Sing It! Strange Fruit: Billie Holiday and the Power of a Protest Song by Gary Golio

ALL SHE WANTED TO DO WAS SING.

Billie wasn't going to scrub floors like her mother. She had plans to be somebody.

Pretty, light-skinned, already a veteran of small jazz clubs and with a few hit records with noted musicians, Billie had her own way of singing, listening to the saxophones and trumpets, and improvising around the melody in what jazzmen Beiderbecke and Armstrong had called "correlated choruses." She had her own voice.

IT WAS THE HEART OF JAZZ.

At 23 she was hired by celebrated clarinetist, Artie Shaw, the first black girl singer with a wildly popular white dance band, appearing at the famous Blue Room in New York City. But off the bandstand, Billie was not allowed to mingle with the customers. She had to sleep in the tour bus instead of the hotel, take freight elevators, and warm up in a small back room instead of with the band. Billie quit.

Luckily, she found a gig at new club in Greenwich Village, Cafe Society, where there was no color line. One night the club manager, Barney Josephson, introduced Billie to a local high school teacher, Abel Meeropol, a songwriter who wanted her to sing a song he had written called "Strange Fruit."

Southern trees bear a strange fruit.
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root.
Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze,
Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.

IT WAS A SONG ABOUT LYNCHING.

Billie wasn't quite sure she should do it: it wasn't really a jazz song and performing it in public could mean trouble. All of them realized that this song was racial dynamite. Josephson knew that it had to be given special handling, a different delivery, and he had the feeling Billie was the one who could do it.

Barney planned special staging. He told her that when she finished the song, she could quietly leave the stand. Billie agreed.

That night, as the lights dimmed and Billie began to sing, everyone seemed to freeze in place.

Billie's face became more expressive. The last few words--about a strange and bitter crop--sounded more like a cry of pain.

THE SPOTLIGHTS DIMMED. BILLIE WAS GONE. THERE WAS NOTHING BUT SILENCE....

But then the audience rose from their seats and the room exploded with applause, and backstage Billie heard them and had no regrets.

"I'LL FEEL IT IN MY GRAVE," SHE TOLD HER MOTHER.

And the applause for Billie Holiday has never faded. In Gary Golio's poignant mini-biography, Strange Fruit: Billie Holiday and the Power of a Protest Song(Millbrook Press), the author, noted for his biographies of musicians for middle readers, captures a moment in time in the life of the singer whose voice was like no other in jazz. In a few well-chosen words Golio artfully sketches out the early life of singer Billie Holiday and dramatically focuses his attention upon her first performance of one of the songs that has made her unforgettable in American music, a song that focuses on racial injustice which is as relevant at this time as it was when she recorded it in 1939. The dynamic full-bleed illustrations of artist Charlotte Riley-Webb capture the tense energy of Holiday's voice and the life she led in perfect sync with Golio's strong narration.

This book is strongly recommended for school and public library collections and for class book study for older elementary and middle school students. Says Publishers Weekly's starred review, "...a potent reminder of the power of art to combat intolerance and hate."

For other musical biographies by Gary Golio, see my reviews here.

Someone's Been Eating My Congee? Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas by Natasha Yim

Goldy Luck was born in the Year of the Dragon.

"This child will bring us luck!" said her mother.

Her father pointed out that her face was as round as a gold coin.

"She'll bring great wealth!" he said.

But Goldy wasn't lucky. She lost her Grandmother's New Year's gift and her piggy bank was always empty.

One Chinese New Year's Day, Goldy's mom woke her up early to take the greeting, Kung Hei Fat Choy, to their neighbors, the Chan's, with a plate of hot turnip cakes to share with Little Chan.

"But Ma Ma, I am still sleepy, and I'm SO hungry," Goldy moaned.

"Be nice, or you'll have bad luck," her mom warned.

Goldy trudged next door with the turnip cakes. When her knock gets no answer, she pushes against the door and stumbles, spilling the warm turnip cakes all over the floor. Slumping off into the kitchen to find a broom, she notices three bowls of congee waiting on the table. She was still hungry, so she tried the big bowl. Way too watery! The medium bowl was lumpy, But the little bowl was delicious and all gone before Goldy knew it. Now she was not hungry, but she was still sleepy.

