Book Review & Giveaway: Who Eats Orange?

Who Eats Orange? 
by Dianne White; Illustrated by Robin Page
Beach Lane Books (August 14, 2018)
Fiction * Animals * Colors
Audience: Ages 3 to 8
Indiebound | WorldCat

Description from GoodReads: Who eats orange—a chicken? A bunny? A bear? Find out in this unique exploration of colors and animals’ favorite foods.

Animals eat a rainbow of different foods. Gorillas in the mountains eat green, octopi in the ocean eat red, and toucans in the canopy eat purple. Young animal enthusiasts will love digging into this lively journey around the world to explore the colorful diets of many animals, from the familiar to the exotic.

Quick thoughts on the book: 
There is something about the use of a question and answer text structure that I really enjoy and one that also makes for a book that young children will enjoy. 

I suspect part of why I love these books is that they work so well with young readers. The predictability of the the text patterns allows children to begin "reading" the book during the read aloud and then later as they share it with a friend. 

The pattern repetition helps young readers understand what will come next. It also fosters children's curiosity and encourages their making predictions about what may be on the next page of the book. 

Page's big, bold, colorful illustrations engage the reader and adds another level of understanding and support for new readers. 

Additionally, if teachers are seeking mentor text for a question & answer text structure, this provides students with a clear example that they can play with in their own writing.  

Who Eats Orange? will be a fun read aloud with students and also a book that children will enjoy sharing with a peer. At the end, White includes further information on the animals included in the book and their diets and groups them by their habitats. This section can provide more information for teachers looking for ways to take this book to the next level with students. 

Photo credit Bridgette Balmes

About the author:  Dianne White has written several picture books, including the celebrated Blue on Blue, illustrated by Beth Krommes. This summer she also released Goodbye Brings Hello: A Book of Firsts, illustrated by Daniel Wiseman. She lives in Gilbert, Arizona, with her family.  For more information, and to download a free activity kit, visit diannewrites.com. Twitter @diannewrites

About the illustrator: Robin Page has written and illustrated several picture books, including the 2003 Caldecott Honor recipient What Do You Do with a Tail Like This?, which she created with her husband Steve Jenkins, and A Chicken Followed Me Home! and Seeds Move!, which she both wrote and illustrated. Robin and Steve live in Boulder, Colorado.  Check out the fun activities here.

Giveaway!
One lucky winner will receive a copy of Who Eats Orange?, courtesy of Simon & Schuster (U.S. addresses).

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Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: Nothing Stopped Sophie

Nothing Stopped Sophie: The Story of Unshakable Mathematician Sophie Germain
by Cheryl Bardoe; Illustrated by Barbara McClintock
Little Brown and Company (June 12, 2018)
Audience: Grades 2 to 5
Nonfiction * Biography * Women * STEM
IndieBound | WorldCat

Description from GoodReads: The true story of eighteenth-century mathematician Sophie Germain, who solved the unsolvable to achieve her dream.

When her parents took away her candles to keep their young daughter from studying math...nothing stopped Sophie. When a professor discovered that the homework sent to him under a male pen name came from a woman...nothing stopped Sophie. And when she tackled a math problem that male scholars said would be impossible to solve...still, nothing stopped Sophie.

For six years Sophie Germain used her love of math and her undeniable determination to test equations that would predict patterns of vibrations. She eventually became the first woman to win a grand prize from France's prestigious Academy of Sciences for her formula, which laid the groundwork for much of modern architecture (and can be seen in the book's illustrations).

Award-winning author Cheryl Bardoe's inspiring and poetic text is brought to life by acclaimed artist Barbara McClintock's intricate pen-and-ink, watercolor, and collage illustrations in this true story about a woman who let nothing stop her.

Quick thoughts about this book:
When I look back on my childhood, I sometimes feel completely deprived. Well deprived in terms of books. I wonder at times what my life would be like if I had been able to read more biographies about women both as a child and then a teen. I remember in high school stumbling across a dusty old biography on Elizabeth Cady Stanton and felt like I had discovered gold. In my tiny community library, I found what biographies I could about women. Mostly there were biographies about actresses or women athletes or women writers, but never about women scientists or mathematicians. I sometimes wonder if choices I made would have been different if I was exposed more to women in the science or math fields. 

These days, as I discover picture book biographies, on little known women scientist and mathematicians, I take a moment to appreciate that an author chose to shine a light on this extraordinary woman and all that she had to endure in order to pursue her passion and to do the work she was created to do. 

When I picked up Nothing Stopped Sophie, I was especially touched by her dedication, perseverance, and constant pursuit of her love of numbers and math. Bardoe works to bring Sophie alive on the pages of the book and to impress upon the reader what it was like for a woman in the 18th Century to pursue mathematics as a field of study. 

