Lolly on the Ice by Sarah S. Brannen

Lolly on the Ice

by Sarah S. Brannen

Published 2025

Random House

40 pages

Hardcover

Fiction Picture Book

Review copy provided by publisher

Summary

Lolly loves to ice skate. She feels confident and happy on the ice when it is only her father watching. When anyone else is around, Lolly freezes, and is too scared to skate. When she gets an opportunity to skate in an ice show, she is unable to move when she is in front of the judges. But she is given a role as a snowman in the show because the snowmen didn't need to move. 

When a key performer is injured during the show, Lolly needs to decide if she will face her fear of performing in front of people and step up and skate in the girl's place. 

My Thoughts

This book could be helpful for children who experience performance anxiety or stage fright. It is not a common subject of many books in kid lit. 

In the beginning, it is clear how much Lolly loves to skate. When she becomes a snowman, her energy is different, and you can tell from her facial expression and body language that she really wants to skate like the main performers. Lolly ultimately overcomes her fear and performs in the show. I do wish there had been more development and conflict when she needs to decide if she will skate in the show, and more of a resolution and clear lesson at the end. 

The illustrations, created in watercolor and ink, have a softness about them. The characters have various skin tones. The book includes a combination of one and two-page spreads. 

Image from Amazon.com

Image from Amazon.com

Lost by Bob Staake

Lost 

by Bob Staake

Published Oct. 1, 2024

Anne Schwartz Books

48 Pages

Hardcover

Fiction

Wordless Picture Book

Review copy provided by publisher

Goodreads Summary

In this paneled picture book, join a small girl on her hilarious and surprising search for her lost cat--and watch as she helps her neighbors, who have also lost their pets, along the way!Where, oh where is Kitty? She's not upstairs... not in her litter box... not at her food bowl. Hmm...There's only one thing to find this lost cat.As the cat's owner roams town in hopes of finding her pet, she discovers she's not the only one missing their beloved animal. There's also a lost dog...a lost bird...even a lost giraffe! Join the search party in this almost wordless story that celebrates helping our neighbors and gently reminds us that what is lost can always be found.

My Thoughts

I LOVE a wordless picture book and this one does not disappoint. The story is told through panels with flashbacks depicted on full-page circles. There is so much to explore and discuss! 

Why are some characters shown in color and others in black and white? 

Who changes?

How do they change? 

What does the author want us to learn? 

Images from Amazon.com 

You will definitely want to add LOST to your wordless picture book collection!

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? Oct. 14, 2024

 

Please visit the Unleashing Readers blog who host IMWAYR! 

Here are a few things I have read recently.

This Rock is Mine!

by

Kaye Umansky

Illustrated by Alice McKinley

Published by Peachtree 2023

Hardcover

Fiction Picture Book

Copy provided by publisher

From Goodreads: Friendship wins the day in this fabulously funny quarrel! Two frogs sit on an ordinary little rock. But . . . uh-oh! Both frogs think it's their rock - and they really don't want to share!

The frogs fight and squabble furiously. But when a hungry heron swoops down, both frogs realise it's time to find another rock . . . together!

Kaye Umansky's brilliantly simple rhyming story shows how two grumpy frogs go from fighting . . . to friendship (with lots of laughter along the way.)

Alice McKinley's hilarious illustrations bring to life every twist and turn of this wonderfully witty little drama.

Written in absolutely perfect rhyme, this story is a joy to read aloud. Every parent and child will identify with these squabbling frogs. An excellent (and very funny) lesson in how to resolve a quarrel! Kaye Umansky is one of the UK's best-loved children's authors. She is a brilliant comic writer, and is the award-winning creator of the bestselling Pongwiffy fiction series. Her superb rhyming picture books have echoes of Dr Seuss.

Alice McKinley's illustrations are full of warmth and humour, and packed with clever details to spot.

I enjoyed this book and think it would make a very fun read aloud with it's rhyming text and relatable situation. It offers opportunities to discuss sharing and friendship. 

Snow Is...

by Laura Gehl

Illustrated by Sonia Sanchez

Expected Publication Oct. 29, 2024

Simon & Schuster

Hardcover

Fiction Picture Book

Poetry

Copy provided by publisher

From Goodreads: From award-winning author Laura Gehl, a sparkling, lyrical picture book about the magic of an early snow.
It’s dawn and there is snow all around. The wonder of winter’s first snowfall brings the magic of changing seasons and sees a family sharing the perfect snow day with coziness and togetherness from dawn to dusk.

This is a beautiful book that combines simple poetry with gorgeous illustrations. I can imagine students writing poetry following the same pattern with various topics. 