She tried Papa Chan's big massage chair.

Something hard steamrollered her back! OUCH!

Mama Chan's chair made Goldy feel like a stuffed pork bun, and apparently Little Chan's chair was too rickety, since one of the rockers cracks! So far, Goldy's luck is all bad!

But still sleepy, she heads for the bedroom, where she finds Papa Chan's big bed feels like a stale almond cake.

The electric bed folds her up like a dumpling!

And that's how the returning Chan family finally found Goldy Luck sound asleep in Little Chan's cozy futon!

But all's well that ends with New Year's luck after all, when Goldy Luck takes her own warm breakfast bowl of congee over for Little Chan and together they make turnip cakes for all, in Natasha Yim's Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas (Charlesbridge Publishing), a jolly fractured fairy tale which introduces Chinese New Year to the picture book set with her version of the oft-parodied Goldilocks and the Three Bears. It's always good luck when good neighbors get together with a Kung Hei Fat Choy for everyone.
(The author appends a recipe for turnip cakes--which also contain shrimp and sausage.)

I Gotta Be ME! Norbert's Big Dream by Lori Degman

NORBERT WAS A PIG WITH A DREAM.

Even as a piglet, Norbert was not into the usual porcine  preferences--slurping slop, snoozing in the sun, or mucking in the mud.

NORBERT DREAMED OF SWIMMING THE ENGLISH CHANNEL.

Eschewing swill, he beefed up on body-building foods. When other pigs wallowed in the mud, Norbert grabbed his kickboard, jumped in, and worked on his flutter kick. He trained all day and dreamed all night of being the first porker to swim the Channel.

At last Norbert's training peaked!

"I'M OFF TO SWIM THE ENGLISH CHANNEL!"

To the amazement of his lazy, layabout litter mates, Norbert squeezed into his sleek swimsuit, snapped on his goggles, and forced his trotters into his flippers. He was ready to hit the cold waters of the English Channel.

"WHICH WAY IS THE ENGLISH CHANNEL?"

Suddenly Norbert realizes that he hasn't a clue! He looked over the barnyard wall, behind the barn, beyond the trees.

Norbert's dream was a bust. Then he noticed his friends bustling about a sign.

[NORBERT'S CHANNEL]

And following the sign Norbert found a large body of water he'd never noticed and dived right in! Norbert was living his dream as he splashed, to the roar of the crowd, all the way to the far shore.

With great relief his porcine friends went back to their usual routines--slop, snore, wallow... REPEAT! But Norbert was made of sterner stuff....

And in Lori Degman's Norbert's Big Dream (Sleeping Bear Press), Norbert already has a new dream of being the first pig to plant his flag on the highest peak! And as we know, Degman's heroic pig goes whole-hog when he has a goal.

In comedic robust-style, artist Marco Bucci portrays Norbert in heroic acrylic paintings which reveal his dedication to his dreams. Says Publishers Weekly, "Using bright, thick, painterly swaths of color, Bucci brings Degman's underpig hero to vibrant life!"

Other humorous animal stories by Lori Degman are 1 Zany Zoo and Cock-a-Doodle-Oops!

DOWNTOWN! Brownie and Pearl See the Sights by Cynthia Rylant

Sometimes you've just got to be out and about!

Brownie must have her handbag. Pearl has to find her toy mouse. Brownie has her scarf and snow boots. At last Pearl has her toboggan cap and scarf and her blue mouse in her mouth. They head downtown.

BROWNIE AND PEARL ARE OFF TO SEE THE SIGHTS.

They make the hat shop their first stop. Brownie tries on a floppy hat with great big flowers on the brim. Pearl picks a brown derby with a jaunty feather in the hat band. They giggle.

Then the two move on the the shoe shop. Brownie tries some high heels, but they're not easy to walk in. Pearl puts her paws into some tall cowboy boots. They giggle.

What's next?

It's not a trip to town without a stop at the sweet shop. Brownie and Pearl pick out their cupcakes and seat themselves at a little round table with the fancy curved chairs. Brownie has a big bite of her cupcake, without taking the cherry off the top.

THEN BROWNIE AND PEARL YAWN.

There's only one place they want to go now. They've seen the sights and now they need a nap!

And for a nap--there's no place like home!

