Book review: A Smile, attributed to Raoul Follereau, illustrated by Hoda Hadadi

Follereau, Raoul. A Smile. Illustrated by Hoda Hadadi. Pajama Press, 2021. Unpaged. $19.95. ISBN 9781772782271. Ages 4-8. P7 Q7

How do you describe a smile and the positive impact it creates? Poetic lyrics and colorful friendship-themed paper collage matte illustrations describe and show the effect of a smile. Children also learn empathy and how acts of kindness can change lives. Colorful illustrations follow the poetic text, showing families and friends smiling and interacting. The end pages provide information regarding the life of Raoul Follereau, who passed away in 1997. The “cover and book design were based on the original by Rachel Lawston.”

Verdict: Young children will enjoy hearing the positive impact of smiling. Follereau provides specific guidance to youth on how they can change the world by smiling and showing kindness. Themes include empathy and caring, highlighting showing kindness to people who may not show kindness back. Highly recommend for social emotional lessons or classroom libraries for young children.

Review by Harris.

[Note: “A modern translation of the poem ‘Un sourire’ (‘A Smile’) by Raoul Follereau, which celebrates the power of a smile–something that costs nothing but provides so much value to the recipient.”–Publisher description. “This text has been faithfully adapted from the French poem ‘Un sourire,’ attributed to Raoul Follereau in the collection Le livre d’amour, published in 1920.”–title page verso.]

Book review: Animals Move, by Jane Whittingham

Whittingham, Jane. Animals Move. (Big, Little Concepts series). Pajama Press, 2022. Unpaged. $17.95. ISBN 9781772782387. Ages pre-school.  P7 Q8

The cover is soft and padded with thick pages for toddlers.  The end papers show several different animals and their young with their proper names such as deer… fawn.  Each page has a picture of a child doing a motion and then an animal doing the same motion.  For example, kittens pounce, joeys hop, tadpoles wiggle etc.  I think this would be a great book for a motion activity for pre-school students.  There is also a page at the back for parents and teachers on the importance of healthy active movement for children’s growth and physical development. 

Review by Melinda Dye.

Book review: Outside, You Notice, by Erin Alladin, illustrated by Andrea Blinick

Alladin, Erin. Outside, You Notice. Illustrated by Andrea Blinick. Pajama Press, 2021. Unpaged. $18.95. ISBN 9781772781939. Ages 4-8. P6 Q7

When children are outside, there are many things they may notice. Focusing on the five senses, smell, noise, feel, taste, and sight, children are encouraged to use those senses while they are outside. Children will take a journey starting with smells and progressing through the senses. Each sense follows the pattern of explanation and facts of the sense in text bubbles. For smell, children learn about trees and plants. For noises, text bubble includes animal facts, Next is taste, with text bubbles including fruit/plant facts. Touxh is shown by digging and includes facts about soils. Sight is shown by noticing, with plant themed facts. The end page includes places shown in book which the reader can turn to if they do not want to read the book straight through. Illustrations show children and families of all abilities and races. enjoying the outdoors. The poetic nonfiction text includes sensory experience for children. The illustrations were created with gouache, colored pencil, collage, and chalk pastel. The book was originally published in Canada.

Verdict: With an outdoor setting, this book encourages children to wonder and question. Due to the numerous facts in the text bubbles, it would be best read one on one as opposed to read aloud to a group of children. If you want to instill mindfulness and do not know where to start, this book fits the bill. One can go to the end of the book, pick a location, read the page and then physically go to a similar location and practice that mindfulness technique. This child friendly, appropriate text promotes interaction between children and the reader. Children may not gravitate to the book, but may enjoy an adult reading the book to them.

June 2021 review by Harris.

Book review: If Only, by Mies Van Hout, translated by David Colmer

Hout, Mies Van. If Only. Translated by David Colmer. Pajama Press, 2021. Unpaged. $17.95. ISBN 9781772781960. Ages 4-7. P7 Q7

It is common for a child to want to be like their peers. Each two-page spread follows a pattern of a creature wanting to be like another creature. Starting with a child who want to be a butterfly, then the butterfly wants to be a stick insect. The cycle continues until it comes back to a creature wanting to be a child. Each page has a different color theme. After the creature wants to be another one, the first creature declares the strength that it admires in the other creature. Illustrations show only two characters on the page, including the one that is thinking and the one that want to be something else. The creature desired then goes on to want to be another creature. The child in the book is not restricted to a gender, which makes it relatable to all children. The nature themed, rich jewel-toned illustrations, explore the natural world of each invertebrate creature–butterfly, stick insect, firefly, spider, snail, etc.  The end matter contains a glossary of creatures and facts that go along with them. Instructions are included for children to make collage art of a creature that is able to do something the child cannot do along with step by step instructions, How to make self-painted paper. Originally published in the Netherlands (Canadian) and translated into English. Very well translated. The art was created with acryl-ink, gouache and collage with a garden theme.

