What Do We Eat? How Humans Find, Grow and Share Food. Written by Megan Clendenan and illustrated by Meegan Lim. Orca Book Publishers. 2024. $29.95 ages 10 and up

 

"In 1900 all the mayors of France gathered for a
feast - 22,695 people attended! They were seated 
at long tables that stretched more than four miles 
(seven kilometers). Researchers believe that 
sharing meals as a group has helped people bond
with people throughout history, and that communal 
meals act as "social glue." Research from the 
University of Oxford found that the more often 
people eat with others, the more likely they are to 
feel happy and included within their family networks." 

This newest book in the Orca Timeline series offers a continuing style for the book's design. It begins with an introduction that explains our daily need for food. Where we have it will be varied, as will what we eat. What happened in the past, or is happening in war zones today, or on a spaceship?  Although it may be very difficult at times, there are ways to work together to put food in many hands. Scientists and others are working tirelessly to try to help find innovative solutions and create new resources for the future. 

The table of contents shows five chapters: Food on the Go, Under Attack, Grow It, Raise It, Find It, Catch It, Let's Eat Together, and Enough for Everyone. A glossary, list of resources, acknowledgments, and an index are provided in back matter. 

The opening illustration for Food on the Go has a timeline that begins with Polynesian explorers (1477-977 BCE), and moves on to Chinese sailing ships in the 14002, Amelia Earhart in 1932, early astronauts eating in space in the 1960s, food deliveries to the International Space Station in 2023 and a wonder about a future Journey to Mars. The chapter is filled with information concerning each of the different scenarios presented in that timeline. Questions are asked and answered, text boxes offer specific facts concerning foods eaten, challenges, menus, and captioned illustrations, photographs (present day and archival) provide answers to questions that might arise. 

Each succeeding chapter offers a similar style and content. The questions asked provide 'food for thought' for middle grade readers and offer some of the solutions that have been developed. A Cautionary Tale is presented in each chapter and range from skiing hungry to the South Pole, a lack of needed nutrition during the Crimean War, the problems created when only one variety of banana is grown,  sharing food after a disaster, and finally, dumping food when so many are hungry.  

The author leaves her readers to consider wasting less, being more efficient with what we already have and seriously seeking different food sources that have been little explored. Food inequity is being felt worldwide, and the effects of climate change are with us on a daily basis. A concentrated effort to learn more and do more can start by reading books like this one. 

a face is a poem, written and illustrated by julie morstad. tundra, Penguin Random House. 2024. $24.99 ages 4 and up

 

"What if the parts of our faces were rearranged? 
Or if they were different shapes? 

Would we still know each other? 

What if you could change faces every morning, 
just to see through someone else's eyes?" 

Julie Morstad reminds readers that, no matter where they go, faces are a part of their collective experiences. They might be the people they see on the street, at the mall, and in school, or the faces of flowers in gardens and images in the clouds. 

She fills the book with images that are varying shapes, colors, and with their own unique look. One spread shows a group of people looking at and commenting on a large green sculpture of a head. Two pairs of children in the group are looking at each other with wonder and interest, oblivious to what the others are saying. 

Each turn of the page offers opportunities to react to the faces presented. I found myself imagining their stories, connections, and thoughts. The rearranged faces are sure to inspire conversation and further exploration. What might your face look like if you rearranged it? Our faces are part of a wide world where different languages are spoken, where the color and shape of our eyes are numerous, and where faces show secrets and emotions. It is all quite remarkable. 

This book is a lovely exploration of what makes faces exceptional in life and in nature. 

“Have you ever stopped and looked,
 really looked…
 at a face?” 
                                                                               

Fox Is Coming. Co-written by James Patterson and co-written and illustrated by Joe Kukla. Little, Brown and Company, Hachette. 2024. $24.99 ages 3 and up

 

"Racing, racing! 
Steal a glance. 

Fox is trailing. 
Now's our chance!"

Fox is definitely interested in the goings-on at the farm. The wee chicks are aware of his presence, and are keen to find a place to hide. First, they hide by the cows. Fox can't see them, but is keen to find where they have gone. Attaching his neckerchief to a long stick, and throwing it over his shoulder, he continues his search. 

