It's Monday - Starlight, Starbright - New Book Celebration!

       Special Announcement! Nominations for Cybils awards are now open. Go here if you have a book that you want to be nominated. It must have been published from Oct. 16th, 2022 through Oct. 15th, 2023, in the US or Canada.

        Visit Kellee and Ricki at UnleashingReaders and Jen at Teach Mentor Texts to see what they and others have been reading! Your TBR lists will grow!   

         I am sharing a few other books at the end, but today I'd like to celebrate one new book by a friend, Matt Forrest Esenwine, and one that is out in the world tomorrow! I was delighted when Matt asked me to feature his newest book!

           I live in a city, filled with light, sadly it's artificial light, not starlight. I am able to see Orion's belt and sometimes the Pleiades (Seven Sisters) but little else. I grew up in a small town, and have wonderful memories of sitting and watching and learning the names of stars and constellations from a grandfather. Whether you are able to see or need to drive into the country to watch, Matt Forrest Esenwein's newest book will inspire you to stargaze, as soon as you are able! 

         As Matt's words offer the advice that the title promises, Sonia Possentini's vibrant illustrations let the stars light up the fabulous night sky! They begin with advice for one child to go outside, or take a friend, find a chair, or simply lie right down and start looking, enjoying counting the stars. Words also entice with names of constellations as Sonia's creations show the way those stars have been imagined for years into stories. Do you have a favorite constellation? Here's a peek at one page, showing some of the star clusters. Orion is there, fishes and scales, also the bull. 

Click to enlarge!

It's especially great to see the diversity of children included in the illustrations! My own memories of stargazing make me love Matt's new book but when this book reminds people, both adults and children, to go out for the first time or to remember how special it is to get out, I consider it a winner. It is a lovely book!

Here are Matt's words about how this book happened: I was inspired to write a poem about stargazing nearly 10 years ago, after four of my nieces and nephews were visiting us here in New Hampshire one summer evening. They walked out the door to head home and were amazed by the night sky - they live about 45 minutes outside of Boston, so they're not used to seeing so many stars, due to the city lights! 

I wrote the poem for an anthology initially, but it never made it in. After talking with my friend Rebecca Kai Dotlich, an incredible author/poet in her own right, she suggested turning it into a picture book manuscript, which I did. Glad I took her advice!

        Thanks again, Matt, for the advanced copy. Best wishes for your pub day!

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Here are books from last week's reading. You can see their reviews by clicking the link for Goodreads and scrolling down.

Goodreads

Poetry Friday - Starting Early!

   

          It's Poetry Friday! Thanks, Jama Rattigan HERE at her blog, Jama's Alphabet Soup, for hosting. She's invited us to quite a night on the town. There are sweets like Pumpkin whoopee pies and poems that will uplift, and in quite a way you may not have imagined. 

          The Poetry Sisters said this for their end-of-month challenge: Poetry Peeps! You’re invited to our challenge for the month of September! "Here’s the scoop: We’re writing a Diminishing — OR a Culminating Verse – Wikipedia calls them “pruning poems.” The last word in each line loses a letter from the end, yet remains a word – for instance, sticky becomes tick-y, and then icky. This will force you to use all your wiles, and will also force us to produce some pretty short poems. Are you in? Good! The Poetry Sisters are continuing to throw our 2023 theme of TRANSFORMATION into the mix. If you’re still game, you have a month to craft your creation and share it on September 29th in a post and/or on social media with the tag #PoetryPals."

          Halloween décor has been popping up for much of September. People do not seem able to wait until October. Perhaps they enjoy being frightened, or eating a lot of candy, saying it’s for the holiday celebration? I’m not sure about the reason, but decorated front lawns are everywhere! Thus, when I searched for words that fit these expectations, plus with Halloween in the mix, I found one word that fit, at least to me. I guess I cheated a little bit, but I couldn't relinquish the rhyme! 

This is a favorite scene, so far. As in the past, they'll add more!

I love the scare

When with utmost care

I lift the mask, shout “You are . . .

There!”

 

Linda Baie ©

It's Monday - Recent Books I Loved

     

        Visit Kellee and Ricki at UnleashingReaders and Jen at Teach Mentor Texts to see what they and others have been reading! Your TBR lists will grow!  Happy fall! 

        Olivia's seventh grade year has begun in a Boston school, probably the same old thing, until new girl Eden arrives. They say it's not love at first sight but their friendship grows quickly because Olivia has started a poetry club and Eden joins. One never knows what goes on with kids' home lives and both of these girls, though quickly friends, then moving into a closer loving relationship, have troubled homes. They each continue a relationship during the after-school time and through texts, and readers soon realize they hide home life from everyone. Like everyone, both make mistakes. Olivia insults Eden and the sweet relationship ends. The story, and the poetry, fills up with their feelings, while Eden is included in another group called the "Crash", pushing her to party and play the games often played, like spin the bottle. Poems by Olivia are set on the left; those by Eden are on the right. Soon, with huge regrets, Olivia creates the idea of a poetry night with her poetry group, hoping to write a poem of apology for Eden, to fix the damage done. The joys and worries come through with heartfelt emotion, so much that one wishes to step in to help them and others in the background. From Eden: "I try to own the chaos,/and not let it own me." Kate Fussner's verse novel, her debut, feels as if many middle-grade readers will hold tight to the story as they live their own fears and triumphs, and learn that sometimes words can show both regret and love, and can help their growing up. 

