Go Well, Anna Hibiscus. Written by Atinuke and illustrated by Lauren Tobia. Candlewick Press, Penguin Random House. 2024. $10.99 ages 5 and up

"Anna Hibiscus looked around. There 
were no houses, no farms, no people. 
There was only dust, red dust flying 
through the air. And dusty bushes and 
stumpy thorn trees growing in red earth. 
And the only people were Anna, 
Joy, and the village women. 
Anna Hibiscus was confused."

I look forward to learning more about Anna Hibiscus and her adventures with each new addition to the series. She lives in Lagos, Nigeria in Africa. Millions of other people live there, and it is very noisy. Does that worry Anna Hibiscus? It does not. She is accustomed to the chaos created by living amongst so many people. Her grandparents are very different; they were born in a rural village, and long for the peace and quiet they knew there. 

Grandmother and Grandfather have chosen this day to return to their village. They are taking four girl cousins (including Anna) and Uncle Tunde with them. When there is no room for them in the car, two girls are left to travel by bus to the village. Village women, who are also passengers, promise to look out for them. Full to the brim, the bus finally sets off. 

Through the rainforest, across dusty scrubland, and past fields of fruit and sugarcane, the bus travels. At their destination, they step down near the bush that leads them on a long, hot trek to the village. Anna has never seen such a place before: no road, no running water, and no electricity. What are they to do? To their great surprise, there is much to do and many grand people to meet. Along with the visiting, they learn a great deal. What fun for all! 

The sixth book in this fine series is a source of entertainment for early readers, and will be welcomed by fans of the rest. They will also be happy to know that the next book is already published: be on the lookout for Welcome Home, Anna Hibiscus. 

https://youtu.be/IZbiFfnDwnY?si=wLE1zco1TZ6qN6Of

Call Me Roberto! Written by Nathalie Alonso and illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez. Calkins Creek, Astra Books for Young Readers. Penguin Random House. 2024. $24.99 ages 7 and up

 

"But newspaper reporters don't praise Roberto's 
energy: They call him a show-off. And when his 
back hurts and he can't play, lazy! To make things
worse, people call him "Bob." They think it sounds
more familiar - more American. 

Roberto doesn't like being called Bob."

Baseball is over, and has been for a while. For fans, it's a long wait until spring training. For kids and classrooms that enjoy learning about sports stars by reading picture book biographies, this is a stellar story of an exceptional Puerto Rican baseball player. 

Roberto Clemente was born in 1934 and spent his early life in his homeland where he learned to play baseball using a tree branch and a tin can. It is an auspicious start for a boy who loves everything about the game. He spends every moment of his days swinging, sliding, catching, throwing and running. A Major League scout sees him play, and must get his father's permission to offer Roberto a chance at baseball with the minor league Montreal Royals. There, he keeps the bench warm. It is not what he was expecting. 

His first real chance to play the game he loves professionally comes in 1955 with the Pittsburgh Pirates. It takes no time to prove that he was born to play baseball. The fans love his play; they are not so keen on a Black man who only speaks Spanish. Even teammates and opposing players stand back and watch as he is mocked. Roberto plays baseball! 

"Out in right field, Roberto is an acrobat. He leaps 
and dives and reaches over the wall to rob hits and 
home runs. And base runners don't stand a chance 
against his powerful right arm." 

An All-Star in 1960, he leads his team to play in the World Series. Everyone in Puerto Rico is glued to the radio, while Roberto does his very best to help the Pirates become World Series champs. Still, there is not much appreciation for his play by Pittsburgh fans. Injustice is faced at every turn: on the ball field, in the newspapers, in Florida during spring training and in the eyes of baseball fans. 

Roberto is incensed and continues to speak for justice for himself and others like him. He makes a difference with this play; soon, he cannot be ignored. Named MVP in the 1971 World Series is a first for a Spanish-speaking player. He continues to honor his parents, his country, his people.  

Nathalie Alonso, a sports journalist, tells Roberto's story with passion and great admiration. Rudy Gutierrez uses acrylic paint, with colored pencils and crayons to bring Roberto and his many accomplishments to glorious life for young baseball fans. 

An author's note begins: 

"On December 31, 1972, three months after collecting his 3,000th hit, thirty-eight-year-old Roberto Clemente boarded a plane in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He was on his way to deliver supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. The aircraft crashed into the ocean shortly after takeoff, claiming the lives of everyone on board." 

Many young people, who don't know Roberto's story, will be surprised to learn of his death. Today, the MLB celebrates him on September 15 every year, and the league also gives the Roberto Clemente Award to a player who embodies the values he held so dear. It is a lasting legacy to a player who spent his baseball career wanting better for Latin players, and showing the world just how truly skilled he was as a player and a man. 

Further back matter includes archival photos, a glossary of Spanish words, a timeline of his life, a selected bibliography, acknowledgements, and an illustrator's note.