Currently Reading

No Cats in the Library by Lauren Emmons

No Cats in the Library 
by Lauren Emmons

Published March 2024

Paula Wiseman Books

Hardcover

Picture Book

32 Pages

Fiction

Review copy provided by publisher

Goodreads Summary

A stray cat follows her love of books all the way to a new library home in this charming debut picture book, perfect for fans of The Library Fish and Kitten and the Night Watchman .

Clarisse is a clever cat who loves books. She may not understand the dark, squiggly lines, but she can’t get enough of the pictures. One day, she stumbles upon a magical building where people walk in empty-handed and come out with an armload of books. She has to find a way inside!

There’s just one NO CATS are allowed in the library! That’s not going to stop clever Clarisse, though. Once she sneaks in, she stumbles upon exciting new stories and even helps a little girl practice reading aloud. But when the librarian comes looking, will Clarisse be allowed to stay?

My Thoughts

Young readers will love this sweet story and will be begging for read aloud cats in the library. They will be rooting for this little kitty to find its way into the library. Initially the librarian, or "keeper of the books" shoos the cat out. But she eventually agrees to let the cat stay to be a read aloud cat to the children who visit after she sees how much it helped the readers.

The illustrations are done in a limited color palette. The people in the book represent different races and cultures.

I am always looking for new books about libraries and can't wait to share this one with my students.

Visit Laura Emmons' Website.

Sourgrass by Hope Lim & Shahrzad Maydani

Sourgrass 

by Hope Lim & Shahrzad Maydani

Expected Publication March 26, 2024

Beach Lane Books

Fiction

Picture Book

Hardcover

40 Pages

Review Copy provided by publisher

Goodreads Summary

What do you do when your best friend moves away? This hopeful and resonant book filled with soft, vibrant illustrations tells the story of two friends who find a way to keep their special friendship alive, no matter the distance.

Every day, Sofia and May meet at the door of their shared fence. Sofia can always count on May to show up and May can always count on Sofia to wait for her. One spring day, Sofia and May discover a field of wild sourgrass flowers beyond their yards. The field becomes their favorite place, and the two friends grow closer than ever. But when May moves away, Sofia starts to Will their friendship last?

As the girls navigate a long-distance friendship, Sofia realizes that some friends are forever, even when they’re apart.

My Thoughts

What a sweet, gorgeous book! 

May and Sofia's friendship is like the Sourgrass, consistent. They can count on each other like they can count on the sourgrass showing up each spring. When their friendship is tested by distance, readers will need to read on see if they can remain friends (I won't spoil the ending here).  

This scenario is very familiar and relatable to children. They will enjoy reading how the long-distance friendship fares after the letters slowly stop coming. 

The story is told beautifully with rich word choices and figurative language. The illustrations are lovely with soft, colorful images. 

Image from Amazon.com

Pair Sourgrass with Evelyn Del Ray is Moving Away by Meg Medina. 

This Little Kitty in the Garden by Karen Obuhanych

This Little Kitty in the Garden 

by Karen Obuhanych

Published January, 2024

Knopf Books for Young Readers

Fiction

Picture Book

32 Pages

Hardcover

Review Copy provided by publisher

Goodreads Summary

Spring is blooming, and what better way for rascally kittens to celebrate than by causing mischief in the garden in this charming picture book!
Spring has sprung on Sakura Way.
The five little kittles will garden today!

My Thoughts

This is a very cute book. Readers will learn about the steps of planting a garden in the spring through the experience of the cats. The rhyming text adds to the book's appeal and readers are exposed to terminology like tendril, rascals, and seedling. The cats are all different with various personalities and a fluffy bunny even makes an appearance. The target audience for this book is toddlers through kindergarten in my opinion. It would make a nice addition to your spring, garden or cat books. 

Image from Amazon.com 

Don't Trust Cats:Life Lessons from Chip the Dog by Dev Petty & Mike Bolt

Don't Trust Cats: Life Lessons from Chip the Dog 

by Dev Petty & Mike Bolt

Published January, 2024

Double Day Books for Young Readers

Hardcover

Picture Book

32 Pages

Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Goodreads Summary

Chip the dog from Don't Eat Bees is back, with more "wisdom" to share, including some hard-won life lessons about cats. From the favorite picture book comic duo of Dev Petty and Mike Boldt.Chip has been described as very smart and also a dog. And because he's a very good boy, he's going to share his tips on how to live your best life, Don't trust cats. Not even the little, fluffy ones with big eyes. Nohow, no meow.Trust the squirrel you always chase, trust grandpa (sure, he cheats at cards but he always has treats), and trust that skunk (he seems nice. What could possibly go wrong?). Do NOT trust cats, especially not Mittens.In this fabulously funny pet story, dog AND cat lovers will enjoy seeing their own fur-friends in Chip's earnest yet ridiculous guide to life. Also Don't Eat Bees (Life Lessons from Chip the Dog)

My Thoughts

Super FUN! Kids will love this book. Chip is an endearing character who gets into mischief and shares a unique dog's view of the world. The illustrations and text style work well to depict the playful nature of the book. Children will enjoy discussing how Chip interprets situations versus what is really happening. 

