30 Days of Diverse Picture Books - Faraway Home by Jane Kurtz

It's Day 15 of 30 Days of Diverse Picture Books. We're halfway through the series, can you believe it? What's your favorite title so far? I hope you've seen some old favorites as well as some new titles to add to your wish list!

Tonight's pick is one by the amazing author Jane Kurtz - one of her older titles, Faraway Home. We've read many of Jane's picture books and look forward to reading more, but I recently realized that somehow I've never reviewed any of her titles on the blog. (What the what?!? Fixing that now!) We feel a special connection to Jane because she grew up in Ethiopia, and is a fierce advocate for the country and its people. I especially admire her work for Ethiopia Reads.

Faraway Home is about Desta, an American-born girl whose father must return for a visit to Ethiopia because her grandmother is ill. Desta doesn't know Ethiopia and it makes her a little sad to hear the longing her father has for his homeland -- she's afraid her daddy won't return to America. But the more her father talks about the beautiful country, the more Desta is reassured, and the more she feels connected to the Ethiopia that lives in her too. Jane tells the story beautifully, thoughtfully and tenderly, and the breathtaking illustrations by E.B. Lewis evoke the spirit of the tale. This one always makes Sprout thoughtful as well, and I love to read it to reinforce his own ties to the land of his birth, which will always be in his heart.

Include Faraway Home in your collection for many reasons - its gentle reassurance, its exploration of the lives of immigrants, its celebration of family and connection. It's tough to get (come on, let's see this one back in print!) but well worth looking for!

Faraway Home by Jane Kurtz, published by Gulliver Books

YA Review - Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina

I'm finally getting around to writing reviews of some of those incredible books I read during the 48 Hour Book Challenge a few weeks ago! (It takes me a while, sometimes.) Part of the reason is that I needed to process what I read - my goal during this year's challenge was to maximize my reading time, so I pretty much read straight through, with only a few stopovers on social media and other participants' blogs. And so it was one big happy blur of diverse titles, all of which I needed to digest a bit before I sat down and put fingers to keyboard.

But I definitely don't want to forget about these books, so on with the reviews. First up is a teen pick, Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina. This one caught my attention when it won the Pura Belpre award last year, and kept my attention when it started being challenged for various reasons. (I kind of secretly love when a great book is challenged, because what is a more sure-fire way to guarantee that teenagers read something, than to tell them not to?). So of course I knew this was going to be a 48 Hour Book Challenge title for me, and I'm so glad I included it with my list.

The story begins when Piddy Sanchez finds out that "Yaqui Delgado wants to kick your ass," from some other girl she doesn't even know. Piddy doesn't know Yaqui either -- she's new at the school, hardly knows anyone -- and is equally mystified as to why this unknown stranger would want to beat her up. She's sure she doesn't want trouble, though, so she decides to avoid Yaqui at all costs. And for a while that works, as Piddy focuses on her job, school and the mystery of who her father is and why her mother never speaks of him. But then things with Yaqui start to heat up, in a serious fashion, and suddenly Piddy finds herself doing whatever she can to avoid confrontation and to find a little peace - even if that means acting out in ways she's never thought of before. What will Piddy do to cope, and can she stay out of Yaqui's way without hurting her other relationships?

OK, first of all, let's get out of the way the fact that this title has the word "ass" in it.

Yep, a swear.

If that's a stumbling block for you, well, just stop reading now.

Because if it is, I guarantee you won't want to read the honest, soul-baring novel that carries this name. Yaqui Delgado is a tough book at times, not because of language or situations but because of the real human pain that bleeds through on the pages. Piddy is a character that many kids can relate to, and her struggles are so familiar that I'd venture to guess few high schools don't have a host of Piddys walking their halls. So for me, tough as it might be, this is a book that needs to be shared because I believe it can save the lives of kids who are experiencing Piddy's problems right now.

At its core, Yaqui Delgado is a novel about bullying that stands apart from the pack, because it shows how bullying is a problem that can't be easily solved like the movie-of-the-week wants us to think. Medina doesn't shrink from demonstrating how the conflict with Yaqui, undeserved as it turns out to be, changes Piddy's life in ways large and small. That's the real tragedy, that adults in Piddy's life turn out not to recognize the issue or aren't able to help in any meaningful way. The scary thing is all the little cracks that the bullying creates in Piddy's life, causing her to make choices like pulling away from some people and drawing close to others, all in an attempt to make some sense of this relentless, controlling force. I was moved to tears at some points by Piddy's desperation, and haunted by the idea that this conflict is shaping Piddy's life in ways she will forever feel.

Medina is a powerhouse of an author, one who's not afraid to show the hard truth and pose the difficult questions. There's a complexity here that belies the simple characterization of this as a bullying book - which it is, but so much more also. Though Piddy and Yaqui are both female, both Latina, they are very different, and the conflict between them speaks to concepts of race and gender that run deep within our society. This isn't a simple story and it isn't one that wraps up tidily. But it is a truthful one, a provocative one, and a story that teens and adults need to read and share.

Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina, published by Candlewick
Age 12+
Source: Library
First lines: "'Yaqui Delgado wants to kick your ass.' / A kid named Vanesa tells me this in the morning before school. She springs out with no warning and blocks my way, her textbook held at her chest like a shield. She's tall like me and caramel. I've seen her in the lunchroom, I think. Or maybe just in the halls. It's hard to remember. / Then, just like that, Vanesa disappears into the swell of bodies all around."
Highly recommended

What Happens When #DadsRead

One of the first posts I wrote when I started this blog was this one, about the power of a reading dad. In that post, I wrote that "not only do kids need to see us read, they need to hear it and be surrounded by it, in an environment that establishes the importance of reading in everyday life, not just for school or because we have to." After all, we can only tell our kids so much, but when we show them, when we model the behavior for them, our actions say more than our words ever can. 

That's especially critical for fathers of young sons, because of the pervasive idea that reading is somehow a behavior more suited for girls than boys. My husband and I met because of books, and some of the best moments in our marriage have come through the shared love of reading. One of the most important things that Hubs and I can give Sprout, in our estimation, is a love of books - because in doing that, we're giving him the power to satisfy his naturally boundless curiosity. We don't see this as a boy-girl issue, but as an issue of opening up the world to Sprout. And what parent doesn't want to do that for their child?

I wrote, in that original post, of the bonding that took place between Sprout and Daddy during those early months at home. Those were special times, when Hubs rocked Sprout to sleep with a bottle and a stack of picture books. In those often-bumpy first days when our family was first starting out, the familiar rhythm of our own childhood favorites soothed us as parents as much as it did Sprout -- maybe more, if you consider that he didn't know the language yet. It cemented a ritual that we always knew we wanted to establish, even before the first round of adoption paperwork was begun: that of bedtime reading, time to cuddle up with a story and ease into rest and relaxation.

Three years later, I can say that the power of a reading dad has remained undiminished in our household. I absolutely credit my husband's love for literature with the fact that Sprout's enthusiasm for books has only grown. The kiddo is as quick to suggest a family trip to the library on a Saturday afternoon as I am -- while Mommy and Sprout check out the picture books, Daddy's amassing a stack of graphic novels, and we all leave with bookbags bursting. One of Sprout's favorite spots to visit is a local comic shop, where the boys play pinball and arcade games, then check out the racks for the new adventures of Spider-Man or Super Dinosaur. Some nights we read a chapter book at bedtime, other nights Sprout asks for a comic book (and that's usually Daddy's province, since nobody does the Scooby-Doo voice like Daddy!).

I'm so grateful that my husband loves to read and shares that with Sprout. But not all dads are fully aware of the importance of reading, so Zoobean and The Good Men Project have teamed up to promote the culture of reading dads. This is a great initiative and something that's very close to our hearts.

How can you help? Share your stories of what happens when dads read to and with their kids. Share your photos too - post them on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook, and be sure to tag them #dadsread. And tonight, when your kiddos are putting on their pjs, pick out books to share some special #dadsread time together.

Knock, Knock: My Dad's Dream for Me by Daniel Beaty

This past Monday was a huge day in kidlit circles. Not only was it the first annual Multicultural Children's Book Day (see the list of diverse titles linked up here) but also Monday was the day the ALA Youth Media Awards were announced. This is kind of like the Super Bowl for us kidlit geeks - the day we wait all year for, when we find out at last who won the biggest children's lit awards given by librarians. It's always fun to find out which titles I've read and loved, which winners are surprises, and which just caught me by surprise.

Overall I was pretty thrilled with this year's list, especially the fact that Brian Floca's Locomotive won the Caldecott. (Honestly that was not even one I thought about, since the Caldecott is rarely given for nonfiction, but it was probably Sprout's favorite book of the entire year.) And I was happy to see a title we recently read, Daniel Beaty's Knock Knock: My Dad's Dream for Me, awarded a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award for Bryan Collier's incredible art.

Full disclosure: this is an honest book about a very tough situation, and it may not be for every kid. Certainly I'd say approach with caution when reading this one with a child who has been through early trauma, particularly the abrupt loss of a parent. It's a great book for discussing those events - but just know going in that there *will* be discussion from any kid, and maybe some upset from a wee one who's had early trauma. But while the subject matter is difficult -- Beaty writes from the point of view of a young boy whose father, like Beaty's one, drops out of his life one day -- I think Knock Knock absolutely has a place and a use with the appropriate audience. I applaud Beaty's willingness to tackle tough topics, and do so thoughtfully and sensitively.

Beaty's own story influenced the plot here; his father was incarcerated when the author was just three years old, and Beaty didn't get to see his dad for many years. That's an incredible burden for a young boy whose father is the center of his life, and that's what we see in Knock Knock: the daddy who has been such a fixture for the main character is one day absent, and he doesn't come back, though our hero waits and hopes. Beaty describes the loss the boy feels in concrete terms -- it's the scrambled eggs Daddy makes, and the absence of a return knock in their familiar game. One day the boy writes his father a letter, leaving it on his desk, and after a while a return missive comes. It's a heartbreaking answer, one that acknowledges the pain the boy feels but also relates the dreams the father has for his son, his hopes and wishes for the boy he knows he'll not see in the same way again.

Knock Knock is very beautifully written, and readers can feel Beaty's emotions through every line. This is an author who has lived this truth, and created something marvelous to help other children through the same sort of event. And the images by Bryan Collier are, as you might expect, amazing. Collier blends collage with his own watercolors to create pictures that are deep and introspective, even haunting. The character's expressions display their feelings, and kids who have experienced loss will recognize the look in our hero's eyes as he waits for his father. Toward the end of the story, as we read the father's letter to his son, Collier gives us a glimpse of the boy's future - we see him growing up, learning a career, and building a family of his own. Throughout, though, we know the father has never truly left his son, but is there in spirit and in thought.

