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Everything Space by Helaine Becker with National Geographic Explorer Brendan Mullan

(Amazon, 2015)

Expository informational books engage readers through “attractive design, little-known facts … fascinating comparisons, and first-person accounts” (Young et. al, p. 210, 2020). Everything Space has it all.

The book’s photographs take up a large amount of page space, alluding to the expansiveness of space. The text features are also well-organized, and designed with colors that appeal to the book’s target audience.

Additionally, the book features little known facts about Pulsars, a type of star (Becker & Mullan, 2015), and compares our universe to a neighborhood (Becker & Mullan, 2015), making an abstract concept concrete for young readers.

Finally, first-person accounts are provided throughout the book by Brendan Mullan, an astronomer. In fact, one first-person account in the book occurs on page 29, when Mullan explains how children can search for aliens (Becker & Mullan, 2015).

Everything Space contains quality information that is presented in an entertaining way— it is a perfect book for young (and old!) readers interested in space.

References

Amazon [Online image]. (2015). Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/National-Geographic-Kids-Everything-Space/dp/1426320744

Becker, H. & Mullan, B. (2015). Everything space: Blast off for a universe of photos, facts, and fun. National Geographic Kids.

Young, T. , Bryan, G., Jacobs, J., Tunnel, M. (2020 p. 210). Children’s literature briefly. Pearson Education.

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Julian is a Mermaid by Jessica Love

(Amazon, 2018)

Julian is a Mermaid is an exemplary children’s book about self-acceptance. Winner of the Stonewall Book Award in 2019, the book’s elaborate illustrations and diverse characters make it a high-quality children’s picture book.

Throughout the book, illustrations tell the story without the help of many words. As the reader realizes Julian is impressed by the people dressed as mermaids, the reader is immersed in Julian’s imaginative play in which he pretends to be a mermaid (Love, 2019). However, this scene that takes place on pages 3-8 occurs with no words at all. The illustrations tell the story, allowing the reader to build visual literacy.

Additionally, Julian is a Mermaid allows readers to see themselves in a book. A boy pretending to be a mermaid breaks down stereotypes of boys not liking “girly“ things. Julian‘s character can be interpreted as a boy who does not adhere to gender norms allows children to see parts of themselves in the story. The book normalizes these aspects of childhood.

Julian is a Mermaid beautifully brings attention to childhood experiences that are not often represented in children’s literature, and does so through detailed illustrations and diverse character experiences.

References

Amazon [Online image]. (2018). Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Julián-Mermaid-Jessica-Love/dp/0763690457

Love, J. (2018). Julian is a mermaid. Candlewick Press.

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Dancing Hands by Margarita Engle

(Booksource, n.d.)

A great children’s book has incredible illustrations, figurative language, and a well-developed plot. Dancing Hands by Margarita Engle, the Pura Belpre award winner for 2020, features all three of these components.

Upon reading the book, the first thing the reader notices is the incredible illustrations. The illustrations add to the story by establishing the setting. Based on the pictures, the reader quickly realizes Teresa, the main character, does not live in the United States, but in a country with tropical features like palm trees. The illustrations do not just contribute to the setting, however. The illustrations also set the mood for the story. When the author writes about Teresa and her family moving to America to escape war, the illustrations are bleak and depict a feeling of fear and despair. When Teresa realizes America is also at war, the illustrations are stark white and hopeless. Conversely, when Teresa plays the piano, the illustrations are filled with a rainbow of colors to show the joy and peace that playing the piano brings the main character.

The illustrations are not the only incredible part of the book. The figurative language romanticizes Teresa’s devotion to her instrument. For instance, the author writes “her fingers leaped across all the glorious dark and light keys, improvising the way the mockingbirds do, the melody changing as she went along” (Engle, 2019, p. 27). The imagery in this line creates a picture in the reader's mind of vivid piano keys producing a delightful melody similar to that of bird song.

Finally, the author uses the mechanics of plot to create tension in the storyline. As the main character gets ready to play for President Lincoln, she realizes the piano is out of tune (Engle, 2019). At this point in the book, the reader begins to worry whether Teresa will be able to play for the President, and if the President will enjoy her music even if it’s out of tune.

By using exquisite illustrations and effective literary devices such as figurative language and plot, Engle creates a high-quality children’s book depicting a special, lesser-known event in American history,

References

Booksource (n.d.). Dancing hands: how Teresa Carreno played the piano for President Lincoln. https://www.booksource.com/Products/Dancing-Hands--How-Teresa-Carreno-Played-The-Piano-For-President-Lincoln__9781481487405.aspx

Engle, M. (2019, p. 27). Dancing hands: how Teresa Carreno played the piano for President Lincoln. Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Engle, M. (2019). Dancing hands: how Teresa Carreno played the piano for President Lincoln. Atheneum Books for Young Readers.