Prankenstein Strikes Again: A Review of Judy Moody and Friends: Prank You Very Much

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Prank You Very Much cover

Judy Moody and Friends: Prank You Very Much
Megan McDonald, illustrated by Erwin Madrid
Candlewick
Ages 4-6
Published March 10, 2020

It’s time for the Summer Science Showdown. Stink is ready to wow the crowd with his mad scientist skills and save tomato plants everywhere from the dreaded dodders! As always, his older sister Judy (aka Prankenstein) has mischief in mind, with plans to trick Stink with the results of his own experiment. Even when unwittingly aided by Mom, Judy’s prank falls flat. It seems the master prankster can’t make her little brother believe he grew tomatoes overnight, for more than a minute anyway.

This is the 12th installment in the spin-off series for newly independent readers, each of which showcases one of the original series regulars in their own silly adventure. The themes of school projects and brother/sister dynamics are spot-on for the publisher’s target age group (4-6 year-olds). But the long text blocks and some tricky vocabulary are advanced for the group and might be a better fit for 6-8 year-olds. Madrid’s vividly colored and detailed digital illustrations (influenced by the original series illustrator Peter H. Reynolds) will offer some help with decoding for new readers wanting a challenge.

Butler Bookshelf

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Don’t we all wish we could frolic in the ocean right now? Channel your dreams and dive into Lily Murray’s Beneath the Waves, with illustrations created entirely from hand pressed plants by Helen Ahpornsiri. For more great reads, check out the list below!

Where’s My Turtle?
Written by Barbara Bottner and illustrated by Brooke Boynton Hughes
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers
Available now!

The Infamous Ratsos Camp Out
Written by Kara LaReau and illustrated by Matt Myers
Published by Candlewick
Available now!

Who’s Hiding on the Savanna?
Illustrated by Katharine McEwan
Published by Nosy Crow
Available now!

Beneath the Waves
Written by Lilly Murray and illustrated by Helen Ahpornsiri
Published by Big Picture Press
Available now!

I thought I saw a… Monkey!
Illustrated by Lydia Nichols
Published by Templar
Available now!

Into the Tall, Tall Grass
Written by Loriel Ryon
Published by Margaret K. McElderry Books
Available now!

 

 

Beloved Book Events – Now Virtual!

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Instead of cancelling, many of our favorite events are going virtual! If you’ve ever wanted to go to an event like BookCon or the Bronx Book Festival, here’s your chance. Check out the list below for some exciting events, including opportunities for continuing education credit.

BookExpo Online
Dates: May 26-May 28
Schedule: Check out online sessions schedule here. Most events will take via Facebook Live, with more details on the individual session pages.
Cost: Free
About: Normally in person, 2020’s BookExpo will now be online! The first day will feature a full slate of education sessions geared toward libraries and librarians; later sessions feature the event’s popular Adult and Children’s Book Breakfasts (now converted to dinners!) where literary giants and celebrity authors gather in conversation. Also on the schedule are the beloved BookExpo Buzz sessions (Adult, YA, and Middle Grade), where they’ll explore the breakout titles slated to become bestsellers.

School Library Journal Day of Dialog
Dates: May 27
Schedule: Available here with more details upon registration
Cost: Free with registration
Important to note: Certificates of completion will be provided to submit for CE credits. Upon completion of a course/session, attendees will receive a certificate of completion that will include the # of continuing education hours.
About: More than 40 authors and publishers will participate in this Day of Dialog, talking about the latest and most exciting forthcoming titles for children, tweens, and teens, ranging from picture books and nonfiction to graphic novels and YA. There will be a virtual exhibit hall to network with leading publishers, enjoy additional author chats, and download digital galleys as well as other free resources and giveaways.

BookConline (virtual BookCon)
Dates: May 30-31
Schedule: Online sessions schedule available here, many of which will take place via Facebook Live
Cost: Free
About: BookConline will feature sessions throughout each day with different authors and publishers to give participants a front-row look at debut books and behind-the-scenes peeks at favorite titles. Most events will be run through BookCon’s Facebook page, including trivia and ARC giveaways.