      Image from Amazon.com 

I will definitely be adding this book to my K-5 school library. 

School Library Journal Review

Creepy Books by Aaron Reynolds in the Library

This past week was "Creepy Week" in the library. I decided to start a bit of a tradition during Halloween week and read all three of Aaron Reynolds' and Peter Brown's books in the "Creepy" series. 

I read Creepy Carrots with 1st grade, Creepy Pair of Underwear with 2nd grade, and Creepy Crayon with grades 3-5. This is the order of publication and I kept them in order, even though they can stand alone, because the last 2 books have an "Easter egg" from the previous books. Jasper Rabbit is an endearing character and the "creepy" characters have a silliness to them that draw students in without scaring them. 

Although some of the students had read the books, or some of them, they still enjoyed the stories. I used the soundscapes from Novel Effect which added just the right amount of effect of music, sounds and brief dialogue without overpowering the story. 

 

We are currently working on tracking fiction stories, story elements, and orally summarizing. These stories lend themselves perfectly to this work as the problems are obvious and Jasper tries several things to get rid of the creepy characters without success until he finally gets rid of them or solves them problem in some way. 

After checkout I like to have choices for the students. This week they could design their own carrots, underwear and a crayon bookmark from templates included in the Novel Effect resources. 

The most popular choice was the STEM challenge to build a trap to capture the creepy characters. The students were provided different building supplies and they were able to design and build their prototypes. I do not have a makerspace, but I do have a small collection of building supplies and consumables and I am trying to be more intentional about using them. 

A successful read aloud, in my opinion, leaves students wanting to read more from the author or stories similar to the read aloud. These books were checked out right away on Friday and I am fairly certain that they will not be on the shelves for a while. It was a fun week for sure. 

Recent Reads-September 9, 2023

Hi everyone!

Here are a couple of books I have enjoyed reading lately. (Images from Goodreads). Click on the covers to learn more about each book. 

When looking for books to share around Indigenous People's Day, I read these two books. I loved them both and plan to get them for my library. 

Add this one to your collection of books on stereotypes and gender norms and expectations. 

I read there Maine Student Book Award books recently. 

I have a student who discovered skateboarding over the summer. 

I can't wait to share this book with him. 

Just Beautiful!

This gorgeous book is accessible to all students.

This was a really good audiobook. 

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? August 7, 2023

 

Please visit the amazing blogs: Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers who host this terrific meme each week.

I am still enjoying summer reading! Here are a few recent highlights. Click on the book covers to learn more about the books.

This book is on the Maine Student Book Award List this year. It is a great historical fiction choice that gives a unique perspective of WWII. 

This graphic novel is also on the MSBA list. 

I predict that it will never be on my shelf. 

Told through the voice of a teacher trying to explain slavery to students. An honest, important book to read, share and discuss. 

Powerful illustrations add to the emotional experience. 

Listening 

Upcoming Reading

I am trying to work my way through many of the Maine Student Book Award book for this year so I can recommend them to my students. I am also reading books from various mock Caldecott lists. 

What are you reading friends? 

Evergreen by Matthew Cordell

Evergreen 

by Matthew Cordell

Published Feb. 2023

Feiwel Friends 

Hardcover

Picture Book

Fiction

48 pages

Review copy provided by publisher

Goodreads Summary

A picture book by Caldecott medal winner Matt Cordell about a timid squirrel who makes a brave journey to help a relative who is ill.

Evergreen the squirrel is afraid of many things: thunder, hawks, and the dark paths of Buckthorn Forest. But when her mother tasks Evergreen with delivering soup to her sick Granny Oak, the little squirrel must face her fears and make the journey.

Along the way, Evergreen is met by other forest dwellers – some want to help her, but some want her mother’s delicious soup! It’s up to Evergreen to stay the course, and those who help her will surprise and delight young readers.

Using an art style reminiscent of the work of William Steig and Arnold Lobel, Matthew Cordell creates a classic tale of bravery and love.

My Thoughts

I would describe Evergreen as a new book with a classic feel. Evergreen is a sweet character that students will fall in love with. They will also relate to her fears and her bravery in doing hard things. 

