 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!
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 Review by Annie Cronin Romano Scroll (Christy Ottaviano Books, 2023) is a heartwarming picture book about a young girl, Lulu, who is learning calligraphy and Chinese characters from her grandfather. When she practices drawing the Chinese character for “door,” the story takes an imaginative twist as Lulu and her dog, Dumpling, step through the portal and into a village occupied by personified Chinese characters. As Lulu and Dumpling explore, they encounter several friendly characters…and one fiery dragon. Upon “returning home,” Lulu shares her adventure with her grandfather by showing him all the Chinese characters she has practiced drawing. In terms of styling, Hui Li only uses a few traditional full-page illustrations, opting primarily for a graphic novel format with speech bubbles and panels showing the events of Lulu’s adventure as it unfolds. The engaging images feature a palette of reds, browns, and black, selectively adding other colors to reflect the tone and events of the story. This picture book illuminates the beauty and deep connections formed in passing down a culture’s traditions from one generation to the next, as well as serving as an introduction to Chinese writing. On Writing:
Author/illustrator Hui Li blends the nonfiction elements of Chinese characters with a story of imagination and adventure. In the opening paragraph of the story, Li provides a brief history of the origins of Chinese characters. From there, she has Lulu's imagination take over as the text becomes dialogue-only, with speech bubbles capturing Lulu's observations during her daydream. Li--as both the author and the illustrator--goes on to incorporate Chinese characters referenced in the introduction in the enchanting illustrations, showing how the calligraphy characters resemble the objects they represent in Lulu's imaginative world. (For those writers who do not illustrate, illustration notes could be included to denote any desired visual nonfiction elements, and the illustrator could take the lead from there.) A key of Chinese vocabulary at the corners of each page is included so the reader can connect the Chinese character with its depiction in the illustrations. Scroll is a strong mentor text for writers looking to embed a nonfiction concept within a fictionalized storyline. To learn more about Hui Li, visit her website at www.shulululee.com.  Review by Annie Cronin Romano Some children love the magic of words and books. Others are fascinated by different interests, such as music, dance, animals, or sports. In LEO + LEA, Wesolowska tells the story of a young child, Leo, who is intrigued by numbers. When the chaos and noise of the schoolyard overwhelm him, Leo seeks out a quieter spot to focus on his love of numbers. He is soon joined by his new classmate, Lea, and discovers that he is not alone in his unique interest, for Lea adores patterns and includes them in her artwork. Together they share their intersecting fascination with numbers and patterns with their teacher and classmates and embrace their new friendship. Monica Wesolowska’s debut picture book LEO +LEA (Scholastic Press, 2022) employs sparse, lyrical text, and cleverly uses the Fibonacci sequence as the numbers in the story as she depicts Leo’s blooming interest in math. (And no, I didn’t pick up on that fact on my own—thank goodness for the author’s note!) The illustrations by Kenard Pak are equally evocative and expressive, using subtly increasing intensity in the colors as the story progresses (also inspired by Fibonacci’s sequence as pointed out in the artist’s note). The author and illustrator meld the interaction of text and art seamlessly, allowing each to contribute uniquely to the unfolding of the story’s events. The subtle themes of individuality, friendship, and celebrating all interests comes through clearly yet gently. A delight to read aloud, LEO + LEA is a story that you’ll want to count among your picture book collection. This treasure is also an excellent social-emotional selection for the classroom. (Fiction picture book for ages 4-8) On Writing Monica Wesolowska’s debut picture book (she has written for adults) is a strong example of sparse, balanced, and well-paced writing that takes a unique approach to conveying the importance of recognizing and embracing the interests of all. For more information on Monica Wesolowska’s work, visit https://monicawesolowska.com.