“If I'm good enough to play here, I have to be good enough to be treated like the rest of the players.”                                                                                        

Frostfire, written and illustrated by Elly MacKay.tundra, Penguin Random House. 2024. $24.99 ages 4 and up

 

"The sisters trudged all the way to the top of the hill. 
Celeste looked out over her winter kingdom. In 
summertime, the garden appeared so different. 

"Miriam, where do snow dragons go in the summer,"
asked Celeste."

Perfect for sharing on the first day that we have snow on the ground, this book will spark imagination and have young listeners clamoring to get outside to see if they can find magic in their own surroundings. As two sisters, Miriam and Celeste, step out into a wintry landscape, they cannot help but be enchanted by the wonder of it all. 

Celeste, the younger of the two, is especially keen until she hears a rumbling sort of sound which her big sister explains is the 'roar of a snow dragon'. Miriam considers herself a dragon expert and wants to share what she knows on their slow meander through the backyard. She explains that a snowbank masks the dragon's existence, and that snow dragons love to collect the 'diamond dust' that fills their world in this moment. 

As Celeste asks one question after another, Miriam offers magical explanations for what they are seeing. Celeste notices the frost on the windows; Miriam explains that it is frostfire. When Celeste asks about dragon tracks, Miriam tells her that snow dragons prefer flying over walking. On they go through the garden that no longer resembles the one they enjoyed in warmer times. 

Miriam tells her sister that snow dragons must migrate to the North Pole in the summer to be with the penguins. Celeste is skeptical. 

"I thought penguins lived in the South Pole,
not the North Pole ..." Celeste shrugged. 
"But you're the expert.""

Considering herself queen of the backyard realm, Celeste goes off to find a dragon, while her sister builds a protective fort. Imagine her surprise when she finds a real snow dragon and can come back to offer new learning for her big sister. Ahhh! The power of a young one's imagination! 

Beautifully told, with absolutely sparkling artwork, this book is a stunner! 

All the Books, written by Hayley Rocco and illustrated by John Rocco. Little, Brown and Company. Hachette, 2024. $24.99 ages 4 and up

 

"As Piper grew, so did her collection of books. 

But bringing all her books with her 
everywhere she went was becoming 
more and more difficult."

We tell a story in our family that comes from the time when my son Bret lived in Halifax. Bret was a reader, and loved all kinds of books. Like Piper in this story, he was voracious about his reading. He called home one day, with a bit of a chuckle in his voice. Teasing me about my need to 'have' all the books, he explained that he had just discovered the concept of a library. He clarified that you could go there to 'borrow' (not buy) any book you wanted to read. Hahahahaha! When I first read this book, it took me straight back to that memory. 

Piper Waterstone, a young chipmunk, absolutely cannot let any of her treasured books out of her sight. She loves them far too much to do such a thing! Those books offer travel, comfort, and all else that she needs. To that end, she takes them everywhere she goes. If a friend asks to borrow one, Piper is quick to make an excuse that she needs it at the moment. When told they will get it from the library, Piper does not understand. Why go to the library? 

Although she has never been there, she is sure it was not the place for her. Her collection continues to grow, making it increasingly more difficult to transport the books wherever she goes. On the day that  her bike rolls too quickly down a hill and spills the books onto the ground around her, the final straw is a rainstorm. Every book is soaking wet. 

A kind mole stops to help, and brings Piper and her books into the protection of a nearby building. 

"The building was warm and dry and 
smelled cozy, like wood with a hint of 
vanilla. When her eyes adjusted to the 
light, she gasped." 

You may have guessed that the amiable mole offering Piper safety from the elements is the librarian. He provides an enlightening tour, much to Piper's astonishment and invites her to sign up for a library card. Now, she will have access to ALL the books! 

"They're everybody's. We all share them. 
Having this card means the library and 
all the magic contained in these books 
are now yours."

John Rocco used pencil, watercolor, and digital color to bring this story to life with the detailed coziness to be found in a library ... a place anyone can visit to borrow the books they need to foster their love of reading. The telling endpapers clearly show the growth and change that comes with learning for Piper; at the opening, she is constantly in conflict over keeping her books to herself, while the closing images show the joys that come with sharing. 

The Outsmarters, written by Deborah Ellis. Groundwood, 2024. $18.99 ages 9 and up

"When I get into bed, the questions come tumbling 
back into my brain. 
Was it wrong of me to butt in at the party? Is it right
that I did, since the birthday girl seemed so miserable?
Should I mind my own business, or is it my business 
to mind? 
The more I think, the more I'm not sure. 
That's the trouble with thinking. Once you get 
started, it's damn hard to stop."

Deborah Ellis is one remarkable storyteller. In her new book, she introduces middle-grade readers to 12-year-old Kate Gray and those who people her life ... past and present. Kate's first-person voice is a perfect instrument for creating this unforgettable story. For three years Kate has lived with her maternal grandmother, who owns and operates Junk Yard, and is a sharp-tongued, opinionated woman. Kate's behavioral issues in middle school have resulted in her suspension from that school; the underlying reasons are made apparent to readers as the story progresses. 

