The picture book When Langston Dances by Kaija Langley is a celebration of movement and color with Keith Mallett’s illustrations seeming to come alive with every page turn. Langston is a young black boy who liked basketball, but fell in love with ballet when his mom took him to see the Alvin Ailey Dance Company. As we watch him leap, dip, kick, and spin on his way to his first dance lesson, his joy is contagious. Mallett is a master of making each person a distinct individual with all different skin tones, head shapes, hair, and even age lines. On his way to ballet class Langston notices other classes for tap, hip-hop, and African dance. Each one is populated with diverse students.
This book will make you want to start dancing right off the couch. Highly recommended.
A camel with a penchant for alliteration? A worried mother Kestrel falcon trapped inside a tangled tumbleweed? Two baby Kestrels escaping a gigantic dust storm riding on the head of said camel? You will encounter all of these, plus engaging historic fiction in Kathi Appelt’s Once Upon a Camel. The reader is drawn in by the idea of a camel named Zada living in the desert of Texas. The chicks must ride to safety as they are not old enough to fly. Their parents have been blown away by the storm, so they are understandably anxious. Zada provides distraction by telling them her life story. The novel goes back and forth between Zada’s stories and surviving the haboob.
Through Zada’s stories the reader gains a peek into the Middle East of the 19th century: the world of camel racing, the great wealth and power of the Pasha, the elaborate palaces. As the setting will be new for most children, there will be the excitement of discovery. It will help readers on the important journey of gaining perspectives outside of their own and building empathy. Appelt’s work gives young readers access without bogging them down with too much historical information, because we learn through the eyes of a camel.
Each character is well developed. She always adds a dash of humor. The squabbling baby birds ring true for anyone who has a sibling. Take my word that Zada’s concern about her diminishing physical capabilities as she ages is also right on the mark as I found myself nodding and smiling. Mother Kestrel Perlita’s tendency to get over excited and bossy, especially when it comes to her babies, is humorous and heartwarming. The disdain the camels have for the vain, delicate horses and their certainty of the need and satisfaction of spitting made me laugh.
The way the death of a loved one is depicted is both sad and beautiful. Her conclusion is surprising and unpredictable, but ultimately very satisfying. Keep the tissues handy. This title is highly recommended for upper elementary readers.
One day, a beautiful sphere fell from the sky into the grass and the insects marveled at the object. This is another home run book by the Fan Brothers. Not only are the illustrations top notch, but the story of Wonder, friendship, and greed is a simple and sweet tale as well. In this story, a marble falls to the ground and the friends are taking guesses at what it is. Spider comes up with the brilliant idea of charging everyone to see the Wonder. It is a great plan at first, but before he knows it business has slowed and all his friends have left him. Did he choose greed over friendship? Spider comes up with a plan that takes lots of patience to bring everyone back together. As his plan takes shape the illustrations become more and more colorful until the last few pages are in full color to fully communicate the joy of all the friends. Up until then the illustrations are all in black and white with the exceptions of the Wonder that fell from the sky (a cat eye marble) and the money (leaves) that Spider gets greedy over. The book is rated from ages 4-8, although any person who loves art will love this book.
Please don’t forget to check out under the dust jacket for a beautiful hardcover illustration.
Beautifully illustrated and highly inspirational book for girls, young women and elders, alike. Our story begins with a young African-American girl sitting at the table with her mother and grandmother (assumed). The older women begin to tell her the story of all the women who have come before her and the foundation they layed, the work they gave, the sacrifices made to create the world today as a better place for their children’s children. In poetic form, we go through the ages highlighting events in history or seeing famous faces as we work our way to the present time. This book honors the ancestors and history of women, family, and the land our nation was built upon. The ending of the book brings our story full circle after explaining that we are standing on the shoulders of women before us, with this simple question: Who Will Stand on YOURS?
Huda F Are You? by Huda Fahmy is a memoir in graphic novel form. It is FANTASTIC! Huda writes of a time in her life when she moved from a large city where she was known as the “hijabi girl” to a small, predominantly Muslim community where nearly everyone adorned hijabis. This prompted a lot of questions for Huda in regard to her own identity. Who is Huda? The book follows her journey to find friends and fit in, but most importantly Huda’s self discovery shines through in the end. I feel all middle school and high school students will find this relatable, funny, and quick to read. I am choosing to put the book in our graphic novel section rather than the biography section because I think it will get more use.
This story about a family searching for a new home is told through the perspective of a young girl. The entire story is only 75 words, but the illustrations by Victo Ngai and the simpleness of the words make a powerful story. So much of the story is told through the illustrations. This is based on the author’s life and shows the family packing up and fleeing in a bote. The author’s note at the end tells about the author’s family’s escape from southern Viet Nam in 1980 and ways that we can help refugees today.