And there's no place like a big easy chair with pillow and blanket for the two sleepy shoppers, in Cynthia Rylant's easy-reading Brownie & Pearl See the Sights (Beach Lane Books). The versatile Cynthia Rylant is the Newbery Award-winning author of Missing May (Scholastic Gold) the author of a Caldecott Honor Award, When I Was Young in the Mountains (Reading Rainbow Books), and has written the beloved beginning readers series, Henry And Mudge First Book and Mr. Putter and Tabby Set of 4 Books : Bake the Cake, Feed the Fish, Pick the Pears, Row the Boat. and her new series about a girl and her hat are just the thing for preschoolers on the way to becoming emergent readers. Illustrator Brian Biggs provides the soft artwork that sets the safe and cozy mood for Rylant's series.

Kids Kan Kook! The Big, Fun Kids Cookbook edited by Maille Carpenter

Kids may be bored with their summertime routines, but they are always hungry, and when it's too hot for picnic lunches, Food Network has a new cookbook that combines healthy ingredients and easy recipes for fun cooking for kids.

With section of recipes for Breakfast, Snacks, Dinner, and Desserts, there something for everyone in Food Network Magazine The Big, Fun Kids Cookbook: 150+ Recipes for Young Chefs(Food Network/Kids Hearst Home, 2020).

The section on snacks is bound to be one of the most popular, with variations on the old Ants on a Log (a celery stick filled with peanut butter and dark raisins) such as "Lady Bugs on a Log"--a celery log filled with strawberry cream cheese and dried cranberries (or dried cherries) and "Blueberries on a Branch," using cream cheese mixed with honey and fresh blueberries.

Desserts will be a close second in popularity, especially the Waffle Ice Cream Sandwiches, the Blueberry Cheesecake Mug Cake, and the Design-Your-Own Granola Bars, not to mention "cakes" that look like candy bars. There are also plenty of unusual breakfast creations such as French Toast Pigs in a Blanket or Stuffed French Toast with fancy fillings such as cream cheese with Blackberry jam and French Toast Foldovers filled with ricotta and apricot jam. And for dinner, there are novel creations such as Fried Spaghetti Pizza and Tex-Mex Pizza Taco Dogs, new recipes kids can't complain they're tired of. There are also fun facts sprinkled throughout the text such as that Nike's cofounder got the idea for the soles of his new running shoe from his breakfast waffles, or that it takes 40 gallons of maple sap to make one gallon of maple syrup. The editors also sprinkle in handy safety tips along with work-saving clean-up tricks throughout the text.

Adds Booklist in its starred Review, "... there are also fun, healthy alternatives and food quizzes to keep the text even more engaging. With recipes for cakes that look like cheeseburgers, mac and cheese, giant s’mores, and more, the final section may be reason enough to purchase this delightful cookbook."

Arthropoda Poesy: Hey There, Stinkbug by Leslie Bulion

Summertime is bugtime! Some, like fireflies and butterflies, have their charms. Some, like wasps and spiders, have their purpose, and some, like stinkbugs--nobody loves 'em, nobody wants 'em. They're better left all on their lonesome!

I think you're lost,
'cause you're walking up my arm,
But I won't tease you,
Wouldn't dare squeeze you--
Please don't trigger
Your stink alarm.

And then, there's the bombadier beetle, a most regrettable, hopefully soon forgettable creature, not glad to meet ya!

Bombadier, bombadier, bombadier beetle,
Slow on the wing, but fast on his feetle.
Blasting poor predators into retreatle,
With pure boiling hot acid it aims from its seatle.

And even those fabulous fireflies, on summer nights so delightful--when you get to know them better, they're a perfectly frightful! The poor blinkin' firefly boys are sometimes blinded by the light!

He'll fly and he'll flash and he'll wait for an answer.
From a FLASH Gal that's eager to meet him.
And up close she's likely to eat him!

For middle readers who may tend to eschew entomology, Leslie Bulion's jolly lessons on common arthropoda are great fun for summer reading that beg to be read aloud. In her twenty chapters author Bulion and artist Leslie Evans provide some delightful graphics, done by the illustrator in linoleum prints of her creepy crawly subjects Along with her highly humorous poesy, the author packs plenty of information into her Hey There, Stink Bug! (Charlesbridge Publishing), including a glossary and bibliography of books and websites, and for poetry fanciers, also appends fascinating descriptions of the various and offbeat poetic forms used in her poetic descriptions.