Knock Knock absolutely deserves the attention it received and has earned its place in ALA award history. Read this one before you share it with your kiddos, but don't shy away just because the subject matter is hard - this is a title that will speak to kids who have been through a similar event, and create empathy and understanding for children who haven't yet had this kind of loss.

Knock, Knock: My Dad's Dream for Me by Daniel Beaty, published by Little, Brown
Ages 5-7
Source: Library
First lines: "Every morning, I play a game with my father. He goes KNOCK KNOCK on my door, and I pretend to be asleep till he gets right next to the bed."
Recommended

Kevin and His Dad by Irene Smalls

Sprout and I got pretty lucky with Sprout's dad. My husband is not only a very loving dad, he's also very involved, and has been from day one. He and Sprout were off having adventures together from the first moment Mommy went back to work, when Sprout had been with us for just four weeks. Initially even a trip to the grocery store was a noteworthy expedition, but gradually they have added a lot more complex activities to their retinue. Together my boys have done just about everything imaginable, a lot of it things that the average dad might not attempt with a toddler, much less a dad who uses a wheelchair.

I'm always on the lookout for picture books that celebrate the role of dads in kids' lives, because honestly I find that they're somewhat in short supply. Even tougher to find are titles where the dad is taking on some nontraditional gender roles, something that my husband and most dads we know do without batting an eye! (After all, that laundry has to be done by somebody, right??) That's why, on a recent library visit, I was thrilled to stumble across Kevin and His Dad by Irene Smalls. It not only covers all of the above, it features an African American family to boot - what's not to love?

In this engaging title, Kevin and his dad are spending the day together while Mom is at work. First the boys are doing their chores - washing windows, doing laundry, fixing the faucet. Dad manages to make everything fun, and the mom in me loves that the emphasis is on doing the household tasks first before they go play. Once all the work is finished, the pair heads outside for some catch, then a movie, then a stop at the diner for milkshakes before walking home in the twilight, talking about their day.

I love the whole vibe of Kevin and His Dad. Here's a dad who's in tune with his kid, doesn't mind having fun but who is teaching the importance of taking care of basic chores. The pictures by Michael Hays (of Abiyoyo fame, one of Sprout's favorites) definitely set the tone and emphasize the author's upbeat text. Here are a father and son who clearly enjoy each other's company, having an average day together that is bound to be a memory this boy will remember for years to come. The urban setting is great too, presenting a nicely balanced look at life in a city setting.

The real find here is that the ethnicity of the characters isn't the focal point. Honestly, it's not easy to find a book with people of color that shows *real life*, as people really live it. Don't get me wrong, I think books about historical events or social inequalities are important. But it's also important to just have reality depicted in an authentic way, such as this warm and welcoming portrait of a father and son passing a day with activities everyone can relate to.

If your library doesn't have this one (it's an older title, but still in print), make a purchase suggestion, or consider buying a copy yourself and donating it. Like our other picks Shopping with Dad and Bigger Than Daddy, Kevin and His Dad is a must-have addition to any well-rounded picture book collection.

Kevin and His Dad by Irene Smalls, published by Little, Brown and Company
Ages 3-6
Source: Library
First lines: "On Saturday, with Mom away, Dad and I work -- then we play. First we take the vacuum and railroad the rugs -- choo, choo, coming through! I love cleaning up with you."
Recommended

Zebra Forest by Adina Rishe Gewirtz

One of the things I love about the interwebs, and blogging in general, is that I come into contact with so many books that I would never otherwise have heard about. Although I don't have time to follow a ton of blogs, I do read my share, and keep a running list of books coming out that I'm interested in. (And I pin some of them too, just for future reference.) It's a very dangerous habit to have, considering that my average workday already brings me into contact with all kinds of bookish goodness, but at least this way I'll never run out of things I want to read, right?

Somewhere in my bloggy travels, I ran across a review for today's pick, Zebra Forest by Adina Rishe Gewirtz. The book stuck in my head, probably as much for the unique title as for the cover art, which is flat-out awesome -- kudos to Candlewick for such an eyecatching cover. And I'm so happy I had this one on my radar, because it's absolutely one of the most incredible middle-grade novels I've read in quite some time.

First off I need to say that this is not going to be everyone's cup of tea. It's far from formulaic in the subject matter, it's historical, and it's got a slow start. Okay, then, so if you're still reading along, let me say that what makes this work is author Gewirtz's absolute fearlessness in her writing. She never pulls a punch, never backs down from a tense moment in the plot and isn't afraid to make her characters inscrutable. You don't often see that kind of bravery in one who writes for such a young audience - not to say that there aren't amazing middle-grade authors out there, but honestly there aren't many who are willing to pull their characters through the wringer with no definitive solution to the crisis in sight. That's guts, my friends.