The other animals don't seem bothered by Fox being in their environs; the chicks are certainly concerned. It isn't long before Fox catches up with one little chicken. It is captured and stuffed in his hobo sack. Suitably scared, the others race away.  A hollow log offers no protection, nor does the pigs' mud bath. Fox continues gathering them up, despite their best efforts to escape. 

No matter where they hide, Fox seems to have special radar for hunting them down. The last one is headed straight for the chicken coop. 

"Last one! Last one!
To my pen! 

Almost there ... 
almost.
But then ... 

Fox picks the last one up. It's too late, or is it? I'll leave the last laugh for a captivated audience to discover. 

Simple rhyming couplets keep the action moving forward, while colorful artwork keeps up the suspense. Full of expression and action for both fox and chicks, the ever-changing perspectives assure careful attention and gleeful shouts for caution as the chase ensues. 

My Antarctica: True Adventures in the Land of Mummified Seals, Space Robots, and So Much More, written by G. Neri and illustrated by Corban Wilkin. Candlewick Press, Penguin Random House. 2024. $24.99 ages 8 and up

 

"Looks can be deceiving. One woman who seems 
like a cheerful librarian turns out to be the Indiana 
Jones of the Ice. She's a mechanical engineer for ice
structures and is part of the South Pole traverse  
team. Her job: searching for hidden crevasses. She 
sometimes has to climb down into them to blow 
them up so her team can safely pass! 

The dream of being an explorer began when G. Neri was a young boy. He had grand wishes for a future filled with adventure and travel. It didn't happen when he was young; as a writer of books for kids, his chance came when he convinced the National Science Foundation to fund a trip to Antarctica so that he could write about it for a young audience. 

It took a year of planning before he boarded a commercial plane that took him from Florida to New Zealand. From there he flew in a military cargo plane to the icy continent. It was hard to wrap his head around being among scientists whose task was almost beyond his understanding. Being there was all that he had ever hoped. What a 'strange and beautiful place' to share with his readers! 

His wonder at all that he sees is shared in well-documented text and digital artwork by Corban Wilkin, that includes clear and telling photos of the author's explorations. While living at McMurdo Station, he is able to share his sightings, encounters, and thoughts on all he was seeing. His humorous comments and ability to capture the barren nature of his surroundings are informative and entertaining. 

Included maps, a list of places he might visit on any day, captioned images of how to dress for the extreme cold, archival and present-day photos of the work being done, descriptions of the people living at McMurdo Station, a list of things you will, and will not, find in Antarctica, photos of the vehicles used, and a plethora of other lists will capture attention and inspire discussion. 

An author's note, an impressive list of other facts about the continent, the answers to some big questions about Antarctica, a list of recommended source material, and the inclusion of films/TV and websites are found in back matter, upping the learning for those readers interested in knowing more. 

This is some terrific book, and defintely worth reading. 

Ode to Grapefruit: How James Earl Jones Found His Voice, written by Kari Lavelle and illustrated by Bryan Collier. Alfred A. Knopf, Penguin Random House. 2024. $26.99 ages 7 and up

 

"The entire poem presented, 
    without pause or repetition. 
His resonant voice heard 
    for the first time at school. 
The students cascaded into applause!"

Reading aloud at school was James' worst nightmare. Although he knew he could read the words on the page, his words got stuck inside and he found it impossible to speak. His memories of other times when his classmates laughed did not help make it any easier. 

When he spent time in the barn at home, 'his words flowed'. The animals loved to listen to his voice. As he grew older, nothing much changed. His stuttering made it uncomfortable when meeting visitors. Urged by his parents to be polite, James could not force the words out of his mouth. Those encounters led to James making the decision to just stop talking. 

"No more sharing ideas. 
His emotions stuck inside. 
If he didn't talk, 
           he wouldn't stutter. 
So James listened."

That listening led to much learning and less anguish for the young James. In high school he met Professor Crouch, a teacher who loved poetry. James loved listening to him recite his favorite poems, while encouraging his students to memorize poems and say them out loud. That was not going to happen with James. 