Down to Sleep! Brownie and Pearl Hit the Hay by Cynthia Rylant

Brownie is reading in her big comfy chair, but her feline pal Pearl is nodding off beside her. It's about time for the two to hit the hay!

But first Brownie takes a warm bath in a bathtub filled with bubbles. Pearl eschews the sudsy tub, settling for giving her paws a good tongue-washing.

Brownie pulls on her soft jammies.

Pearl does not need jammies.

But there is one more thing to do before they head upstairs for Brownie's bedroom--the bedtime snack and story.

Yes, PLEASE!!

The two take a cookie and pick out a book. Pearl picks out her favorite for Brownie to read--Miss Kitty.

Read it again, PLEASE!

And at last it's time to call it a day and curl up and snuggle under Brownie's coverlet with--what else--the moon on it.

Brownie and Pearl are best buddies, but who knew they were also bed buddies? And what could be better for Brownie than snuggling with her all-day buddy, Pearl the cat, in Newbery and Caldecott-winning writer Cynthia Rylant's cozy bedtime beginner book, Brownie and Pearl Hit the Hay (Beach Lane Books). The inseparable duo share their comfy bedtime routines--bath, snack, and bedtime story, read and re-read over and over again. Brian Biggs' cheery illustrations achieve a plenitude of charm without lapsing into into the banal cutesy cliche of some bedtime kitten books. This little book is great for emergent readers to use to hone their skills and store them away in their brains at the best time of day for memory--bedtime.

What's NOT New? Brown Bear Starts School by Sue Tarsky

It was Brown Bear's first day of school. He was wearing his new sweater and his new scarf.

He was carrying his new book bag, with his new notebook and his new pencil case, filled with new pencils and erasers. He even had a new lunch box.

Everything is NEW, and Brown Bear doesn't feel comfortable with all this NEW.

Mom tells him that his school may be new to him, but a lot of his old friends are going to be students there. Brown Bear feels a little better. But he has another worry.

"What if I can't hear the teacher?" he asks.

His mom gives him a quizzical look.

"Can you hear me?" she asks.

Uh-huh. But Brown Bear has more worries. What if his clothes look funny? Mom assures him that, in that case, they can shop for different clothes that very afternoon.

And when they head out to school, Little Bear sees his friend, dressed just like him with a new book bag and lunch box, too. In fact, most of the other new students look very familiar. And when one of his friends kicks a ball out into the street, his teacher Miss Zipper is proud that Brown Bear knows to tell her not to run after it into the busy street. All's well with all the kids confessing to first-day jitters, in Sue Tarsky's Brown Bear Starts School. A first-day story with a a just-right combination of new and old, with illustrator Marina Aizan's sweet, toy-like little characters with a can-do attitude. Pair this one with Mo Willems' first-day hit, The Pigeon HAS to Go to School!

A Slackard's Comeuppance, Or..., Schnitzel: A Cautionary Tale for Lazy Louts by Stephanie Shaw

I am Apprentice Schnitzel.
I serve Sir Willibald.
His wizardry was world-renowned
and I was quite enthralled.

But Sir Willibald is a strict taskmaster, and young Schnitzel, an self-admitted lazy layabout, secretly schemes to find ways around his graven-in-stone edict declared in somber tone:

"Clean the house and leave the spells alone!"

Still Schnitzel dreams of finding an easy way out of his tasks as he snoozes on the stairs he is sent to scour.

But his most appalling task is vacuuming the sorcerers castle. The vacuum cleaner is a beast--really a beast with long, sticky, purple tentacles that he fears with suck him into it bulging, striped maw.

But then one night a fancy-dressed but fanged gentlemen sounds the bell and greet Schnitzel with an offer he can't refuse!

"Allow me to demonstrate.
I'll finish in no time.
I'll do your work. You'll rest in peace,
And I won't charge a dime!"

And out of his portmanteau he pulls a vacuum cleaner of prodigious but fearful power. True, it sucks up dust from the floors and scarfs up cobwebs and mud clods from the carpets, but it also devours window drapes, the furniture, the floors, and chandeliers. the dishes and the sink...