Gran is not easy to live with. As they spend time together, Kate often wonders about her mom and where she is. Gran refuses to talk about her daughter, wanting Kate to leave things as they are. Kate's memories of her life before coming to live with Gran concern substance use, abusive boyfriends and abandonment. Living with her mother was wrought with traumatic episodes. The promise that things would get better was always there, and never happened. Gran is a strict caregiver. She expects Kate to abide by her rules at every turn. While Kate waits for the counselling she needs, she finds a way to spend her time by fixing up a shed on their property and offering 'Philosophic Help' to anyone willing to pay $2.00 for Kate's answers to their questions. 

Surprised at her own success, and making unlikely friends along the way, Kate finds some solace as days pass. Problems arise, not unexpectedly. The time comes to return to school, a place that holds no joy for Kate. While doing business with community people, she discovers the truth about her father and his family, and the secrets her grandmother has been keeping about her mother and Kate's early life. When her mother does show up, things are nothing like what Kate had imagined when she considered their reunion.  

There is much to unpack here. There were many times when I wanted to stop and add another quote. Ms. Ellis's storytelling is impactful as we have come to expect from this incomparable writer. Kate's story is heartbreaking, hopeful, and leaves readers with memorable characters who know exactly how to outsmart, rather than outmean. It is a remarkable read. Please find a copy, and read it for yourself. 

The Bears and the Magic Masks, written by Joseph Dandurand and illustrated by Elinor Atkins. NIghtwood Editions., Douglas & McIntyre. 2024. $15.95 ages 5 and up

"What the bears did not know was that these
masks were magic masks and if you put them 
on you would become the animal that was 
carved into the mask."

Kwantlen storyteller Joseph Dandurand uses forthright text to tell another story in the Kwantlen Stories Then and Now series from Nightwood Editions. Elinor Atkins, herself a member of the Kwantlen First Nation, complements the words with colorful, stylized images that bring the natural setting and powerful magic of the masks to life for young readers. 

Bears and the Kwantlen people have lived in close proximity over many years. The bears did nothing to frighten the people; the people, in turn, appreciated their presence and often left fresh fish for them. The bears protected the fish from other predators, allowing for a harmonious communal life. 

When the master carver fell into the river, the bears were there to save him and take him home. Grateful for their assistance, the carver designed masks as a gift for the bears: an eagle, a raven, a wolf, a coyote and a sasquatch. He hung those masks on a cedar tree nearby. In the spring, the bears returned from hibernation to find the masks where the carver had left them. 

Their need for food outweighed their happiness at seeing the masks. Upon their return to the tree, they chose to wear the masks, not knowing they were magic. One by one, they donned a mask, became that animal. In repetitive pages describing the actions of the bears as each of the animals, readers learn their ways. 

"Then the bear who wore the raven mask 
also began to dance. It, too, went up into 
the air and it, too, soared above the bears
and then landed. It had a berry in its beak
and took off the mask to become a bear 
again. Then it ate the fresh berry." 

The bear, who wore the sasquatch mask, went to the master carver's house in the village. There, the sasquatch danced to thank him and the Kwantlen people for all they had always done for the bears, before returning to his forest home. 

In an interview, Mr. Dandurand explained that his people have an oral history, rather than a written one. Their history and culture shape the stories that are told, meant to teach their children that everyone has a gift to share, although those gifts are different. 

Of himself he says: "I wish to believe that my gift is the gift of storytelling. All of my stories come from my imagination alone. I always leave the reader with the teaching in all of my work for children that you should always give something back. That you should not take from the earth everything or else there will be nothing left. This is a simple Kwantlen teaching."  

Shelly Hen lays eggs, written by Deborah Chancellor and illustrated by Julie Groves. Kane Press, Astra. Penguin Random House. 2024. $24.99 ages 3 and up

 

"Shelly likes to hang out with her flock. 
They cluck ... and peck ... 
and peck ... and cluck ... 
the whole day long. 

Shelly chases her friends up and down the ramp. 
They all know she's the one in charge."

There are four books in the follow my food series. This one helps little ones learn about hens and how they help feed people. Shelly roams freely on the farm where she lives. Her eggs are much appreciated by those who eat them. 

Shelly does what most hens do during the day. She starts with a dust both; that helps her rid herself of any bugs that might have climbed aboard. She likes her fancy feathers, and also likes for them to be clean. Shelly is part of the farm flock, and spends her days doing what chickens do. 

Her hard work keeping the flock in order makes her tired enough to take an afternoon nap in a shady spot. It isn't long until she is up and back to work. The warm and comfy coop assures that she and her feathered friends have a place to settle for the night. Early the following morning, Shelly lays 'a beautiful brown egg' in her nesting box, and prepares for another busy day. 

Told simply, and with artwork that informs and charms young readers, this book allows them to have a clear look at the way hens provide the eggs used for eating and for baking. Back matter includes a game for matching words and pictures, further information about hens, their eggs, and their communication with other chickens. As well, there is a double-page to identify other birds and the size of the eggs they lay, and finally a recipe for scrambled eggs. 

Other books in the series are: Granny Root grows fruit, Milly Cow gives milk and Polly Bee makes honey. Check them out!