Extra! Extra! Read all about it! New Children's Picture Books are here!

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The Keeper of Stories by Caroline Kusin Pritchard; illustrated by Selina Alko

The Keeper of Stories concerns a fire in 1966 at New York's Jewish Theological Seminary library. A book about a library? I'm thrilled!

The first pages talk about what a special library it was, founded in 1893. The illustrations show people of different races and different ages (including illustrations of two children on the floor) enjoying the library. The second pages get right to the plot: one day, in 1966, a spark started a fire. The page ends with "Library walls, keep our stories alive."  This is the first refrain, one that repeats on each page as the story continues, "canvas blankets," "rushing water," "swollen pages, keep our stories alive." 

I really could talk about this book all day. From one of the notes in the back: "What finally worked [to restore the books] was the process of 'interleafing,' which involved inserting a paper towel in between every two pages of a book, then repeating the process over and over again." Why is this quote important to me? Because I have a real live connection! 

One of my friends said she was there, in 1966, while attending Stern College. 

My friend's quote: "we all sat in the JTS library after the fire -- putting paper  towels between many wet  volumes -- along with hundreds of other  volunteers. What was special about it also was that students from our orthodox Jewish college and other places across Jewish  denominations and others came together to help the Conservative Jewish Theological Seminary. Everyone recognized these treasures were all our legacies and prayed these priceless books could be saved." 

How cool is that? 

Something Good by Kenneth Kraegel

Have you ever read Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day? This book, Something Good, is similar, but different, of course. It starts, "This morning I woke up with a chicken on my head. Ouch." And on and on, things, both good and bad, happen to the girl in this book, who has dramatic black hair. Then she opens a present that turn out to be magic socks!  You'll have to read the book to find out more. 

What I loved about this book: The rhythm is perfect. This would make a great read aloud, (I actually read it out loud to a coworker) and in the end, things do work out. I also love the girl's dramatic black hair, which changes on each page, as yet another thing happens to her. 

Hope in a Jar by Deborah Marcero

Hope in a Jar is a book about three bunnies who put their hopes in jars. "I wish I could ice skate." "I wish I could see a caterpillar turn into a butterfly." "I hope to go to art camp." "I hope to get a part in the school play." These small hopes and wishes opened them up to larger dreams: "I dream of becoming a wildlife photographer." Then a storm came to the forest where they kept their jars. You will have to read the book to find out what happens next! 

Why I liked this book: it dealt with hope AND disappointment and the desire to hope again. The illustrations are whimsical and beautifully drawn. 

I'm going to put this hope in a jar: "I hope you check out this book!" Do you think it will come true? 

Waiting for Hanami by J.P. Takahashi; illustrated by HifuMiyo

I have to start by saying that Waiting for Hanami is such a delicious book, inside and out. The story of two children who are cousins (or maybe related through the godson's uncle's brother?) finding each other at a family reunion at a cherry blossom festival is a delight. Each child has a rich life--Sai helps people in her family's kimono shop, and Avi connects to the world with "just a notebook and ink." They want to know their relatives better, so they use Sai's people skills and Avi's art to create connections with the rest of the family. Then, they finally look up. Can you guess what they see?

This charming book could take place here in DC at the National Cherry Blossom Festival, or at a number of other festivals in the United States or around the world. The author's note reminds us that one of the reasons the blossoms are so precious is because they last for such a short amount of time.  A perfect book to check out today, as we wait for the blossoms to hit their peak! 

And She Was Loved: Toni Morrison's Life in Stories by Andrea Davis Pinkney; illustrated by Daniel Minter

When I saw a publisher's ad for And she was loved, I reached out to our collection librarian, who assured me that our library would be getting copies. I was delighted to finally hold the book in my hands, not knowing what the inside would hold. The pages have a refrain, much like the first book I introduced you to, about the Jewish Theological Library. A poem is written about a stage in Ms. Morrison's life, and the refrain at the bottom of the page says "And she was loved." (This comes from Morrison's book Song of Solomon)

I hardly know where to begin, because this book is exquisite and lyrical and the illustrations are fantastical and realistic on the same spread.  

Ms. Morrison was the first African American woman to win the Nobel prize of literature. I was a brand new college graduate when this happened, working for a small publisher in Pittsburgh, and I remember going to the corner store to buy a copy of the New York Times. I will never forget that day. 

Mostly, this book is a fantastical true telling of the life lived by an amazing woman who wrote and edited so many books. 

I always read the author notes of picture books--you find out why a book was written, or how the illustrations were made, and the author notes in this book do not disappoint. You will not regret putting a hold on this title, I can guarantee it!