Total Pageviews

1,922,797

Saturday, August 2, 2025

iMistaco! A Tale of Tragedy y Tortillas. Written and illustrated by Eliza Kinkz. Kokila, Penguin Random House. 2025. $24.99 ages 6 and up


"Izzy just wanted to hide. 

Because hiding from your mistakes 
ALWAYS works. 

Oh no ... Fridays meant making tortillas. 
Lito LOVED tortillas! 

He loved them so much that he couldn't see 
that making tortillas was the last thing 
Izzy wanted to do.

She tried, but a LOT can go wrong 
when making tortillas.

Izzy considers herself the President of MISTAKES. She sets out to prove it to readers while reflecting on the many she has made in her life. There are almost too many to remember. While others can see the humor in some, Izzy is having none of that. So, on a day when she made a colossal mistake while at school with a pudding cup, she has no intention of telling anyone. 

Even though it is tortilla night with her grandparents, Izzy does not want to be seen or heard. She prefers hiding, which doesn't last long. Her grandparents love having her help when they are making tortillas. It does not go well. First, she sneezes dough all over her Lita's face; then, in trying to roll out the tortillas, she makes mistake after mistake until one gets stuck on the rolling pin. By the time she has shaken it off, it is all over her face! 

Her astute grandfather recognizes there is more to her sadness, and asks what is wrong. It's all Izzy needs to offer the truth. A series of mishaps has resulted in everyone at school calling her Chicken Lickin' Puddin' Pickin'! Izzy is traumatized and her grandfather knows just what to do. He will eat every one of her mistakes. If Izzy will share again, he will make a taco out of each mistake and eat them. He proceeds to do exactly as planned. 

As Izzy's tension eases, she makes her own unusual taco and comes up with a new idea for naming them. They will call them mistacos! Lito loves the idea and soon family members are regaling all gathered with their own mistakes, making everyone happy. When it's time to go home, and Izzy steps in it again. Oh, well! Lita is there with a bag of warm mistacos for Izzy to take to school come Monday. 

Filled with some angst, endless love, a great deal of laughter and support, and a thoughtful solution to what seems an insurmountable problem, it's clear for readers that everyone makes mistakes. The cartoon images are filled with the energy of a warm and loving family. Chaos seems to be their middle name! Their use of Spanglish as they work together to make things better is explained in back matter, along with directions for making your own mistaco. 

Friday, August 1, 2025

UP, UP, EVER UP! Junko Tabei: A Life in the Mountains. Words by Anita Yasuda and art by Yuko Shimizu. Clarion Books, Harper. 2024. $24.99 ages 4 and up

 


"With enough oxygen for two people, 
only the group's climbing leader, Junko, 
and her guide, Ang Tsering Sherpa, would 
attempt Everest's summit. Could Junko 
accomplish what no woman had before? 

Almost two weeks later, they reached 
their last camp. Waves of wind rattled 
their tent like a tiny vessel on a wild 
ocean. Before dawn, Junko began her 
ascent."

Having lived these many years, and read thousands of books, I am still surprised at how much there it to learn, and how many people whose stories I have never heard. I have often mentioned that picture book biographies introduce our young readers to many who are real heroes in their field. Sharing one biography every week of the school year means students know the stories of 52 real people in all fields, and whose lives have had an impact. 

I had never heard anything about Junko Tabei until Up, Up Ever UP! was chosen as a Caldecott Honor book in 2025. I read the reviews, realizing I knew little about mountain climbing at all. Well, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, yes. I did not know this trailblazing woman who realized when she was a very young girl that what she wanted to do was to climb. 

Her first climb with friends happened when she was ten years old. She knew then she wanted more; life got in the way and when it was time to leave home, she moved to Tokyo where women were not allowed in mountaineering clubs. Only one accepted her, leading to her spending every weekend climbing with others. She married a mountaineer and had two children, climbed endlessly with other women who only wanted to climb higher and higher. Their goal ... Everest! No woman had ever made it to the summit. 

Their preparation was endless and not without setbacks. Once ready, they landed in Nepal. This all-woman team made headlines, as you can imagine. 

"The team spent weeks establishing camps
beyond the maze of moving ice and deep 
crevasses of the Khumbu Icefall until Everest 
awoke, and ... 

a dragon's roar shook the night. 

AVALANCHE!"

With only enough oxygen for two, Junko and her guide, Ang Tsering Sherpa, would try to reach the summit. Two weeks later, they were on their way to the top! It didn't stop there for Junko. She continued to climb with women around the world, while always missing the allure of the Himalayas. She was a leader, not only in climbing but in cleaning up the trash others left behind. She planted apple seeds to improve life for people living there and fought for the protection of mountain ecosystems. 

