Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence

Since I am traveling this week, I am doing a short post to share the 2019 finalists of the AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Children’s Science Picture Book Awards.

Congratulations to the six finalists….

The Brilliant Deep: Rebuilding the World's Coral Reefs: The Story of Ken Nedimyer and the Coral Restoration Foundation by Kate Messner, Illustrated by Matthew Forsythe (Chronicle Books, April 2018)

A House in the Sky: And Other Uncommon Animal Homes by Steve Jenkins, Illustrated by Robin Gourley (Charlesbridge, May 2018)

What Do They Do With All That Poo? by Jane Kurtz, Illustrated by Allison Black (Beach Lane Books, June 2018)

Living Things and Nonliving Things (A Compare and Contrast Book) by Kevin Kurtz (Arbordale Publishing, September 2017)

Iqbal and His Ingenious Idea: How a Science Project Helps One Family and the Planet by Elizabeth Suneby, Illustrated by Rebecca Green (Kids Can Press, May 2018)

Many: The Diversity of Life on Earth by Nicola Davies, Illustrated by Emily Sutton (Candlewick Press, 2017)

The winner will be chosen in December from one of the six finalists listed above. Look for each of these books at your local indie bookstore or community library.

Artwork by Sarah S. Brannen ©2017

Don’t forget to link up your nonfiction reviews…

A Magnolious Cover Reveal

A Magnolious Cover Reveal

Magnolious (adjective) Very good; magnificent.

Origin: Mid 19th century: formed humorously from magnolia + -ous, influenced by magnificent. —Oxford English Dictionary

Below you will witness something so marvelous, it can only be called MAGNOLIOUS! Hold onto your seats as we reveal…

But wait! First, feast your eyes on the curious sub-title of this forthcoming middle grade from Suzanne Nelson and Random House coming to bookshelves on 6/18/19..

An Orphan,
Her Elephant,
and Some Rather Unusual Seeds?

Suzanne Nelson, please step forward and tell us about these mesmerizing three items…

“THE ORPHAN Ten-year-old Nitty Luce is an orphan and a thief on the run. Her only belongings are a blue ribbon, yellow button, red marble, and a stolen pouch of mysterious green seeds. For as long as Nitty can remember, folks have always assumed the worst of her. Still, she believes she has goodness in her somewhere. She just needs to be given the chance to prove it. But no one else puts any faith in her. Until she meets Magnolious.

HER ELEPHANT Magnolious is a circus elephant, but many believe she’s also a murderer. No one truly understands what happened on the night that her trainer died. No one understands her. Until she meets Nitty Luce.

Happen-chance and a blinding dust storm bring Magnolious and Nitty together, and the two of them embark on a journey through dust-riddled wastelands, searching for hope and safety. When they stumble upon a barren farm belonging to the curmudgeonly Windle Homes, Nitty offers him help with his farm in return for shelter.

AND SOME RATHER MYSTERIOUS SEEDS After all, Nitty still has the pouch of mysterious green seeds. She’s been told that the seeds will grow whatever she needs them to grow. She believes the seeds might help Windle and his dying farm. More than that, the seeds might help her and Magnolious. Because they both need something extraordinary to happen. Something that will prove their goodness and bring back the hope that the dust storms have stolen.

But as the seeds start to grow, so does a mystery involving the farm and the surrounding town of Fortune’s Bluff. Soon, Nitty, along with newfound friends Twitch and Bernice, are trying to save Windle’s farm, Fortune’s Bluff, and beloved Magnolious from foulsome rotten villainy. This is a story about hope, faith, and finding family. This is a story about magic, mysterious seeds, and—yes—even mustaches.

This is a story about an orphan girl and her extraordinary elephant—a story about how the smallest seeds can sprout the greatest friendships.”

AND NOW (drumroll please…)

What a beautiful cover! Available to Pre-Order: Random House | Amazon | IndieBound

Thank you Suzanne for sharing your wonderful cover and special book with the readers of Kid Lit Frenzy. And thank you Kristen Cappy for pulling it all together.

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: What am I reading? - Biographies

This week, I caught up on a few picture book biographies and dove into Sy Montgomery’s new memoir.

Here’s what I have been reading…

Otis and Will Discover the Deep: The Record-Setting Dive of the Bathysphere by Barb Rosenstock, Illustrated by Katherine Roy (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2018) - I am working on my Mock Sibert/Orbis Pictus post for the beginning of November. I will be putting this on my list.