Bronx Book Festival 2020
Dates: June 6
Schedule: Forthcoming, speakers and panelists available here
Cost: Free with registration
About: The Bronx Book Festival, curated by The Bronx is Reading, will be online this year. The festival aims to promote literacy and foster a love of reading among children, teens, and adults. The festival will cover a wide range of topics relevant to the Bronx community through panels, workshops, and more with award-winning and bestselling authors, illustrators, and creators. Join keynote speakers Jason Reynolds and Gabby Rivera for this event that spotlights the local book community.

Eid Mubarak: A review of Once Upon an Eid: Stories of Hope and Joy by 15 Muslim Voices

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Once Upon an Eid cover

Once Upon an Eid: Stories of Hope and Joy by 15 Muslim Voices
Edited by S.K Ali and Aisha Saeed
Amulet/Abrams
May 5, 2020
Grades 3-7

Celebration, joy, family, traditions—Once Upon an Eid is a powerful collection of short stories from a group of the most talented voices in literature for young people. And the stories are as interesting and diverse as the writers they come from, with portraits of plenty and scarcity, heartache and love, prose, verse, and even a compact graphic story.

Editors S.K. Ali and Aisha Saeed have succeeded in curating an engaging collection for middle-grade readers (but accessible for older readers as well) that both celebrates the traditions of the two Eid holidays (Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha) and respects how those traditions differ by culture, community, and family. The cast of characters is a well-drawn assortment of young people and families learning, growing, and celebrating their faith in a way that appears as a reminiscence for those that celebrate and a welcoming window into the celebration for those that don’t.

 

Butler Bookshelf

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We’re eager to read Nelly Buchet’s picture book Cat Dog Dog: The Story of a Blended Family, with charming illustrations by Andrea Zuill. It’s about what happens when families come together–all the messiness and the joys. For more great reads, check out this week’s Butler Bookshelf below!

The Water Bears
Written by Kim Baker
Published by Wendy Lamb Books
Available now!

Cat Dog Dog: The Story of a Blended Family
Written by Nelly Buchet and illustrated by Andrea Zuill
Published by Schwartz & Wade
Available now!

A Girl in Three Parts
Written by Suzanne Daniel
Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers
Available now!

Dirt Cheap
Written and illustrated by Mark Hoffman
Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers
Available now!

The Lucky Ones
Written by Liz Lawson
Published by Delacorte Press
Available now!

Bedtime Bonnet
Written by Nancy Redd and illustrated by Nneka Myers
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers
Available now!

The More The Merrier? A Review of Alya and the Three Cats

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51YQcMBalhL._SX388_BO1,204,203,200_Alya and the Three Cats
Written by Amina Hachimi Alaoui, illustrated by Maya Fidawi, and translation by Mehdi Retnani
Published by CrackBoom! Books
Available June 16, 2020

Minouche, Pasha, and Amir have the perfect, lovely life. They are three cats who live a pet-filled life with Maryam and Sami. But one day, Maryam’s belly begins to grow, and soon there is a new addition to the family. What will the cats do with the arrival of a new baby?

This darling picture book by Amina Hachimi Alauoi is filled with specificity: in the personalities of cat trio and the particularities of their worries and adjustment to life with a newborn. These specifics are matched by Maya Fidawi’s intricate illustrations, which have soft and appealing cats as well as beautiful textiles and architecture. The author and illustrator depict the fear and unknown that can accompany a new sibling: parental time can be focused elsewhere, there are new sounds and people afoot, and unexpected changes can disrupt routines. This delightful read reassures even the most fretful mind, “to love is to share.”

There’s still time to apply…

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For the Butler Youth Services Scholarship.

Are you interested in becoming part of a diverse and engaged
youth-services-focused library community?

diverse student group 2

Applications are still being accepted for the 2020-2021 Butler Youth Services Scholarship for Underrepresented Groups in the Field of Library Science. This $15,000 scholarship will be awarded to a student seeking to earn an MLIS at Dominican University with a planned focus on service to children and young adults.

