Papa, Daddy and Riley by Seamus Kirst

Papa, Daddy, & Riley

Seamus Kirst, Author

Devon Hozwarth, Illustrator

Magination Press, Fiction, 2020

Suitable for ages: 4-8

Themes: Families, Love, Diversity, Gay fathers, LGBTQ+

Opening: “On the first day of school, my parents walked me to my classroom. My friends were being dropped off by their families, too….I was with my dads.”

Book Jacket Synopsis:

Riley is Papa’s princess and Daddy’s dragon. She love her two fathers! When Riley’s classmate asks her which dad is her real one, Riley is confused. She doesn’t want to have to pick one or the other.

Families are made of love in this heartwarming story that shows there a lots of ways to be part of one.

Why I like Papa, Daddy, and Riley:

Seamus Kirst has written a sweet story about different families that is both contemporary and realistic. It is an important book for young children as it demonstrates how curious, open and honest kids are with each other. When Olive sees Riley’s two fathers on the first day of school, she asks, “So, which one is your dad dad? And where is your mom?” The question confuses and upsets Riley. She has to choose? Both Daddy and Papa reassure Riley that she doesn’t have to choose and tell her that “Love makes a family.”

This is the first time I’ve seen the expression “belly mommy” in reference to the woman who gives birth to Riley. This is a nice inclusion. Riley even has a picture of her. (This meant a lot to me because we adopted two children and I always wished we had photographs of their birth mothers.) 

The different family representations throughout this book, will suit many families. Some kids have one parent, some have two. Some families have stepparents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents who care for them. Some kids have foster parents. Kids need to see their families represented in books. That is why this book is so important.

Devon Holzwarth’s beautiful illustrations are rendered in bright pastels and watercolors. The children’s facial expressions and body language are spot on and so truth to life. The pages are filled with different family representations. I love the diversity.

Resources: This book is a resource. It will prompt many interesting discussions among many different or diverse families.  

Seamus Kirst is a writer who work has been published in The Washington Post, The Guardian, Teen Vogue, Forbes, The Advocate, and Vice. He has always loved reading picture books and is still in slight disbelief he has published one of his own. He is absolutely honored to be able to contribute to LGBTQ representation that he wished he could have read and seen when he was young. He lives in New York with his two cats, Sugar Baby and Bernie Sanders.  Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @SeamusKirst or on Facebook @seamuspatrickkirst. 

Every Friday, authors and KidLit bloggers post a favorite picture book. To see a complete listing of all the Perfect Picture Books (PPB) with resources, please visit author Susanna Leonard Hill’s website.

 

*Copy provided by Magination Press in ecchange for a review. 

 

 

Tiger Honor by Yoon Ha Lee

Tiger Honor (A Thousand Worlds Novel)

Yoon Ha Lee

Rick Riordan Presents / Disney Hyperion, Fiction, Jan. 4, 2022

Suitable for ages: 8-12

Pages: 248

Themes: Families, Loyalty, Honor, Space adventure, Korean Mythology, Shapeshifting, Magic, Ghosts, Fantasy, Science fiction

Book Jacket Synopsis:

Sebin is a young tiger spirit from the Juhwang Clan who wants nothing more than to join the Thousand Worlds Space Forces and, like their uncle Hwan, captain a battle cruiser someday.  But when Sebin’s acceptance letter finally arrives, it’s accompanied by the shocking news that Hwan has been declared a traitor. Apparently the captain abandoned his duty in order to steal a magical artifact, the Dragon Pearl, and his whereabouts are still unknown. Sebin hopes to help clear their hero’s name and restore honor to the clan.

Nothing goes according to plan, however. As soon as 13-year-old Sebin arrives for orientation, they are met by a special investigator named Yi and Yi’s assistant, a girl named Min. Yi informs Sebin that they must immediately report to the ship Haetae and await further instructions. Sebin finds this highly unusual, but soon all protocol is forgotten when there’s an explosion on the ship, the crew is knocked out, and the communication system goes down. It’s up to Sebin, three other cadets, and Yi and Min to determine who is sabotaging the battle cruiser. When Sebin is suddenly accused of collaborating with the enemy, the cadet realizes that the most dangerous for of all is … Min.

Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents Yoon Ha Lee’s companion to the best-selling and award-winning DRAGON PEARL, another space opera inspired by Korean mythology, this time told from the point of view of a nonbinary tiger spirit.

Why I like Tiger Honor:

Tiger Honor is a riveting, high-adventure sequel to Yoon Ha Lee’s Dragon Pearl.  This is her second Rick Riordan Presents novel and another “space opera meets Korean mythology.” It is crafted out of Korean mythological themes. The mythology is never fully explained in this compelling story, because it is the foundation for the world and characters. The world-building is seamless.

