Take Me To Your BBQ

Take Me To Your BBQ
By Kathy Duval and Adam McCauley
Youth New Book Collection - Lower Level - DUV

In this adorable picture book, aliens beam down to Farmer Willy's yard for a barbeque feast! They square dance, they play the fiddle, and of course they gorge themselves on ribs, potatoes, and more. The pictures are colorful and funny, with farm animals that don't know quite what to make of the alien creatures. Farmer Willy is a bit befuddled, too, but is happy enough to have his new friends' help on the farm. The cowboy boot-wearing aliens pick peppers and drive the tractor, and eat everything Willy can barbeque for them. There is even a recipe for barbeque sauce at the end of the book. Truly out-of-this-world!

Tuesdays at the Castle

Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George.
Youth Fiction - Lower Level - GEORGE

Welcome to Castle Glower, a magical castle that changes itself regularly, usually on Tuesdays. It redecorates, creates new rooms, and moves other ones around at will. It’s an intelligent castle, and the people of the kingdom are used to heeding its advice on who should rule the kingdom. The current king has four children, and the castle made it clear, by filling the oldest brother’s room with astrolabes and other wizardly tools, that he should train to be a wizard, while Rolf, the next youngest son’s room was moved closer to the throne room, as an indication that he would be the next king. Celie, the youngest of the bunch, has a close understanding with the castle, and her ongoing project is creating an atlas of the castle, trying to keep it up-to-date as the castle constantly reinvents itself. Lilah, the older girl, does not so far seem to have any castle-prescribed destiny, but while of an age to start being interested in boys, remains an intelligent and sympathetic person.

I introduce the characters first because I loved them so much (the castle counts as both character and setting here), but the plot kicks off quite nicely, too. The king and queen go off to fetch their oldest son home from Wizard School, but the carriage is ambushed on the way back. After a very brief search, the king, queen and prince are all declared dead. The three children left at home don’t believe it – surely the castle would let Rolf know if he were king – but the council believes otherwise and forces the children to hold a funeral. An unwelcome guest at the funeral who refuses to leave afterward, the sinister Prince Khelsh makes it clear that he has plans to become the next king of Glower himself. As the council appears to have turned traitorous (for reasons that are never gone into), it’s up to the three children, with help from the Castle, to save the castle and find their parents. Their only dubious magical power is Celie’s bond with the castle, which means it’s up to the three of them to come up with their own plans as well as following the lead from the clues the castle gives them. I enjoyed it heartily and felt certain that my elementary-aged self would have adored it, as would my own eight-year-old son. 

Will Sparrow's Road

Will Sparrow’s Road by Karen Cushman. Read by Katherine Kellgren.
Youth CD Books – Lower Level - CUSHMAN

I was excited to listen to this book with my son on two counts – a main character I thought he would easily identify with from historical fiction favorite Cushman, paired with narration by our favorite Katherine Kellgren. We were not disappointed. Young Will’s mother ran away when he was very young, and his alcoholic father has since sold him to the innkeeper for beer. When the innkeeper says he’s selling him as a chimney sweep, Will runs for his life. Life isn’t easy for a homeless and penniless boy in Elizabethan England. After quite a while of trying to make it on his own, having his few possessions stolen and living in turn mostly off of stolen green apples, Will discovers the Fair. Not only do the food booths there provide easier targets, but the many performers there offer a means of earning actual money. He’s gotten a job passing the hat for a juggler and met a kind man with a trained pig named Duchess when the juggler unexpectedly leaves, sending him to a Master Trumball, owner of the Oddities and Commodities stall. Master Trumball travels from fair to fair with his combination mini-museum and freak show, which includes a baby mermaid in a jar, a girl with a furry face like a cat’s, and a foul-tempered and ugly dwarf named Lancelot FitzHugh. Will travels England, getting to know the colorful regional fairs, which is quite a lot of fun. But as he gets to know the people he’s traveling with, he also learns a lot about himself, about prejudice and that a person’s nature isn’t necessarily matched to his or her appearance. He goes – slowly, with some painful lurching - from viewing the cat girl as a mostly cat monster, to seeing her as a friend and helping her in her quest for a human name (she decides to go from Graymalkin to Grace Wise) and a life apart from being an Oddity, for example, and has similar revelations about his other companions. Although some of the character revelations came sooner to me than to my son, we were both waiting anxiously to find out what would happen to Will Sparrow and Grace Wise. It’s told in energetic language that strikes a graceful balance between being easy-to-understand and having the flavor of Elizabethan language. Real Elizabethan songs, mostly of the tavern variety, appear frequently, of course sung beautifully and accurately by Kellgren. I also noticed my son being more appreciative of always having enough to eat, as Will is always hungry, and lovingly describes every good thing to eat that comes his way. Cushman concludes with an author’s note about English fairs and provides historical background for the people and acts at her fairs. Will Sparrow’s Road is a tempting mix of an exciting historical setting and plot with strong, likeable characters and a not-medicinal dose of thoughtfulness.

