PLANETESME PICKS: A 2009 INDEX

PLANETESME PICKS:  A 2009 INDEX

It's spring, and that means it's time for our tradition: to salute the successes of the recent past that usher in this new season of children's books!  The prior year in the industry has weathered a fairly harrowing horoscope; massive layoffs and streamlining in the children's publishing industry in December of 2008 shifted talents to new and independent arenas, and many editors, designers and publicists were lost, though some rose in Phoenix-like form to become agents and freelancers.  Moreover, education itself was in flux with new administration wrangling with old ideas about assessment and accountability, budget cuts, teacher retention issues and rising class sizes, and economic divides that threaten to limit opportunity.  I look at the problems we face, and at our list, and I am undaunted.  Though the digging might be deeper (and the influence of marketing and sales more apparent), there are still diamonds to be mined, and regardless of obstacles to children's education invented by economy and policy, the commitment to share the best with children is unwavering in the hearts, minds, pens, keyboards and brushes of the best writers and artists. So I ask you to use this list and take heart:  keep supporting and building the collections of school, public and home libraries, keep sharing with all children as if they were each your own, keep insisting on quality and keep reading aloud!  Even in the thick of it, the truth remains:  a great children's book in the hands of a rich child is the same great book in the hands of a poor child, and access to literature is still our nation's best hope for equalizing education in America.  In these books below we find the grace of a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, many walks on the moon (and even on Mars), trips across every continent (and a how-to on building your own country, if all else fails), great tales of victory, humor, history, friendship and fantasy, the natural world...in these books are an education, for wherever else there isn't one.  Congratulations to all the authors and illustrators who made the cut this year, and if there's a spectacular book published in 2009 that was missed, please share it in the comments section!

PICTURE BOOKS
ACORNS EVERYWHERE by Kevin Sherry (Dial)
ADIOS, OSCAR! A BUTTERFLY FABLE by Peter Elwell (Blue Sky, Scholastic)
ALL IN A DAY by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Nikki McClure (Abrams)
THE ANACONDA ATE MY HOMEWORK! by Alice Schertle, illustrated by Aaron Renier (Hyperion)
APPLESAUCE SEASON by Eden Ross Lipson, illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein (Roaring Brook)
ARE YOU A HORSE? by Andy Rash (Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic) 
AROUND THE WORLD WITH MOUK by Marc Boutavant (Chronicle)
THE BECKONING CAT by Koko Nishizuka, illustrated by Rosanne Litzinger (Holiday House)
BELLA & BEAN by Rebecca Kai Dotlich, illustrated by Aileen Leijten (Atheneum)
BEST BABY EVER by David Milgrim (Putnam)
BIG BEAR HUG by Nicholas Oldland (Kids Can Press)
BILLY TWITTERS AND HIS BLUE WHALE PROBLEM by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Adam Rex (Hyperion)
A BIRTHDAY FOR BEAR by Bonny Becker, illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton (Candlewick)
BOG BABY by Jeanne Willis, illustrated by Gwen Millward (Schwartz & Wade)
BOO TO YOU! by Lois Ehlert (Beach Lane)
A BOOK by Mordicai Gerstein (Roaring Brook)
A BOOK OF SLEEP by Il Sung Na (Knopf)
THE BOOK THAT EATS PEOPLE by John Perry, illustrated by Mark Fearing (Tricycle)
THE BUSIEST STREET IN TOWN by Mara Rockliff, illustrated by Sarah McMenemy (Knopf)
BUT WHO WILL BELL THE CATS? by Cynthia Von Buhler (Houghton Mifflin)
THE CAT AT NIGHT by Dahlov Ipcar (Islandport Press)
CAT DREAMS by Ursula LeGuin, illustrated by S.D. Schindler (Orchard)
COME BACK SOON by Daniel Schallau (Houghton Mifflin)
A COYOTE SOLSTICE by Thomas King, illustrated by Gary Clement (Groundwood)
DARK NIGHT by Dorothée de Monfried (Random House)
THE DINOSAUR TAMER by Carol Greathouse, illustrated by John Shroades (Dutton)
DINOSAURS ROAR, BUTTERFLIES SOAR by Bob Barner (Chronicle)
DOGS DON'T BRUSH THEIR TEETH by Diane DeGroat and Shelly Rotner (Orchard)
DOODLE BITES by Polly Dunbar (Candlewick)
DUCK DUCK MOOSE by Dave Horowitz (Putnam)
DUCK! RABBIT! by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld (Chronicle)
EPOSSUMONDAS PLAYS POSSUM by Coleen Salley, illustrated by Janet Stevens (Harcourt)
FANCY NANCY: SPLENDIFEROUS CHRISTMAS by Jane O'Connor, illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser (HarperCollins)
FIREFIGHTER TED by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by Oascal Lemaitre (McElderberry)
A FRIEND LIKE YOU by Tanja Askani (Scholastic)
GERTRUDE IS GERTRUDE IS GERTRUDE IS GERTRUDE by Jonah Winter, illustrated by Calef Brown (Atheneum)
GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS by Lauren Child (Hyperion)
GONE WITH THE WAND by Margie Palatini, illustrated by Brian Ajhar (Orchard Books)
GRACIAS * THANKS by Pat Mora, illustrated by John Parra (Lee & Low)
GROUNDHOG WEATHER SCHOOL by Joan Holub, illustrated by Kristin Sorra (Putnam)
THE GRUMPY DUMP TRUCK by Brie Spangler (Knopf)
HAPPY BELLY, HAPPY SMILE by Rachel Isadora (Harcourt)
HAVE I GOT A BOOK FOR YOU! by Mélanie Watt (Kids Can Press)
HERE COMES GOSLING! by Andy Asher, illustrated by Keith Graves (Philomel)
HERE COMES JACK FROST by Kazuno Kohara (Roaring Brook)
HIGHER! HIGHER! by Leslie Patricelli (Candlewick)
HURRY UP AND SLOW DOWN by Layn Marlow (Holiday House)
