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CALIFORNIA, THE MAGIC ISLAND

Name: CALIFORNIA, THE MAGIC ISLAND
Author: Doug Hansen
ISBN: 978-1-59714-332-5

by Doug Hansen ; illustrated by Doug Hansen ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2016

A must in the Golden State; teachers in other states could use it as inspiration for their own mythic histories.

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In the early 16th century, a Spanish romantic adventure book told of Queen Calafia and her magical land, California, where she led black-skinned Amazon women of great courage and wisdom; Hansen plays on this trope in this illustrated tribute that combines history and myth.

The book is presented as a series of imagined meetings between the ancient ruler and modern creatures who provide explanatory vignettes, arranged alphabetically: A is for “Alta California,” introduced by the condor; B is for the monarch butterfly, introduced by that insect; and so on. Vibrant, posterlike pictures accompany the vignettes and showcase the beauty and wealth of the flora, fauna, and history. Each creature supplies interesting informational tidbits, such as why the clipper ship is called that and how the quail’s topknot is formed of six overlapping feathers. These lagniappes are pure gold. The celebratory tone is leavened with caution; Calafia warns today’s citizens that, “It is unfortunate that your ‘Californians’ are often arrogant and inconsiderate. So many of them act foolishly with no thought of tomorrow. Their wastefulness and desire to have control over every other creature weigh against them.” Although the text is somewhat awkward, readers will certainly want to browse through this generous book, and many will hope that the illustrations might be released as posters.

A must in the Golden State; teachers in other states could use it as inspiration for their own mythic histories. (Nonfiction. 6-12)

Pub Date: April 1, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-59714-332-5

Page Count: 52

Publisher: Heyday

Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

- BOOK REVIEW
AESOP IN CALIFORNIA
adapted by Doug Hansen ; illustrated by Doug Hansen

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JAKE THE FAKE KEEPS IT REAL

From the Jake the Fake series , Vol. 1

by Craig Robinson & Adam Mansbach ; illustrated by Keith Knight ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 28, 2017

A fast and funny alternative to the Wimpy Kid.

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Black sixth-grader Jake Liston can only play one song on the piano. He can’t read music very well, and he can’t improvise. So how did Jake get accepted to the Music and Art Academy? He faked it.

Alongside an eclectic group of academy classmates, and with advice from his best friend, Jake tries to fit in at a school where things like garbage sculpting and writing art reviews of bird poop splatter are the norm. All is well until Jake discovers that the end-of-the-semester talent show is only two weeks away, and Jake is short one very important thing…talent. Or is he? It’s up to Jake to either find the talent that lies within or embarrass himself in front of the entire school. Light and humorous, with Knight’s illustrations adding to the fun, Jake’s story will likely appeal to many middle-grade readers, especially those who might otherwise be reluctant to pick up a book. While the artsy antics may be over-the-top at times, this is a story about something that most preteens can relate to: the struggle to find your authentic self. And in a world filled with books about wanting to fit in with the athletically gifted supercliques, this novel unabashedly celebrates the artsy crowd in all of its quirky, creative glory.

A fast and funny alternative to the Wimpy Kid. (Fiction. 8-12)

Pub Date: March 28, 2017

ISBN: 978-0-553-52351-5

Page Count: 144

Publisher: Crown

Review Posted Online: Dec. 5, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

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THIS IS A GOOD STORY

by Adam Lehrhaupt ; illustrated by Magali Le Huche ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 12, 2017

Best for readers who have clearly indicated they would like to take their writing efforts to the next level.

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A young white girl writes and illustrates a story, which is critiqued by the narrator as it is created.

The girl begins her story by drawing a Hero. Then she thinks maybe a Heroine would be better. Then she decides both will work. She places them in “a good town, filled with good people, called our Setting.” The narrator, an unseen editor who lurks over the artist’s shoulder, tells the storyteller she needs to put in some Conflict, make the Evil Overlord scarier, and give it better action. This tongue-in-cheek way of delivering the rules of creative writing is clever, and paired with Le Huche’s earnest, childlike illustrations, it seems to be aimed at giving helpful direction to aspiring young creators (although the illustrations are not critiqued). But the question needs to be asked: do very young writers really need to know the rules of writing as determined by adults? While the story appears to be about helping young readers learn writing—there is “A Friendly List of Words Used in this Book” at the end with such words as “protagonist” and “antagonist” (glossed as “Hero and Heroine” and “Evil Overlord,” respectively)—it also has a decidedly unhelpful whiff of judgment. Rules, the text seems to say, must be followed for the story to be a Good one. Ouch.

Best for readers who have clearly indicated they would like to take their writing efforts to the next level. (Picture book. 6-10)