 by Kelly Carey With a charming child narrator whose no-nonsense and humorous approach is equal parts endearing and funny, Like (Chronicle Books, 2022) by Annie Barrows and illustrated by Leo Espinosa encourages readers to wonder how they relate to the things around them and points out that they have more in common with each other than anything else on Earth. Plenty of books have been written extolling how much folks have in common, but Like does it in the most wonderful kid-centric way. It kicks off comparing a person to a tin can. That will have kids giggling from the jump. Then it raises the stakes by asking kids to compare themselves to a swimming pool, a hyena, and mushrooms. But don’t be fooled, this is more than just a humorous text. This picture book offers up a serious heartwarming message of community as it celebrates our common human traits. Afterall, we are way more Like each other than we are like a can of tomato sauce. On Writing: Like is a wonderful mentor text for exploring the use of first person. Barrows smartly makes her first-person narrator a child to match her reading audience but then elevates her text with wonderfully nuanced dialogue. Her main character speaks with innocent humor, insightful naivete, and fully recognizable kid-speak. The beauty of using a child narrator is that your target reader will instantly relate, and the story can convey lofty and complex topics in a clear and entertaining way (well, if you do it right and Barrows certainly does!). If you want to make sure your child characters ring true, Barrow’s text will be a great tool. This is also a great text to study if you have opted to pepper your manuscript with a few thoughts in parentheses. Barrows has used this method sparingly but with great results.
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 Review by Annie Cronin Romano
In A LITTLE MORE BEAUTIFUL (Waxwing Books, 2023), Lou Alice loves the outdoors, and she especially loves to garden. With each day that goes by, Lou Alice does something to leave the world a little more beautiful than she found it, and the gardens she plants bring smiles to those in her town. Then one day, an aging Lou Alice is no longer able to do the work she loves, and no one seems to be missing her except for one young girl. She had been observing Lou Alice, always noticing the beauty she had sown and the pleasure that came from her efforts. The girl takes over tending the gardens as Lou Alice once had, but she realizes she needs to do more, for it wasn’t just the flowers she loved; it was Lou Alice's untethered joy at sharing nature's beauty. The girl knows what makes Lou Alice smile, and she decides to see to it that Lou Alice receives some of the happiness she's given others. A LITTLE MORE BEAUTIFUL is a picture book ideal for children ages 3-8. In a classic tone, it depicts the importance of appreciation and how sharing our talents can not only bring beauty into the world but also appreciation of others and the joy of human connection. Magically illustrated by Breezy Brookshire, the springtime palette perfectly captures the happiness created by Lou Alice’s gardens. The illustrations seamlessly complement the selective text, picking up the story where the words leave off and adding some visual treats along the way, as children will enjoy tracking the birds and curious cat across the pages. On Writing Mackenzie’s use of text is efficient yet expressive. Her writing is a solid example of subtly conveying a message within a story. While there are clearly social themes in this picture book, the lessons are presented with a light touch, and the delivery allows for a variety of take-aways, such as appreciation of nature, awareness of others, kindness, and human connection. Using this book as an example, take a look at your own stories that may have an embedded social lesson. Examine if the moral is too overt and forced. Be sure the message is folded gently into the story narrative. For more information about Sarah Mackenzie’s work, visit her website at www.waxwingbooks.com/about. For info on Breezy Brookshire’s work, visit her website at www.breezybrookshire.com.  by Kristi Mahoney The Man Who Didn’t Like Animals (Clarion Books, 2024), by author Deborah Underwood and illustrator LeUyen Pham is a book celebrating the joy of embracing new perspectives. The story is about a man who lived in his tidy apartment and didn’t like animals. It’s not until animals started appearing that he discovered that he shared their interests …sleeping …going for walks… eating dinner precisely at 6pm. Maybe the animals could stay. In fact, maybe he’d welcome MORE of them! But what happens when the animals become too much for his apartment? Let’s just say…history is made. As a HUGE animal lover, I was skeptical of the title. I would have bet the farm that I wouldn’t like a book where the entire premise centers around a man not liking animals. Yet, in the spirit of embracing new perspectives, and beckoned by that incredible cover, I dove in. I have been singing this book’s praises ever since. It’s beautifully written and has an amazing hook, frame-worthy art, and a tear-inducing ending packed with heart. This is a story of a mind changed – not only for the main character but, also, for me. On Writing: According to a blog post by author Deborah Underwood, she didn’t set out to write Old MacDonald’s backstory. Deborah admitted that she had been playing around with the idea that people make generalizations about groups and how these generalizations can fall out the window after actually getting to know a member of that group. Like many writers know, when we have an idea that keeps swimming around in our head, we just have to dive in and trust it will take us somewhere. In a pro “pantser” move, Deborah did just this and kept writing. She admitted she had no idea what she was going to do with this guy who suddenly had a home full of animals. But that’s when the epiphany moment arrived: He becomes Old MacDonald! It’s brilliant. It’s relatable. And it may never had happened if Underwood hadn’t trusted the process. Use, The Man Who Didn’t Like Animals, as an inspirational mentor text for trusting your process and continuing to work on a manuscript whose ending, or middle, has you momentarily stumped.  When the new toys have lost their appeal or the batteries on the gaming controllers need recharging, and the kids' (and adults') fa-la-las have fizzled, it is time for the best gifts to swoop in and save the day in the coziest way possible. Browse this round-up of 24 Carrot Writing's Book Picks for 2024, as well as some of our Book Pick authors' personal favorites for those holiday late-afternoon wind-down snuggles.