I KNOW A LOT OF THINGS by Ann and Paul Rand (Chronicle)(reprint)
I WILL BE ESPECIALLY VERY CAREFUL by Lauren Child (Dial)
I'M YOUR BUS by Marilyn Singer, illustrated by Evan Polenghi (Scholastic)
IMOGENE'S LAST STAND by Candace Fleming, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter (Schwartz & Wade)
IT'S A SECRET by John Burningham (Candlewick)
IT'S PICTURE DAY TODAY by Megan McDonald, illustrated by Katherine Tillotson (Atheneum)
JOE AND SPARKY GET NEW WHEELS by Jaime Michalak, illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz (Candlewick)
JUST HOW LONG CAN A LONG STRING BE? by Keith Baker (Scholastic)
THE KING OF QUIZZICAL ISLAND by Gordon Snell, illustrated by David McKee (Candlewick)
KISSES ON THE WIND by Lisa Moser, illustrated by Kathryn Brown (Candlewick)
LEON AND THE PLACE BETWEEN by Grahame Baker Smith (Templar Books)
LIN YI'S LANTERN: A MOON FESTIVAL TALE by Brenda Williams and Benjamin Lacombe (Barefoot)
LION'S LUNCH? by Fiona Tierney, illustrated by Margaret Chamberlain (Chicken House)
THE LION & THE MOUSE by Jerry Pinkney (Little, Brown)
LITTLE OINK by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illustrated by Jen Corace (Chronicle)
THE LITTLE RED ELF by Barbara Barbieri McGrath, illustrated by Rosalinde Bonnet (Charlesbridge)
LLAMA LLAMA MISSES MAMA by Anna Dewdney (Viking)
LOST AND FOUND: THREE DOG STORIES by Jim LaMarche (Chronicle)
MAGGIE'S MONKEYS by Linda Sanders-Wells, illustrated by Abby Carter (Candlewick)
MAISY BAKES A CAKE by Lucy Cousins (Candlewick)
MAMA SAYS: A BOOK OF LOVE FOR MOTHERS AND SONS by Rob D. Walker, ilustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon (Blue Sky/Scholastic)
ME WITH YOU by Kristy Dempsey, illustrated by Christopher Denise (Philomel)
MIGHTY CASEY by James Preller, illustrated by Matthew Cordell (Feiwel and Friends)
MILO ARMADILLO by Jan Fearnley (Candlewick)
MINERVA LOUISE ON HALLOWEEN by Janet Morgan Stoeke (Dutton)
THE MISSING CHICK by Valeri Gorbachev (Candlewick)
MOON RABBIT by Natalie Russell (Viking)
MY ABUELITA by Tony Johnston, illustrated by Yuyi Morales (Harcourt)
NEW YEAR AT THE PIER: A ROSH HASHANAH STORY by April Halprin Wayland, illustrated by Stéphane Jorisch (Dial)
NED'S NEW HOME by Kevin Tseng (Tricycle)
THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS retold and illustrated by Rachel Isadora (Putnam)
NIGHT LIGHTS by Susan Gal (Knopf)
NOT LAST NIGHT BUT THE NIGHT BEFORE by Colin McNaughton, illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark (Candlewick)
OLIVER, THE SPACESHIP AND ME by Lynn Rowe Reed (Holiday House)
ONCE UPON A TWICE by Denise Doyen, illustrated by Barry Moser (Random House)
ONLY A WITCH CAN FLY by Alison McGhee, illustrated by Taeeun Yoo (Feiwel & Friends)
OTIS by Loren Long (Philomel)
OUR ABE LINCOLN by Jim Aylesworth, illustrated by Barbara McClintock (Scholastic)
PEENY BUTTER FUDGE by Toni and Slade Morrison, illustrated by Joe Cepeda (Simon & Schuster)
A PENGUIN STORY by Antoinette Portis (HarperCollins)
PENNIES FOR ELEPHANTS by Lita Judge (Hyperion)
THE PLOT CHICKENS by Mary Jane and Herm Auch (Holiday House)
POODLE AND HOUND by Kathryn Lasky, illustrated by Mitch Vane (Charlesbridge)
A POP-UP BOOK OF NURSERY RHYMES by Matthew Reinhart (Little Simon)
PRINCESS BESS GETS DRESSED by Margery Cuyler, illustrated by Heather Maione (Simon & Schuster)
PRINCESS HYACINTH: THE SURPRISING TALE OF A GIRL WHO FLOATED By Florence Parry Heide, illustrated by Lane Smith (Schwartz & Wade)
PRINCESS PARTY by Joy Allen (Putnam)
PRINCESS PIG by Eileen Spinelli, illustrated by Tim Bowers (Knopf)
PUZZLEHEAD by James Yang (Atheneum)
R ROBOT SAVES LUNCH by R. Nicholas Kuszyk (Putnam)
RASPBERRIES! by Jay O'Callahan, illustrated by Will Moses (Philomel)
RHYMES ROUND THE WORLD by Kay Chorao (Dutton)
RUMBLE TUM by Stephanie True Peters, illustrated by Robert Papp (Dutton)
THE SECRET CIRCUS by Johanna Wright (Roaring Brook)
THE SECRET OF SANTA'S ISLAND by Steven Breen (Dial)
SHAPE by David Goodman and Zoe Miller (Tate Publishing)
THE SEEING STICK by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini (RP Kids)
SNOW BUGS by David A. Carter (Little Simon)
SNOW WHITE: A THREE-DIMENSIONAL FAIRY TALE THEATER by Jane Ray (Candlewick)
SONG OF MIDDLE C by Alison McGhee, illustrated by Scott Menchin (Candlewick)
SPOT THE PLOT: A RIDDLE BOOK OF BOOK RIDDLES by J. Patrick Lewis, illustrated by Lynn Munsinger (Chronicle)
STICK MAN by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Axel Scheffler (Scholastic)
STREGA NONA'S HARVEST by Tomie DePaola (Putnam)
SUBWAY RIDE by Heather Lynn Miller, illustrated by Sue Rama (Charlesbridge)
THIS LITTLE BUNNY CAN BAKE by Janet Stein (Schwartz & Wade)
TILLIE LAYS AN EGG by Terry Golson, with photographs by Ben Fink (Scholastic)
TOUGH CHICKS by Cece Meng, illustrated by Melissa Suber (Clarion)
TROUBLE GUM by Matthew Cordell (Feiwel and Friends)
THE UGLY DUCKLING by Rachel Isadora (Putnam)
URBAN ANIMALS by Isabel Hill (Star Bright)
WAITING FOR WINTER by Sebastian Meschenmoser (Kane Miller)
WHEN I GROW UP by Leonid Gore (Scholastic)
WHERE TEDDY BEARS COME FROM by Mark Burgess, illustrated by Russell Ayto (Peachtree)
WHO WILL I BE, LORD? by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, illustrated by Sean Qualls (Random House)
WHO WOULD LIKE A CHRISTMAS TREE?: A TREE FOR ALL SEASONS by Ellen Obed, illustrated by Anne Hunter (Houghton Mifflin)
WINK: THE NINJA WHO WANTED TO BE NOTICED by J.C. Phillipps (Viking)
THE YELLOW TUTU by Kirsten Bramsen, illustrated by Carin Bramsen (Random House)
YUMMY! EIGHT FAVORITE FAIRY TALES by Lucy Cousins (Candlewick)