So on to the plot: It's June, 1980, against the backdrop of the Iran Hostage Crisis. Annie and Rew are living with their grandmother, a loving but reclusive woman who has trouble dealing with everyday life. They remember their mother, who dropped them off with Gran and gave scarcely a backward look. But their father is a blank. Gran tells them he was killed by "an angry man", in a fight gone badly. So Annie makes up possible stories to assuage her curiosity, and in the meantime she pretty much takes care of everything around the house when Gran is debilitated. It's not a perfect situation, but it works.

Until one night there's a noise at the back door, and an escaped convict appears in their kitchen. Annie and her brother are scared witless. It's evident that the man means to keep the little family hostage. And then Gran comes downstairs, and in a flash Annie and Rew discover that what they thought they knew about their lives is all swept away. In its place is a new reality, one each child approaches from a different perspective.

I won't give away the secrets here, but suffice to say Gewirtz employs multiple layers of issues to drive her story along. There is gorgeous imagery here, the kind that makes you want to reread entire passages to catch all of it. The character development unfolds slowly; though their roles may be familiar, their personalities are wholly unique. Annie herself is an unreliable narrator at times, and she admits it. In fact, honesty and truth are a running theme throughout, as readers discover that the lives of these characters are as variegated as the Zebra Forest that sits behind their home. There are no easy answers, just like in real life, a facet of this novel that I particularly appreciate. It would be simple for Gewirtz to wrap things up with a bow, but that wouldn't be true to the spirit of her characters. Lucky for us, Gewirtz chooses authenticity.

In the Zebra Forest, chocolate oak and white birch trees mingle to give the wood a striped light-and-dark element. In the same way, Zebra Forest the book threads conflict and heartache with hope and truth. Watch out for this one, it'll get under your skin.

Zebra Forest by Adina Rishe Gewirtz, published by Candlewick Press
Ages 9-13
Source: Library
Sample: "Gran never went out there except near dusk, when the shadows gathered. She usually didn't go out in full sunlight, and told me once she didn't like the lines the trees made. Gran was always saying stuff like that. Perfectly beautiful things -- like a clean blue sky over the Zebra -- made tears come to her eyes, and if I tried to get her to come outside with me, she'd duck her head and hurry upstairs to bed. But then it would be storming, lightning sizzling the tops of the trees, and she'd run round the house, cheerful, making us hot cocoa and frying up pancakes and warming us with old quilts."
Recommended

Flying by Kevin Luthardt {The Children's Bookshelf}

Imagination is pretty incredible, isn't it? At some point we all turn into stodgy adults, and our flights of fancy tend to be fewer and further between. But at Sprout's age, imagination is everything and can take you everywhere. The other day when I picked Sprout up from preschool, there were kids in various stages of creative play - some were taking a plane ride, one was the conductor on the railway, another was a dragon and still another a crocodile. Remember when you used to spend your day like that? Sigh.

Kevin Luthardt captures that spirit of imagination in his picture book Flying, a terrific library find for us recently. Like so many great books we've read over the past couple of years, this was one we stumbled on by accident - yet another reason we love to browse the shelves at our library or bookstore. Sprout pulled this one down himself and announced, "Hey, he looks like me!" upon seeing the cover (he's pretty right, too).

It's a simple story that begins with a little guy reading a book about birds, and imagining himself also soaring among the clouds. "Papa, why can't I fly?", he asks his dad, and Papa patiently explains. But soon the father and son get caught up in the fun of creative play. As Papa tosses his son up and down, runs with the kiddo on his shoulders, and generally recreates the experience of flight, the little guy can't help but be swept away to dip and weave with the birds. And you know what else? Papa's got himself flying too!

There's not a lot of text in this title, which for us means there's even more room to delve into the imagintive aspect. The pictures in this book are absolutely charming, cartoony yet realistic and bursting with energy and color. Little ones will recognize their own creative pursuits in the boy's imaginings. Best of all, the story ends with a chuckle for grownups, who will once again see echoes of their own kids in Luthardt's hero. This sweet and simple story is just right for even the smallest readers, and opens up so much possibility for talking about all the activities and places made real through our imagination!

Flying by Kevin Luthardt, published by Peachtree Publishers
Ages 3-5
Source: Library
Sample: "But. . . why don't I have wings? / Well, that's because you have ARMS!"
Recommended
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This post is part of The Children’s Bookshelf, a weekly linky party with the goal of connecting parents with great books for their kids. Do you have a book review, literacy or book-related post that you think will be helpful for parents? If so, please add your link below.

NOTE: By linking up you are giving permission for any of the co-hosts to pin and/or feature a your photo on a future The Children’s Bookshelf post. Kindly link up to an individual post, not your blog’s homepage. The hosts reserve the right to delete any links to homepages, commercial links, repeat links or otherwise inappropriate links. Thank you for your understanding.

You can also follow The Children’s Bookshelf on Pinterest or visit TCB’s co-hosts: Sprout’s Bookshelf, What Do We Do All Day?, No Twiddle Twaddle, Smiling Like Sunshine, My Little Bookcase, The Picture Book Review, MemeTales and Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns. You can find more details here.

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Bigger Than Daddy by Harriet Ziefert {The Children's Bookshelf}

This has been kind of a bittersweet weekend for our family. The time had finally arrived for us to upgrade Sprout from his toddler bed to a regular "big boy" bed. Sprout, of course, was thrilled -- what's not to love about the excitement of a huge new bed coupled with the fun of getting to pick out a new bed set? (After much deliberation, he went with Toy Story bedding, in case you're wondering.)

