the ostrich and other lost things

As someone who has people with autism in her life, I’m drawn to stories like THE OSTRICH AND OTHER LOST THINGS.  It’s written from the perspective of a sister whose older brother has autism.  Olivia is the (incredibly) observant type — she notices everything and everyone and no detail seems to escape her watchful eye.  She’s extraordinarily good at finding things — objects and belongings that people in her life misplace.  There’s one lost thing that eludes her, though — her brother Jacob’s beloved ostrich that she has not been able to find for months.  She feels like it has something to do with his worsening behavior which is odd, unpredictable and more often than not embarrassing.

Olivia craves normalcy and wants to carve out a space of her own, apart from being “Jacob’s sister.”  We experience her frustration, ongoing grief and her feeling of being “closed in” as she deals with her brother’s profound differences and the restrictions that they impose on her life.  We learn about how love is different when you have a person with autism in your family—it’s still there, just felt and expressed in ways you wouldn’t expect.  I love author Beth Hautala’s words — “We are all a little bit lost and a little bit found.” In our case, we’re glad to have found this heartfelt and meaningful story.

The Ostrich and Other Lost Things was written by Beth Hautala and published by Philomel Books.

they say blue

This book is poetry—every line, every stroke, every dab of color, every word.  It’s probably one of the most creative and philosophical explorations of color we’ve seen, where color is as much a character as the little girl narrating the story.  They Say Blue is also about being in the world, observing, noticing, wondering.  Every flip through it will likely yield something new for the reader.  It’s simple but wonderfully complicated.  Jillian Tamaki’s depictions of color are imbued with such depth, movement, emotion and life.  Easily one of our favorite books this year.

They Say Blue was written and illustrated by Jillian Tamaki and published by Abrams Books for Young Readers.  Out on March 13 and available for pre-order now.

a chip off the old block

Rocky comes from a family of remarkable rocks—there’s Uncle Gibraltar, Great-Grandma Half Dome and his monumental cousin Rushmore.  With a history of such great accomplishments to live up to, tiny Rocky—just a pebble—feels a little overshadowed.  But what he lacks in size, he makes up for in grit, gumption and tenacity.  He forms a plan—a grand plan—and sets off to make his mark in the world.

A Chip Off the Old Block takes readers on a beautiful road trip through the US and its wide skies and majestic landforms, gorgeously illustrated by Daniel Miyares.  The story leaves readers with the realization that they can rely on their own unique traits to find their place in the world and make a true difference.  An informative author’s note about rock types concludes this fantastic story.

A Chip Off the Old Block was written by Jody Jensen Shaffer, illustrated by Daniel Miyares and published by Nancy Paulsen Books.  It's out tomorrow!

the unintentional adventures of the bland sisters + giveaway

If you’re a word maven with a penchant for adventure, this book is for you.  Even if you don’t quite fit that description, you might find the Bland Sisters an interesting—or shall we say uninteresting—pair.  The sisters lead dreary lives—they each eat a cheese sandwich on day-old bread and drink a glass of flat soda for lunch every day.  Their hobby is reading the dictionary and they darn socks for a living.  One day, intrepid adventure comes knocking at their door, literally.

The Bland Sisters’ heaps of wry humor made us laugh out loud more than a few times and is one reason why the book makes an excellent read-aloud.  Kudos to Kara LaReau and Jen Hill for the best idea for chapter header concepts/illustrations that we’ve seen in a long time.  Head over to Kara LaReau's blog to read about how quirky Jaundice and Kale came to life in this smart and terrific middle grade book for ages 8-12.

We’re giving away a copy of The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters: The Jolly Regina.  This giveaway is open to US residents and ends Thursday, February 22, at 11:59 PM PST.  Head over to this Instagram post to enter.

A Bear Sat on My Porch Today

A lively, boisterous story about a girl and her encounter with a spate of unanticipated visitors who are adamant to stay.  Jane Yolen’s repetitive, rhyming text rises to an exuberant crescendo without missing a beat.  Talk about perfect pacing!  Rilla’s use of color is genius—her brilliant hues play a part in the evolution of the visual narrative and watching it unfold is an absolute treat.  Altogether a winner of a read-aloud.

A Bear Sat on My Porch Today was written by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Rilla Alexander and published by Chronicle Books.  Don’t miss this one when it comes out on March 6!  And of course available to pre-order now.