Prince Ribbit by Jonathan Emmett ill by Poly Bernatene

Emmett spins his own riff on the Frog Prince meme with Prince Ribbit. A frog resides in a pond near the castle of three princesses. These royal sisters have very different reactions when this frog hops out the water and approaches them. Fairy tale experts Lucinda and Arabella know exactly how the story of a princess befriending a frog is supposed to end. If taken to the castle, he will become an "astonishingly handsome" prince. On the other hand, well-read Martha knows her zoology and clearly can identify an amphibian. The actual change for these animals occurs during the life cycle, changing from egg to tadpole to adult frog. Each girl is convinced that she is correct. Because of course, each girl's concept of frogs is derived from information located "in a book." Poly Bernatene's delightful illustrations bring life to this twist on a traditional tale. This picture book can serve as an introduction for young readers learning to evaluate sources of information.

Companion Resources

Caroline's Comets: A True Story
by Emily Arnold McCully

Emily Arnold McCully illuminates the accomplishments of Caroline Herschel, the first woman to discover a comet and the first woman to be paid for her scientific research. Born in 1750 in German-speaking Hanover to a family of musicians, scarred by childhood illness, and trained to perform domestic tasks seems an unlikely beginning for a scientist. The picture book uses historical documents, including Herschel's diary to introduce young readers to this remarkable collaborator, astronomer, and professional scientist. ​Her life was far from glamorous and included such tasks as sifting horse manure needed for creating the telescope's mirror, endless hours supporting her brother as he polished the mirror with pitch, impaling her leg on the iron hook used to anchor the twenty-foot telescope and then removing the hook herself ! McCully does not shy away from depicting Caroline's stunted stature and her pock-marked complexion. Notwithstanding obstacles, she persevered in her work to "sweep for comets."

Trudy's Big Swim: How Gertrude Ederle Swam the English Channel and Took the World by Storm
by Sue Macy Ill by Matt Collins

Sue Macy's Trudy's Big Swim: How Gertrude Ederle Swam the English Channel and Took the World by Storm puts to rest the notion that nonfiction is dull. Although the title of the book makes it clear that the outcome of Gertrude Ederle's swim is known, Macy's skillful handling of the event makes gripping reading. The story is expertly framed, opening with Trudy beginning her swim through the choppy waters of the English Channel. Well-chosen verbs move the storyline forward at a pace mimicking traversing through rough seas. She seamlessly flashes back to Ederle's history as an athlete before returning to the contest in treacherous waters.  The narrative pacing is excellent, providing fascinating details but never losing focus on the race in the water. The use of actual dialog accentuates the narrative's growing tension.

Finally someone shouted, "Come on, girl, come out!"
But Trudy, who was as determined as ever to finish, yelled back, "What for?"

Teen Bookfest by the Bay

Busloads of teens from south Texas filled the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi on Saturday February 18 for a memorable day celebrating literature for young adults. Against a stunning waterfront background the third annual Teen Bookfest by the Bay welcomed twenty nine authors who came to share their books, offer insights into the writing process and create memorable moments for young readers. A wide assortment of author panel discussions were offered that included these sessions: The Scarier the Better, Love in Peril, Mind Matters, Survivors, The Real Thing, Worlds Away, Love is Funny (or is it?), Worlds Away, and Gift or Curse. In addition to the panel presentations, teens also had the option to attend more intensive workshops which focused on illustration, manga, and writing.  Numerous events throughout the day provided teens with opportunities for photos and interactions with guest authors. The day concluded with a book signing session. Spectacular day!  Kudos to the Teen Bookfest by the Bay committee, event sponsors, and authors!

Bookfest by the Bay Snaphots

Author secrets: giraffes, sloth, Kevin the dog, and 1950's furnishings. Steven Parlato, Jeff Zentner, Beth Fehlbaum, Jennifer Mathieu

Teens are "my people." Terri Farley, Kym Brunner, Brendan Kiely, Diana Lopez ​

Writing fuel: oreos, Diet Coke, tacos, coffee, dark chocolate sea salt almonds. Guadalupe Garcia McCall, Jacqueline E. Smith, Laura Stampler

"I got a signed book!"

"P.J. Hoover came to my school. She is great."

"I got books signed by two authors!"

"I can't wait to read this signed book."

Illustrators try creating illustrations for a well-known fairy tale.

Evan Turk demonstrates sketching techniques.

Great advice. Memorable lines. 