FICTION
11 BIRTHDAYS by Wendy Mass (Scholastic)
ALL THE BROKEN PIECES by Ann E. Burg (Scholastic)
THE BOOK OF THE MAIDSERVANT by Rebecca Barnhouse (Random House)
BORN TO FLY by Michael Ferrari (Delacorte)
THE BOY IN THE DRESS by David Walliams, illustrated by Quentin Blake (Penguin)
CAMILLE McPHEE FELL UNDER THE BUS by Kristen Tracy (Delacorte)
CREEPY, CRAWLY CRIME (JOEY FLY, PRIVATE EYE) by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Neil Numberman (Henry Holt)
THE CURSE OF THE ROMANY WOLVES by S. Jones Rogan, illustrated by Christian Slade (Knopf)
DEAR PEN PAL: MOTHER-DAUGHTER BOOK CLUB by Heather Vogel Frederick (Simon and Schuster)
DESSERT FIRST by Hallie Durand, illustrated by Christine Davenier (Atheneum)
THE DOLL SHOP DOWNSTAIRS by Yona Zeldis McDonough, illustrated by Heather Maione (Viking)
DORMIA by Jake Halpern and Petr Kujawinski (Houghton Mifflin)
THE DRAGON OF TRELIAN by Michelle Knudsen (Candlewick)
EMMALINE AND THE BUNNY by Katherine Hannigan (Greenwillow)
THE ENTOMOLOGICAL TALES OF AUGUSTUS T. PERCIVAL: PETRONELLA SAVES NEARLY EVERYONE by Dene Low (Houghton Mifflin)
EVER BREATH by Julianna Baggott (Delacorte)
THE EVOLUTION OF CALPURNIA TATE by Jacqueline Kelly (Henry Holt)
EXCELLENT EMMA by Sally Warner, illustrated by Jamie Harper (Viking)
EXTRA CREDIT by Andrew Clements (Atheneum)
FAMILY REMINDERS by Julie Danneberg, illustrated by John Shelley (Charlesbridge)
A FARAWAY ISLAND by Annika Thor (Delacorte Press)
A FINDER'S MAGIC by Philippa Pearce, illustrated by Helen Craig (Candlewick)
FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX: NATHAN FLUDD, BEASTOLOGIST, BOOK I by R.L. La Fevers, illustrated by Kelly Murphy (Houghton Mifflin)
THE GENIE SCHEME by Kimberly K. Jones (McElderberry)
THE HOMESCHOOL LIBERATION LEAGUE by Lucy Frank (Dial)
I AM JACK by Susanne Gervay (Tricycle)
JEMMA HARTMAN, CAMPER EXTRAORDINAIRE by Brenda Ferber (Farrar Straus and Giroux)
JULIA GILLIAN (AND THE QUEST FOR JOY) by Alison McGhee, illustrated by Drazen Kozjan (Scholastic)
JUST GRACE GOES GREEN by Cherise Mericle Harper (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
LEO AND THE LESSER LION by Sandra Forrester (Knopf)
LOOK OUT, JEREMY BEAN! by Alice Schertle, illustrated by David Slonim (Chronicle)
LUNCH LADY AND THE LEAGUE OF LIBRARIANS by Jarrett J. Krosoczka (Knopf)
THE MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD TREASURE HUNT by Megan McDonald, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds (Candlewick)
THE MAGICAL MS. PLUM by Bonny Becker, illustrated by Amy Portnoy (Knopf)
MAKE WAY FOR DYAMONDE DANIEL by Nikki Grimes, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie (Putnam)
MATISSE ON THE LOOSE by Georgia Bragg (Delacorte)
MELONHEAD by Katy Kelly, illustrated by Gilian Johnson (Delacorte)
THE MOSTLY TRUE ADVENTURES OF HOMER P. FIGG by Rodman Philbrick (Scholastic)
NANA CRACKS THE CASE! by Kathleen Lane, illustrated by Sarah Horne (Chronicle)
NOODLE PIE by Ruth Starke (Kane Miller)
PARIS PAN TAKES THE DARE by Cynthea Liu (Putnam)
THE POISONS OF CAUX: THE HOLLOW BETTLE (BOOK ONE) by Susannah Applebaum (Knopf)
RISSA BARTHOLOMEW’S DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE by Lydia B. Comerford (Scholastic)
SEA OF THE DEAD by Julia Durango (Simon & Schuster)
THE SMALL ADVENTURE OF POPEYE AND ELVIS by Barnara O’Connor (Farrar, Straus Giroux)
STONEWALL HINKLEMAN AND THE BATTLE OF BULL RUN by Michael Hemphill and Sam Riddleburger (Dial)
THE STORM IN THE BARN by Matt Phelan (Candlewick)
STRAWBERRY HILL by Mary Ann Hoberman (Little, Brown)
SUNNY HOLIDAY by Coleen Murtagh Paratore (Scholastic)
SYLVIE AND THE SONGMAN by Tim Binding, illustrated by Angela Barrett (David Fickling Books)
THE TEASHOP GIRLS by Laura Schaefer (Simon & Schuster)
TOFU QUILT by Ching Yeung Russell (Lee & Low)
THE TROUBLE WITH MARK HOPPER by Elissa Brent Weissman (Dutton)
WHEN YOU REACH ME by Rebecca Stead (Wendy Lamb Books)
WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON by Grace Lin (Little, Brown)
WILD STORIES by Colin Thompson (Kane Miller)
WISHWORKS INC. by Stephanie Tolan (Arthur Levine/Scholastic)
THE YEAR THE SWALLOWS CAME EARLY by Kathryn Fitzgerald (HarperCollins)