         Yes, I know it's still September, but this book is so popular at my library I had to return it faster than usual! Bruce, again, remains grumpy, and not even a tiny part of his heart holds Halloween traditions close. This time, the gang at Soggy Hollow tries something new, giving a performance of the "Legend of Soggy Hollow" and Bruce is in it, well, not always happily. This could be read anytime one wants lots of giggles, mostly at Bruce, and a surprise mystery at the end from Ryan T. Higgins makes a super way to celebrate Halloween and stories about Bruce!

       As a grandmother, this story glows, and I wish I had done something similar. Long ago, eight years old, Maude buried a red tin box under a favorite dogwood tree. And then she grew and grew, but that is not the rest of the story. That happens after her own daughter, then granddaughter, Eve, is born, and grows to about the age of eight. There is a feeling that brings them both to drive and drive to see, to find that red tin box. With Even Turk's full-page muted paintings enhancing Matthew Burgess' beautiful story of a loving secret kept for many years, the story will fill your heart and, perhaps, inspire you to find your own tin box. (I have returned to see a maple tree that I climbed and sat under when I was a child. And I have sat under it with my granddaughters, telling them of all the fun I had sitting up in that tree and reading, so long ago.)

        Two groups, gathering in the dark, one in the sky, witches? The other watching birds and flying kites in the sky. Hoefler tells the story with the two voices while Luyken's illustrations bring the story from the darkness into a satisfying "light in the dark". It's lovely to "see" and celebrate the images, with lots of silhouettes, as they first appear mysterious with only a hint of truth. Then as the story unfolds, readers will begin to understand this message of belonging. I love that the book is published horizontally. This will make a terrific discussion after a read-aloud!

Poetry Friday - Worker Pay

  

          It's Poetry Friday! Thanks, Carol Varsalona HERE at her blog, Beyond Literacy Link, for hosting. She has captured "summer's end" in lyrical poetry accompanied by her own summer memory photos. I'm seeing (already!) a few witches and ghosts around the neighborhood. It seems some are absolutely ready for this ending! 

        I was out sweeping my patio of the leaves fallen already, really just to be outside on a lovely day, two days until fall. In hiding lay a tiny, lovely surprise! It felt like a last goodbye, as Carol writes, "summer's end".

     Wishing you this kind of autumn's beginning: "It was a beautiful bright autumn day, with air like cider and a sky so blue you could drown in it."

                                             Diana Gabaldon, Outlander

It's Monday - Sharing Some Great Reads!

    

        Visit Kellee and Ricki at UnleashingReaders and Jen at Teach Mentor Texts to see what they and others have been reading! Your TBR lists will grow! I feel so busy and finally finished David Grann's The Wager. You may know his work from Killers of The Flower Moon which is terrific, as is The Wager, and I was totally amazed at the endurance of these seamen. 

        FYI - I shared my review of Irene Latham's new picture book, The Museum on the Moon last Poetry Friday here! It's a terrific book!

       "Astounding" may not be enough to begin a response to David Grann's newest adventure in story-telling. "Comprehensive" comes to mind, too, as Grann takes us on this harrowing journey of the HMS Wager, in 1740, with other vessels from Great Britain on a trek to capture gold. They must venture around Cape Horn, a journey told in excruciating detail of the sea weather battled, the lives lost, even before they wrecked. The descriptions of diseases encountered add to the sorrow for men who so wished for acclaim, for honor in the completion of their goals, only to then be stranded as this ship broke onto rocks by an island that offered little sustenance for survival. This part, Grann shows, is only the beginning for those who sought to survive. That some did, and those kept journals of their days, gives authenticity to this tale that makes one want to grimace (and perhaps understand) at their decision-making in numerous ways. The intense detail shows the extraordinary effort of Grann's research as blow-by-blow, readers learn of the characters, the weather, and the sea as a foe like no other. It took me longer to read because I also was mesmerized by the detailed notes and bibliography. On a personal note, I have sailed on a three-masted schooner and though my voyages were calm adventures, I did know the flavor of the ship, the sailing terms, the feeling of the ocean swells when way out to sea. I'm glad to have had the experience when reading this awesome tale.

Thanks to Charlesbridge for this copy!

          Astrid Kamalyan celebrates her childhood memories by sharing an

Armenian tradition by letting readers spend time with a family on rug-washing day. Little Tato grabs a cherry plum and rushes off to join everyone as Bábo, her grandmother, directs them to wash those rugs! There are delightfully joyous scenes of children scrubbing and playing in soap bubbles, guided by happy Bábo, along with hilarious ones when the chickens get loose! And Astrid includes other cultural traditions like an apricot pie at the end. Information about the Armenian carpet-weaving tradition is also added along with some words in the Artsakh dialect are interspersed in the text with a glossary at the end. What a heart-warming book that will delight and inspire readers to share other family traditions, new or old. 

Thanks to Charlesbridge for this copy!

       It's a board book showing three children picking apples, and then they notice there are three colors, so they sort them, each taking a color. But wait! There are a few apples that are all three colors! What to do? It teaches sorting, comparing, and contrasting along with problem-solving.  plus a few tips for teachers or parents are at the back. This is one of six of the story-telling math series both written and illustrated by Grace. It seems very inviting!

       The notes tell this is the first of four books for young readers yet I wonder how interesting it would be for all ages to read and see the worry of young Koo who already sees problems in the world and then also takes in, as always, Stillwater's wisdom. They travel through the day, first at home, Koo cleaning up his room, then feeding and brushing their cat, and finally making a cake for new neighbors. Koo only is told later in the day that small acts of kindness are part of saving the world which he really wants to do. When one sees the actions that happen in Stillwater's and Koo's day, it is possible to see that their world has indeed been made better. Jon J. Muth gives hope for our world in his stories, through his calming, clear words and beautiful illustrations. He offers an author's note sensitive to children's needs which is an important part of the book, too.