Verdict: Highly successful, beautifully illustrated picture book, mirrors the desire children have to be someone else and to take on their strengths. Children will not only learn to appreciate their strengths; they will learn facts about invertebrates. Useful in a unit on natural history or a social emotional unit on unique strengths children have.

April 2021 book review by Harris.

Book review: No More Plastic, by Alma Fullerton

Fullerton, Alma. No More Plastic. Pajama Press, 2021. Unpaged. $17.95. ISBN 9781772781137. Ages 4-8. P7 Q7

Children have the ability to make the world a better place. Follow Isley, who lives by the beach, as she discovers the devastating impact of plastic on animals. When Isley discovers a dead whale, she is sad and the illustrations show her sadness. When Isley’s sadness turns to anger, she steers the strong emotion in a positive direction to change the situation. Isley makes signs, writes letters to bring awareness of the impacts of plastic on animals. It appears that people are listening and starting to change their ways, but unfortunately, the people in her life quickly revert back to their previous wasteful ways because it is “easier.” Isley is not deterred and starts picking up trash off the beaches, which she uses to make a  whale sculpture. This powerful book if full of onomatopoeia and poetic phrases. When Isley was angry, she hoped her anger would, “float off with the ocean waves.” All the illustrations were made from repurposed sand, plastic and moss. The end matter includes an Author’s note, where readers learn that the adventure took place on Prince Edward Island where whales, turtles, walruses, dolphins, fish and seabirds are all washing ashore due to plastic. There is also a page on “How to reduce plastic in our lives and world.”

Verdict: The positive and proactive approach is encouraging and gives readers specific ways they can eliminate plastic along with the reasons why the elimination of plastic is vital. This picture book would make a successful read aloud due to the large pictures and short text. Not only will children learn about the importance of eliminating plastic, they will be able to see the example of a child who uses her anger as energy towards making the world better. In our beach community, the message of the book is pertinent and timely. Adults can also use this book to discuss with children how they can reduce plastic waste and even create their own projects or crafts from trash that has been picked up.

April 2021 book review by Harris.

Book review: The Girl Who Rode a Shark: And Other Stories of Daring Women, by Ailsa Ross, illustrated by Amy Blackwell

Ross, Ailsa. The Girl Who Rode a Shark: And Other Stories of Daring Women. Illustrated by Amy Blackwell. Pajama Press, 2019. $22.00. 128p. ISBN 9781772780987. Ages 9-12. P6 Q7

In six chapters, 52 women are highlighted in two-page spreads for their achievements in art, trail-blazing, scientific discoveries, activism, athletics, and journeys. The subjects were born in the last two millennials, the most recent Nujeen Mustafa, born in 1999, who journeyed from war-torn Syria to Europe in a wheelchair when she was 16 years old. Each spread contains a full-page colorful digital illustration (some of them with quotations), a few paragraphs about the woman, and the names of two other women similar to the subject. The book concludes with a glossary, list of referenced indigenous people, and an explanation of names for countries.

Verdict: Although the narration is not always lively, many of the subjects are not well-known and represent a diversity of culture. The introduction points out that every human on earth is connected through “Mitochondrial Eve,” one of the first modern humans who lived 200,000 years ago in Africa. Each chapter begins with a double-page map showing where the women in that category achieved their accomplishments. The collective biography would be useful for browsing or preparing reports.

May 2020 review by Nel Ward.

Book review: Music for Tigers, by Michelle Kadarusman

Kadarusman, Michelle. Music for Tigers. “Prepublication advance reading copy.” Pajama Press, publication date April 28, 2020. [192 pages.] $17.95. ISBN 97817280543. Ages 8-12. P7Q9

Thylacines–Tasmanian tigers–are large, extinct, dog-like marsupial predators, once found across Australia, last seen on the island of Tasmania almost a century ago.  Like the North American Sasquatch, there are occasional sightings, with grainy video or photographs, but no credible evidence of living specimens has been found.  With Louisa’s scientist parents off to study endangered amphibians in the Ontario wetlands for the summer, middle-school violinist Louisa has to  has to spend her summer with her uncle in the Tasmanian rainforest.  Bush conditions—scary spiders and venemous snakes, kerosene lamps and inconsistent electricity, lack of internet—mean that Louisa cannot concentrate solely on practicing her violin for the upcoming auditions and the camp’s isolation throws her into the company of Colin, a boy on the autism spectrum.  Then there is the mystery of the large animal that seems to be stalking the camp, especially once Louisa begins practicing violin.  Her grandmother’s journal gives her the clue that the large animal might be a thylacine, descended from animals brought to the camp to protect them from encroaching loggers and miners at the turn of the 20^th century.