In a surprising twist, the story turns to the arrival of grapefruit during one winter. It was the inspiration for James to put pen to paper and write a poem, Ode to Grapefruit. When Professor Crouch read it, he encouraged James to say it aloud to the class. For the first time, James spoke clearly and without pause. His classmates honored his effort with a round of applause. 

It was the beginning of a long and celebrated life, and an almost seventy-year acting career.

Striking illustrations, done in collage and watercolor, assure understanding and compassion for James' struggles and successes. Notes from both author and illustrator, information about stuttering, and a list of selected resources are included in back matter.  

James Earl Jones died in September this year. His legacy lives on in Mustafa, Darth Vader, and his many other important roles and accomplishments. 

Spider in the Well, written and illustrated by Jess Hannigan. Katherine Tegen Books, Harper. 2024. $24.99 ages 4 and up

 

"He was also the chimney sweep, 
the shoe shiner, 
and the milkman. 

He was assured by the townspeople
that this was a fair arrangement."

First up: meet the newsboy. He is tasked with delivering the daily news to the good people of Bad Goodsburg. His other jobs are mentioned above. When the news breaks that the town's wishing well is damaged, there is much distress among the townspeople. The baker, the shopkeeper, and the doctor are particularly perplexed. The news boy is interested to discover whether the wishes were important ones. 

The doctor explains that his wish was to cure every illness; the shopkeeper wished for perpetual happiness for all; the baker wanted fresh bread for everyone, always. What generosity of spirit the three show! As the bearer of bad tidings, the newsboy is now taxed with investigating the problem with the well. No one else wanted the job. 

With great admiration for the people whose wishes were for the good of all, he is happy to help. Arriving at the well, he finds himself face to face with a spider at its bottom. The spider wants to explain why the well isn't working. The spider tells the newsboy it just did what spiders do: find a 'damp, dark, and musty' place to spin a web. It has become rich because of the wishes. The newsboy should know the baker, the shopkeeper, and the doctor lied about the wishes they made. 

Knowing what he now knows, the newsboy makes a plan to create some havoc for the liars. The three are willing to follow him back to the well, and are not pleased when they find a spider is causing the chaos. The spider pleads for understanding. 

"I would never steal gold or overhear any secret wishes
or tell those wishes to a nosy little boy." 

Knowing the truth certainly works in the boy's favor. He is able to give up his extra jobs to the guilty parties, make a deal with the spider for half of the gold coins at present and going forward, and realize his dream of retiring early. What a coup! 

Jess Hannigan’s playful mixed-media illustrations enrich the story and capture the full attention of the reader. The three sections of the tale (The Newsboy, The Well, and finally Justice) are filled with drama and humor. There's great fun here for all. 
                                                                               

                                                                               

This Land is a Lullaby, written by Tonya Simpson and illustrated by Delree Dumont. Orca Book Publishers, 2024. $21.95 ages 4 and up

 

"Just as the last of the day starts to fade ...
hoots of owls and coyote howl! A twilight serenade. 

Wild horses race mighty clouds soaring by. 
Rolling thunder drums across the flickering sky."

A mother and her child stand on prairie grasses and listen to the 'sweet song of your home'. Descriptive couplets pay homage to the child's homeland. The lullaby shared refers to the geese that fly in prairie skies, the ponds that sing with frog song, fireflies and dragonflies that glow in the evening light of the plains, home to this Indigenous family. 

All speak to the wonder that is nature, and that same wonder that is the child whose ancestors 'sing just for you'. The peaceful beauty found in the sights and sounds of her surroundings is there as the child slips into slumber each evening. Captured in dramatic images created by Delree Dumont, using acrylic paints in a pointillism style, they fill double-page spreads with the intense beauty of flower-filled meadows, reedy ponds, golden grasses, and northern lights. 

Little ones ready for sleep will find comfort in the words as they speak to the bond that exists between Indigenous people and the land they call home. A mother's warmth and love are reflected in the words she speaks as her child snuggles in for welcome rest. 

"Now all is quiet, but for the loon 
trading holy secrets with Grandmother Moon."