It even ate the garbage,
Leaving nothing but the stink.

In fact, the sleazy salesman can't seem to control his own apparatus, and it continues its suction until the wizard's residence vanishes into it with a whish!

But then, Willibald the Wizard appears with a providential ...

POOF!

Failing to follow the instructions has consequences, as this sorcerer's apprentice learns his lesson:

When it comes to your work, it's best not to shirk!

You'll rue the day you tried to take the easy way, in Stephanie Shaw's retelling, Schnitzel: A Cautionary Tale for Lazy Louts (Sleeping Bear Press). Based on Goethe's famous work from 1789, this story has been reworked over the past centuries. Most kids are familiar with the section from Disney's classic film, Fantasia, in which Mickey Mouse inadvertently creates a magic broom to help him carry water and floods the sorcerer's castle when he doesn't know how to make it stop, but this trope of the runaway device had found its place in cartoon, films, and stories all over the world. The illustrations of Kevin M. Barry, done in sinuous and slightly sinister gray line with clever touches of color, portray the traditional character with great humor. For another comic retelling, try Tomie De Paola's Caldecott-winning classic, Strega Nona, in which her hapless helper Big Anthony practically buries the village with the output of her magic pasta pot. Booklist recommends one of literature's classic cautionary tales in this fine spoof, saying, "Shaw warns readers of the perils of laziness in this retelling of Goethe's The Sorcerer's Apprentice, while Barry sets the eerie, Gothic mood with his Gorey-esque, watercolor-and-ink illustrations."

Carry Meeee! Baby On Board: How Animals Carry Their Young by Marianne Berkes

When you were a baby, someone carried you. Have you ever wondered what animal parents do?

Animals, like people, carry babies in all kinds of ways. In their arms or piggyback are the most popular ways, but a few, like the kangaroo, have a handy built-in expandable pouch for youngsters. Emperor penguins have an egg pouch between the males' feet into which eggs and very young ones fit to keep warm. Some animal parents have even more creative ways to carry the kiddies.

Being marsupials, baby opossums are born very small and most newborns spend a little time in their mother's rudimentary pouches and then switch to piggyback rides, holding on to her shaggy fur for dear life.

This animal hauls her babies from one place to another.The joeys have it easy as they all ride on their mother.

Piggyback works great for shaggy tree sloths, hundreds of baby wolf spiderlings, chimpanzees, anteaters, and even baby loons who can hop on dad's back to get warm. But Mama Otter has a twist on that trick: she floats on her back and carries her little one on her tummy where it's easy to keep her eyes on her baby. And when she needs to dive down deep for dinner, she tethers him to a handy strand of kelp.

This mom is like a living raft as she transports her pup.
She hunts for food for them and will never give up.

Mama Alligator has an even stranger twist to the piggyback concept. If danger is near, she calls her little hatchlings to hop in her mouth to hide. It's the last place any predator wants to be (and if he does, the last place he'll ever see).

When babies call their mothers, there is no time to pause.
She carries them to safety, grasped in her powerful jaws.

And like human babies, little ones like chimps are carried around in the parents' arms, right where they like to be.

Noted children's nature author, Marianne Berkes' Baby on Board: How Animals Carry Their Young (Dawn Publications) offers an engaging nature science book for both primary and middle grade readers. From loon to lion, manatee to chimpanzee, Berke's engaging nonfiction book provides jolly facts in rhyming couplets for the youngest animal lovers, and for older animal fans or researching middle graders there is an accompanying text with addition information on all twelve featured animals, as well as an appendix with a matching quiz, suggested curriculum connections, and a bibliography of books and websites, Illustrated by artist Cathy Morrison with charming artwork of parents and babies done in almost photographic detail, this versatile volume is a real twofer for children from preschool to middle school ages.

Both Sides Now! The Crocodile and the Dentist by Tara Gomi

Crocodile has a toothache.

Dentist fixes teeth.

It's time for the two to get together. But they both have a problem. Croc has a mouth full of scary teeth. Dentist has a room full of scary instruments.

"I'm SCARED!," thinks Crocodile.

"I'm SCARED!" thinks Dentist.

After all, who isn't a little fearful of dentistry? It can hurt.