Verdict: Students who enjoy  nature stories, especially those who are interested in cryptid species, will enjoy this book.  The idea that a large extinct predator species might actually be found is exciting.  I really liked the ways that Louisa and Colin interacted with each other, Colin sharing his knowledge of the bush and Louisa finding a way to demonstrate facial cues  to help Colin identify emotions.  This character and setting driven plot appeals on many levels and introduces a setting not well represented in children’s books in the United States.  I recommend it for middle school and public libraries.

February 2020 review by Jane Cothron.

Book review: A World of Kindness, by the editors and illustrators of Pajama Press

A World of Kindness. Pajama Press, 2018. $17.95. ISBN 9781772780505. Unpaged. Ages 4-8. P8 Q9

Nine children’s book illustrators and editors from Pajama Press collaborated to create a book to help children learn how to spread kindness and be considerate of others. The end pages with words such as tact, empathy, consideration, generosity, tolerance, graciousness, helpful, thoughtfulness, and friendliness are written in white letters on a soft blue background, setting the stage for reflections on how children can show kindness. Beautiful artwork accompanying simple, but thought provoking questions, help children reflect on how they show kindness. Includes a table of contents with illustrator of each page. Since each page has a different illustrator, every page has a unique style of artwork. The cover art was created and donated by award-winning author-illustrator Suzanne Del Rizzo. Pajama Press publisher Gail Winskill was asked by her granddaughter how she could be kind and was inspired to create this book. Royalties from the proceeds of this book will be donated to Think Kindness, thinkkindness.org. It was first published in Canada and then in the US in 2018.

Verdict: This is a simple introduction to kindness and gives children concrete examples of how they can show kindness to others. I highly recommend this beautifully illustrated book. I will be using it in my character education class. It is a valuable book for elementary school classrooms.

December 2018 review by Tami Harris.

Book review: Small Things, by Mel Tregonning

Tregonning, Mel. Small Things. Pajama Press, 2018 $18.95. unp. ISBN 978-1-77278-042-0. Ages 8-12. P8Q10

After this Australian artist committed suicide in 2014, Shaun Tan completed this wordless graphic tale from her detailed notes. Anxiety about school failures, isolation from classmates, fear of inadequacy, and much more ravage a small boy in the form of small, black swirling creature eating away at him until he crumbles. Only the communication with his sister, struggling with her own problems, helps him. Sadly, Tregonning’s sister was not able to save her from her depression. Intricate black and white graphite drawings varying from as many as 18 small panels on one page to a two-page spread show elements from the artist’s background in surrealism, manga, and cyberpunk.

Verdict: The visualization of the pain caused by depression and anxiety is something that all can understand, and young readers can identify with these drawings of suffering to see that they are not alone in having problems.

April/May 2018 review by Nel Ward.

Book review: Dragonfly Song, by Wendy Orr

Orr, Wendy. Dragonfly Song. Pajama Press, 2017. 393 pages. $17.95. ISBN 9781772780378. Ages 10-15. P8Q9

When the first daughter of the Lady of the Island is born with two extra thumbs, the Lady orders the imperfect child abandoned. Through the intervention of the midwife, the baby goes to a family who just lost a child and the girl thrives until raiders kill her adoptive family and take her new mother away, leaving her bereft and mute.  Alternately abused and neglected as the bearer of bad luck, the girl grows up at the edge of Bronze Age Mediterranean society where the goddess’s Lady rules, but only under threat of pirate attacks should she refuse to pay tribute for the protection of the nearby Minoan king.  The annual tribute is the two best young runners from each island.  Though an unnamed slave in the island megaron, the girl learns to use her intellect and skills to become a bull-dancer, surviving the year-long trials, and returning to take her place in the island’s society.

Verdict: Australian author Wendy Orr, author of Nim’s Island, uses her formidable writing skills, poetic prose and narrative poetry to bring this historical fiction to life, juxtaposing the old ways of Crete with the changes brought by the invading Minoans. Highly recommended for middle, high school, and public library collections.

March 2018 review by Jane Cothron