NONFICTION

ANIMALS AND HABITATS OF THE UNITED STATES by Jeff Corwin (Puffin)
AFRICAN ACROSTIC: A WORD IN EDGEWAYS by Avis Harley (Candlewick)
AFTER GANDHI: ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF NONVIOLENT RESISTANCE by Anne Silbey O'Brien and Perry Edmond O'Brien (Charlesbridge)
ALMOST ASTRONAUTS: 13 WOMEN WHO DARED TO DREAM by Tanya Lee Stone (Candlewick)
ASHLEY BRYAN: WORDS TO MY LIFE'S SONG by Ashley Bryan (Atheneum)
BALARAMA: A ROYAL ELEPHANT by Ted and Betsy Lewin (Lee & Low)
BARBARIANS by Steven Kroll, illustrated by Robert Byrd (Dutton)
THE BEATITUDES: FROM SLAVERY TO CIVIL RIGHTS by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Tim Ladwig (Eerdmans)
BEFORE COLUMBUS: THE AMERICAS OF 1491 by Charles C. Mann (Atheneum)
BLOOD AND GOO AND BOOGERS TOO! by Steve Alton, Nick Sharratt and Jo Moore (Dial)
THE BOY WHO INVENTED TV: THE STORY OF MILO FARNSWORTH by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Greg Couch (Knopf)
BUTTON UP! WRINKLED RHYMES by Alice Schertle, illustrated by Petra Mathers (Harcourt)
CARS ON MARS: ROVING THE RED PLANET by Alexandra Siy (Charlesbridge)
CHASING LINCOLN'S KILLER by James L. Swanson (Scholastic)
CHILD OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT by Paula Young Shelton, illustrated by Raul Colon (Schwartz & Wade)
CITY I LOVE by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illustrated by Marcellus Hall (Abrams)
CLAUDETTE COLVIN: TWICE TOWARD JUSTICE by Philip M. Hoose (Farrar Straus Giroux)
CRAZY LIKE A FOX: A SIMILE STORY by Loreen Leedy (Holiday House)
THE CUCKOO'S HAIKU AND OTHER BIRDING POEMS by Michael J. Rosen, illustrated by Stan Fellows (Candlewick)
CYCLE OF RICE, CYCLE OF LIFE: A STORY OF SUSTAINABLE FARMING by Jan Reynolds (Lee & Low)
THE DAY-GLO BROTHERS by Chris Barton, illustrated by Tony Persiani (Charlesbridge)
DINOSAURS (STEREOBOOK) by Dennis Schatz (Chronicle)
DINOTHESAURUS by Douglas Florian (Atheneum)
DOWN, DOWN, DOWN: A JOURNEY TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA by Steve Jenkins (Houghton Mifflin)
THE FABULOUS FEUD OF GILBERT & SULLIVAN by Jonah Winter, illustrated by Richard Egielski (Arthur Levine Books)
FACES OF THE MOON by Bob Crelin, illustrated by Leslie Evans (Charlesbridge)
FALLING DOWN THE PAGE edited by Georgia Heard (Roaring Brook)
THE EAST-WEST HOUSE: NOGUCHI'S CHILDHOOD IN JAPAN by Christy Hale (Lee & Low)
A FOOT IN THE MOUTH: POEMS TO SPEAK, SING AND SHOUT by Paul Janesczko, illustrated by Chris Raschka (Candlewick)
FUNNY BUSINESS: CONVERSATIONS WITH WRITERS OF COMEDY edited by Leonard Marcus (Candlewick)
A GIFT OF DAYS: THE GREATEST WORDS TO LIVE BY by Stephen Alcorn (Atheneum)
THE GREAT AND ONLY BARNUM by Candace Fleming (Schwartz & Wade)
HOME ON THE RANGE: JOHN A. LOMAX AND HIS COWBOY SONGS by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by S.D. Schindler (Putnam)
HOW TO BUILD YOUR OWN COUNTRY by Valerie Wyatt, illustrated by Fred Rix (Kids Can Press)
I AND I by Tony Medina, illustrated by Jesse Watson (Lee and Low)
IF AMERICA WERE A VILLAGE by David J. Smith, illustrated by Shelagh Armstrong (Kids Can Press)
INTO THE DEEP: THE LIFE OF NATURALIST AND EXPLORER WILLIAM BEEBE by David Sheldon (Charlesbridge)
JULIE ANDREWS' COLLECTION OF POEMS, SONGS AND LULLABIES selected by Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton, illustrated by James McMullan (Little, Brown)
JUNIE B'S ESSENTIAL SURVIVAL GUIDE TO SCHOOL by Barbara Park (Random House)
JUST THE RIGHT SIZE: WHY BIG ANIMALS ARE BIG AND LITTLE ANIMALS ARE LITTLE by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Neal Layton (Candlewick)
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF CORN by Charles Micucci (Houghton Mifflin)
LOOK TO THE STARS by Buzz Aldrin, illustrated by Wendell Minor (Putnam)
LOST WORLDS by John Howe (Kingfisher)
THE MERMAID QUEEN by Shana Corey, illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham (Scholastic)
MESSING AROUND ON THE MONKEY BARS AND OTHER SCHOOL POEMS FOR TWO VOICES by Betsy Franco, illustrated by Jessie Hartland (Candlewick)
MISSION CONTROL, THIS IS APOLLO: THE STORY OF THE FIRST VOYAGES TO THE MOON by Andrew Chaikin and Alan Bean (Viking)
MISSION PLANET EARTH: OUR WORLD AND ITS CLIMATE AND HOW HUMANS ARE CHANGING THEM by Sally Ride and Tam O'Shaughnessy (Roaring Brook)
THE MONSTEROLOGIST: A MEMOIR IN RHYME by Bobbi Katz, illustrated by Adam McCauley (Sterling)
MOON: SCIENCE, HISTORY, AND MYSTERY by Stewart Ross (Scholastic)
MOONSHOT: THE FLIGHT OF APOLLO 11 by Brian Floca (Atheneum)
MORE POCKET POEMS by Bobbi Katz, illustrated by Deborah Zemke (Dutton)
MY UNCLE EMILY by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter (Philomel)
NASREEN'S SECRET SCHOOL: A TRUE STORY FROM AFGHANISTAN by Jeanette Winter (Beach Lane)
NEVER SMILE AT A MONKEY by Steve Jenkins (Houghton Mifflin)
OLD POSSUM'S BOOK OF PRACTICAL CATS by T.S. Eliot, illustrated by Axel Scheffler (Harcourt)
ONE BEETLE TOO MANY: THE EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES OF CHARLES DARWIN by Kathryn Lasky, illustrated by Matthew Trueman (Candlewick)
ONE GIANT LEAP by Robert Burleigh, illustrated by Mike Wimmer (Philomel)
OPEN THE DOOR TO LIBERTY!: A BIOGRAPHY OF TOUSSAINT L'OUVERTURE by Anne Rockwell (Houghton Mifflin)
OUT OF THIS WORLD: THE AMAZING SEARCH FOR AN ALIEN EARTH by Jacob Berkowitz (Kids Can Press)
PAPER FASHIONS (Klutz)
PEACEFUL HEROES by Jonah Winter, illustrated by Sean Addy (Scholastic)
RED SINGS FROM TREETOPS: A YEAR IN COLORS by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski (Houghton Mifflin)
REDWOODS by Jason Chin (Roaring Brook)
S IS FOR STORY: A WRITER'S ALPHABET by Esther Hershenhorn, illustrated by Zachary Pullen (Sleeping Bear Press)
SACRED MOUNTAIN: EVEREST by Christine Taylor-Butler (Lee & Low)
SHINING STAR: THE ANNA MAY WONG STORY by Paula Yoo, illustrated by Lin Wang (Lee & Low)
SHIPWRECKS: EXPLORING SUNKEN CITIES BENEATH THE SEA by Mary M. Cerullo (Dutton)
STAMPEDE!: POEMS TO CELEBRATE THE WILD SIDE OF SCHOOL by Laura Purdie Salas, illustrated by Steven Salerno (Clarion)
TESTING THE ICE: A TRUE STORY ABOUT JACKIE ROBINSON by Sharon Robinson, illustrated by Kadir Nelson (Scholastic)
THANKS A LOT, EMILY POST! by Jennifer Larue Huget, illustrated by Alexandra Boiger (Schwartz & Wade)
THAT'S LIKE ME!: STORIES ABOUT AMAZING PEOPLE WITH LEARNING DIFFERENCES by Jill Lauren (Star Bright)
TODAY I WILL: A YEAR OF QUOTES, NOTES AND PROMISES TO MYSELF by Eileen and Jerry Spinelli (Knopf)
TRUCE by Jim Murphy (Scholastic)
THE UNDERWEAR SALESMAN AND OTHER JOBS FOR BETTER OR VERSE by J. Patrick Lewis, illustrated by Serge Bloch (Atheneum)
VOYAGES: REMINISCENCES OF YOUNG ABE LINCOLN by Neil Waldman (Calkins Creek)
WARRIORS by Catherenie Brereton [et al] (Kingfisher)
A WHIFF OF PINE, A HINT OF SKUNK: A FOREST OF POEMS by Deborah Ruddell, illustrated by Joan Rankin (McElderberry)
THE WORD SNOOP by Ursula Dubosarsky, illustrated by Tohby Riddle (Dial)
YOU ARE THE FIRST KID ON MARS by Patrick O'Brien (Putnam)
YOU NEVER HEARD OF SANDY KOUFAX?! by Jonah Winter and Andre Carrilho (Schwartz & Wade)
ZERO IS THE LEAVES ON THE TREE by Betsy Franco, illustrated by Shino Arihara (Tricycle Press)

Happy reading!

Picture in header from Matilda by Roald Dahl, illustration by Quentin Blake,
Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.
More Esmé stuff at www.planetesme.com.

After the Love Has Gone: Read-Aloud for the Young and Restless

At the invitation of the fabulous Jen Robinson, I am so proud to be a participant in the Share A Story, Shape a Future initiative, an "annual blog tour for literacy." For five days, "we harness the power of the Worldwide web to share ideas about ways to engage kids as readers." If you haven't been following all along, look forward to treating yourself to a weekend of delving into inspirational posts about the power of print, discovering amazing real world book lists, and connecting with your children's book-loving brethren!

The initiative was great out of the gate thanks to an invitation to share what works and what excites us to share via writing prompts by Terry Doherty, with provocative points for discussion every day that followed. Day two was all about "Literacy My Way" in which creative articles collected by Susan Stephenson of The Book Chook conspired to demonstrate that there's more than one way to skin the proverbial reading "cat." Day Three was hosted by Sarah Mulhern of The Reading Zone, featuring "The Nonfiction Book Hook," showing how books about real things lead to real reading. Day four was hosted by Donalyn Miller, author of one of my favorite recent teacher resources, THE BOOK WHISPERER, celebrating the theme of "Old Favorites and New Classics." And today at Jen Robinson's Book Page, we have "Reading for the Next Generation," and I am glad to be a part of that list today, riffing about that unthinkable time when your child doesn't want you to read aloud any more. Maybe they are busy "tweenagers." Maybe they think read-aloud is for babies. Maybe they want to do it themselves. Maybe there is a divergence of interests. Sniff-sniff! What to do? Here are some strategies to bring even the biggest or busiest kid back to the book.