But for Sprout's mama and daddy, it was a much harder milestone, and yet another guidepost on the road to growing up. Oh, we know it's inevitable. We see it every day, in all the little ways his independence is coming out. And we hear about it, too, as in "When I get big. . . " and "I'm almost big enough for. . . ". It's enough to drive a mama crazy.

Fortunately Sprout's not too big for bedtime reading, nor do I anticipate that he will be any time soon. And today's pick speaks directly to his wish to be grown up -- Harriet Ziefert's Bigger Than Daddy. I love this fun title, all about one special day in the life of Edward and his daddy. Like Sprout, Edward can't wait to be big, as big as Daddy, or better yet, bigger! There are so many things he wants to do, like ride a racing bike or run fast as a fire truck. And Edward's daddy assures him that one day, Edward will be big enough for all those things.

But that's not quite good enough, so when the pair get home from the park, Edward decides a little role-reversal is in order. And so a game is in order, where Daddy is the little kid and Edward the big grownup -- which works out just fine until Edward discovers he's hungry, and Daddy's still being a little boy who can't make dinner for the pair. Suddenly Edward realizes that being a little guy and having a daddy to look after him seems just right.

This is a terrific story about the importance of the roles we each play in our various family dynamic. Kids will of course relate to Edward's desire to be big, and the frustration of feeling like that will never happen. And parents will empathize with Daddy's wish to keep Edward from growing up too soon. The illustrations done by Elliott Kreloff are just right for Ziefert's light tone, done in a sketchy style that mimics a child's own drawings (reminiscent of David Shannon's David books). In Sprout's case, the pictures are what keeps him coming back to this one - that cover art, with the face of a gleeful Edward aloft on his daddy's shoulders, is just so darn hard to resist!

If your little one is growing up a smidge too fast, or if you hear "When I get big. . . " as many times a day as we do, Bigger Than Daddy is a great choice for your next library trip. Because as big as they want to be, they'll still love snuggling together to read this sweet story of a boy and his dad.

Bigger Than Daddy by Harriet Ziefert, published by Blue Apple Books
Ages 2-6
Source: Library
First lines: "Edward was small. He wanted to be big."
Recommended

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This post is part of The Children’s Bookshelf, a weekly linky party with the goal of connecting parents with great books for their kids. Do you have a book review, literacy or book-related post that you think will be helpful for parents? If so, please add your link below.

NOTE: By linking up you are giving permission for any of the co-hosts to pin and/or feature a your photo on a future The Children’s Bookshelf post. Kindly link up to an individual post, not your blog’s homepage. The hosts reserve the right to delete any links to homepages, commercial links, repeat links or otherwise inappropriate links. Thank you for your understanding.

You can also follow The Children’s Bookshelf on Pinterest or visit TCB’s co-hosts: Sprout’s Bookshelf, What Do We Do All Day?, No Twiddle Twaddle, Smiling Like Sunshine, My Little Bookcase, The Picture Book Review, MemeTales and Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns. You can find more details here.

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Chapter Book Review - Mimi by John Newman

I'm incredibly proud of our adoption. I'm glad every single day that we chose that method to grow our family. But I have to say when we look at our son, we don't immediately think "adopted", even though he doesn't look a thing like us. He's just our Sprout, our funny and messy and creative and smart and stubborn and loving little dude. Good and bad, he's our kid, and while adoption is part of our story as a family, it isn't our whole story.

And that's why I was thrilled to run across the middle grade novel Mimi by John Newman. In this book, which takes place in the UK, the title character Mimi is adopted -- but that part of her story comes secondary to the fact that Mimi's dealing with some pretty tremendous changes in her home life. Oh, Mimi mentions her ethnicity right away, in an offhand way: her grandad's teaching her chess because she's Chinese and he thinks the Chinese invented chess. (In fact chess is thought to have originated in India, which Mimi fills us in on later.) But other than that there's not much mentioned about how Mimi's family came together, until it becomes important to the rest of her story.

When the book opens, it's been 149 days since Mimi's mum passed away, and things are pretty much falling apart at her house. Her dad's just about catatonic, her brother Conor just wants to bang away on his drums with his door closed and her sister Sally has taken up with a bunch of Goths. Mimi's doing her best to stay together but it's hard when there's no one to wash her school uniform or check her homework. Before long it's clear that the family is unraveling. Outsiders start to notice first: the dentist finds cavities, the neighbors complain about noise, the sub calls out Mimi's missing homework. And then it all gets really crazy, for Mimi and her siblings, who are just trying to fill the hole that Mum left behind.

I won't give away the ending, but suffice to say when a bully uses an aspect of Mimi's family life as a weapon, things come to an emotional breaking point. Newman's novel is honest and true, a real reflection of what grief and love look and feel like to a young girl. And while he sprinkles the plot with elements that relate in some ways to her history and their family composition, Newman never uses "adoption" or "transracial family" as the easy conflict. Instead he builds a story that works on multiple levels with a complexity that's beyond the average middle grade fare. Mimi mourns her mother, yes, but she also mourns the death of her family life, and the shift in how she relates to everyone, especially her father. What Mimi's facing is all wrapped up in relationships, which is so reflective of how we all live as families, isn't it?