After all, Crocodile has a mouthful of sharp teeth. They can hurt.

Both are full of fear, but fate has thrust them together. Crocodile knows he needs his tooth fixed. Dentist knows that fixing teeth is his job.

Gingerly Dentist begins to work on Crocodile's tooth, his arm deep inside Crocodile's mouth.

"OUCH! say both, as Croc cringes and closes his mouth on Dentist's arm. But each knows that they must persevere in what has become a mutual enterprise.

And both of them screw their courage up to the sticking point, and soon the dentistry is a done deal in Tara Gomi's The Crocodile and the Dentist (Chronicle Books). It's a simple story with some deep ideas embedded in a humorous tale of characters simultaneously fearful of each other and yet with a mutual goal. While this ironically droll story may not be the best prep for a first trip to the dentist, readers will have to admire the dentist's dedication to his profession and the crocodile's good sense in this cleverly illustrated story easy enough for emergent readers to tackle on their own. And there's an underlying lesson for young ones that sometimes a little pain can prevent a bigger one in the future. Says Kirkus Reviews, "This fun (for readers) dental visit has underlying lessons of empathy, bravery, and good oral hygiene."

Guess Who's Getting Spiffy? Clothesline Clues to the First Day of School by Kathryn Heling and Deborah Hembrook

High on the clothesline
hang clue after clue,

It's the first day of school...

Who's waiting there for you? Listen to the cues!

From whose clothesline would a yellow vest and gloves and octagonal STOP sign be hanging?
This one's not so hard. It's the Crossing Guard!

How about someone with ...

Mop, soap, and a big key ring? Who takes care of everything?... the custodian!

Whose clothesline has a fresh apron and an oven mitt? All you need is one look... it's the cafeteria cook!

You can guess this one with ease! On the line, in the breeze, are shorts, tee shirt, socks and sneakers. Waiting with a basketballs and a big shiny floor? Guess no more... it's the the gym teacher!

Smocks and aprons? Easel and color chart? You're smart. It's got to be... the teacher of art!

And on many clotheslines... there are clues.

Pants, shirts, and dresses,
In every size and hue,
Coats, scarves, and backpacks...

Who's getting spiffied up for school along with you?

It's your new teacher and classmates, in Kathryn Heling's and Deborah Hembrook's Clothesline Clues to the First Day of School (Charlesbridge, 2019). Clothes may not make the man, but this engaging first-day-of school picture book helps youngsters recognize all the very real people who make a building a school. Young readers will have fun identifying the various school workers, right down to their own teacher's blue bow tie from the clothesline clues, illustrated cheerily by artist Andy Robert Davies.

It still takes a village. A school does need a community to do its job and with bouncy rhyming text and comforting images for young people facing the beginning of school, this one is a great read-aloud for parents and teachers to ease the first-day transition to a school full of people. Says School Library Journal, "Whether readers are entering school for the first time or are old pros, all will enjoy the guessing game and overall message of this lovely story."

Other books by this team are Clothesline Clues to Jobs People Do and Clothesline Clues to Sports People Play..

It's A Jungle Out There! Roy Digs Dirt! by David Shannon

Roy is a down-to-earth kind of guy.

ROY DIGS DIRT. DIRT MAKES ROY HAPPY!

Roy, is, of course, a dog.

He delights in dirtiness. He loves to dig up things like busted balloons, bent bottle caps, and broken backup lights. He loves to bury things like balls and bark and bones.

MUD IS LIKE DIRT GRAVY!

Roy digs everything dirty, but not...baths!

BATHS ARE THE OPPOSITE OF DIRT.

But maybe the best thing about Roy's dirt is that, in his very own backyard, from that very dirt, there grows...

A JUNGLE!

And sometimes in that jungle there are critters for Roy to bark at! There's a cat who thumbs his nose at him from on high, and a possum that giggles at the cat, and a rat, and a mouse... and then there is a skunk!

NOW ROY IS DIRTY AND STINKY!