The Peculiar

The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmann
Youth New Book Shelves – Lower Level - BACHMANN

This is a Cybils Award finalist in the middle grade science fiction/fantasy department. This is also the book that came from the library with the last 30 pages missing – I had to take it back and wait for it to be reordered before I could finish it! If you were one of the two people to check it out before I got it – we have all the pages now.

Not so very long ago, as our story goes, the Faeries invaded England, and there was war. The humans won, but as the faery stayed in the first place because they couldn’t get back, they now have an uneasy coexistence with iron and church bells used to constrain the faeries. Both sides despise the other and despise worst of all the changelings or peculiars, half-breed children. One of our heroes, Bartholomew, is just such a child. He himself could pass for human at a distance, but his little sister Hettie has pointed ears and branches for hair. Both of them stay hidden, as the hatred of peculiars is so deep that lynchings are common. One day, watching from his attic window in a Bath slum, Bartholomew sees a sinister lady in plum velvet with a tiny, wicked face in the back of her head. As he watches, she draws the little neighbor changeling with thistle hair out of his house, and disappears with him in a flurry of black feathers. When Bartholomew’s good intentions go awry, he knows that he and Hettie are in danger as well. Meanwhile, in London, Mr Jelliby is a wealthy and idle member of the Privy Council, which includes some faery members. His conscience is pricked, however, when he watches the faery Mr Lickerish redirect council interest away from the mysterious string of murdered changeling children. As much as he fears trouble, he is drawn into investigating the murders himself. There are some steampunk aspects to the book as well, with a setting that feels 19th-century and clockwork birds used to communicate, clockwork horses, and a dirigible. This is dark fantasy with a whole lot of creepy mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat, and occasionally made me decide to save this for morning and pick something calmer for bedtime reading. It’s definitely not a world I’d want to live in, but it’s beautifully drawn, with characters and setting having equal importance to the exciting plot. I cared about both Bartholomew and Mr Jelliby. I will note that even with the last 30 pages, it does not end conclusively, so those who like to wait until a series is complete to start reading will want to hold off for a bit. There is a whole lot to like packed neatly and cleverly into this book, and I am very glad that it made it to the second round of Cybils considerations.

Major Taylor: Champion Cyclist

Major Taylor: Champion Cyclist
By Lesa Cline-Ransome
Illustrated by James E. Ransome
jBio—Lower Level—Taylor

In the late 1800s in Indianapolis, Indiana a young cycling phenom began his career. “Major” Marshall Taylor was extraordinary for a number of reasons. By age 13, he was the fastest rider in town. In races, no one came close to keeping pace with him.

At the same time that he swept local bike races, society discriminated against him because of his race. Major Taylor overcame the odds. He competed on cycling’s world stage and was the second African-American athlete to become a world champion.

With exciting text and beautiful illustrations, Major Taylor: Champion Cyclist will delight anyone who knows the feeling of freedom that riding a bicycle can bring.

Shall I Knit You a Hat?

Shall I Knit You a Hat? by Kate Klise. Illustrated by M. Sarah Klise.
Youth Holiday – Lower Level – K

When Mother Rabbit hears that a giant blizzard is expected for Christmas Eve, she knits Little Rabbit a hat to keep his long ears warm. He loves it so much that he asks if they can make hats for all their friends. They go out to the Market together, where all their friends are, and find sneaky ways to measure them all – the horse, the dog, the goose, the cat, the squirrel and the deer. Then they go home, where Little Rabbit takes the lead in designing the hats. He puts great effort into making hats just right for each friend, but of course, as Christmas is only a few days away, they can’t be all knit, and incorporate some household objects along with the knitting. Oh, the looks on the poor animals’ faces when they first see themselves in the mirror that Little Rabbit brings along with the gifts. Soon, however, it starts to snow, and all the animals realize how warm they are despite it and how perfectly suited the hats are to them. The bright acrylic illustrations make the story even cozier. This is a wonderful story of friendship and generosity, yarn and carrot cake for Christmas. It’s a little wordy for toddlers, but perfect for preschoolers through early elementary – both my 3 and 8-year old are loving it this season.