I was also moved by McClintock's illustrator note at the end and how she worked to incorporate numbers and other features to highlight the theory on vibrations. Through both text and illustrations, readers will grow to appreciate the brilliant thinking of Sophie Germain and how even years later, her work applies to things around us. 

Look for Nothing Stopped Sophie at your local indie bookstore or community library. 

Artwork by Sarah S. Brannen ©2017

Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews...

Fiona the Hippo Review & Giveaway

Fiona the Hippo
by Richard Cowdrey
Zonderkidz (August 7, 2018)
Audience: Ages 4 to 8
Fiction * Animals * Hippos
GoodReads | WorldCat | IndieBound
 

Thank you to Zonderkidz for partnering with Kid Lit Frenzy to host the giveaway! For details, please see the rules below.

About the book:
Fiona the Hippo, by New York Times bestselling artist Richard Cowdrey of Bad Dog, Marley fame, tells the story of Fiona, the adorable internet sensation from the Cincinnati Zoo who captured hearts around the world with her inspiring story and plucky personality.

Born prematurely, at only 29 pounds, Fiona was not expected to live. But her spunk and determination helped her thrive and become a happy, healthy hippopotamus. With every challenge she faced, Fiona let out a snort, wiggled her ears, and said "I've got this." And she did! In this delightful story, inspired by the real adventure of this heroic hippo, join Fiona and her lovable animal friends at the zoo as she is introduced to the world in this whimsical and inspiring tale of perseverance and friendship.

Quick thoughts on the book: 
Yep, I am one of those suckers for a baby animal defies the odds to survive story. The story of the grieving Orca mother who carried her dead calf for 17 days had me sobbing. The before and after pictures of rescued dogs choke me up. The tiny kitten that requires constant feeding and an incubator to survive has me cheering for a success story. So, of course a premature baby hippo would certainly catch my attention. 

Fiona the tiny hippo caught the attention of many people who cheered on each milestone that she accomplished. Cowdrey's fictionalized tale of Fiona's spunky determination will draw in and entertain young readers. As Fiona is cheered on by the other animals in the zoo, children will join in and celebrate the tiny hippo's journey. 

For videos of Fiona from her home at the Cincinnati Zoo, check out the video below. 

Cincinnati Zoo: Baby Hippo Fiona's Special Moments: Never-before-seen Video

Pair Fiona the Hippo with Saving Fiona for a fiction & nonfiction pair up. Look for this book at your local indie bookstore or community library. 

About the Author: Richard Cowdrey's favorite things to draw and paint are the common things seen everywhere in nature. He especially enjoys capturing the expressions, eyes, and gestures of both humans and animals. Drawing and painting Fiona was challenging as the hippopotamus is a very unique yet beautiful creature! Richard's bestselling children's books include Legend of the Candy Cane, Bad Dog, Marley, and A Very Marley Christmas.

Enter the Giveaway:
Fiona’s Pool Party! Throw the best pool party ever for your little zoo animal!

Winner receives:
a copy of Fiona the Hippo,
a Hippo pool toy and all the zoo friends —just be careful not to get your new book wet!

Giveaway open to US addresses only.
Prizing and samples provided by Zonderkidz.

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It's Monday! What are you reading? From Picture Books to YA - 8/13/18

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme hosted by Kathryn at Book Date.  Kellee Moye, of Unleashing Readers, and  Jen Vincent of Teach Mentor Texts decided to give It's Monday! What Are You Reading? a kid lit focus. We encourage everyone who participates to visit at least three of the other kid lit book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

Here's what jumped out of the pile these past couple of weeks....

Little Whale by Jo Weaver (Peachtree Publishers, October 18, 2018) - In light of the recent story of the Orca mother grieving her dead calf for 17 days, I think I was even more emotional when reading this book. Mark your calendar for October when this book comes out.

The Rough Patch by Brian Lies (Greenwillow Books, August 14, 2018) - What a beautiful story of loss, grief, and new beginnings. The illustrations are lovely. 

Good Dog by Cori Doerrfeld (HarperCollins, August 7, 2018) - A simple and wonderful story about a little dog and the family that rescues him. 

Eat Pete by Michael Rex (Nancy Paulsen Books, August 14, 2018) - A humorous story of friendship and why eating a friend might not be such a good idea. 

Stop, Go, Yes, No! A Story of Opposites by Mike Twohy (Balzer & Bray, August 14, 2018) - Simple text and clear concept book of opposites. 

Nothing Stopped Sophie: The Story of Unshakable Mathematician Sophie Germain by Cheryl Bardoe; Illustrated by Barbara McClintock (Little Brown and Company, June 12, 2018) - I love biographies about individuals that I know so little about and yet can be inspired by their lives and passions. 

