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"Raise your hand if you are the fastest animal in the whole wide world. Hmmm…just me, I guess." ~ from Bob Shea's Cheetah Can't Lose
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| Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed a Neighborhood by F. Isabel Campoy and Theresa Howell; illustrated by Rafael LópezIn an effort to brighten the drab colors of her city, exuberant young Mira begins sharing her artwork all over the neighborhood. One day, after taping a drawing of a warm yellow sun to a shadowy concrete wall, Mira meets a paintbrush-toting artist, and an idea is born. Soon, Mira and the artist are rallying the neighbors to transform their gray urban landscape into a riot of exciting shapes and super-saturated colors. Inspired by a real-life mural project started by illustrator Rafael López, Maybe Something Beautiful offers a memorable look at the invigorating power of art. For another uplifting tale of a young muralist, pick up Terry Farish's Luis Paints the World.
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| Horrible Bear! by Ame Dyckman; illustrated by Zachariah OHoraThe bear is sleeping peacefully when the little girl's kite blows into his cave. Just as she tiptoes in to retrieve it, the bear rolls over, and… CRUNCH! The kite is crushed, and so is the girl's good mood: "HORRIBLE BEAR!" she shouts before stomping home in a tantrum. Awake now, the bear isn't happy either: "I'M not horrible! SHE woke ME up!" Indignant, he stomps to the girl's house for a confrontation. Will it result in more shouting, or can a timely apology defuse the situation? Chunky lines and bold colors heighten the drama in this funny and relatable book from the creators of Wolfie the Bunny.
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| Rain Fish by Lois EhlertOn a sunny day, they might look like trash, twigs, and other debris, but "when blue sky turns gray and it rains all day, that's when rain fish come out and play." Using leaves, cardboard, feathers, ticket stubs, and other objects that might gather in a rain-swept gutter, veteran picture book creator Lois Ehlert creates unusual, eye-catching fish collages to swim alongside her lively rhymes. Not only is Rain Fish a fun read-aloud, it may also serve as inspiration for budding young artists, and a reminder that beauty can be ephemeral: "You better look fast, because rain fish don't last." |
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| Are We There Yet? by Dan SantatAs a family car trip begins to "feel like an eternity," the boy in the backseat gets bored. Really bored. SO BORED that time begins to spiral backwards around him (as do the words on the page, forcing readers to turn the book around). Though his parents are surprised to find themselves suddenly racing a steam locomotive, jousting with knights, or cruising past the brand-new Sphinx, the boy remains blasé -- at least until the Tyrannosaurus charges! Readers of all ages will love road-tripping through this "turbocharged adventure" (Publishers Weekly) by Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat. |
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| Twenty Yawns by Jane Smiley; illustrated by Lauren CastilloThere's nothing like a long day at the beach to tucker out the entire family! After splashing, sandcastles, and kite-flying, Lucy and her yawning parents head home for an early bedtime. Once there, however, mom and dad nod off long before Lucy does, leaving the pajama-clad child to contemplate the quiet, moonlit house on her own. Cozy illustrations and a low-key counting activity (yes, there are 20 yawns to find) add to the winsome tone of this picture book debut from adult novelist Jane Smiley. Young readers who are curious about being the only one awake in a sleeping household may also appreciate Mordecai Gerstein's The Night World. |
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| The Tortoise & the Hare by Jerry PinkneyThe setup may sound familiar: a cocky hare challenges a determined tortoise to a race. The details here are a bit different, though -- the setting is a vividly rendered version of the American Southwest, and the spectators are animals you'd find there (Gila monster, bobcat, vulture, etc.). Additionally, master storyteller Jerry Pinkney spells out the moral in a satisfying, cumulative fashion, beginning with "slow" and working up to "slow and steady wins the race" just in time for the tortoise's (eventual) victory. If you like this interpretation of a well-known fable, check out Pinkney's equally lush and intricate retellings of The Lion & the Mouse and The Grasshopper & the Ants. |
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| Number One Sam by Greg PizzoliWhen it comes to car racing, Sam the dog is the best. He's number one at speed, at turns, even at finishing races in the number-one spot! And yet one day Sam's friend, Maggie the elephant, beats him to the finish line. Sam is no sore loser, but he's disappointed and confused: if he isn't number one, who is he? And what's he willing to do to win? With easy-to-read words and retro-cartoony art, Number One Sam is a winning choice for new readers. Check out Jamie Harper's Miles to the Finish for another racer who discovers that winning isn't the only way to be number one. |
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| Cheetah Can't Lose by Bob SheaCheetah is the speediest runner on Earth, and he won't let anyone forget it. Even his friends, two smaller cats, have to put up with his bragging about being big, fast, and (most importantly) a winner. Cheetah is so motivated by winning that he doesn't notice anything strange about how easily he succeeds in the pre-race contests arranged by his friends. After all, prizes like clunky "winner shoes" or a vision-obscuring crown can't slow down someone as fast as Cheetah…right? Dynamic, cheery cartoon illustrations round out this laugh-out-loud funny take on competition, compassion, and humility. |
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| Troto and the Trucks by Uri ShulevitzTroto, a zippy little green car, loves nothing more than to cruise around and see new places. Unfortunately, not everyone he meets on his travels is friendly. When three big trucks in the dusty town of Cactusville make fun of Troto's small stature, Troto responds by challenging them to a race. The overconfident trucks accept, never suspecting that tiny Troto might have some skills that big rigs just can't match. Watercolor illustrations show off the glowing hues of the desert locale, while minimal text keeps the focus on the racing action. Vehicle-obsessed kids will root for the plucky protagonist in this simple yet satisfying underdog story. |
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| Tillie the Terrible Swede: How One Woman, a Sewing Needle, and a Bicycle Changed... by Sue Stauffacher; illustrated by Sarah McMenemyWith a lot of hard work and a bit of careful tailoring, a seamstress becomes a trailblazing racing cyclist in this inspiring biography. Women in the 1890s were expected to be demure and ladylike, but Swedish American seamstress Tillie Anderson had a need for speed. She loved the freedom of riding a bicycle, but she couldn't ride very fast in heavy skirts. Her solution? Sewing herself a new athletic outfit (pants! so scandalous!) and heading for the races. "Sprightly and heartfelt" (Publishers Weekly), Tillie the Terrible Swede ably captures the exhilaration of racing and the thrill of Tillie's record-breaking wins. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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If you are having trouble unsubscribing to this newsletter, please contact the Millburn Free Public Library at 973-376-1006, 200 Glen Avenue, Millburn, NJ 07041
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