids, but it makes for a rather busy page that is sometimes hard to read in a straightforward and understandable way. I enjoy all the pictures (many of them primary sources), but the book could be stronger without such a busy feel and th

Spring After Spring : How Rachel Carson Inspired the Environmental Movement by Stephanie Roth Sisson  PICTURE BOOK, NON FICTION Roaring Brook Press, 2018, $18. 9781626728196 BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) -,  EL -,  MS - ESSENTIAL  AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH  Rachel Carson was always interested in animals. As a child she would rush outside in the spring to hear all the sounds of the birds, animals and insects - sounds that grew louder as spring turned into summer. Year after year she wrote, and wanted to be a writer - but college changed her focus to Biology. Her writing and her observations came together with the publication of Silent Spring which eventually lead to the Environmental Protection Agency and a change in how we feel about the environment and things like pesticides.  Sisson has illustrated her picture book like a graphic novel, with panels and word bubbles (for the sounds of nature.) Easily accessible to a 3rd grader and up, this important lesson on how appreciating the environment

Schmuck the Buck : Santa’s Jewish Reindeer ,  illustrated by Karina Shor PICTURE BOOK EXO Books 2018 $12 9780997590296 NOT RECOMMENDED  AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW  Schmuck the Buck was bullied in Junior High, (his name is Larry, but the nickname stuck). Living at the North Pole he is employed by Santa’s Workshop. One year Santa's deliveries don't include any batteries, and Schmuck knows just what to do! Too irreverent for children, the illustrations are bawdy and the text is designed for an adult reader, this isn’t a children’s book. Perhaps a Hanukkah gift for someone? Lisa Librarian

My Baby Crocodile by Gaetan Doremus . PICTURE BOOK. Enchanted Lion Books, 2016. $19. 9781592701926 BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS, HS - OPTIONAL. AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW A crocodile finds a knight alone in the swamp and mistakes him for a baby crocodile, given that the shape of his helmet looks like a crocodile. Crocodile takes care of him and falls in love with him as his baby. Then, on a swimming expedition, the crocodile realizes that his baby is really a human and the point of view of the book switches to the knight. The knight realizes that the crocodile isn’t going to eat him, but begins to think about killing the crocodile and being a hero back home. The point of view then shifts back and forth as each of them considers killing the other and then dismissing that thought. In the end, they part in peace.  This book is quirky. I think there are a lot of layers that could be peeled back in this interesting tale. I see its potential mostly in a high school unit on war and diplomatic differenc