Communicate honestly. Tell your child in plain English (or Spanish or Japanese or French or Pig-Latin) that you know he is a great reader; this is simply very important to you. Explain that reading out loud is who you are (or want to be) as a parent, that you look forward to it and would miss it if you didn't. Explain that reading out loud is a present you are trying to give and it will change his life in amazing ways, if he could just trust you on that now. Explain that read-aloud is something you do in this family no matter what age anybody is, and you hope he will grow up and do it for his children as well. Your child may allow you to begin reading just to get you to stop talking like this.

Wheedle a little. "Did I not do for you all day? Do now you do this one thing for me." Effectiveness of guilt trips may vary according to cultural tendencies ingrained for generations. Some children have developed an immunity.

Go to bed a little earlier. Sometimes children are just plain tired at the end of the day and konk out as you begin reading, or are simply too cranky to listen. Go to bed about twenty minutes earlier to improve read-aloud mood and attention span.

Go to bed a little later. This is a good bargaining chip for older children. Offer that they might stay up a half hour later if you can spend it reading together. If they are old enough to give you an attitude about it, reasonably suggest you try it for just a week and serialize a novel. They'll be hooked.

Change the schedule. Bedtime seems to be the reading time of choice, but be versatile when your family's needs demand it. If your schedule doesn't allow you to read aloud before bed, try reading aloud during breakfast instead, or before homework (believe me, there's nothing going on in the homework that read-aloud won't help). Just try to be consistent in whatever time you decide on; regular read aloud impacts academic achievement more dramatically, and makes reading part of your lifestyle.

Pick with passion...and the person...in mind. I had a woman complain that I overstated the cause of read-aloud because she tried to share John Knowles A Separate Peace, which she had never read herself, with a seventh grader. It didn't go over too well. Hey, guess what? William F. Buckley isn't watching you read, or double-checking your curriculum. If you have a child who would prefer some quality time with Lyle, Lyle Crocodile to what looks good on a college application essay, how about cutting you both some slack? On the other hand, if the likes of A Separate Peace is your all-time favorite book, that passion will permeate your reading. The bottom line for elementary school children, which is easy to forget in the current climate: don't read for a resume. Read because it's a pleasure.

Turn the TV or computer games off. Match time spent staring at screens with time spent reading aloud. Rule of thumb: use your library card at least as often as you use your Blockbuster card or Netflix membership. If you are contending with real video game addiction issues, use "successive approximations toward the goal," a.k.a. baby steps by letting them earn time; for every half hour of read-aloud, give them a checker from an old board game that they can "spend" on ten minutes of screen time.

Make read-aloud a reward. Extra help with the housework or good grades can mean an extra story or chapter at the end of the day. This demonstrates the value of read-aloud.

Let someone else read-aloud. Have a guest reader, such as a grandparent, the spouse or partner who doesn't usually read aloud, a family friend, an older sibling. Or get a book on tape, but get the book in print as well, and follow along so your child still gets the exposure to print.

Make a list. Sometimes just keeping track of what you're reading inspires children to read more. It's fun to watch the list get longer and longer! You can even jot down titles and dates on the door, by the growth chart.

Go to the library or bookstore more often. New titles can jumpstart interest. So does choice.

Take turns reading aloud. You read a page, your child reads a page. Or, take parts in dialogue. Praise ability generously! This kind of encouragement, especially as children get older, can be hard to come by at school and makes read-aloud extra pleasurable.

Read aloud what you never thought you would. Give in to your child's desires. Let them pick anything, anything they want. So, it's the five-hundred-page Technical Manual of All-Your-Never-Wanted-to-Know About Race Cars/Arachnids/Dragonslaying. So, it's a magazine article from Teen-Beat-Me-Over-the-Head-with-Makeup-Tips or an interminable day in the life of the boy who looks like a vampire. Remember, lots of non-readers find connection to print through non-fiction. Your willingness to share in your children's interests not only improves their self-esteem, it makes you look cool and (almost?) worth talking to. Besides, if your children are interested in it, how bad can it be? (Don't answer that.) If it's more than you can bear, negotiate: One thing you pick, one thing I pick.

Be pragmatic. If your child won't sit for a novel after many attempts or has attention deficit problems, or your work schedule leaves you panting, try a short story instead. Or a poem a day. Or assigned reading from school that would have to get done anyway. Or a play, where you can take parts.

Give in, but read alongside. If you've tried these strategies but read aloud is still a battle, ease up. Fighting is counterproductive. If your child won't come around to join you, you can still model read-aloud with your spouse or partner. You can also compromise by getting book lights and reading silently alongside your child. Remark on notable passages you come across, and ask sporadic questions the the reading inspires (even the reflective ones that have no ready answers) that encourage your child to do the same with you.

I hope you'll share your own strategies in the comments section. It's not always easy to read-aloud every day, but there are good reasons to give it your best try. Not only because over ten thousand pieces of research, compiled and distilled through the Department of Education in its report "Becoming A Nation of Readers" suggest it's the most important thing you can do to ensure academic success, and that it should continue through the grade levels. It has to do with creating an intrinsic value in reading, it has to do with deciding what's worthwhile to do with our time even when forces may pull us all in so many other directions. Most of all, it has to do with saying to a child, "you're worth spending time with, you're worth sharing with," saying I love you with every page turned until the child's heart is filled with the confidence that comes with both knowledge and support. And whether you're a teacher or a parent, isn't that what shaping a future is all about!

Throughout this post you'll find covers from a few more favorite read-alouds , mostly taken from my Reading Resuscitation List: THE TWENTY-ONE BALLOONS by William Pene du Bois; THE WRETCHED STONE by Chris Van Allsburg; THE GRIFFIN AND THE MINOR CANON by Frank Stockton; THE BIG ORANGE SPLOT by Daniel Pinkwater; THE QUILTMAKER'S GIFT by Jeff Bumbeau, illustrated by Gail de Marcken; ZLATEH THE GOAT AND OTHER STORIES by Isaac Bashevis Singer, illustrated by Maurice Sendak; POOP by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Neal Layton; THE BIRCHBARK HOUSE by Louise Erdrich, and the trusty D'AULAIRES BOOK OF GREEK MYTHS. I like books that I can read aloud in a room whether there is an eight year old tucked in, a twelve year old, or both. What books have worked for you? Which have reignited the fire? Which books did your children teach you to love?

And one more thing: the fifteen points in this post are all dedicated to my almost-fifteen-year-old son, in appreciation for letting mom read aloud A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN by Betty Smith, and listening while dad shares YOU CAN'T WIN by Jack Black. Thanks, R.

"Share a Story, Shape a Future" button art by Elizabeth Dulmeba.
These strategies were excerpted from "What to Do When Your Child Doesn't Want You To Read-Aloud,"
from HOW TO GET YOUR CHILD TO LOVE READING, Esme Raji Codell, copyright 2003, Algonquin Books.
Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.
More Esmé stuff at www.planetesme.com.

WHO WILL I BE, LORD? (PICTURE BOOK)

Today, the spirit of African American history...and an African American future.