There are several more books about Little Rabbit, including

Why Do You Cry?
Imagine Harry
Little Rabbit and the Night Mare
Little Rabbit and the Meanest Mother on Earth
And newly published this year in a similar vein,
Grammy Lamby and the Secret Handshake.

Here Comes Hortense!

Here Comes Hortense! by Heather Hartt-Sussman
Picture Book Shelves Lower Level - HAR

I love this book! A little boy is taken to an amusement park by his Nana and her new husband Bob. Bob's granddaughter Hortense is there too. Hortense and Nana hit it off and ride all the scariest rides. Bob and the boy (who I don't think is ever named) prefer to stay closer to the ground, so they hang out together. The boy is jealous of the time Hortense is spending with Nana. The ending is very sweet - I won't give it away. The people in the illustrations are very cartoony with huge heads and mouths, and the action of the amusement park is well-captured. This is a very cute, modern story with a lot to discuss in the picture details.

I Kissed the Baby

I Kissed the Baby by Mary Murphy.
Picture Books - Lower Level - MUR

Bold pictures, mostly white on a black background, with shots of bright yellow and pink, illustrate this story. Pond animals including fish, birds, a squirrel, and insects, all join to welcome a new baby. Each spread features two animals, the first asking the other a question about the baby: “I tickled the baby! Did you tickle the baby?” “Yes! I tickled the baby, the wriggly giggly thing!” Finally, at the end, we meet the adorable duckling that everyone is so excited about. Though it isn’t rhymed text, lots of attention is paid to the sound of the words for reading aloud. The short text and bold images make it perfect for reading to babies and toddlers, but it was still fun enough for my eight-year-old to want to read it to his sister, and she both asked for it and read it to herself over and over again. I often get asked about recommended books for new baby gifts, and this is a great one. It’s still in print in board book, which is ideal for the target age, and you can still find it in hardcover if you look.

Here are other board book favorites about baby love just right for new babies:
Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers. Illustrated by Marla Frazee.
Picture Books - Lower Level - MEY

Hush, Little Baby by Marla Frazee.
Picture Books - Lower Level - FRA

Snuggle Puppy by Sandra Boynton.
Board Book Bins - Lower Level

All of Baby Nose to Toes by Victoria Adler. Illustrated by Hiroe Nakata.
Picture Books - Lower Level - ADL

Find a Cow Now!

Find a Cow Now! by Janet Stevens & Susan Stevens Crummel
Youth New Book Shelves--Lower Level--STE

When a cattle dog gets tired of lying around his city house, he begins to throw chairs and shake rugs. This aggravates the family parakeet, who tells the cattle dog that he's supposed to herd cows. The parakeet, full of half-baked wisdom, does not know what a cow is but tells the cattle dog that cows live in the country. This sends the cattle dog on a journey to the country where he tries to herd a variety of farm animals until he finally gets it right.

Find a Cow Now! is a hilarious book that will delight children and adults alike. The illustrations are so beautiful and detailed that children will want to examine them after the story has ended. This is an especially good story to read aloud since it features a variety of animal noises and character dialogue. A truly wonderful read!

Harriet the Spy

Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
Youth Fiction--Lower Level--Fitzhugh

Harriet the Spy is not a typical children’s book and Harriet Welch is not a typical child. At age 11, Harriet prefers work to play. Every day after school, she grabs her notebook and attends to her spy route. She’s been spying for years and believes that a good spy never gets caught. Her route involves everything from peeking in windows to sneaking into neighbor’s homes, which lends the story plenty of suspense. Her best friends, Sport and Janie, are equally responsible. Sport cleans and cooks for his father, a depressed writer. Janie concocts scientific experiments, often with explosive results. Fitzhugh’s children are serious about their interests and concerns, making this book a great read for intelligent children who dislike being talked down to.