 Read the Book Pick of Kristi Mahoney's debut picture book Alpacas Make Terrible Librarians here. To find out more about Kristi, visit her at kristimahoneybooks.com.
 Read the Book Pick for Lu Fraser's The Littles Yak here. To find out more about Lu, visit her at www.lufraser.com, or find her on X @_lufraser or on Instagram @lu.fraser.
 Read the Book Pick of Pam Vaughan's debut picture book Missy Wants a Mammoth here. To find out more about Pam, visit her at www.pamvaughanauthor.com.
 Read the Book Pick of Bless the Earth: A Collection of Poetry for Children to Celebrate and Care for Our World, co-edited by Nancy Tupper Ling and June Cotner here. To find out more about Nancy, visit her at www.nancytupperling.com.
 Read the Book Pick of Bless the Earth: A Collection of Poetry for Children to Celebrate and Care for Our World, co-edited by Nancy Tupper Ling and June Cotner here. To find out more about June, visit her at www.junecotner.com.
 Read the Book Pick for Scroll here and learn more about Hui at www.shulululee.com/kidlitart. Browse all our 2024 Book Picks for more easy holiday gift ideas!
Picture Books: Let Me Call You Sweetheart: A Confectionary of Affection by Mary Lee Donovan The Loud Librarian by Jenna Beatrice Nell Plants a Tree by Anne Wynter Middle Grade: Simon Sort Of Says by Erin Bow Between Two Brothers by Crystal Allen Happy reading and happy holidays!  Reviewed by Amanda Smith “If you are looking for a book, and the librarian happens to be an alpaca – BEWARE!” because Alpacas Make Terrible Librarians! (Gnome Road, 2024). In this vivid romp, Kristi Mahoney takes readers on a wild trip through the library with a cast of diverse characters and a plucky purple alpaca, all while sharing fascinating and funny facts. For instance, did you know alpacas’ padded feat are perfect for quiet libraries (and sneaking), and that alpacas like to hum all the time (not so perfect for libraries)? The multi-award-winning illustrator team of Chantelle and Burgen Thorne envisioned the most marvelous alpaca librarian, complete with turquoise eye-shadow and a string of brass bells and tassels. Her calm smile, dashing front teeth, and expressive ears will win over young readers. The pages are saturated with color, texture and little details, like all the different library book covers, which are sure to give little listeners lots to focus on while enjoying the alpaca’s antics. Kristi Mahoney’s debut, Alpacas Make Terrible Librarians combines animal facts, like the sound a mad alpaca would make, with humor and heart in a trifecta of terrific storytelling that will leave readers hee-hawing with delight time and time again. On Writing: While the most common POV for picture books is third person, Kristi opts for a second person POV which draws the readers close and include them in the action. This POV also amps up both humor and tension because it reads like a conversation. If you feel like your jokes are falling flat, try a revision in a different POV. Alpacas Make Terrible Librarians is a terrific mentor text for testing out second person. The final page-turn of Alpacas Make Terrible Librarians introduces the premise and main character of Kristi’s next book in the series, Owls Make Terrible Teachers (Gnome Road, 2025). Even though this page was not in the original manuscript, Kristi had the idea and draft of the second book ready to go, and was able to add this page once she got the go-ahead from her editor. Do you have an alternative ending in your back pocket, should an editor request a sequel? To learn more about Kristi, visit her at kristimahoneybooks.com and read more about this 24 Carrot Writing regular contributor here.