PICTURE BOOK
WHO WILL I BE, LORD? by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, illustrated by Sean Qualls (Random House)

Great-Grandpap was a mailman. "He knew everybody in town and everybody knew him." He married Great-Grandma, a white woman who "mama'd five children and made the best cakes in the county. She wore pants when other ladies mostly only wore dresses...Mama says Great-Grandma knew more about love than most folks." Grandma is a teacher ("proud of her education and likes passing the plate around so everyone can have some"). Uncle is a pool shark ("if you're gonna be a ditchdigger, learn to dig the best ditches on earth," he advises), and cousin is a jazz man. Grandpa is a preacher, Papa is a car man, and Mama is a Mama, taking care of everybody. Looking over her family tree, the little girl can't help but wonder, "Lord, what will I be?" For those concerned about the title for inclusion in secular schools (as I was), in fact, the use of "Lord" is a matter of voice and characterization, true to the context of the little girl who narrates (and a great opportunity for teachers to talk about voice and characterization with young authors). Above all, this book values the power of stories passed down through a family, and recognizes how those connections are catalysts for aspiration and empowerment ("My mama is a mama. And what will I be, Lord? Who will I be? I guess like Mama says, it's up to me"), and between the lines pulses the sense that acceptance from that circle awaits, no matter what choice is made. Quall's line is daring and joyous, taking on the best qualities of a "retro" feel with muted, matte paintings overlapping unfilled pencil lines and dancing shapes (check out his wonderful blog for a sample of his inimitable style). This lovely, almost philosophical offering is a springboard into wonderings and dreamings about the future, as well as loving remembrances of people in the past. (6 and up)

Also of interest:
Black history is also American history, every month of the year. Keep on reading, sharing, recognizing and inspiring with these very personal accounts.

TESTING THE ICE: A TRUE STORY ABOUT JACKIE ROBINSON by Sharon Robinson, illustrated by Kadir Nelson (Scholastic) We know Jackie Robinson as the great ambassador who was the first African American to play in the Major Leagues seven years before the desegregation of schools, but Sharon Robinson knew him as "Dad." Join the family at the Robinson's house on the lake, a lake that Jackie Robinson did not want to set foot in. But when his daughter and her friends want to go ice skating, Jackie Robinson puts aside his own fears to assure safety for the ones he loves. "All I could think was: My dad is the bravest man alive...In fact, Dad showed the same courage on the ice that day as he did when he broke the color barrier in baseball. No one really knew what would happen." This effective metaphor, drawn with suspense and the great humanity of Robinson's own rare moment of vulnerability, makes for a powerful story. The incredible perspectives of the realistic paintings make the people seem to breathe on the page and draw the reader into every scene. Paired with a thrilling read-aloud, it is perhaps easier to share with a young audience than the illustrator's stunning tribute to the Negro Leagues, WE ARE THE SHIP, or at least serves as a perfect preface to it. What a gift Robinson has given with this memory...and what a tribute. (6 and up)

CHILD OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT by Paula Young Shelton, illustrated by Raul Colon (Schwartz & Wade)

But Uncle Martin wasn't really my uncle -- not by blood, anyway.
We were close because our fathers worked together.
Close because our mothers worried together.
Close because we all struggled together.
Close because we were brought together for a common goal, a common good.
We were one family -- the family of the American civil rights movement.

Inspired by the real-life memories of the daughter of civil rights activists Andrew Young and Jean Childs Young, this is the chance to sit under the table from a child's eye view and listen to grown-ups discuss the decision to march from Selma to Montgomery. The narrator describes each debating voice like an instrument, and then, "Uncle Martin loved the music of his friends and knew that each instrument needed to be heard. But he also knew in the end they must come together like a symphony, as one." The commitment of the family, moving from the north to south during Jim Crow, and details like being carried as a child after becoming to tired to walk or throwing a tantrum because of being hungry but not allowed to sit and eat, make a historical experience immediate and relatable to the young listener. What's more, the book ends with the passing of a "baton," and the march goes on for a new generation of children to join. The pointilistic art style done with colored pencil is mellow and rich, warm and well-matched to the text. Ultimately, it is an effective pairing that welcomes any young reader into the right side of history. (6 and up) Along these thematic lines, also check out THE BEATITUDES: FROM SLAVERY TO CIVIL RIGHTS by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Tim Ladwig (Eerdmans), an elegant rendering in both words and pictures of the famous Sermon on the Mount in the spirit of African American faith, taking the reader across a broad timeline: from the ships across the Middle Passage, under the starry night sky with Harriet Tubman in the lead, at the Lincoln Memorial as Marian Anderson's voice soared, at Emmett Till's funeral, alongside Ruby Bridges as she bravely marches into school, and with Barack Obama as he takes his oath. A thoughtful picture book for older children, it is very nice in conjunction with Jacqueline Woodson's stunning personal history, SHOW WAY, illustrated by Hudson Talbott (Putnam) for depicting a continuum of strength. (9 and up)

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.
More Esmé stuff at www.planetesme.com.

MY ABUELITA and PEENY BUTTER FUDGE (PICTURE BOOKS) plus GRANDPARENT BOOK GIVEAWAY

PICTURE BOOK

Hmm, most women over sixty that I know these days color their hair, but these storybook seniors are so fabulous they may be setting some new trends. Today, it's a grandma-a-go-go (with a grandpa or two for good measure)!

MY ABUELITA by Tony Johnston, illustrated by Yuyi Morales (Harcourt)

Then my abuelita booms out words, loud and clear. She always says the words should be as round as dimes and as wild as blossoms blooming.

A little boy helps his grandmother get ready for work. But what job requires a scarf like a cloud that flows down to the ground, practice at singing like a frog, a skeleton and plumed snake packed into the back seat of a car, and a crown of stars? A storyteller, of course! The grandson's pride and delight is palpable as he joins his charismatic elder from preparation to performance. Figurative language permeates the text: Abuelita is like a calabeza, a pumpkin, with hair the color of salt and a face crinkled like a dried chile. After her morning shower, she looks like a great big bee, wrapped in her black and yellow towel, and at breakfast, fried eggs look like stars. What a boon for teaching simile and metaphor in context! Best of all is the artwork, with an award-winning illustrator trying a new technique of photographing her hand-crafted poppets in scenes brimming with miniatures, but maintaining her signature sunburned palette, as vibrant as streamers hanging from a pinata. Be sure to look for the family cat, "Frida Kahlo," padding through the pages adorned with a posy atop her feline face like the painting of her namesake, and the double-page spread of the convertible car stuffed with props is nothing short of a wonder. Check out this charming video (and share with young readers) to see how Madame Morales created her work of art. This book is a tribute to the unique, contagious energy of grandmothers-- and storytellers-- everywhere. (5 and up)

P.S. Fun fact for fans of Yuyi Morales (who isn't?): her sister, Magaly Morales, has also started illustrating picture books...kind of like what Venus and Serena Williams did to raise the bar for tennis, this duo will do for picture books! "Love!"

PEENY BUTTER FUDGE by Toni and Slade Morrison, illustrated by Joe Cepeda (Simon & Schuster) Mom has left a schedule on the refrigerator while she steps away for a few hours, but Nana has her own agenda that the children are pleased as punch to follow, full of storytime and sack races, dancing, puzzles and a finale of putting together a delicious dessert: peeny butter fudge. Lots of approximate rhymes are for the effect of a rambunctious flow more than any tight meter; this is a book about breaking the rules in order to have some fun. The illustrations really "make" this title; an electric palette and jaunty angles give this visit a special energy. Though Grandma's hair is white, the rejuvenation she feels amidst her grandchildren is palpable, and the details elicit sensory response; can't you just hear Nana's roaring laugh as the children surround her, pretending to be doctors and trying to fix her, or can't you feel the breeze from the window as the family crowds and cuddles together for a nap on mussed blankets? When Mama returns from errands and sees the kitchen in disarray, her anger is kept at bay with by a poignant wordless flashback to cooking with her mother in her own childhood, and it's hard not to catch your heart in your throat. This book has a notable and genuine intimacy, sharing something very true and touching about love in a family that tugs at the heart. No saccharine here, though, only real, sweet sugar both in this story and in the recipe included for a batch of "peeny butter fudge" (though you'll have to supply your own Nana). (5 and up)

Also of interest:
More quality time with grandparents.