Though a few of its more British references may be a challenge for some kids, I think Mimi is ultimately a story with which many young readers can connect. It's sad but funny, honest but ordinary all at once. Certainly kids who live in transracial families will respond to a story that isn't all about race, but rather about loss and loneliness, and how families can pull together to overcome the isolation that these emotions produce. And best of all is Mimi's clear voice, that shines like the brightest star throughout, making her a character you'll love from the very first bit.

Mimi by John Newman, published by Candlewick Press
Ages 9-12
Source: Library
Sample: "I used to find it hard to sleep with all the noise in our house. But you can get used to anything, and after a few words with Socky my eyes begin to close and my thumb slips into my mouth. 'Good night, Socky,' I tell my sock puppet, and he nods and says, 'Good night, you.' And then I slip him off my hand and tuck him under my pillow."
Recommended

12 Days of Christmas Picture Books - Everett Anderson's Christmas Coming by Lucille Clifton

It's Day 7 of our 12 Days of Christmas Picture Books Series. If you've missed any of the titles so far, click the "12 Days of Christmas Picture Books" tab above, which will take you to titles from this year and last year as well -- or you can check out our Christmas Favorites board on Pinterest for the whole list plus some other great finds!

Today's title is unfortunately another book that's older and out of print. Honestly I didn't set out to bring you so many great but hard-to-find reads. But the nature of publishing is a transitory one, and sadly many excellent multicultural titles just don't stay in print that long. (Another reason, I would argue, that we must vote with our dollars and purchase the wonderful titles by and about people of color as we find them.) So today's pick needs to go on your list for the library or maybe a used book hunt, all right?

And the book in question is Lucille Clifton's Everett Anderson's Christmas Coming. First off we were attracted to this title because it was illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist, who also illustrated one of our favorites from last year, Waiting for Christmas. Gilchrist comes through again with soulful, heartfelt pictures of Everett Anderson, a young African American boy who lives in a large housing complex in the city. I love how Gilchrist captures the urban landscape and imbues it with homey details, just right for the Christmas holiday.

But besides being fun to look at, Everett Anderson is a delightful read as well. This isn't the first title featuring this character -- Clifton has a whole series of Everett Anderson books that are well worth checking out -- but it's a good place to pick up the thread. Clifton structures the book as a countdown from December 20 to 25. Each day Everett has something else special to focus on, building his anticipation as the holiday nears. And when the big day comes, Everett and his family celebrate joyously.

This is a very nuanced portrayal of the complex feelings that can surround the holiday for many people, both children and adults. In amidst the fun parts, like bringing a big Christmas tree up in the building elevator, are the sad bits, like when Everett is missing his father. And that's reality, isn't it? As wonderful as the holiday can be, it's also very difficult at times, and I appreciate that Clifton's is one of the few books that acknowledges that fact.

For a title about family, love, and the growing excitement of the last few days before Christmas, Everett Anderson's Christmas Coming is just right.

Everett Anderson's Christmas Coming by Lucille Clifton, published by Henry Holt
Ages 4-7
Source: Library
Sample: "Everett Anderson / knows he should / be good / but it's the biggest ball, / he had to bounce it on the wall; / and when you climb on top the chair / you see the shelf and what's up there."
Recommended

Review and GIVEAWAY!! - Shopping with Dad by Matt Harvey

When Sprout joined our family (more than two years ago now - how on earth is that possible??), we were fortunate to have a full month together at home to bond as a family. Those were great days, or at least I think they were. It's kind of a blur, to be honest, probably because we were all more than a little sleep-deprived. But soon that honeymoon period was over and I had to head back to work, leaving Sprout and his daddy home together for another six weeks.

Frankly, I think we were all terrified.

Undaunted, my darling husband set about incorporating Sprout into our everyday routine. This meant that if there were errands to do, the boys were out and about doing them. It wasn't easy - Jake had to figure out how to navigate a busy store with his wheechair and a little one along - but they got creative. They always had an interesting story for Mommy at the end of the day. And to this day they are shopping buddies, with the weekend likely to find them headed to Costco and Target after swim lessons or a trip to the park.

So when our friend Liz of Barefoot Books offered to sponsor our first giveaway here on Sprout's Bookshelf, it seemed pretty fitting that the book was Shopping with Dad by Matt Harvey.

Sprout was delighted to read this lively picture book about a young girl taking a trip to the store with her dad. Mom makes a list with some pretty zany ingredients (Sprout's favorite: octopus underpants!) and the pair heads through the aisles trying to find everything. But when the little girl is overtaken by a sneeze -- a HUGE sneeze to be precise -- the whole store is suddenly in an uproar. And worst of all, everyone's pointing the finger at Dad for causing all the trouble. Oh no! Will our heroine be brave enough to own up to her part in the mess? And will they ever get their shopping done??

Where to begin with all the things we love about Shopping with Dad. . . for starters, there's the adorable illustrations by Miriam Latimer, bursting with fun and so much energy, just like the preschooler who narrates the tale. (And if you've ever shopped with a three-year-old, you'll recognize a few of the scenarios in this book!) I love all the fun details included in the background - the mouse that peeks into several spreads, the dog running amok with his owner right behind. The multiracial cast of characters is fantastic, and includes people of all ages too. Our heroine's family is transracial, but that's beside the point of the action, which makes the book all the stronger for my mind. And the rhyme scheme is generally pretty cohesive (it does get sticky in a few points), but the big sneeze in the middle is what kids will really love, especially if you put all your best effort into it.