But it's all good in this day in a dog's life. But then all dog days are good days in David Shannon's latest, Roy Digs Dirt (David Books) (Blue Sky Press, 2020).  Like author Shannon's award-winning picture book character David, Roy is a force of nature and a joyful one. After all, there's no limit to the fun to be had in a world composed of ..., well, dirt--when you're a dog who digs it. Shannon's hilarious drawings make the most of this dirty dog story, from Roy's delight in digging worms to his spread-eagle resistance to the bathtub. This one begs to be read aloud, and with all the funny visual cues artist Shannon provides, it is also great for emergent readers. And before you wash your hands of dirty dog tales, share this one with the Gene Zion's classic, Harry the Dirty Dog (Harry the Dog).

In their review Publishers Weekly, says "What this book offers is a real gift: the chance to spend time with an outsize personality whose happiness is pure, all encompassing, and seemingly without end."

The Right Question: Why? by Adam Rex

"RUN, PUNY FOOLS!"

Mall strollers flee as, through the dome in the ceiling, a Supervillain crashes down among the terrified shoppers.

"NO ONE CAN WITHSTAND THE POWER OF DR. X-RAY!"

"WHY?" ASKED THE LITTLE GIRL.

BECAUSE OF MY X-RAY BLASTER!"

The girl repeats her question.

The disgruntled Supervillain mumbles through an explanation of his ray gun and his indestructible super suit, but the little girl repeats her question.

"WHY?"

The supervillain explains impatiently that it is his destiny to rule the world. The world deserves ill treatment because the world has treated he him so badly, he complains, unfairly showing disdain for his deep love for YARN! On the escalator he tells the little girl that he's always loved knitting, but his yarn shop was a failure because the fickle public cares nothing for his craft. The supervillain doesn't understand why not.

"KNITTING IS AMAZING!" HE SAYS.

No one understands him, not the non-knitting public and certainly not his father, who made him be a doctor just because his grandfather and this grandfather's grandfather were doctors. Now it is HIS turn to make people do what HE wants. He must be the master of the universe.

"WHY?"

"BECAUSE THEN MAYBE MY DADDY WILL BE PROUD OF ME!" HE ADMITS.

Now we're getting down to the basic question, in Adam Rex's both comic and poignant story of self-knowledge in his Why?: (Funny Children’s Books, Preschool Books, Early Elementary School Stories) (Chronicle Books). "Know thyself," said Socrates, and even supervillains need to work on their self-knowledge, and who better to ask the big question than a little girl determined to get to the root of the issue, portrayed charmingly by illustrator Claire Keane's little inquisitor. Declares Booklist, "Rex delivers a storytime home run--hilarious, heartfelt, instructive, and interactive."

More books for thinking kids by Adam Rex are Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich, The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors, and Nothing Rhymes with Orange: (Cute Children's Books, Preschool Rhyming Books, Children's Humor Books, Books about Friendship).

Anytime Is the Right Time! You Can Read by Helaine Becker

You can read in the classroom.You can read in the park.

You may have to stay at your desk inside, but outside--you can do it hanging upside down on the climbing bar, but... beware, as your book warns you, it's always muddy under there, so be mindful when you dismount!

Books are so portable that they can go almost anywhere. You can read them...

... In the desert (on a camel)

... Under the sea (searching for treasure)

You can read in space... but you'll miss an awesome view.

But when your engine conks out, you'll need to pull out the handy rocket ship engine manual and read fast!

When you need some personal privacy, potty time can be reading time, too, if you can get there before your brother! When you want a fancy night out, you can you can read at the ballet in top hat or pearls in your chignon.

You can bring a book to the dinner while you eat, but it better be about etiquette! You can peruse a volume while you perambulate down the street, but watch where you step! (Yuck!)

You can read in your Party Clothes--or in your Underpants!

As Dr. Seuss might be wont to say...

YOU CAN READ IT HERE,

YOU CAN READ IT THERE,

YOU CAN READ IT EVERYWHERE!

And kids will get a kick out of all the places they can go with a book, in Helaine Becker's You Can Read ((Orca Book Publishers), illustrated with quirky pizazz in the digital drawings and hand-lettering of illustrator Mark Hoffman. This one makes a good read-aloud for Book Week activities and for kids who want to make posters about all the places they can read, and like Becker and Hoffman, put the titles into their artwork. Says School Library Journal, "A fun read-aloud for a storytime or class visit."

Not Quite There Yet: Edward Almost Goes to School by Rosemary Wells

MONDAY WAS THE FIRST DAY OF PLAY SCHOOL.