OUR GRANDPARENTS: A GLOBAL ALBUM by Maya Ajmera, Sheila Kinkade and Cynthia Pon (Charlesbridge) Babu or Bibi? Opa or Oma? Dada or Dadi? Zayde or Bubbe? Whatever you call them, grandparents are people who love and encourage, listen and play, teach, share, celebrate, and take care of us; we take care of them in return. These attributes shine in the smiles of the people in outstanding, emotive photographs from all corners of the globe, simple text aligned with images both personal and universal that speak a thousand words. With a foreword by Archibishop Desmond Tutu, this is one of the books from the very lovely collection of books from the Global Fund for Children collection. (3 and up)

NANA CRACKS THE CASE! by Kathleen Lane, illustrated by Sarah Horne (Chronicle)
You've got to love a book where one of the first lines is "It did seem that Nana had all of the qualifications necessary to be a detective." Indeed, this grandma has a formidable wig collection, a sneaky streak, and leaves a book on her kitchen table, The Joy of Napping, to throw the people who expect her to be good and proper (ech!) off the trail of her true nature. But to Nana's mischievous grandchildren, her vocation is no mystery, and they join her as she tries to discover who stole the precious chocolate Yumdums and compensate for Nana's unfortunate Mr. Magoo-like streak. This early grade novella is a teeny bit tricky to follow in spots mostly due to the zany plot and the POV in which an invisible narrator directly addresses the reader, but has definitely cracked the case when it comes to voice and wry humor. This first time author is one to keep under investigation. (8 and up)

Speaking of fun novels for newer readers, be sure to check out LOOK OUT, JEREMY BEAN! by Alice Schertle, illustrated by David Slonim (Chronicle), oh my goodness, what a little read-aloud gem, the best since Ann Cameron's shamefully out-of print STORIES JULIAN TELLS. Good things come in a small package with these three short stories about a little fella finding his footing in a perplexing and competitive world: one St. Patrick's Day story (saints be praised, when was the last time we had some realistic fiction with that theme?), one story in which Julian is thrown by the term "dust bunnies" in true Ramona Quimby style, and one really beautiful story, the first one, about a grandfather's patient guidance in helping Jeremy discover what unique collection he can bring to school for a class assignment. The presence and importance of the grandparent is very natural in the life of this character, and the writing portrays the relationship in a light of loving friendship that some lucky children will recognize. This author already wrote one of my favorite poetry books of the year, and continues to show her tremendous versatility and heart. (7 and up)

TOAD COTTAGES & SHOOTING STARS: GRANDMA'S BAG OF TRICKS by Sharon Lovejoy (Workman) How about a little grandparent-y nonfiction? This book boasts "130 Wonder-Filled Grandchild-Friendly Activities!" Exclamation point! This author uses her extensive expertise in the garden (demonstrated in SUNFLOWER HOUSES and ROOTS, SHOOTS, BUCKETS & BOOTS) to help children and their relationships with grandparents grow as high as a runner bean. Fairy boxes, firefly lanterns and campfire stories are old-school fun, and even if some ideas are perennial, this book infuses them with a contagious energy and a love of nature, plus plenty of pretty spot illustrations and photographs that conspire to inspire both young and old grown-ups to take a child firmly in hand and walk down the garden path. (Parenting)

Please check out my vintage post for more outstanding reads on this theme, including Reeve Lindbergh's MY LITTLE GRANDMOTHER SOMETIMES FORGETS and MY HIPPIE GRANDMOTHER, both representing common experiences kids might have with the seniors in their lives, and absolutely do not miss sharing Ed Young's I, DOKO (Philomel, 5 and up), a haunting and provocative picture book parable set in Japan told from the point of view of a basket, in which a few choice words from a little boy remind a family to care for the elderly in the manner they would wish for themselves. And! Since the last giveaway went so well, let's try another one: share your favorite reading memory about someone over sixty-five or name another favorite grandparent character from children's literature in the comments section below by the end of the day on March 1, 2010 and be entered a random drawing for a copy of Sharon Lovejoy's TOAD COTTAGES AND SHOOTING STARS! Good luck and thanks for sharing!

On a personal note: This post is dedicated to my friend in library school, Kym Gotches, one of the most cheerful people I know. Even though she's a spring chicken herself, she always reminds us of the importance of intergenerational programming in libraries, and that age is something to celebrate. Thanks for the inspiration!

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.
More Esmé stuff at www.planetesme.com.

MILO ARMADILLO (PICTURE BOOK) and VALENTINE'S DAY GIVEAWAY

Happy Valentine's Day! Nobody likes squishing a chocolate in the box and finding the wrong flavor, so you'd better check out the PlanetEsme list of unlovable love stories to make sure your storytime stays sweet for elementary school children. Also, check out "Ten Ways to Use Books to Say I Love You on Valentine's Day," and these pitch-perfect new picture books for when love is in the air...and in the library.

PICTURE BOOK

MILO ARMADILLO by Jan Fearnley (Candlewick)

Talullah really wants a pink fluffy rabbit toy, but is gracious enough to accept the knitted armadillo made by her loving grandmother. The new friend strives to impress, to no avail:

Milo Armadillo was athletic.
"That's good jumping," said Talullah, "but rabbits jump higher."
Milo Armadillo played funky tunes.
"Very good," said Tallulah airily, "but rabbits only play classical music."

After a few rounds of best efforts falling short, Milo Armadillo hits the road, leaving Talullah to realize that she has, in fact, "lost something very special." Wah-lah, here we have hit the page where the experienced storytime teller will sadly say "the end" and elicit the pained squeals of the audience, but fear not...Talullah will follow the unraveled pink thread to find her friend yet again and redeem herself, in true happily-ever-after spirit. A very fetching artistic style combines a colorful, broad, sketchy line with textile collage; it's fun to see Grandma's actual yarn visually pop off of the page, and the actual pink knitted pattern makes Milo seem extra squeezable.

On Tallulah's Valentine's playlist, I would safely guess that Milo would put Crosby Stills Nash and Young's "Love the One You're With," or maybe Cinderella's "Don't Know What You Got Till It's Gone." The moment when Talullah weeps "I don't WANT a pink fluffy rabbit...I want Milo Armadillo!" the reader can barely resist a moment of schadenfreude by shouting "too late, sister!" In fact, besides being an attractive and darling book, this is a valuable little parable with a dash of emotional bravery that makes a point without preaching: the way we treat others affects others (surprise!), a marvelous point to make as young children developmentally "decenter" and realize that the ones who love us have feelings, too, and these feelings are just as important as our own. Sure, perhaps some teens and adults could afford to be reminded of this as well; share with the person you know who pores over their "ideal mate" list a few too many times, and needs to take a more appreciative peek at the nearest armadillo. And start downloading the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back." (5 and up)

Also of interest:
Love is in the air! Or at least, friendship.

