Wolf in the Snow
By: Matthew Cordell
Medal Winner
Reviewed by: Sandy Hall
This is a satisfying story of friendship, a frightening situation resolved by helping one another. The book is almost completely wordless except for some "sound" words like Bark! or howl… which actually provide a good opportunity to talk about a very big word: onomatopoeia. Because the book is mostly wordless, it appeals to little ones.
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Big Cat, Little Cat
By: Elisha Cooper
Honor
Reviewed by: Lara Lleverino
Recommended age: 6 - 12 years of age
Also read and recommended by: Sandy Hall
For anyone who has loved a pet and faced the shortened lifespan our animal friends have, this poignant story speaks to the bitter-sweet experience it is to love and let go.
Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut
By: Derrick Barnes
Illustrated by: Gordon C. James
Honor
NOT REVIEWED
The barbershop is where the magic happens. Boys go in as lumps of clay and, with princely robes draped around their shoulders, a dab of cool shaving cream on their foreheads, and a slow, steady cut, they become royalty. That crisp yet subtle line makes boys sharper, more visible, more aware of every great thing that could happen to them when they look good: lesser grades turn into As; girls take notice; even a mother’s hug gets a little tighter. Everyone notices.
A fresh cut makes boys fly.
This rhythmic, read-aloud title is an unbridled celebration of the self-esteem, confidence, and swagger boys feel when they leave the barber’s chair—a tradition that places on their heads a figurative crown, beaming with jewels, that confirms their brilliance and worth and helps them not only love and accept themselves but also take a giant step toward caring how they present themselves to the world. The fresh cuts. That’s where it all begins.
Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut is a high-spirited, engaging salute to the beautiful, raw, assured humanity of black boys and how they see themselves when they approve of their reflections in the mirror.
From the publisher
A Different Pond
By: Bao Phi
Illustrated by: Thi Bui
Honor
NOT REVIEWED
Family. Tradition. Hope.
Sometimes a fishing trip is about more than catching fish...
Carrying a tackle box and gathering kindling, a boy helps his dad catch the family's dinner. And a father helps his child begin to understand the long journey their family has taken.
Award-winning poet Bao Phi and acclaimed graphic novelist Thi Bui deliver a sweet, powerful glimpse into a relationship between father and son and between cultures, old and new.
From the dust jacket
Grand Canyon
By: Jason Chin
Honor
NOT REVIEWED
Rivers wind through earth, cutting down and eroding the soil for millions of years, creating a cavity in the ground 277 miles long, 18 miles wide, and more than a mile deep known as the Grand Canyon.
Home to an astonishing variety of plants and animals that have lived and evolved within its walls for millennia, the Grand Canyon is much more than just a hole in the ground. Follow a father and daughter as they make their way through the cavernous wonder, discovering life both present and past.
Weave in and out of time as perfectly placed die cuts show you that a fossil today was a creature much long ago, perhaps in a completely different environment. Complete with a spectacular double gatefold, an intricate map and extensive back matter.
From the publisher