 Review by Amanda Smith In Between Two Brothers by Crysal Allen (Balzer+Bray, 2024), eighth-grader Isaiah (Ice) Abernathy’s big brother Seth is a Junior in high school and Scarboro’s high school cross country hero. Seth is also Ice’s best friend, understanding “Shy Guy” inside Ice, and assuring him that he is not “Soft Serve” as a bully labeled him, but that his gentle, creative spirit is hard core. The two brothers vow to make their last year together, before Seth sets off for Texas A&M with a full-ride scholarship, their best year ever. But when Seth is in a serious car accident that leaves him comatose and with severe brain-swelling, Ice’s world is rocked. Seth's prognoses seems hopeless. However, Ice refuses to give up on his brother and rallies therapists and friends to unlock Seth from his body and rewire his brain. And as Ice fights for Seth’s voice, “Shy Guy” shrinks and Ice finds his own voice too. This tender story, based on true events, doesn’t shy away from reality. Allen brings the reader into the gravity of Seth’s condition, including feeding tubes, muscle atrophy, and voice boards, but offers hints of humor in all the right places to keep this heart-breaking story from becoming too heavy. And hope is woven throughout in sweet friendships, community, faith, and the bond between two brothers. On writing: Between Two Brothers is an excellent mentor text for writers with a story that is rooted in painful personal experience. In her author’s note, Allen states that even though the “...heartaches, the anger, the hopes, and triumphs...” are real, all the details of the story (characters, plot, and setting) are fictitious. Focusing on the universal truths, helps the author to keep a necessary distance in order to tell the story honestly but without it being overwhelming. The way in which Allen deals with medical language and descriptions is another lesson writers can take away from this novel. Like painting with a dry-brush, Allen offers just the right amount of medical and legal jargon to keep a reader engaged in the story. She sometimes employs adult characters to explain information to Ice, which means the language is automatically kid-appropriate. At the same time, the gravity of Seth’s injuries and the scary and painful reality for him and his family are never candy-coated. It is this restraint in language that allows for a realistic telling, filled with light and hope.  Review by Amanda Smith What a thrill to introduce you to a new humor-and-heart, sibling story: Missy and Mason visit the Museum of Natural History, where Missy spots a Woolly Mammoth and declares with all the passion of a six-year-old that she wants a mammoth of her own. Through a series of hilarious interchanges Missy, the ever-optimist, makes her case for why Malcolm the Mammoth would be an excellent pet, each time interrupting Mason just as he is about to explain why she can’t possibly have a mammoth. Missy Wants a Mammoth (Pixel+Ink/Holiday House, 2024) will captivate young readers with funny banter between a vibrant girl and her very realistic, know-it-all big-brother. Colorful illustrations by Ariel Landy are filled with lots of movement and fun moments, and include some hidden surprises. Readers will be on the edge of their seats as they anticipate Missy’s impending disappointment, but they will be delighted by her enthusiasm, perseverance, and huge pay-off! On Writing: In Missy Wants a Mammoth, Pam Vaughan’s two characters shine as two completely different individuals, with their own unique voices. The text throughout is written as dialogue, with no exposition, yet both Mason’s and Missy’s personalities are consistently identifiable: the dreamer and the realist. Vaughan accomplishes this by giving exuberant optimist, Missy, vivid imagery, playful vocabulary, and enthusiastic interjections, while Mason, the earnest voice of reason, sounds almost academic with level-headed vocabulary. Take another look at your characters’ vocabulary and whether it differs and contributes to their unique personalities.  Interior from Missy Wants a Mammoth. Text © 2024 by Pam Vaughan. Illustrations © 2024 by Ariel Landy. Used with permission from Pixel+Ink. Find out more about Pam Vaughan here, and don't miss her guest blog, The Funny Thing About Aspens (and Writing).
Find out more about Ariel Landy here.  Review by Kelly Carey At first, I was wary to read this middle grade novel. Simon is the sole survivor of a school shooting and that plot line felt heavy. But Erin Bow fills SIMON SORT OF SAYS (Disney Hyperion, 2023) with quirky characters in hilarious escapades that allow readers to laugh in the face of tragedy. She puts an angry peacock in a hearse, lets loose a herd of emu, and anoints a holy squirrel. If that is not enough, she introduces the possibility of faking a message from aliens using a microwave. The humor cushions the tough emotions of this book. Yes, Simon survived a school shooting. But this book is about how Simon works through the trauma and the symptoms of PTSD, and how his ordeal affects his family. For starters the family has fled to the National Quiet Zone in the hopes of being anonymous. But as Simon makes new friends, the specter of his truth looms large. This is a story about hope, family, and friendship…and a deranged peacock. But mostly the hope stuff. On Writing Erin Bow proves that humor is a smart foil to stories that cover tough topics. Use this novel as a mentor text for wrapping weighty subjects in a soft cocoon for young readers – like you hide medicine for your dog in peanut butter. You can also study this book for the sheer humor alone. Bow hits just the right funny bone for the middle grade reader as she places unique characters smothered in heart into ridiculous predicaments. This is also a wonderful mentor text for exploring secondary characters. Consider the supporting cast Bow puts around her main character and how they propel the plot forward and offer a point-counterpoint to Simon’s perspective. She makes Simon’s mother a funeral director and his father a Catholic deacon. This allows the book to naturally explore themes of death from both a secular and religious lens. Use SIMON SORT OF SAYS to consider how the characters in your manuscript aid you in telling your story, elicit reactions from your main character, and add depth to your plot. Don’t be scared of writing about harsh topics, and don’t run away from reading SIMON SORT OF SAYS. You’ll be happy to meet Simon and learn how simple acts can repair a damaged heart. To learn more about Erin Bow visit https://www.erinbow.com/ or find her on social media @erinbowbooks.
