Simple & well-designed

More by I.C. Springman, illustrated by Brian Lies

Spare text and intricate illustrations are artfully designed in this stunning picturebook. When a magpie with nothing is given a marble, he begins to collect things. But collecting soon turns to hoarding and a fateful fall that causes him to realize that maybe he only needs a few things. Though a simple concept, Brian Lies' illustrations expand upon Springman's concise text. The magpie, and the mice he interacts with, are expressive and the myriad of objects the magpie collects are astonishing. Readers will pour over this book as they pick out objects from legos to hairclips, pacifiers to guitar picks. The details and dynamism bring to mind Wiesner's Art and Max, and like Wiesner's books, I wouldn't be surprised to see More considered for a Caldecott.

Beautiful picturebook using panels....

Laundry Day by Maurie J. Manning
Clarion, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, April 2012

When a little shoe-shine boy finds a red scarf, he tries to return it to its' owner, climbing higher and higher up the fire escape of an apartment building in his search. On his way he meets immigrants from all over the world, and receives a friendly "hello" from each. Manning's use of graphic novel panels perfectly captures the movement of her busy story while dynamic angles allow readers to take in every aspect of the overwhelming city. Young reader's will be charmed by Manning's characters while a helpful "laundry List of Words" in the back of the book will introduce them to words from seven languages. Laundry Day is a wonderful exploration of American people and a celebration of a neighborhood.

A Novel in Photographs

Chopsticks by Jessica and Rodrigo Crorral
Razorbill, Penguin, February 2012

There's no denying that we live in an increasingly visual culture, but so many of the visuals we're bombarded with are moving at a frenzied pace. Chopsticks is a visual novel, but not a graphic novel. It is a novel in photos and letters, moments captured and still on a page. When Glory, a teen piano prodigy, breaks down and plays Chopsticks at a concert, she's sent away to recover- that is until she disappears completely. Prior to her breakdown, Glory had been moving moments of her life away from music, starting to have a relationship with Francisco, a boy trying to adjust to high school in the US. Through photos, playlists, drawings, and letters, Francisco and Glory's relationship unfolds, revealing some hints as to the nature of Glory's disappearance. Chopsticks is an intimate look at a teen romance, complete with suggestions for musical accompaniment while you linger over the images.

Yet Another Dystopian YA

The Last Princess
Poppy, Hachette, May 2012

Galaxy Craze's new YA is set, like many YA these days, in a dystopian future. England is barren, food is short, the land is barren, oil has run out, and violence is imminent. But instead of focusing on some poor guttersnipe, Craze's protagonist is no one less than a princess, Princess Eliza Windsor. When the Tudor army, a faction of anti-royalists and discontents storm the palace, Eliza's father is killed and her siblings captured. Only Eliza manages to escape into the terrifying streets of London. Thus begins Eliza's mission to save her siblings and restore the crown. The shortages are glossed over, as is the general situation of the country, and, indeed, the world as a whole. Eliza's love interest falls into the story right on cue- and most readers will guess his larger importance in the overall plot. However, dystopian fans may find this an enjoyable read, especially as it features a complete story arc and doesn't leave readers hanging on the edge of a cliff.

The Sleepy Hollow Family Almanac

by Kris D'Agostino
Algonquin, March 20, 2012

As a 24 year old, I must say that I have a number of friends who identify as lost, annoyed, and deeply in debt. And regardless of the educational experiences of all of us, the job situation is less than good. One might go as far to say that it truly horrible. Due to this, I think The Sleepy Hollow Family Almanac is certain to have an eager audience- especially in college towns.

Like many of my generation, Calvin Moretti thinks his life sucks, but it's actually more than that. Calvin's family members are all facing their own unique problems- from Calvin's father's cancer to his high school sister's unplanned pregnancy to his mother's financial woes. While this story is about Calvin, told from his point of view, it is a family saga more than anything. What makes it unique is the the humor, characters, and the current nature of the story; it just might be the book to link that person living in the basement with the middle-life crisis pair living upstairs.

Squid and Octopus Friends for Always

by Tao Nyeu
Dial Books, Penguin, June 28th, 2012

Tao Nyeu's work is charming and whimsical and her newest picturebook is no exception. Like Mo Willems' Amanda and her Alligator, Squid and Octopus Friends for Always is a beginning reader-influenced pictureboook with short chapters. Squid and Octopus are best friends who support one another in spite of their many differences. This adorable duo (yes, a knitting squid is perfectly adorable) engages in normal activities that seem like new adventures when played out under the sea. The illustrations are playful and Tao's limited palette of blues, greens, yellow, and orange allows her myriad of details and intricate patterns to shine without detracting from the composition as a whole. There are many books featuring a pair of friends, but readers are certain to make room on their shelves for Squid and Octopus.

Time (out) for Monsters

by Jean Reidy, illustrated by Robert Neubecker
Hyperion

Flowers, dinosaurs, monsters, trucks, dessert, and dragons, there's something for everyone in this inventive book. When a little boy is put in time-out, he decides to brighten up his corner with all manner of drawings and imaginings. What was supposed to be a punishment soon turns into an imaginative and fun opportunity. Neubecker's bright, dynamic, and colorful illustrations will catch reader's eyes and inspire them to draw their own colorful imaginings. This entertaining book is sure to please any child who has ever had to endure a time-out chair.