• Renato and the Lion

    Renato and the Lion

    written & illustrated by Barbara DiLorenzo

    44 pages, 5-7 years; published 2017 by Viking Books for Young Readers

    Barbara DiLorenzo tells a wonderful tale in Renato and the Lion about how World War II threatened the art of Florence, Italy. Her expressive watercolors add richness to the story and depict many landmarks for the reader. She blends historical details with imaginative storytelling to bring a Medici Lion to life for a small boy named Renato. The dangers of war cause Renato’s family to flee Italy, but not before his father protects many of Florence’s finest sculptures, including the Medici Lion. Young Renato is grateful. His gratitude is reignited decades later when he revisits the famous Florentine sculpture with his granddaughter.

  • “Not that the story need be long, but it will take a long while to make it short.”

    – Henry David Thoreau

  • Lena’s Shoes Are Nervous

    by Keith Calabrese, illustrated by Juana Medina

    40 pages, 4-8 years; published 2018 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

    Most kids get nervous on the first day of school, but not many have nervous shoes. Keith Calabrese offers a unique perspective on this common problem in Lena’s Shoes are Nervous. Lena can’t get dressed for kindergarten because her shoes refuse to go. Her father suggests asking another item of clothing to talk to them. This charming story is a great example of encouraging children to work out their feelings in their own way. It’s sure to bring a smile to anyone starting their first day of school.

  • “I kept always two books in my pocket, one to read, one to write in.”

    — Robert Louis Stevenson

  • Caspian Finds A Friend

    Caspian Finds a Friend book coverby Jacqueline Véissid, illustrated by Merrilees Brown

    32 pages, 3-5 years; published 2019 by Chronicle Books

    Caspian Finds a Friend contains a wonderful story, but the pictures add even more depth to it. There is both a delicate and bold quality to Marilees Brown’s illustrations, and this style mimics the story itself. A lonely boy living in a lighthouse ends up befriending a polar bear. What a fantastical story; what magical illustrations! This book will pleasure both the ears and the eyes.

  • “It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”

    — Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

  • Alma and How She Got Her Name

    written & illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal

    32 pages, 4-8 years; published 2018 by Candlewick Press

    Author/illustrator Juana Martinez-Neal has a tremendous gift for illustrating whimsical characters in enchanting settings. In Alma and How She Got her Name, she adds simple and engaging story-telling to create a book as beautiful as it is unique. One can understand Alma’s initial complaint about her very long name: Alma Sofia Esperanza José Pura Candela. Her father’s story regarding it’s creation will come to delight both Alma and the reader.

  • “How can I know what I think until I see what I say?”

    — E. M. Forster

  • The Remember Balloons

    by Jessie Oliveros, illustrated by Dana Wulfekotte

    48 pages, 5-9 years; published 2018 by Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers

    When a picture book makes you cry, it’s a keeper. Consequently, I own a copy of The Remember Balloons. I first learned about this book when hearing it received a Golden Kite award for the story. The concept of balloons as a metaphor for personal memories was very intriguing. Oliveros says her grandfather’s dementia served as inspiration. I’ll let the book tell the rest, because it does so with such a unique and authentic voice. One that any child will enjoy hearing, especially those with aging family members. 

  • “The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.”

    — Albert Einstein

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