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 When Fall Comes
Aime’e Bissonette,
illustrated by Erin Hourigan
When Fall Comes is a picture book that invites readers to experience and see the beauty in the fall season. Readers join a family as they go hiking, hunt mushrooms, rake leaves, and prepare for the winter days to come. They observe the cooler weather, fall colors, and other changes that autumn brings. Animals are preparing for winter too. Some birds fly south. Other creatures grow warm coats or look for cozy winter homes. This story and its beautiful illustrations are sure to encourage conversation about fall experiences and what fall is like in different places.
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When Fall Comes is part of a series which includes When Summer Comes and When Winter Comes.
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Aime’e Bissonette is also the author of North Woods Girl, a perennial favorite at the store.
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The Puppets of Spelhorst
Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Julie Morstad
The Puppets of Spelhorst is the first in a new trilogy of short fairy tales, the "Norendy Tales,” written by Kate DiCamillo and illustrated by Julie Morstad. As the story begins, we meet an old sea captain named Spelhorst, alone in the world. One day while wandering the city, he sees five puppets in a toy store window. Spelhorst wants to buy just the girl puppet because she reminds him of someone he loved long ago. However, the shopkeeper won't sell the puppets separately, so Spelhorst buys the whole set. As the story progresses, the puppets are placed in a trunk and sold to the rag-and-bone man, who then sells them to a young man. The young man gives them to his nieces, Emma and Martha. In their new home, each puppet experiences adventures of their own. A highlight is a puppet show performed for the household by the young man's nieces and the maid. Mysteriously, when Emma and Martha wake up on the day following their puppet show, the puppets are gone. I thoroughly enjoyed this engaging and beautifully illustrated story and can't wait to discover the adventures ahead.
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Granny Rex
Kurtis Scaletta,
illustrated by Nik Henderson
One thing little kids have in common is that they’re little. This was true for Dee, the young chickadee, as well. She was crowded out of the feeder by larger birds and menaced by a red-tailed hawk. When she complained to her mother, her wise parent told her she was descended from dinosaurs. Knowing she had her ancestor’s “bones and feathers,” Dee was emboldened to take her place at the feeder and roar when the red-tailed hawk threatened a nest of young birds.
Little humans will feel empowered, too, as well as enjoy the brightly colored pictures of dinosaurs and birds. Words are art are particularly well paired in this imaginative picture book. |
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Remember Us
Jacqueline Woodson
As an adult, Sage looks back to the ‘70s and the summer when she was twelve. The soundtrack is fire sirens, as house after house in her neighborhood burns down. This is a tender coming of age story. Sage spends as much time as she can on the basketball court, honing her skills and dreaming of playing in the NBA. She has trouble relating to the girls she’s known since they were all little, but Freddy, the new boy in the neighborhood understands her and they become fast friends. Change comes for both Freddy and Sage, as well as Bushwick. The adult Sage reflects on both what she let go that summer and what she held on.
I listened to the book on Libro.fm. It’s narrated by Jacqueline Woodson, who says the book draws on her own experience growing up.
The book is recommended for readers age 10 and up. Listen to it with a child in your life and talk about it afterwards. It will be a gift to both of you. |
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