Want a copy of Shopping with Dad for your own library? We just happen to be GIVING AWAY a copy to one lucky reader. Enter using the form below. This contest is open to readers with United States addresses only (sorry, international friends!). Hurry, the contest ends Sunday, August 5th at 12:01 am EST.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't want to take your chances on the contest? You can purchase a copy of Shopping for Dad for yourself from our friend Liz at Barefoot Books. They have so many other wonderful titles too - many of their books are multicultural in theme and feature not only loads of diversity but also great content!

Best of all, if you order using this link (also posted above) between now and the end of August, 20% of the proceeds of your purchase will be donated to the Tesfa Foundation, an amazing organization that is right now fundraising for their 5x3 Initiative, aiming to build 5 schools in Ethiopia in the next 3 years. What could be better than that?? Get some awesome new books and help kids in Ethiopia at the same time!

Shopping with Dad by Matt Harvey, published by Barefoot Books
Source: provided by publisher for our review (but this review represents our true and honest opinion of this title)
Ages: 3-6
Sample: "My Mom made a list and she gave it to us, To me and my Dad, and we went on the bus. / We got off the bus at the stop by the shop, Dad found us a cart and then -- / WHOOSH! We were off."
Recommended

48 Hour Book Challenge - Sparrow Road by Sheila O'Connor

Just under 6 hours left in my allotted timeframe for the 48 Hour Book Challenge. So far I have read/blogged for 10 hours and finished 4 books, plus am halfway through an audiobook. Husband is headed out of the house soon with the toddler to give me a little extra peace and quiet for the last leg of the challenge. I have to say, this has not been easy - even though I'd planned to read for most of the day today, a rare-for-us sunny morning could not be ignored, so we headed off for a bike ride instead. And of course any time I would sit down on the couch in Sprout's eye-view it meant he had to come over and ask "Whatcha reading?" and then bring me his own selection of books to read ("This is better book," he says solemnly).

But I have to say, what I've read has been truly outstanding. Of the four books it's hard to pick a favorite, but Sheila O'Connor's Sparrow Road is definitely a contender. I hadn't heard much about this title before I picked it up but knowing that it was set in a falling-down mansion that once held an orphanage peaked my interest. But lest you think that this is a gothic tale, it's not -- Sparrow Road is very much contemporary and deals with modern-day situations and sensibilities.

Raine O'Rourke is blindsided by her mother's sudden announcement that they are leaving their Milwaukee home and spending the summer at Sparrow Road, an artists colony held in the aforementioned creepy old home. Sparrow Road is located precisely in the middle of nowhere, and Raine's less than excited to be stuck out in the country for several months. Stranger still, her mother keeps entirely mum on just why they are there. And the rules - silence until supper, no interacting with the artists and no leaving the grounds without Mama. Raine can hardly stand it and plans to leave at the first opportunity.

But then she meets Lillian, the sweet poet whose elderly mind seems locked permanently in the past. And Josie, the energetic bohemian and Diego, the charming artist who seems enchanted with both Raine and her mama. These incredible people are more than enough to make Raine suddenly start seeing Sparrow Road in a new way. All that and a mystery too - Raine soon discovers that Sparrow Road once housed dozens of orphans, some of whom seem to still be connected to this haunting place. And then there's Mama, and her mysterious trips to town with Viktor, Sparrow Road's creepy caretaker. . . Raine hardly knows which rocks to start uncovering first.

O'Connor does a masterful job of integrating Raine's own history and struggle for identity with that of the other residents of Sparrow Road, both past and present. She deals head-on with issues related to loss and longing for parents, in the orphans that once lived in the home and in Raine's own missing father. Children who have themselves experienced a tragic loss, or who have grown up without knowing one or both of their parents will find their stories reflected in this novel, and may have some of their own feelings resolved by following Raine's journey. At the very least, they will have a touchstone to know they are not alone.

This is O'Connor's first foray into kidlit but I hope not her last - not only does she exhibit a deft hand with plot and character development, she also sets a scene that makes the reader feel compelled to turn pages. I thoroughly enjoyed Sparrow Road, and I'm incredibly glad I included it as part of my 48 Hour Book Challenge.

Sparrow Road by Sheila O'Connor, published by G.P. Putnam's Sons
Ages 9-13
Source: Library
Sample: "It was a boy's voice I imagined, a boy's voice speaking in my daydream. A story, just like Diego promised. A boy I'd never seen, but there he was. In old wool pants that hung below his knees, scuffed ankle boots, a flannel shirt rolled up at the sleeves. A boy who lived up in that attic. His skinny lower legs were nicked and scarred. His face was round, his eyes the same grassy green as Mama's. / Life just has a way, he said. I think you must know what I mean. Even parents can get lost."
Highly recommended

Chapter Book Review - What Happened on Fox Street by Tricia Springstubb

What Happened on Fox Street by Tricia Springstubb is one of those books that's been on my TBR list for a long time but which I wasn't really excited about. To be honest, though it was receiving rave reviews, it didn't seem like something that felt terribly relevant to me, probably because the cover just didn't draw me in. All that white space, I think, and the cutesy fox taking a nap in the O of "Fox". Adorable, but maybe a little too much so.

