Giant Squid

In a word, gorgeous.  I like to think photographs often portray wild animals best and most accurately, but when dealing with the elusive giant squid, Eric Rohmann proves me wrong.  I love that the first three spreads of text and illustration precede the title page.  Kind of a mysterious introduction to the topic.  You know it’s coming, based on the title and the cover, but it’s still somewhat startling.  I enjoyed the poetic progression of the story as well as the labelled diagram of a squid that follows.  The further explanation of the mystery of the giant squid and the somewhat astonishing fact that it was never, NEVER seen until 2006 and never captured on film until 2012 are really…well, astonishing.  I’m interested to check out the videos cited along with the bibliography.

http://www.candacefleming.com/

http://www.ericrohmann.com/  

@candacemfleming

Title: Giant Squid

Author: Candace Fleming

Illustrator: Eric Rohmann

Published 2016 by Roaring Brook Press

ISBN: 9781596435995

This copy was received from the publisher for review.

Seven and a Half Tons of Steel

Thomas Gonzalez’s artwork in Seven and a Half Tons of Steel is gorgeous but I especially love his skyscapes, and specifically the endpaper at the back with the statue of liberty’s raised hand against a sunset of the New York City skyline.  This spread most reminded me of his beautiful work in 14 Cows for America.  Janet Nolan weaves a beautiful story of the steel beam taken from the fallen World Trade Center and forged into the bow of the USS New York.  The fact that the building took place in New Orleans and work was stalled due to Hurricane Katrina, but not stopped, is a testament to the workers tenacity to get the job done.  The USS New York’s crest’s symbolism is detailed in the notes at the back of the book and the remarkable combination of details made me want to learn more about the crests of other ships on our Navy’s fleet.

www.janetnolan.com 

www.tomprints.com 

@janetnolan1

Title: Seven and a Half Tons of Steel

Author: Janet Nolan

Illustrator: Thomas Gonzalez

Published 2016 by Peachtree

ISBN: 978-1-56145-912-4

This copy was received from the publisher to review.

The Music In George’s Head: George Gershwin Creates Rhapsody in Blue

The Music In George’s Head reminds me of The Noisy Paint Box except for the fact that Gershwin’s family supported his art.  Besides his revolutionary style and seemingly similar blue period, I wonder if he also had synesthesia.  His ability to absorb music from all around him makes me think so.  The text and fonts throughout reflect what is being communicated.  For example, unpredictable is fonted rather unpredictably.  Complete with the author’s note, illustrator’s note, timeline and bibliography, The Music In George’s Head was well researched and composed.

Similar to my review of Cloth Lullaby, this review was completed prior to a trip to Washington DC.  One of the parts of my trip was a tour with the official historian of the Library of Congress.  And what should I find in the LOC but a room dedicated to George Gershwin!  Here’s his piano.

suzanneslade.com 

stacyinnerst.com 

@AuthorSSlade

@StacyInnerst

Title: The Music In George’s Head: George Gershwin Creates Rhapsody in Blue

Author: Suzanne Slade

Illustrator:Stacy Innerst

Published 2016 by Calkins Creek

ISBN: 978-1-62979-099-2

This copy was received from the publisher to review.

Be the Change: A Grandfather Gandhi Story

“Be the change you wish to see in the world” is a quote that has always inspired me.  When I see a problem in a current situation, I try to think about how I might be able to make a change for the better.  This story of time spent by Arun Gandhi at his grandfather’s Ashram Sevagram details how passive violence leads to physical violence and how waste is an example of passive violence.  Evan Turk’s illustrations are unique, as always, and fitting to the story.  Throughout, I noticed stitching as part of the illustrations as mixed media and think of it as a common thread that connects the story.

grandfathergandhi.com 

arungandhi.org 

bethanyhegedus.com 

evanturk.com 

@arunmgandhi

@BethanyHegedus

@evanturkart

Title: Be The Change: A Grandfather Gandhi Story

Author: Arun Gandhi and Bethany Hegedus

Illustrator: Evan Turk

Published 2016 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

ISBN: 978-1-4814-4265-7

This copy was received from the publisher to review.

Let Your Voice Be Heard: The Life and Times of Pete Seeger

Pete Seeger’s childhood influences included his parents, namely his father and his eye opening experience in California and motivation to help migrant workers access basic rights and sanitary working and living conditions and his family’s travels through Appalachia with the goal to expose the people there to classical music.  Instead, as is often the case, the Seeger’s, notably Pete, was influenced by the folk music he heard while they travelled.

Anita Silvey weaves a story together highlighting many high and low points in Pete’s life, all of them instrumental in marking the path he walked in life and the legacy he left for music lovers and fighters for justice.  Her table of contents defines moments in Pete’s life.

Anita Silvey includes an extensive Bibliography as well as source notes indicating where each quote originated.  

http://www.anitasilvey.com/ 

@anitasilvey

Title: Let Your Voice Be Heard: The Life and Times of Pete Seeger

Author: Anita Silvey

Published 2016 by Clarion Books

ISBN: 978-0-547-33012-9

This copy was received from the publisher to review.

The Kid from Diamond Street: The Extraordinary Story of Edith Houghton

I’m a sucker for a local story and I live in a Philadelphia suburb so I’m exited to track down more information about Edith Houghton and her Philadelphia roots.  This story is an inspiration for both women and children looking to realize a dream.  Edith was playing professional baseball at the age of 10!  The opportunity to play with the team “The Bobbies” took her across the ocean to play baseball in Japan.  The title including the word “extraordinary” really captures that something about Edith.  Even in a world where there was a women’s team, it was the only one around and she was the youngest player by far.  The author’s note provides more information about Edith’s life after The Bobbies and includes that her teammate Nettie Gans kept a diary.  We might be able to assume Audrey Vernick used Gans’ diary or the many newspaper clippings about Edith Houghton as sources but sources are not specifically cited for the reader to understand where her research originated.

www.audreyvernick.com 

www.stevensalerno.com 

@yourbuffalo

Title: The Kid from Diamond Street: The Extraordinary Story of Edith Houghton

Author: Audrey Vernick 

Illustrator: Steven Salerno

Published 2016 by Clarion Books

ISBN:  9780544611634

This copy was received from the publisher to review.

The Slowest Book Ever

The Slowest Book Ever is a fast read but I decided to take my time with it, more due to circumstances than interest.  The book is organized by slow nature thoughts, slow animal thoughts, slow plant facts, slow body stuff, slow geology facts, slow stuff, slow arts, slow activities to try, outer space sciences, and (my favorite) two pages on which to rest your face followed by a glossary of chewy words, excruciatingly slow acknowledgements, and a not-exactly-the-end-notes which includes source information organized by the section the information is featured in the book.  Wrapping my brain around the amount of research needed to piece this book together takes my brain more than a few slow moments.  The humor that April Pulley Sayre injects into the factual information is fantastic and Kelly Murphy can clearly slowly draw a sloth or two or seventeen.  The illustrations add to the humor of The Slowest Book Ever.  At the SLJ Leadership Summit during a focus group, I spoke about The Slowest Book Ever and librarians around the table were grappling to get their hands on it.  I predict great things for The Slowest Book Ever.  All in due time, of course.

aprilsayre.com 

kelmurphy.com  

@aprilpsayre

Title: The Slowest Book Ever 

Author: April Pulley Sayre

Illustrator: Kelly Murphy

Published 2016 by Boyds Mills Press

ISBN: 978-1-62091-783-1

This copy was received from the publisher to review.