"ARE YOU READY, EDWARD?" ASKED FATHER.

Edward' new school clothes are all laid out across his bed. But Edward is still in his PJs, under the covers with Bunny.

Holding Edward on his lap, Father dresses him.

Mother had to spoon each bite of his Cream of Wheat into his mouth. Finally they put Edward into the back seat of their car. Ready?

No. Edward has to go back for Bunny.

"I'LL HIDE," THINKS EDWARD.

He's not that hard to find, with his feet sticking out from under his bed. Father quietly carries Edward to the car and buckles him into his seat belt.

When they arrive at the school, Edward's teacher greets him with a big smile. The other kids seem happy to be busy painting at their tables. But Edward only wants to be happy back home. Then the worst thing happens! A lost Edward mistakenly goes into the girls' bathroom. It's pink and all the girls inside are aghast! Edward is miserable.

"NOT EVERYONE IS READY." SAID HIS TEACHER.

Being ready for school doesn't happen to everyone at the same time. Edward is ALMOST (but not quite) ready, in notable author-illustrator Rosemary Wells' book about a first try at the first day of preschool in her new series, Edward Almost Goes to School (Edward Almost Ready Book 2) (Open Road Media). Parents and teacher set a good example of understanding and keeping the stakes low in this episode in what will be a long school experience with many first days ahead. Celebrated for her inimitable and insightful long-running series of Max and Ruby books for preschoolers, this series about almost-ready Edward looks to be a winner for preschoolers.

Not THAT Class! The Class from the Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler

Who knows the fear that lurks in the heart of teachers before the first day of school?

It's the first day of school and I have a class coming in one hour. I heard that they put their last three teachers into early retirement!

The scuttlebutt in the teachers' lounge is that they all have two noses--the better for picking. They are world class at making spitballs... and excuses.

"My grandma ate my homework!"

They love art supplies, especially snacking on the crayons and colored chalks. But their best talent seems to be making noise.

They only come to school when they have contagious diseases.

They enjoy art and writing, but only on their desks!

Mrs. Green suits up in her crash helmet and all the protective equipment she can borrow from hockey goalies. She's as ready as she'll ever be! Finally her class enters the classroom.

WOW! They are all cheery and each one has only one nose!

Her jolly pupils greet her with flowers and apples. Some of the apples have several bites out of them already, but who's counting!

And another school year begins, in this one from the teacher's side of the desk, in The Class from the Black Lagoon (Cartwheel/Scholastic) in Mike Thaler's monster hit series beginning with The Teacher from the Black Lagoon, illustrated in appropriately wild kid-pleasing style by artist Jared Lee, also well known for his silly, scratchy illustrations for Lucille Colandro's seasonal staples, There Was An Old Lady series. There are plenty of titles in this popular and hilarious series to keep kids reading through summer vacation.

Chug Chug! Woooooo! Trains by Charles Reasoner

ALL ABOARD!

Although the boarding call of the passenger train conductor is no longer heard in the land, trains are still an important form of transportation, and as part of his series, Big Busy Machines, Charles Reasoner's Trains! (Big Busy Machines) (Rourke/Little Birdie Books) is a jolly introduction for the youngest book lovers to the wide world of railroading.

Reasoner opens with a view of the station, with ticket windows and schedules of Arrivals and Departure in full sight of the waiting passengers on the platform as the train pulls in.

"TOOT! TOOT!"

An old-fashioned steam engine complete with drivers and smokestack pulls out and heads through the city, across a railroad bridge over the bay with a cheery "toot" to its comrade sight-seeing boat cruising below, and heads out into the countryside where it rolls through hill and dale, field and forest, until, with one last mountain to climb, the little engine heads for home at the station, weary but still smiling.

WOO! WOO!

With the cheery retro look of a Little Golden Book, but with sturdy washable board book cover and pages, this entry in Reasoner's set for young big machines fans makes a good first book about trains and ground transport and a valuable preparation for an upcoming train ride. For a bit more about the magic of train trips, share this one with George Ella Lyons' Trains Run! (Atheneum, 2018) (see review here) or Sherri Duskey Rinker's lovely Steam Train, Dream Train (Easy Reader Books, Reading Books for Children, 2013) (review here).