A FRIEND LIKE YOU by Tanja Askani (Scholastic)
A wild animal expert shares pairings of rescued and domesticated cuties to demonstrate that friendship is always possible, even when it seems most unlikely. "Even if you think I am different...something just tells me we are going to get along." Ah, a white squirrel says hello to a tiny owl! Look at that baby bunny sticking his tongue out at a grouchy hedgehog! The LOLcats-like adorable-ness of the photographs may seem facile at first glance, but in fact, the reaction I got from children made me realize this book is more than a greeting card. These odd couples serve as a comforting affirmation that there is a friend out there for all of us, and culminate as a real world example of acceptance. If animals can manage to see past outward appearances, why can't we? Also setting this book apart are the endnotes, offering the names and types of all of the creatures great and small and their back stories, giving this title a nonfiction twist that makes it a special treat for young animal-lovers. (5 and up)

HENRY AND THE VALENTINE SURPRISE by Nancy Carlson (Viking) A big heart-shaped box on Mr. McCarthy's desk has the whole class a-buzz. Does the teacher have a girlfriend? Nosy, nosy! Is it the friendly playground monitor, or the generous lunch lady? How about the French teacher, oh-la-la! It turns out that Mr. McCarthy has a whole room full of people he loves, and manages to give both his class...and the reader...a big surprise. Exuberant illustrations feature a cast of animal characters both cheerful and chummy, and sharing this book is like giving one of those fun little cut-out classroom Valentines to anyone who listens. (5 and up)

Another Valentine's story with a surprise ending may be found in ANDY SHANE IS NOT IN LOVE by Jennifer Richard Jacobson, illustrated by Abby Carter (Candlewick), a recent addition to the cunning "Andy Shane" bookshelf that should appeal to fans of Suzy Kline's masterful "Horrible Harry." Bossy but likable Dolores can't help wondering why her best friend is spending so much time with the new girl in class, but the answer is that Andy's love affair is a classic one for a little boy, and Dolores has nothing to fear. Fall in love with this series that builds reading confidence and success for new readers! (6 and up)

And what do you love? Share a shortlist of any three faves in the comments below by February 21st, 2010 (what three books do you love? Or three foods? Three songs? Three dreams you hold dear? Three friends? Three teachers? Three websites? Or even three things you love to hate, if you happen to be a Valentine Scrooge?), and be entered in a drawing for three books that celebrate February: the lovely LIN YI'S LANTERN: A MOON FESTIVAL TALE by Brenda Williams and Benjamin Lacombe (Barefoot) for Asian New Year, Patrica Polacco's stirring JANUARY'S SPARROW (Philomel) for Black History Month, and the romantic wordless picture book romp SUNDAY LOVE by Alison Paul (Houghton Mifflin) in honor of Valentine's Day. I love reading great children's books, and sharing them with you, and I love when you share them with children in turn! XOXO!

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.
More Esmé stuff at www.planetesme.com.

SHINING STAR: THE ANNA MAY WONG STORY (NONFICTION) and CHINESE NEW YEAR PICKS

NONFICTION
SHINING STAR: THE ANNA MAY WONG STORY by Paula Yoo, illustrated by Lin Wang (Lee & Low)

To escape taunting at school and the workaday world of the laundry, young Anna May Wong hides out in the movie theater and hangs out on sets in Los Angeles. Wong's allure and diligence eventually earn her roles in moving pictures, but in the 1930's, are they the kind of parts that would allow her to hold her head high? With studios forbidding mixed-race love scenes and perpetuating stereotypes, it seems Wong can only go so far within her industry, but after a visit to China and some hard contemplation, she manages to go one step further. This well-paced picture book biography allows the reader to put Wong's choices into the context of her time, and attractive, realistic paintings underscore scenes from Wong's journey of discovery of her own identity as a Chinese-American. Besides being a very thoughtful introduction to a unique figure from Hollywood heritage, like any solid picture book biography, it can be used across grade levels, and is sure to incite discussion. What makes someone an American? What stands in the way of individual contribution? Some of the heartbreaking limitations put upon Wong (also put upon African-Americans and other people of color at that time and for many generations to follow) seem so unnecessary, intolerant and unduly cruel to us today, a source of embarrassment. It begs another question: what limitations do we put on people now that might seem silly tomorrow? (7 and up)

Also of interest:
Did you know, February 14th starts the Year of the Tiger? Gung hay fat tsai! Happy Chinese New Year (and Lunar New Year for many other Asian cultures)! This is an exciting, hopeful, vibrant time of year, so use books to join in the celebration! Click here for a list of over 25 classic Chinese New Year picture books (plus Chinese Zodiac Horoscopes for teachers...you'll let me know if they are on the money, or the red envelope, as the case may be!), or use the bibliography in the article I did a few years back for the Teachers.Net Gazette, "Dim Sum and Then Some: Discovering China with Children's Books." But a New Year deserves some brand new books, so check out these recent picks with a Chinese flavor!:

THE SEEING STICK by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini (RP Kids) A reissue from 1977, gorgeous flowing watercolor illustrations in the spirit of Lisbeth Zwerger revive this reissue from 1977. The emperor offers a bag of jewels to the one who can help his blind, beautiful daughter Hwei Ming to see. Though word is sent for miles around Peking, but all who attempt the task fail. At last, an old man appears who shares Hwei Ming's condition, and teaches her view the world through her hands instead of her eyes. As the old man deftly weaves his story, we sense another master folklorist at work in the author, and themes of empathy and valuing the contribution of elders stand out. Some may find distracting that several pages have high-gloss accents; they are not textural enough to contribute to the story in the way that works for, say, Menena Cottin's BLACK BOOK OF COLORS (a nice book to read in combination with this one, incidentally), and the pictures are perfectly accomplished without any help, but they do make the pages look snazzy. Definitely worth a look-see. (6 and up)

TOFU QUILT by Ching Yeung Russell (Lee & Low)

Mr. Yim roars, / "Yeung Ying! / Why do you write about things / you know nothing of? / Why don't you write about/ what you know best? / You only deserve a forty. / It's the lowest grade I have ever/ given a student!" / Now / I know / I can only be / a saleslady, selling handbags, / after all.

Yeung Yim aspires to becoming a writer so accomplished that she can dine on the delicious custard, dan lai, whenever she pleases. But as a girl in 1960's Hong Kong, where educational opportunity is the exception rather than the rule, this is easier said than done. As the bright daughter of a poor tailor, she needs the support of her high-spirited mother, the practice afforded by family members who needs letters written and read, and most of all, a strong inner voice that finds a way to say "can do!" against all odds. An affecting author's note explains how the story told in this free verse is a very personal one, yet many creative children who have hurdles to clear will recognize themselves in these pages. This gracefully executed narrative taps into very real feelings of highs and lows of a child exploring a dream, and the little bits and pieces of everyday life that get quilted together to make us who we are. (8 and up)

HAPPY BELLY, HAPPY SMILE by Rachel Isadora (Harcourt) If you are a fan of Chinese food, be sure to join Louie for dinner at his Grandpa Sam's restaurant where readers get a tour of the kitchen before joining the festivities at the table. This book feels modern (gotta love the hipster delivery guy!) and has a very culturally inclusive spirit, with all races enjoying (and some less adventurous young palates refusing) the delicacies. Lanterns, dragons, take-out containers, fu-dogs, pots and pans and bits of real Chinese take-out menus worked into the collage create busy, cozy, colorful pages. Less detailed than Ted Lewin's tribute BIG JIMMY'S KUM KAU CHINESE TAKE-OUT, pair with Grace Lin's FORTUNE COOKIE FORTUNES for a primary level culinary foray. This book delivers. (4 and up)

Mmm. That last book put me in the mood for some mushroom fried rice with black bean garlic sauce from China Ling, the neighborhood take-out we refer to locally simply as "Nice Lady," because the woman at the counter is so kind. For many Americans, so many positive connections to cultures are made through food (whether the cuisine is perfectly authentic or not), as suggested by Jennifer 8. Lee, author of the fun grown-up book The Fortune Cookie Chronicles. Do you have a favorite Chinese restaurant? What dish do you like to order? Remember to wish your friends there "gung hay fat choy," good luck, health and prosperity...and I wish the same to you!

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