Can Do Girl! Sofia Valdez, Future Prez by Andrea Beaty

Even as a tot, Sofia was one who liked to help get things done.

A DREAMER. A DOER. A REAL GO-GETTER.

MOST PEOPLE LIKED GOOD. BUT SOFIA LIKED BETTER.

But when Sofia's dog pulls the leash out of her grandfather's hand and follows a squirrel up the local landfill, un-fondly known as Trash Mountain, they all come tumbling down, luckily landing on a squishy old pumpkin. But her abuelo hurts his leg, and Sofia has to walk to school alone. With plenty of time to think along the way, Sofia scowls at the foul rubbish in Trash Mountain... .

AND SOFIA HAS AN IDEA!

Why couldn't they get rid of the Trash Mountain and put up a park in its place. Sofia tells everyone her idea, and all the townspeople have suggestions for what they'd like to see in a new park. Sophia plotted out a sketch of the park with something for everyone.

HER NEIGHBORS SMILED AND SAID, "LET ME KNOW WHEN IT'S DONE!"

THEY ALL THOUGHT SOFIA COULD BUILD IT ALONE!

And when Sofia goes down to City Hall, she gets the run-around, bounced from the Blue River Creek Office of Fun to the  Department of Duck Ponds, sent from office to office.. No one thinks anything can be done, especially by a little girl, all alone. But she screws up her courage, tells her story, and shows her plans to the Mayor, who promises to appoint a commission if she completes a petition.

And Sofia the Better Go-Getter gets it all done, with everyone pitching in to help, and Trash Mountain, now Citizen's Park, is no more, in Andrea Beaty's Sofia Valdez, Future Prez (The Questioneers). Says Kirkus Review, "Fun but earnest, this rhyming romp reminds readers that one young person can make a difference."

The Heart of a Warrior! Helga Makes A Name for Herself by Megan Maynor

YOUNG HELGA LOVED TO HEAR THE SAGAS OF HER FAVORITE VIKING WARRIORS.

SHE BEGGED FOR THEM AT BEDTIME... AND AT FISH-PICKLING TIME, AND DURING HER MONTHLY BATHS.

Helga fashioned a Viking helmet and a Viking shield for herself and her pet wolverine and trained to become a famous warrior. Her parents pooh-poohed her expectations.

"OH, HELGA," HER MOTHER SAID, "YOU ARE JUST A FARMERSDOTTER!.

HER FATHER LAUGHED. "WARRIORS DO NOT COME FROM SMALL MOUNTAIN VILLAGES LIKE OURS!"

But Helga fashioned herself a sword and wondered what her Viking name should be. She practiced Viking deeds with her pet, Wolvie. She charged up the steep hills when she took the sheep to pasture. She practiced swinging her battle ax when she chopped wood for the fireplace. She played out the daring deeds of the great warrior Ingrid the Axe. And then on Thor's Day, Helga hears some great news!

INGRID THE AXE WAS LOOKING FOR NEW WARRIORS!

HOLY VALHALLA!

Helga joined all the young would-be warriors, flocking to the coast to compete for Ingrid the Axe's sea raiders.

But in the uphill race, Helga is bested by Olaf, and Sigrid wins the axe-throwing competition. It's not looking good for Helga's career as a Viking warrior, and now she has to face Magnus in the sword fight contest.

But Helga run rings around Magnus, tweaks his nose, and finally plants her foot on his fallen figure with a loud, long Wolverine AROOOO, earning a place in Ingrid the Axe's fleet and her very own Viking name...

HELGA THE HOWLER!

In this lively take-off Viking tale, Megan Maynor's Helga Makes a Name for Herself (Clarion Books, 2020), "I gotta be ME!" is the theme of the comic drama of a farmer's daughter from the hill country who sees her future differently from her parents' expectations in a charmingly silly spoof of Viking sagas. Although being the scourge of the North Atlantic seas is currently out of favor, Vikings are a popular comic trope these days, and with artist Eda Kaban's perky cartoon characters, this is a lively story for Viking fans and a good choice for a read aloud for Women's Month in March.  Quips Kirkus..., "the art is peppy and thoroughly upbeat... You’d have to be beserk(er) not to appreciate this mighty gal."

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!

Where There's a Will.... : Tallulah Plays the Tuba by Tiffany Stone

Tallulah wants to play the tuba,

More than anything.

Tallulah has lots of the right stuff. She already reads music. Her muscles are mighty, and her lungs are likewise.

But Tallulah is tiny.

Band director Mr. Greenwood thinks Tallulah is not exactly up to the tuba.

He suggests the piccolo. But Tallulah is less than pleased with its pipsqueak-y "thweet thweet."

But because Tallulah is small doesn't mean she can't think BIG. She refuses to abandon her dream of mighty OOM PAHS! She tries everything to be able to reach the mouthpiece. She tries to grow taller by downing steaks and stretching her arms and legs on the monkey bars, but still she's no bigger. She tries standing on a chair in music class and then standing on a chair AND all the music books in the band room. Band director Mr. Greenwood is impressed with her zeal, but says...

"We need those!

Her bandmates try to help by making her the top of their human pyramid.

But... now there is nobody left to be in the band.

But where there's a will, there's a way, and if Tallulah can't get up high enough for the tuba, perhaps she can bring the tuba down to her size, in Tiffany Stone's charming tale of the little tuba player who could, Tallulah Plays the Tuba (Annick Press, 2019). Stone's story joins many children's stories of the small character who doesn't let size stand in the way, with the additional suggestion that creativity and talent can triumph. Artist Sandy Nichols comes up with comical cartoons somewhat in the style of Hardy Gramatsky's classic little character, Little Toot that will bring chuckles from small kids who like to dream big. With a strong plug for band instruments and a clever and doughty heroine, this one will be a preschool and primary reader pleaser.