A Bunch of Punctuation - Poems selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins; Illustrated by Serge Bloch (Wordsong, August 7, 2018) - A fabulous collection of poems on punctuation. 

In case you missed these posts....

It's Show and Tell, Dexter! - Review & Giveaway

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: Books to Celebrate NASA's 60 Years and Counting

Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have a Horse - Blog Tour & Guest Post

Nerdy Book Club: Ten Early Readers and Transitional Chapter Books Not to Be Overlooked

So, what are you reading? 

Blog Tour: Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have a Horse

When I first saw a very, very early version of Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have a Horse, I fell in love with the book. It is such a beautiful book. Today, I welcome Marcy Campbell and Corrine Luyken to Kid Lit Frenzy. Thank you Marcy and Corrine for sharing about your collaboration for this book specifically, what was the hardest concept to get across in both text and art. 

Corinna: When I first read Marcy’s manuscript, I loved the story’s themes of compassion and empathy and appreciated how the book addressed class in an indirect but honest way. I also loved that it had no art notes! Because Marcy never dictated whether the horse should be shown, she left a great deal of room for me to imagine my own way into the story.

Early on, I thought that if I was going to show the horse, it could be hidden in the environment around Adrian. Marcy’s original text said the horse was “golden with a white mane,” and I tried using a porch light to be the horse’s eye and the peeling paint on the side of his house to make a horse silhouette. But once I started drawing golden grasses and fences, I realized that I could use negative space and patterns to make a horse! By using negative space, the horse could simultaneously exist and not exist, depending on how you looked at it. Which seemed perfect.

Marcy: Once Corinna decided to use negative space to create the horse, she asked whether the horse could be “white with a golden mane” instead, and I agreed. An imaginary horse could be any color at all, as far as I was concerned, and I loved Corinna’s idea!

There were other small tweaks to the text throughout, but I would say the trickiest spots to get right, in both text and illustration, were the first and last spreads. In the first spread, we felt that we needed to establish Adrian as a dreamer, but our original text and illustration left a bit too much room for interpretation. (It’s a lunch room scene, and Adrian is sitting by himself, but initially, it wasn’t clear why.) We altered the text and illustration to make quite clear that Adrian is lost in his imagination.

At the end of the book, our editor thought we might need another line to explicitly show Chloe’s change of heart. I liked the last line as it was and suggested we accomplish this goal via the art, with Chloe somehow creating an imaginary horse of her own. Corinna ran with that idea, and the end result is quite wonderful, with the two children joining together to create a horse out of negative space. The end papers are beautiful as well, two horses touching heads, symbolizing the “meeting of the minds” that has occurred over the course of the book.

BOOK DESCRIPTION: A classic in the making, this heartwarming story about empathy and imagination is one that families will treasure for years to come.

Adrian Simcox tells anyone who will listen that he has a horse--the best and most beautiful horse anywhere.

But Chloe does NOT believe him. Adrian Simcox lives in a tiny house. Where would he keep a horse? He has holes in his shoes. How would he pay for a horse?

The more Adrian talks about his horse, the angrier Chloe gets. But when she calls him out at school and even complains about him to her mom, Chloe doesn't get the vindication she craves. She gets something far more important.

Written with tenderness and poignancy and gorgeously illustrated, this book will show readers that kindness is always rewarding, understanding is sweeter than judgment, and friendship is the best gift one can give.

About the author: Marcy Campbell lives in Ohio with her family and menagerie of rescued pets. Her writing for adults has been published widely in journals and magazines, including Salon. She grew up on a farm filled with cows, chickens, cats, and dogs, but she never had a horse. Adrian Simcox Does NOT Have a Horse is her debut picture book. You can visit her at www.marcycampbell.com.

About the illustrator: Corinna Luyken grew up in different cities along the West Coast, and after studying at Middlebury College, she settled in Washington State, where she draws inspiration from nature, her family, and the human form. Her debut picture book, The Book of Mistakes, received four starred reviews and has been praised by Entertainment Weekly, The Wall Street Journal, Nerdy Book Club, and more.

Check out the other stops in the blog tour...

WEEK ONE
August 6 – Lost in Storyland – Personal Story + Q&A
August 7 – The Readathon – Review
August 8 – Happily Ever Elephants – Review
August 9 – Read. Learn. Repeat – Review
August 10 – Kid Lit Frenzy – Author & Illustrator Guest Post

WEEK TWO
August 13 – Here Wee Read – Review
August 14 – DoodleMom – Review + Interactive Moodboard
August 15 – Eastern Sunset Reads – Review
August 16 – Critter Lit – Interview
August 17 – Unleashing Readers – Dual Review + Teacher’s Tools for Navigation