Readers will get treated to an adventure story that is longer than most picture books (48 pages). But the length feels appropriate for all  Evergreen needs to do. Divided into 6 sections, this story could be read in one longer sitting or over multiple days. It will appeal most to students in K-3. 

Evergreen offers opportunities to have rich discussions about fear and bravery. Readers can also explore character feelings, traits and character changes over time, and the various roles of minor supporting characters. 

I love Matthew Cordell's unique illustration style. It is on full display in this new book. He has chosen muted earth tones which is what I think gives it a classic feel reminiscent of Frog and Toad. 

Image obtained from https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250317179/evergreen 

I will be happy to add this new adventure story to my school library. 

Cowhide-and-Seek by Sheri Dillard and Jess Pauwels

Cowhide-and-Seek
by Sheri Dillard
Illustrated by Jess Pauwels
Published May, 2019
Running Press kids
Picture Book
Hardcover
Fiction
32 Pages
Review copy provided by publisher


Goodreads Summary
A fun and humorous picture book, perfect for fans of Click, Clack, Moo.
Where, oh where, could Bessie be? When Bessie hears the farmer counting his cows, she thinks he's starting a game of hide-and-seek. She hurries off to hide, determined to be the winner- but she's the only one playing! When her "hiding spot" walks away, she follows it . . . right off the farm! Ready or not, here comes the farmer! Will Bessie find the perfect place to hide?

My Thoughts

Kids love a good game of hide and seek. Imagine how they will enjoy watching Bessie and she tries to hide in plain sight. It reminds me of how toddlers play hide and seek as they crouch behind a small object and think that they can't be seen. This book is silly and fun. The illustrations are well done with mostly stark white backgrounds with colorful diverse characters. 

Kids from toddlers to age 5 will enjoy this book. 

Image from Amazon.com

See what others have to say about this book:

Kirkus

The Baby Bookworm Blog
Visit Sheri Dillard's website
Visit Jess Pauwels website

It's Monday, What Are You Reading July 1, 2019

Please visit the amazing blogs: Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers who host this terrific meme each week.

Here are a few books I have been able to read over the last couple of weeks. Click on the covers to go to the book's page on Goodreads. 

The second in the series from Kayla Miller.  The story is all too relatable and timeless as Olive and Willow struggle with their friendship at summer camp when their personalities and expectations differ. Great for middle schoolers. 

Reading fantasy is a book gap for me. The Storm Keeper's Island was a nice way to fill it a bit. This is the first in the series. For 5th grade and up. 

This is the first in the super-cute graphic novel series, Monkey and Cake. First grade is the sweet spot for this one.  

Crabtree Publishing has a whole series of these fractured fair tales. If you are looking for books for second graders who are striving readers, want something entertaining, but not too young looking, this one does the trick. 

I really like Scholastic's Acorn imprint for young readers. There are currently 3 in this series. They are in full color and are written in  short chapters. Perfect for grades 1-2. 

Currently Reading

and 

What are you reading friends? 

The Haunted Serpent by Dora M. Mitchell

The Haunted Serpent 
by Dora M. Mitchell
Published June 5, 2018
Sterling Children's Books
234 pages
Middle Grade Fiction
Review copy provided by publisher

Goodreads Summary
Spaulding Meriwether, Thedgeroot Middle School's new resident weirdo and son of questionable television ghost hunters, just wants to fit in. But after a revenant chases him through the woods, Spaulding suspects there’s something afoot in Thedgeroot. (At least he thinks it’s a foot. Maybe it was a hand. It’s hard to tell when you’re running away.)
Then he notices the chimneys of the abandoned factory at the edge of town puffing smoke—and his dead next-door neighbor materializes, along with David, the missing pet boa constrictor that supposedly ate him. Spaulding can’t help wondering if these strange happenings have anything to do with his undead friends in the forest. Of course, Spaulding just has to investigate—but he may be biting off more than he can chew.

My Thoughts
Just in time for Halloween, a fun middle grade mystery! The characters are interesting and the story line will have students trying to solve the mystery right along Spaulding and his friends. The book is spooky without being too scary, and who doesn't want to read a book with a giant snake, a grumpy ghost-man and an exciting adventure! 
There are illustrations sprinkled throughout that readers will enjoy. I would recommend adding this fast-paced mystery to your collection! 

See what others have to say about this book:

Kirkus

Kids Reads

Visit Dora M. Mitchell's website

It's Monday, October 8, 2018

Please visit the amazing blogs: Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers who host this terrific meme each week.

Here is my reading from the past few weeks. Click on the book covers to learn more about the books.

What Are You Reading Friends?