The stakes are high in Tiger Honor, when an explosion leaves the new cadets in charge of the battle cruiser and trying to figure out who’s their enemy. But much more sinister things are happening behind the scenes. So Sebin’s first day on the ship starts of with an explosion that injures the captain and crew, and the new cadets are left to fend for themselves. 

Sebin is a nonbinary tiger spirit eager to join the Space Forces like his Uncle Hwan. He can change from his human form into his native tiger shape. He has a keen sense of smell and heightened hearing. Sebin has integrity because he’s grown up in a strong and strict Tiger clan that emphasizes rules, loyalty, honesty and grooms true warriors in martial arts. Min is a courageous character who is a fox spirit with heightened senses and clever charms that distract and manipulate people. Sebin and Min don’t trust each other, but are both dedicated to figuring out who sabotaged the battle cruiser. I enjoyed not completely guessing the ending and won’t give away any spoilers.

Lee handles gender neutral variances as an accepted fact of life. Cadets in the Thousand World’s Space Force wear pronoun pins that tell them how to address each other. Many of the characters in Tiger Honor are nonbinary.  Lee also addresses racism through the tension between the supernatural beings, like ghosts, foxes, and tigers. 

There is a mystery surrounding former general Hwan’s betrayal of the Space Forces in Dragon Pearl, and his scheming and treacherous activities in Tiger Honor, that will keep readers engaged. I was disappointed that more of the story from Dragon Pearl wasn’t shared with readers in Tiger Honor, which is it’s own story. I had to read the end chapters of the first book to remind myself of the details. 

I recommend Tiger Honor to lovers of science fiction, fantasy mythology and space adventures. It will transport you to a world far beyond your imagination.  I’m sure there will be another sequel!

Yoon Ha Lee is a Korean American who grew up in both Texas and South Korea, learning folktales of wily foxes, shapeshifting tigers and benevolent dragons. Lee was inspired to about tigers and foxes in space because everything is better in space. Lee is the author of NYT bestseller Dragon Pearl and is also the author of the adult book Phoenix Extravagant and Machineries of Empire trilogy: Ninefox Gambit, Raven Stratagem, and Revenant Gun. Visit him at this website or on Twitter @deuceofgears,

Greg Pattridge hosts Marvelous Middle Grade Monday posts on his wonderful Always in the Middle website. Check out the link to see all of the wonderful reviews by KidLit bloggers and authors.

*Reviewed by a library copy.

 

Way Past Mad by Hallee Adelman

Way Past Mad

Hallee Adelman, Author

Sandra de la Prada, Illustrator

Albert Whitman & Company, Fiction, Mar. 1, 2020

Suitable for Ages: 5-7

Themes: Anger, Emotions and feelings, Families, Friendship

Opening: Nate messed up my room. It made me mad.

Publisher’s Synopsis:

Keya is mad. Way past mad. The kind of mad that starts and swells and spreads like a rash. She kicks, rocks and yells at her best friend and says things that hurts.

Now Keya doesn’t like what her mad made her do. Can she find a way past mad?

Why I like this book:

Hallee Adelman’s entertaining picture book opens a lot of opportunities to talk about emotions and feelings. The cover on the book is priceless and hints at what’s to come. Sandra de la Prada’s illustrations are bold, colorful and perfectly express Keya’s emotions and compliment the entire story.

There are many books that deal with childhood anger, but there is a parent in place to guide the child.  In Way Past Mad, Keya finds her own way to deal with her anger even if it means making big mistakes. First she kicks rocks as she walks, runs off pent up energy, trips and falls on the sidewalk, and says hurtful things to her best friend. Do they help her feel less angry? No! But hurting her best friend wakes her up to what her anger can do to someone else. You’ll have to read the story to find out how Keya resolves her anger. Kids will laugh when they see and hear themselves in similar situations. There are many teachable moments in this story. 

Resources:  This is a wonderful opportunity to talk with children about how they deal with their emotions. Encourage them to draw a picture of what their anger looks like.  Ask them what they do when they feel angry — yell, throw things, leave the room? Is it fun feeling angry? Help children make a list of things that will help them face their anger in the future. Then ask kids to draw a picture of when they feel happy, peaceful, surprised and excited. Which picture do they like better — angry or happy?

Hallee Adelman tries not to stomp or yell when she’s mad. Most days, she uses her PhD in education, works on documentary films, and eats sour gummies (which make her face look extra mad). She lives near Philadelphia, where he funny family and two dogs make her smile. Visit Hallee at her website.

Every Friday, authors and KidLit bloggers post a favorite picture book. To see a complete listing of all the Perfect Picture Books (PPB) with resources, please visit author Susanna Leonard Hill’s website.

*Review copy provided by author.