To learn more about Kenard Pak’s work, visit https://www.pandagun.com. Review by Annie Cronin Romano When writers are seeking mentor texts that depict subtle ways to convey a message, the standouts can be challenging to find. There are picture books galore with themes of kindness, understanding, and acceptance, but far fewer that convey those themes with a light touch that permits young readers to experience the sentiment as it's developed rather that have it stated to them. Two recent standouts in the area of nuanced, subtle storytelling are Blanca Gómez's DRESS-UP DAY (Abrams, 2022) and Mac Barnett's JOHN'S TURN (Candlewick 2022).  In DRESS-UP DAY, a young girl is distressed to have missed her opportunity to dress up as a bunny for her class' dress-up day because she's out sick. She decides to wear her bunny outfit to school the next day (What could go wrong?) only to find the stares and snickers of her classmates crush her excitement about her costumed appearance. When a fellow classmate shows up wearing his carrot costume, caring not a smidge if the others in the class approve or not, the two enjoy a day of imaginative play. And their peers? They decide maybe costumes and pretend play might be fine any day one chooses and shouldn't have to be relegated to an assigned date. This change of heart is shown (never told) when the other children come to school the next day with dress-up gear of their own. On Writing: With smart, sparse text and evocative illustrations that make the characters' emotions dance off the page, Gómez conveys a message of acceptance and kindness without once stating or summarizing the theme of her story. The actions and illustrations do the heavy lifting but leave the interpretation to the reader.  In JOHN'S TURN, it's a young boy's turn to demonstrate his talent during the school's "Sharing Gifts" time. While a few children comment on the unfamiliar music playing before John takes the stage and question what he's about to do, John musters up the courage to perform his ballet routine in front of his school with confidence and pride. The audience of children, after watching the feat of John's impressive dancing, applaud him for his impressive talent. On Writing: In JOHN'S TURN, Barnett never once mentions that ballet is often considered by many to be a female pursuit, nor does he state that the children may be dubious of John's choice of interest. Rather, he lets the children's reactions--from a few snickers to intrigued silence to impressed applause--show how John's talent and passion for ballet breaks down the boundaries of conventional--though outdated--gender norms. Barnett's simple yet strong text--along with expressive illustrations by Kate Berube--gives the reader the space to experience the emotional power of the story without once pointing out the message. Both DRESS-UP DAY and JOHN'S TURN are consummate examples of picture book texts that address themes of acceptance and kindness in a most subtle manner.  Review by Megan Litwin You Are a Reader!/You Are a Writer! by April Jones Prince and illustrated by Christine Davenier (Margaret Ferguson Books, 2021) is a book for readers and writers everywhere. Its “two-books-in-one” design cleverly shows that readers are writers and writers are readers, and the acts of reading and writing are all around. From recipes to signs, from thank you cards to songs, there are so many ways to be a reader or writer. With a bouncy beat and lively illustrations showcasing all sorts of creative endeavors, there is an infectious joy to this book. And as a former teacher who was deeply engaged in the joyful work of growing young readers and writers, this book spoke to me like an encouraging classroom mantra. You CAN. You WILL. You already ARE… On Writing: Writers of all ages would do well to read Prince’s pages on being a writer. To begin, she notes the importance of looking and listening well, no matter what you’re doing. “You’re a writer everywhere” is a beautiful (and empowering) statement. She devotes a whole page to her signature “juicy words.” And on that pesky topic of writer’s block, she has a few tricks up her sleeve. Yes…whether a beginning or seasoned writer (or reader), there will be stumbles. But this book makes every writer-reader feel like they have the power to fly. Find out more about April at www.apriljonesprince.com/ and browse Christine's beautiful art at www.christinedavenier.com/   Guest review by Kristi Mahoney In Bear’s Bicycle, written by Laura Renauld and illustrated by Jennie Poh (Beaming Books, 2021) we are reunited with the lovable cast of characters first introduced by this author/illustrator combo in Porcupine’s Pie (Beaming Books, 2018). In this follow-up book, Bear wants to learn to ride his bike for the upcoming Summer Scoot. After multiple trips to the library to find a how-to guide, Bear discovers that doing everything by the book doesn’t always work out. Bear’s Bicycle is an endearing story about practice, perseverance, and the importance of friendship. Add in Jennie Poh’s whimsical illustrations and you have a book that will leave you feeling as warm and fuzzy as bear himself. On Writing:
Laura Renauld’s writing style is delightfully consistent with her original story in this series. It’s filled with things that I personally love in a book and appreciate as a writer: orderly lists, fun-to-say onomatopoeia, distinct voice, and bonus back matter that will delight anyone teetering on whether or not to take on a two-wheeler. And if you happen to fall in love with this woodland cast as fast as I did, you won’t have to wait long to see more of them. Cruise on over and pencil in the release date of the third book in this series, Squirrel’s Sweater (Beaming Books, anticipated September 21st, 2021). To learn more about Laura visit here.  ~ Guest Review by Megan Litwin In What If, Pig? by Linzie Hunter (HarperCollins, 2021), we meet Pig and Mouse, and a supporting cast of colorful, cheerful animal characters. Pig is so kind and fun and generous that one day he decides to throw a party for all his friends. But Pig is also a worrier. A tremendous worrier. He worries that the party is a terrible mistake. A series of “what if” worries follow and spiral out of control. (Sound familiar, anyone?) Fortunately, Pig has good friends…friends who, as it turns out, sometimes worry too. The vibrant, colorful art and dynamic font that mimics Pig’s growing anxiety are perfect complements to the snappy text. What If, Pig? is a thoughtful book about friendship and kindness, worry and wonder. And a timely one too. As the world keeps changing and as perennial back-to-school worries crop up, this book offers a gentle springboard for discussion. On Writing:
Purposeful repetition can be a powerful tool in picture books, and Linzie Hunter does a fabulous job playing with repetition in her text. The use of “what if” as a sentence starter throughout the book, and also in the title, gives this a rhythmic hum, a predictable beat. But not too predictable. Hunter continually surprises the reader by changing the nature of the “what if” and the meaning behind it. “What if” thinking can be worrisome and negative, but it can also be wonderous, hopeful, and full of positive possibility. What if you read a book that warmed your own sometimes-worrisome heart so much that you told everyone about it? What if? You can learn more about Linzie Hunter here.  Review by Annie Cronin Romano
MEL FELL (Balzer & Bray, 2021) is a delightful picture book about a baby kingfisher who takes a leap—much to the chagrin of her brother and sister—and learns how to fly...by falling. It’s a story about trying new things and trusting the process, and young readers take the leap with Mel as she falls down, down, down, all the while letting her instincts be her guide. Mel’s nature neighbors all try to help, but Mel can sense this is what she needs to do, and her intuition does not steer her wrong. Cheerful, engaging illustrations heighten the upbeat energy of this story. On Writing Tabor incorporates light visual humor and tightly written text (the word count is under 300 words including speech bubbles/asides) to convey a message about trusting your instincts and learning to spread your wings. He avoids the trap of explaining or naming the message of his story. Rather, he allows Mel’s adventure to do the heavy lifting and trusts his young readers to glean their own take-away from the young bird’s experience. This picture book is a strong example of conveying a message in a completely non-didactic manner. A true mentor text for concise, subtle writing. To learn more about Corey R. Tabor, visit his website at www.coreyrtabor.com.  ~ Reviewed by Amanda Smith A WHALE OF A MISTAKE by Ioana Hobai (Page Street Kids, 2020) is a picture book about how anxiety can inflate a mistake to colossal proportions. The story gently conveys how to find perspective and regain control. The protagonist makes a mistake which grows into a whale that swallows the protagonist and takes it out to sea. Along this wild ride, the protagonist feels trapped, powerless, and scared, but through observation and self-reflection, learns and grows, and eventually becomes brave enough to move on. Hobai cleverly uses the whale, something concrete that young children can comprehend, as a metaphor for abstract, hard to pin-point emotions of guilt, anxiety and self-doubt. The watercolor illustrations bring the whale metaphor to life, and enhances the emotions through tumultuous swirls and stormy washes. The color story moves from dark bruise-like colors in the beginning towards light, bright and cheerful colors towards the end, reinforcing the emotional journey. A WHALE OF A MISTAKE is written in simple language, making it easily accessible to young readers, yet the content is universal which makes this a great conversation starter for readers of any age regarding regret and self-reflection. ON WRITING: A WHALE OF A MISTAKE deals with universal emotions and themes. By writing the book in the second person, removing the need for gender specific pronouns, and addressing the reader directly, Hobai makes this a book with which all readers can identify.  To purchase A WHALE OF A MISTAKE visit Indiebound , The Silver Unicorn Bookstore, or your local independent bookstore.
Learn more about Ioana Hobai and her books at http://www.ioanahobai.com/  Review by Annie Cronin Romano
After couples marry, most go on a honeymoon to enjoy time together--just the two of them--before returning to the business of everday life. But what about when a baby is born? The arrival of a new little one is often paired with pressure to share every moment, be it through social media or a constant flow of visits from relatives and friends. Amidst the excitement, the importance of having new family time is often lost. This need to take time to bond as a family is the focus of Hayley Barrett's debut picture book, BABYMOON (Candlewick, 2019). A couple and their newborn are depicted, cherishing each moment and learning from first experiences, joys, doubts, and amazements. In BABYMOON, Barrett's lyrical text is warm and reassuring. The value of taking a "babymoon" to spend quality time together with your little bundle is lovingly highlighted with a sweet, lulling rhythm. Juana Martinez-Neal's illustrations, using smooth, curved lines and a neutral pallet of yellows and browns, are as soft and cozy as a baby's blanket. Visually soothing and with text that hums like a sweet lullaby, BABYMOON is one picture book every new family should hold close to the heart. (Fiction picture book for ages 2-5) On Writing Hayley Barrett’s debut is a strong example of sparse, lyrical text with stunning impact and beauty. For more information on Hayley Barrett’s work, visit https://hayleybarrett.com/about-hayley/. To learn more about Juana Martinez-Neal's work, visit her website at http://juanamartinezneal.com/. |
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