For full eligibility and application requirements please visit our website or contact Butler Children’s Literature Center Curator, Jen Clemons, at jclemons@dom.edu.

Applications for Fall 2020 are being accepted until June 15, 2020.

 

Butler Bookshelf

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It’s the little things, isn’t it? What I Like The Most singles out life’s small pleasures:  apricot jam on toast, the mailman on the street. We’re thrilled with this new picture book, written by Mary Murphy and illustrated by Zhu Cheng-Liang, which celebrates daily life and all its changes. For more great reads, check out the list below!

Molly’s Moon Mission
Written and illustrated by Duncan Beedie
Published by Templar
Available now!

Not Playing by the Rules: 21 Female Athletes Who Changed Sports
Written by Lesa Cline-Ransome
Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers
Available now!

Happy: A Children’s Book of Mindfulness
Written by Nicola Edwards and illustrated by Katie Hickey
Published by Caterpillar Books
Available now!

William Shakespeare’s The Tempest
Retold by Georghia Ellinas and illustrated by Jane Ray
Published by Candlewick
Available now!

Alphamaniacs: Builders of 26 Wonders of the World
Written by Paul Fleischman and illustrated by Melissa Sweet
Published by Candlewick Studio
Available now!

What I Like The Most
Written by Mary Murphy and illustrated by Zhu Cheng-Liang
Published by Candlewick
Available now!

 

Exploring Boundaries: A Review of Hug?

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51Dkz+OwGfL._SY498_BO1,204,203,200_.jpgHug?
Written and illustrated by Charlene Chua
Published by Kids Can Press
Available September 1, 2020
Ages 3-7

Sometimes a hug makes everything feel better. After a girl’s cat suffers from a gnarly hairball and falls ill, the girl offers a hug, and everything improves! But then one by one, more animals come by for a hug. First, a dog asks politely. Next, a pair of flapping ducks arrive. Third in line is a stinky skunk. And that’s just the beginning! This humorous tale asks, “How many hugs are too many?”

This charming picture book is filled with a delightful menagerie of creatures. Each scene sets the stage for the next potential hug confrontation to come. As the demands increase, so does the girl’s weariness. With each new hug, which demands more of the girl, the reader gets an opportunity to laugh – hug a porcupine?! – and see the girl’s reactive emotions. The images take center stage here, and oversized visual cues about emotions and feelings are both silly and educative. Charlene Chua’s expressive illustrations lay the foundation for conversations around boundaries and empathy. In these socially distanced days where hugs can be few and far between, this book is a timely, lovely addition to a collection.

 

Opposites Attract: A Review of 10 Things I Hate About Pinky

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10 things I hate about Pinky

10 Things I Hate About Pinky
By Sandhya Menon
June 30, 2020
Published by Simon & Schuster
Grades 7 and up

Fans of Menon’s previous works (When Dimple Met Rishi, There’s Something About Sweetie, and From Twinkle, With Love) will be excited to read her latest work, 10 Things I Hate About Pinky. Pinky is proud to be a social justice warrior, but her mother doesn’t feel the same way. After another fight where Pinky’s mother unfairly judges her, Pinky makes up a perfect fake boyfriend that her mom would love; but now Pinky must find this perfect boy. Enter Samir. A friend of a friend, Samir is stuck in D.C. after an internship with a coveted law firm falls through. When Pinky reaches out to him to be her fake boyfriend, Samir sees his chance to get an in with Pinky’s respected, lawyer mom. Although they start fake dating for their own reasons, they soon find that there might actually be something between them. Lines between fake and real begin to blur, and they both have to decide if this is what they want.

Told in alternating voices, Menon transitions seamlessly between the two. Menon leaves no loose ends, resolving all major and minor conflicts neatly. Clearly inspired by the movie 10 Things I Hate About You—which in turn was inspired by Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew—Menon makes the choice to keep the romance in the forefront but also explore issues of identity, environmentalism, familial discord, and more. All of this make for a refreshing take on a well-known and beloved story. A funny and charming book that will pluck at the heartstrings of many a rom-com lover.