Through the Window: Views of Marc Chagall’s Life and Art by Barb Rosenstock, Illustrated by Mary GrandPré (Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2018) - If you enjoyed The Noisy Paint Box and Vincent Can’t Sleep: Van Gogh Paints the Night Sky, you will enjoy this one.

Don’t miss Barb Rosenstock’s guest post on Melissa Stewart’s Celebrate Science blog. Rosenstock talks about her process of writing biographies.

Starstruck: The Cosmic Journey of Neil Degrasse Tyson by Kathleen Krull and Paul Brewer, Illustrated by Frank Morrison (Crown Books for Young Readers, 2018) - I realized that I didn’t know a lot about Neil Degrasse Tyson and Krull & Brewer do a nice job of introducing young readers to this fascinating scientist.

Currently reading…

How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals by Sy Montgomery, Illustrated by Rebecca Green (HMH Books for Young Readers, 2018)

Don’t forget to link up your nonfiction reviews…

Cover Reveal: We Are (NOT) Friends by Anna Kang & Christopher Weyant

Ever since You Are (Not) Small by Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant came out in 2014, I have been a big fan of the book and each of the following companion books.

Recently, I learned that there would be a fourth book in the series. The latest book by the creative team of Kang and Weyant looks at changes in friendship. How do you introduce a new friend into the existing friendship pair. When you’re friends, sometimes three’s a crowd and sometime it is just right.

Two fuzzy friends are having a fun playdate when a new pal hops in. As the day continues, each friend feels left out at times. It isn’t so easy to figure out how to act when everything seems to change. With humor and heart, the beloved characters from Theodor Seuss Geisel Award winner You Are (Not) Small navigate a friendship triangle as only they can.

I asked Anna and Christopher to share a quick thought about their latest book. Here is what they had to say:

“We are so excited to share the next installment in the lives of our fuzzy creatures! In WE ARE (NOT) FRIENDS, a third party enters the picture, suddenly shifting the balance, something all kids (and adults) experience in their friendships.” –Anna Kang & Christopher Weyant

So, are you ready for the cover…

I am excited to say that this may be one of my favorites of the series. I can really see young children connecting with our fuzzy friends and the challenge of welcoming in a new friend. I look forward to sharing more when we get closer to the release date.

Mark your calendar. We Are (NOT) Friends will be out on May 1, 2019.

About the creators: Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant are the creators of Theodor Seuss Geisel Award winner You Are (Not) Small as well as series titles That’s (Not) Mine, I Am (Not) Scared, and We Are (Not) Friends. They also wrote and illustrated Eraser, Can I Tell You a Secret?, and Will You Help Me Fall Asleep? Christopher’s work can also be seen in The New Yorker, and his cartoons are syndicated worldwide. This husband-and-wife team lives in New Jersey with their two daughters and their rescue dog. Visit them at www.annakang.com and www.christopherweyant.com.

#Road2Reading Challenge: Toon Books for Early Readers

Sometimes I forget about Toon Books, and then something jogs my memory and I go in search of new releases that I missed. As I was putting together some literacy resources for the teachers I work with, I went in search of the Toon Books website and was reminded about all of the reasons I have loved Toon Books in the past.

Here are some new or newish titles that I am eager to check out…

3x4 by Ivan Brunetti (Toon Books, September 4, 2018) - Check out a few interior spreads from the book. I love the combination of art and math. I have always loved combining math and art as part of the school curriculum.

This is a title by the same author that came out last year…

Wordplay by Ivan Brunetti (Toon Books, May 2017) - Word play can be a lot of fun and from the interior pages (see below) I like how the text and illustrations work together.

And of course, I can’t leave out nonfiction…

Snails are Just My Speed! by Kevin McCloskey (Toon Books, April 2018) - Toon Books have a series of nonfiction Level 1 books (what they label as Level 1 may be appropriate for slightly more skilled readers due to the topic specific vocabular). I have enjoyed a number of them in the past and this one looks just as fun.

Toon Books provides a number of lesson plans for most of their books. You can find them here. Check out the Toon Books website to also see which titles are available in Spanish.

Look for these and other Toon Books at your local indie bookstore or community library.

All journeys have a starting place.
This is a weekly place to find books and tools
that you may use with readers at the start of their reading journey.
Join in the conversation at #road2reading.

Do you work with readers who are starting their journey on the road to reading?  Join Michele Knott from Mrs. Knott's Book Nook and myself every Thursday as we explore books and ideas to help readers have a successful start to independent picture book and chapter book reading. If you blog or have a Goodreads page, please link up with us!