"Write about who and what fascinate you." Jeff Zentner "Let your characters lead you where they want to go" Steven Parlato ​"Where are the books about us?" Latina students asked Diana Lopez "Listen to the music inside you." Guadalupe Garcia McCall ​"It's a matter of practice & persistence." Jeff Zentner "I've always processed my life through writing." ​ Beth Fehlbaum

Dorothea Lange:
​The Photographer Who Found the Faces of the Depression
by Carole Boston Weatherford ill by Sarah Green

The Dorothea Lange: The Photographer Who Found the Faces of the Depression chronicles this artist's life with prose that is precise and eloquent. Narration skims over Lange's early years, describing her childhood in New York: "Dorothea donned a cloak of invisibility to pass the vagabonds." The book focuses on Lange's work of preserving soul-crushing images of the Depression. "She saw despair from her second-story studio window and took her camera to the street." Descriptions of those "neglected and ignored" are poignant and poetic. The biography concludes with details surrounding the creation of her most famous photograph, Migrant Mother. ​Sarah Green's signature style and muted color palette echo the dust and despondency of this period in American history. Back matter nicely fleshes out supporting details.  Carol Boston Weatherford has created a stellar companion to her picture book study of Gordon Parks.

Companion Books

Antsy Ansel: Ansel Adams, a Life in Nature by Cindy Jenson-Elliott & Christy Hale

Gordon Parks: How the Photographer Captured Black and White America by Carole Boston Weatherford

Dorothea's Eyes: Dorothea Lange Photographs the Truth by Barb Rosenstock

Imogen: The Mother of Modernism and Three Boys by Amy Novesky & Lisa Congdon

Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson

​

The cover art for Piecing Me Together features an eye-arresting collage. I love the interplay of images, shapes, and colors. They are an excellent metaphor for the life of Jade Davis. This budding young artist is constantly in search of interesting scraps, remnants of her world. She skillfully repurposes, repositions, and reframes these bits into something fresh and new. Jade is also acutely aware that her own life is composed of pieces, often seemingly at odds with each other. She seeks to put these elements into her life in a meaningful way. Watson has fashioned a moving story of one girl's attempt to reconcile her present circumstances with her potential future. She finds hope while struggling with reality. Renée Watson's vivid portrait of a teen transcends the page and sinks deep into the soul. Thank you Ms Watson for introducing readers to the mind and heart of Jade. I fell in love with her.

Companion Artist: Bisa Butler

ABC Pasta: An Entertaining Alphabet by Juana Medina

Medina has done it again! ABC Pasta: An Entertaining Alphabet follows up on 1 Big Salad: A Delicious Counting Book with artfully designed pages that combine stunning photos with clever illustrations to create another picture book filled with WOW! ​ ​This alphabet book is a primer for budding pasta enthusiasts.  A shopping trip to the market's pasta aisle will open minds to exciting design, alphabet, and gastronomic possibilities. As a bonus Medina includes a recipe for Cacio e Pepe ​So long same-old alphabet soup. Goodbye boring blue box Mac & Cheese. This is the way pasta was meant to be enjoyed!

Companion Books

1 Big Salad: A Delicious Counting Book by Juana Medina

Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola

More Spaghetti, I Say by Rita Golden Gelman

The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters:
​The Jolly Regina
by Kara LaReau ill by Jen Hill

Meet Jaundice and Kale Bland, siblings who spend their days darning socks, eating a daily ration of oatmeal, and entertaining themselves by reading Dr. Nathaniel Snoote's Illustrated Children's Dictionary. They live alone as their parents left home some time ago and have yet to return. Life in their Dullsville home takes an unexpected turn when there is a knock at the door. (No one has ever come to their door. Ever.)  Curiosity gets the better of them and upon opening the door they encounter the pirate Deadeye Delilah. She promptly kidnaps the sisters and whisks them off to her all female pirate ship, where they are impressed into service on the Jolly Regina. The girls experience pirate life on the high seas complete with threatened keelhauling, food poisoning, a drunk ship captain, a swashbuckling sword fight, and a monkey named Scurvy.  Kara LaReau's The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters is light-hearted fun that works well for independent reading as well as a read aloud. (The chantey, rants of the pirate queens, and whispers of timid young girls beg to be voiced.)

"It's too bad this ladder's no good," Kale said, sighing.
"What's wrong with it?" Jaundice asked, pressing against it to test its sturdiness.
"W have no idea where it goes," said Kale.
Jaundice rolled her eyes. "Of course we know where it goes," she said.
"We do? Where?" asked Kale.
"Obviously," said her sister, "it goes up."

"Cow-milking must be a trying endeavor," she whispered. "Utterly," said Jaundice. Though "udderly" might have been more apt.  ​

Companion books

A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place by Maryrose Wood