But with all the heavy-duty reading I've been doing for school of late, I felt like I needed something frothy and light. Enter Fox Street -- but frothy and light? Try substantive and thought-provoking.

Mo Wren's lived on Fox Street her whole life, with her father and her crazy little sister Dottie. Mo knows everything about everyone on Fox Street, and she can't imagine ever living anywhere else, because whatever she needs is all around her. Most of all, the neighbors on Fox Street have looked after Mo and Dottie since their mother died, particularly Da, the persnickety former school teacher whose red beans and rice are Mo's favorite food. Da's granddaughter Mercedes is Mo's best friend, and she spends every summer on Fox Street.

The whole thing is pretty idyllic, really. But this summer things in Mo's world are starting to unravel. First Mercedes shows up with fancy new clothes and an attitude to match, telling Mo that this will be her last summer visit. And then there's the strange behavior of cranky old Mrs. Steinbott -- Starchbutt to the Fox Street kids. Is she really having a change of heart? Then Mo's dad gets a mysterious letter in the mail, and suddenly he's making plans -- plans that Mo fears will take the family away from Fox Street for good.

So my initial assessment of Fox Street was basically dead wrong. Here's a book that's anything but frothy, about a character who is spirited, determined and deeply introspective. Mo Wren is one of those girls who sticks with you, as devoted to her family and friends as she is frustrated by them and determined to always do the right thing. Mercedes is far more than a sidekick, but a fully developed character in her own right, struggling to integrate her new stepfather into a place in her life where only a hole had been. And Dottie -- oh, Dottie! A little bit of Dottie goes a very long way, which is a good thing. Just when you count her out as nothing more than the "wild child", Dottie does something to stir everything up again. I'd love to see more of Dottie in later books about the Wren family; I have a feeling she, like many other literary little sisters, is in for some fascinating adventures of her own.

And here's a lesson in not judging a book, literally. Though the cover art features a decidedly Caucasian Mo, there's a great multiracial storyline in here that decidedly increases the appeal to children of color. Mercedes is biracial, but she's never known anything about her father except that he is white. Without giving away any plot spoilers, suffice to say that this becomes a major subplot of the book, and one that is handled brilliantly by Springstubb. Though the resolution comes a little too neatly, this is a minor point in an otherwise engaging and realistic story thread.

Overall, a great read and one that will appeal to kids and adults alike. Can't wait for the next adventure of the family in Mo Wren, Lost and Found.

What Happened on Fox Street by Tricia Springstubb, published by Balzer + Bray

Ages 8-12
Source: Library
Sample quote: "Climbing down the hill, she took her time, making as little noise as she could, her eyes peeled. Fox Street had gotten its name for a reason, and sometimes, especially toward dusck, the air took on a mysterious, deep red texture. At those moments, Mo felt a beautiful pair of amber-colored eyes watching her. She'd sense a rust-colored tail, tip dipped in cream, disappearing just behind her. But no matter how quickly she turned, Mo never saw anything."
Recommended

A Reading Dad

From my point of view, there's no more important way to encourage literacy in your kiddos than to model that behavior yourself. Kidlit blogger Jen Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page writes frequently and persuasively about the ways we can bolster literacy and the love of reading in little ones. In this post from 2008, she mentions modeling that behavior ourselves, and the importance of doing so especially for fathers. Jen says, "If the only people boys ever see reading are their mothers and their female teachers, it's very easy for those boys to absorb the message that reading is a feminine activity. But if even some of the time your son sees his father reading instead of watching television, that message goes a long way."

Another blog I love, Read Aloud Dad, not only hails the benefits of reading aloud, but also encourages dads to find ways to encourage their boys to read, especially. Not to slight girls, but let's be honest here: there does appear to be a cultural bias toward reading as a somehow "girlie" pastime (about which I strenuously object). Read Aloud Dad did a great interview with Pam Allyn (read the whole thing here) where she makes the case for meeting boys where they are, and reading what they want to read -- and especially reading it with them. So, not only do kids need to see us read, they need to hear it and be surrounded by it, in an environment that establishes the importance of reading in everyday life, not just for school or because we have to.

As a mom I feel particularly blessed to have a husband who values literacy just as much as I do. But for his love of comic books, we may never have met in the first place, and so that common ground has formed a basis on which our relationship has been built. And before Sprout joined our family, we talked a whole lot about reading, and how important it is to both of us that our little man be exposed to concepts, ideas, thoughts, mindsets far beyond the reaches of our little burg -- realms he can only find between the covers of books.

In Sprout's early days home, a major component of the bonding between father and son came about at bedtime, when Jake would hold him with a bottle and read to him. Mr. Brown Can Moo, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, Harry the Dirty Dog, Pajama Time. Some classics, some newer titles, most of which likely made zero sense to a one-year-old who'd never heard English before. But now those books stand out as some of Sprout's favorites, and the ones he goes back to again and again. And although both Mama and Daddy read to Sprout whenever he wants us to -- seriously, it's a drop-everything-and-do-it-now activity -- there are some titles that no one does just like Daddy. I mean, Mama tries her best, but she can't top Daddy's exuberance and suspenseful build-up for A Monster At the End of This Book. Not even close.

On this Father's Day, we'll be celebrating with family and spending time riding bikes and playing trains. But when bedtime rolls around, you know just where to find us -- all together, in one place, with our books.