Just Dance by Patricia MacLachlan

Just Dance

Patricia MacLachlan, Author

Margaret K. McElderry Books, Fiction, Sep, 12,  2017

Suitable for Ages: 7 and up (Grades 3-5)

Themes: Families, Country life, Singer, Reporter, Newspaper writing

Book Synopsis:

Sylvie Bloom does not understand her mother. She used to be a famous opera singer and Sylvie can’t figure out why she would give up her singing career in front of thousands of people for life on their small Casper, Wyoming farm. Sylvie wants something more exciting than that for herself this summer. She wants an adventure.

Sylvie’s teacher, Mrs. Ludolf, notices her writing talent and suggests that Sylvie take over Sheriff Ludolf’s   local newspaper column. Her job will be to report on the local happenings and follow the sheriff on his rounds. But even as she starts writing about town events, Sylvie can’t help but wonder if she and her younger brother, Nate, have been holding their mother back from doing the same. Nate is more philosophical and tells Sylvie she has “too many preconceived notions.” And when her mother’s old duet partner James Grayson writes that he’s coming to perform nearby, will she be tempted to return to the stage, without them?

Why I like this story:

Just Dance is a cozy book and a perfect summer read. MacLachlan has written a heartfelt and lyrical story about family love, community and music, in her signature minimal style. The setting is so vivid that it makes you want to go live on the prairie near Sylvie’s small town.

Throughout the story, Sylvie’s mother’s beautiful voice is heard in the background — a mystery for Sylvie. Her mother sings in the shower, while her family gathers outside the door to listen and name the music. Her mother sings a different song to the cattle, sheep and chickens and they stop to listen. As do the passing neighbors who hear her lilting voice across the fields — even the crows.

MacLachlan’s characters are memorable with emotional depth. Sylvie, like her mother, has her own talents. As she travels about town with the local sheriff reporting the daily news, she admires his wisdom and compassionate approach to solving problems. She meets a kindred spirit in Tinker, who lives very simply with his wolf, Bernie. Tinker is a poet, artist and observer of life and encourages Sylvie, who writes her columns in free verse or as a Haiku poem. Here’s a sample of Sylvie’s artistic way of reporting for the paper, which the community enjoys:

Sheep in the meadow

Blue-eyed man and a sweet friend

A good day of peace. (Meeting Tinker)

_____________

Boys too young to say

Build a fire on windswept day

Sent home, ponder deeds.  (Boys playing with fire)

________________

Wily crowd of crows

Back to plunder Elmer’s corn

Maybe try sweet song?

Just Dance is a quiet novel to savor. It’s about how Sylvie finds a way to express her own unique voice, while she tries to understand her mother’s choice to leave the lime light for a prairie. This is a good book for kids moving into middle grade books. With short chapters, it can also be read out loud to young children.

Patricia MacLachlan is the celebrated author of many timeless novels for young readers, including Newbery Medal winner Sarah, Plain and Tall; Word After Word After Word; Kindred Souls; The Truth of Me; The Poet’s Dog; and My Father’s Words. She is also the author of countless beloved picture books, a number of which she cowrote with her daughter, Emily. She lives in Williamsburg, Massachusetts.

Greg Pattridge hosts Marvelous Middle Grade Monday posts on his wonderful Always in the Middle website. Check out the link to see all of the wonderful reviews by KidLit bloggers and authors.

*Reviewed from a library copy.

The Truth of Me

The Truth of Me

Patricia MacLachlan, Author

Katherine Tegen Books/Harper-Collins Publishers, Fiction, June 2013

Suitable for Ages: 6-10

Themes: Grandmothers, Dogs, Animals, Family Relationships

Opening: This is a true story. The truest story ever. You may not believe it. Your loss. But it’s true. I have a witness.”

Synopsis: Robbie’s musician parents send him and his dog, Ellie, to spend the summer with his grandmother Maddy. Robbie’s parents are so absorbed with their music that he feels unnoticed. But, he can be himself with Maddy and her relaxed way of living.  He loves listening to her stories about her adventures with animals in the woods, which no one else believes. Robbie is the only one who experiences Maddy’s gift with wild animals and how they trust her. Both Robbie and Ellie learn about the natural world through Maddy. And, Maddy shares a secret with Robbie about his mother that helps him understand his family dynamics and find “the truth of me.” With this information, Robbie finds the courage to make things right.

Why I like this book: This is a quiet book that celebrates family relationships and special gifts.  Patricia MacLachlan has written a story that is realistic, special and begging to be explored. She has a gift for writing about families and this book is no exception.  The characters are believable, the language is simple and easy for young readers, the narrative gentle and the plot engaging.  Every family has its secrets and kids will curl up with this heartwarming and emotional story as they experience the magic with Robbie and Ellie.  Patricia MacLachlan is a Newberry Medalist for her book Sarah, Plain and Tall.  I reviewed her powerful 2013 picture book about grief and renewal, Snowflakes Fall, which was dedicated to the families of Newtown and Sandy Hook, CT.