Click here to purchase Simon Sort of Says.  Review by Kelly Carey The beautiful possibilities that can grow from a planted seed are lyrically told in Nell Plants a Tree by Anne Wynter, illustrated by Daniel Miyares (Balzer & Bray, January 2023). Children at a country house enjoy climbing branches, discovering hatching birds, and racing to tag the tree’s trunk. Interspersed through the playfulness are single line reminders that for the tree to exist, Nell needed to plant and nurture its growth. Gorgeous illustrations swathed in warm color move the reader from heartwarming interactions with the full-grown tree to Nell planting, watering, and caring for the tiny seed. Nell’s devotion to the tree and her family make this book a celebration of love and traditions shared across generations. Nell Plants a Tree shares the satisfying and peaceful recollections of a family experiencing the simple pleasures of life together. On Writing Flashbacks in a picture book. How could that possibly work? And yet Wynter masterfully proves that using a repetitive structure and two distinct writing styles can open the opportunity to tell a story that travels happily and effectively from present to past and back again. Wynter uses the word before as a marker to separate the present and past. When she takes readers to the past, the longer lyrical structure of the present voice gives way to single, sparse and straightforward sentences. For example, in the past, “Nell picks up a seed”, is set against the present, “Before a hush and a point at a nest filled with eggs”. The result is a beautiful delineation of time. If your picture book requires a long span of time, it may be helpful to explore Wynter’s flashback method. In addition to flashbacks, Wynter also employs cadence and rhythm. She does this so successfully that you’ll want to tap your foot along to the lyrical passages. You’ll have to read some pages twice, sure that there must be a rhyme. But instead, you’ll find an artistry in Wynter’s choice and placement of words. Each accented syllable hits at exactly the right place. That in and of itself is impressive, but Wynter not only picks the right sounding word for your ear, but she also finds the words that conjure memories that will tug at your heart. The combination is brilliant. If you are thinking rhyme but unsure, perhaps lean into rhythm instead and use Wynter’s writing as a seed to sprout your own creative masterpiece.  Review by Kristi Mahoney The Loud Librarian (Atheneum 2023), written and illustrated by two debut creatives, Jenna Beatrice and Erika Lynne Jones, is an uproariously funny and sweet story. It features Penelope, a LOUD and boisterous girl, who is thrilled when she’s picked as class librarian. But unfortunately, LOUD does not mix well with libraries. When Penelope’s booming voice brings disaster to the library, Penelope must find a way to keep her dream job while still staying true to herself. The Loud Librarian is a delightful read with an extremely endearing main character, lots of giggle-worthy moments, and a unique ending filled with both heart and humor. Add to that the incredible and vibrant illustrations of Erika Lynne Jones and you may just feel like shouting from the rooftops about this book — the LOUDER the better. Penelope would approve. On Writing: This book is an interesting mentor text for its truly unique ending. As is the case in many picture books, author Jenna Beatrice has made sure the main character has a clear goal – Penelope wants to be the student librarian. Jenna also has made the problem clear upfront – Penelope is LOUD and libraries are for quiet voices. In addition to these important elements, Jenna effectively uses the rule of three several times and sets up Penelope for a deep dark moment. But, when the time comes for Penelope to change in the end, Jenna makes the bold and admirable choice to keep that from happening. Sometimes with stories featuring flat arc characters (characters that don’t change and remain true to their original convictions), the writer will opt for someone else changing, such as the attitudes of those around the main character in order to produce a satisfying ending. Yet, in The Loud Librarian, this also doesn’t happen and it works anyway. Does Penelope still want to be a librarian in the end? Yes, very much so. Is Penelope still LOUD in the end? Yes, absolutely. Do others still think it’s a bad idea to be super LOUD in the library in the end? Yes, indeed they do. With all this being true, how then, does Penelope get to keep her job as student librarian and also remain true to herself? Without spoiling the ending, Jenna ultimately finds the perfect solution to this quandary and it’s this lesson that makes The Loud Librarian an excellent mentor text. Picasso is attributed with saying, “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.” Perhaps as writers we need a reminder that it’s not only okay to listen to this advice, but sometimes it’s exactly what our story needs. |
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