It is impossible to do justice to Yuko Shimizu's incredible artwork using a Japanese calligraphy brush that was specifically made for Buddhist sutra and black India ink to make drawings on watercolor paper, then colored digitally using Photoshop. They complement the story's spirit at every turn and make it entirely memorable. Back matter includes an author's note, a timeline, a glossary, and a selected bibliography. 
                                                                                      


Thursday, July 31, 2025

Bison: Community Builders and Grassland Caretakers, written by Frances Backhouse. Orca, 2025. $24.95 ages 10 and up

 


"Playing is important work for growing bison. 
Running and frolicking build their muscles to 
make them stronger and faster. Chasing and 
dodging each other are skills they need in order
to avoid ending up in a predator's belly. And 
butting heads with buddies is valuable training
for male calves, who will someday compete 
with each other as adults. A calf's other 
important work is eating. Before winter comes, 
it needs to grow as big as possible and build up 
its energy reserves.
"

As you can tell from the above quote, the conversational tone of the text is very appealing. It makes the learning meaningful, while also feeling like storytelling. Bison once roamed North America in numbers thought to be never-ending; by the early 20th century, their numbers had dwindled dramatically and they were almost facing extinction. Today, in areas that are protected, their numbers are growing. They are tremendously important to the ecosystem, benefitting other animals and also the land. 

The author was first introduced to bison when her family moved east from Montreal, and she saw them in Banff National Park. Her stories and impressive knowledge are engaging from the very first page. I very much enjoyed reading about her many encounters with bison in the wild and with the people who care for the herds. The details shared will leave readers savier about their history, their body differences, the roles they play in creating room for animals and plants to flourish, and their nose-cleaning antics. The book also celebrates the teachings and traditions of Indigenous Peoples

As is expected from books in the Orca Wild series, the text is organized with care, and the book is filled with clear, captioned photos, maps, charts, comparisons, and fascinating facts that give hope for the future of the bison herds. There are numerous places where these largest land animals can now be seen in Canada and the United States. In fact, my family and I are looking forward to making a visit to the Bison Park in Minnedosa MB this summer while they are here. We know not to get too close! 

https://youtu.be/epQAgJflDxA?si=kHWluSXN9wALJI79

Wednesday, July 30, 2025

The Peddlar of Puddles, written by Beth Ferry and illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld. Clarion Books, Harper. 2025. $24.99 ages 3 and up

 


"With a twist and a turn
and a push and a pull, the Peddler had
made countless ducks delighted ... 

hundreds of frogs euphoric ... 

and children ... 

well, he'd stopped counting how many 
children he'd created puddles for.
"

Kids will be very happy to meet the Peddler of Puddles, and they will be hoping to meet him on their own some day. He's a slow roller, but he gets the job done and makes many creatures very happy. Who doesn't love a good puddle? 

His puddle maker is an invention to make children smile, in hopes of being able to design one for themselves. Watching the fruits of his labor provide just what many creatures need for fun, frolic, and even to quench their thirst is quite the enjoyable endeavor. When children join in the fun, they stomp, splash, and float a boat. 

The Peddler does it all out of the goodness of his heart, never asking for payment. He does, however, appreciate a fresh carrot, a bowl of soup, a firefly lantern, or a smile. He is always on the move, appreciating his old friends and the new ones he meets. His travels are wide, and eventually lead him to the biggest puddle he has ever seen. He is astounded. 

"Wow," he said. 

"I know," replied a voice coming from below. 

It was a small girl. 

A small girl covered in sand."

Thinking to create a rinsing puddle, the Peddler is surprised to find that the water just disappears when it touches the sand. The girl invites him to try dipping his toes in the ocean. What joy they experience together! When it is time for the girl to go home, the Peddler realizes he has no home to go to. Still, he has a job to do. How will he get his cart out of the sand and on the road again?  

Turns out his many friends have been missing him, and want to help. Home they go to a huge hole they have all helped to dig. The Peddler gets right to the task at hand! What he does with his cart will fill hearts with wonder and joy. 

The storytelling is heartfelt and makes for a most enjoyable readaloud. It is filled with kindness and the wonder of community. Tom Lichtenheld does a fine job using pencil, watercolor, and colored pencils to create a fetching setting for the Peddler, his business and his many friends. The details demand attention and offer excellent reasons to stop and talk about what listeners are seeing as the story moves along. 
                                                                                    


Tuesday, July 29, 2025

We Leap Together, written and illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal. Alfred A. Knopf, Perguin Random House. 2025. $26.99 ages 3 and up

 


"We hear a familiar song. 

We twist and twirl. 

We blow bubbles that float up, up, up.

As readers note a humpback whale and her baby swimming side by side on the verso side of the first spread, they look over to the recto to watch a small boy, holding a red balloon, and his mother travel city streets. A page turn shows the calf look up through the water's surface at a bird flying high; the child spies a soaring airplane. 

The journeys they take are shown on facing pages throughout, while simple lines of text let readers know they are occupied with the same pursuits. All stay together side by side, and their play is similar. When the whales do a deep dive, the humans descend downstairs into the subway. Each turn shows how similar both families truly are. No matter what happens, mama always provides comfort and safety. As mother and son board a sightseeing boat in the harbor, astute readers will realize what is about to happen. 

"We watch, 

we listen, and then ...

WE LEAP!"

What a lovely premise for this book! The mixed-media artwork will delight readers with the parallel urban and ocean scenes. There is such serenity in the warm, emotional images. Back matter includes a two-page spread that explains how whales and humans have some interesting similarities.                                                                                


Monday, July 28, 2025

A Stronger Home, written by Katrina Chen and Elaine Su and illustrated by Delphie Cote-Lacroix. Orca, 2025. $21.95 ages 5 and up


"The new house is far away. It is small and 
white and hours from town. 
"Is this our house now?" I ask Mommy. 
"For a while," she says. 
Mommy looks tired. 

"Can we walk down to the water?" I ask."

A close look at the opening page, shows noise coming from outside the room where the mother and her son are huddling together. The boy has his hands over his ears; the mother looks with worry at the bedroom door. The storm is not outside. It is inside the house. 

As the two sit together, the mother explains what a typhoon is like; how it can be big or small, but often enormous and it scared her when she was younger. The two hold each other close, waiting for the storm to stop. In the morning, with furniture upended and chaos evident, they leave. They take nothing. It's time for a stronger house, she tells her son. 

Far away, they find a small, quiet spot that provides safety and comfort. They visit the beach and the water. Listening to a shell reminds them that their heartbeats are where you find home. Their stay is short, before moving on to an even stronger house where they can see breaching whales and the sunshine is warm and bright. 

Another move follows, and then another. With each move, they hope the new house is strong enough. Every house is different from the last, and every one seems stronger. When fear and panic arise, they find comfort in each other. They are always together, and the days get easier. Memories fade for what came before, until one day it's time to go back home. The storm has passed. 

With help from family and friends, their return is filled with promise for a better, happier life. 

"I am not afraid of the thunder. 
I am not afraid of the dark. 
I know our home is strong. 
And I know the two of us together 
are stronger than any storm.

An author's note explains the reason for sharing this story of domestic violence; a part of her own life.  In it, she encourages those impacted by violence to reach out for the support that is there for them.                                                                                      


Sunday, July 27, 2025

Magic in a Drop of Water: How Ruth Patrick Taught the World about Water Pollution. Written by Julie Winterbottom and illustrated by Susan Reagan. Rocky Pond Books, Penguin Random House. 2025. $26.99 ages 6 and up

 


"She thought about all the plants and animals that live in 
streams. Not just the diatoms, but the whole community 
of sponges and spiders, water lilies and worms, everything 
from the tiniest protozoa to the biggest fish. She realized 
that if she really wanted to understand pollution, she had 
to listen to all of them. Not just one voice, but the whole 
chorus of water dwellers. 

No one had ever studied everything in a river before. It
would be a huge job. 

Ruth jumped in feet first."

Readers are told immediately that Ruth Patrick loved pond scum when she five years old. She and her sister were encouraged by their father to find anything of interest while they were out walking in the woods. Ruth was a collector at heart, and had no trouble filling her basket. 

Looking at the pond scum she had collected under her father's microscope, she was amazed to see gem-like shapes and other delicate and wondrous things. She would later learn that they were diatoms and their work was necessary to life on Earth. As a young child, Ruth wondered what else she might find in water. Although her mother had little patience for her daughter's love of hauling buckets of 'who knew what' home, her father encouraged her at every turn. 

Girls, at that time, were not expected to study science. Ruth and her father had other ideas. Her interests led her to study biology at college and grad school, with a focus on diatoms. Tens of thousands of them, with very different survival skills. Learning that they had stories, Ruth was on her way to many remarkable  discoveries, including wondering if diatoms could help solve the problem of water pollution. 

Because of people like Ruth who asked pertinent questions and found answers wherever she could, the world knows far more that it once did. With the help of other interested scientific helpers, and by collecting as many samples as they possibly could, Ruth finally found her answers in the water they so carefully studied. 

"Where there are many different kinds of animals, the water is healthy. 
Where there are few - or none - it is polluted."

Her work lives on today as biodiversity, and it is used to measure pollution in many ecosystems. For sixty years, the young girl who loved pond scum worked tirelessly to educate others as she still sought to educate herself. 

Back matter includes More About Ruth Patrick, a timeline, and a selected bibliography for those readers who want to learn more themselves ... just like Ruth.