The most important adult in Harriet’s life is her nanny, Ole Golly, who has been with her since birth. Ole Golly is the kind of wonderful mentor who accepts Harriet for who she is while gently prodding her to be open to new experiences. Harriet relies on Ole Golly’s guidance and assumes that she will always be around to help her find her way.

Then two terrible events turn Harriet’s world upside down: Ole Golly is taken away and her notebook—in which she’s written brutally honest observations--falls into the hands of her unforgiving classmates. Suddenly Harriet is an outcast with no one to turn to for help. What’s a cunning spy to do?

Children in grades 4-6 will enjoy Harriet the Spy for the suspense of Harriet’s adventures and for its memorable details: from Harriet's love of tomato sandwiches to the Boy with the Purple Socks. It’s also the kind of book that you can revisit as an adult for reasons beyond nostalgia. Fitzhugh’s characters are morally complex and as real as the people in your own neighborhood.

The Secret Chicken Society

The Secret Chicken Society by Judy Cox. Illustrated by Amanda Haley. Youth Early Chapter Books – Lower Level – COX

Daniel, our third-grade hero, is the second oldest in a family of six, which also includes teen older brother Tyler, sisters Kelsey (7) and Emmy (4), as well as a nurse mom and stay-at-home blogger dad. One day, his beautiful teacher, Mrs. Lopez, announces that the class is going to try to hatch some eggs. No one in the class is more excited or devoted to the five chicks that hatch than Daniel. When the school year ends and it’s time for the chicks to find permanent homes, though nearly all the kids put their names in for a chick, he’s the only one whose parents actually say yes. His family is on board (mostly) with the five adorable chicks. The neighbors’ reactions are more mixed – sweet Mrs. Grafalo next door loves them, but her grouchy husband (nicknamed Mr. Gruffalo) is sure one of them will be a loud rooster, and that they’ll get into his yard and destroy the garden. And when it turns out that one of the sweet chicks might actually be an illegal rooster, the siblings form the Secret Chicken Society to protect Peepers. This is realistic and funny family fiction on a trendy topic in early chapter book form, with enough details in the text and the appendix that would-be chicken owners could really get started. My seven-year-old son, normally a fan of adrenaline-filled epic fantasy, ate this up and begged for more chapters every night I read it to him.

Oh No, George!

OH NO, GEORGE! by Chris Haughton
Youth New Book Shelves – Lower Level – HAU

When the owners are away, the dogs (or at least George) will play! When George’s owner Harry leaves for the day, George promises to be good. But, as George finds himself faced by a number of temptations, including cake on the kitchen table and a cat that is just begging to be chased, he realizes that being good is a lot harder than he ever expected.

With its retro illustrations and simple humor, Oh No, George! is sure to be a hit in any household. Children will love looking at the different comical expressions on George’s face and repeating the phrase 'Oh No, George!' with you as you read this book aloud. Released this year, Oh No, George! has all the right stuff to become a classic picture book.

Because of Winn-Dixie

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
Youth Cd Books - Lower Level - DiCamillo

Because of Winn-Dixie is a story about the true love that exists between a human being and their animal. It is an absolutely touching tale that will withstand the test of time.

Ten-year-old India Opal Buloni lives with her father who is known as "The Preacher" since he is a minister. They have just moved to the small town of Naomi, Florida. Young Opal is afraid and scared to be in a new town. Moreover, she has a profound sadness in her heart because her mother abandoned her and her father seven years earlier. However, one day Opal meets her absolute best friend at the local grocery store, a stray dog that she names Winn-Dixie. Once Opal has Winn-Dixie, the sadness of her life starts to fade. For instance, she begins to make new friends including: Miss Franny Block, Gloria Dump, Sweetie Pie Thomas, and Otis. She also learns some life lessons about not judging a book by its cover, letting grudges go, and finding joy in life in spite of sadness.

Because of Winn-Dixie was awarded the Newbery Honor in 2001, and it is not hard to see why. The novel portrays universal themes of love, forgiveness, and friendship and is beautifully written. The characters are richly drawn and well-developed including the hero of the story, Winn-Dixie. Smiling Winn-Dixie is such a precious dog, and all dog lovers will understand the blessings he presents to everyone within his path.

On a side note, I listened to the book on Cd. The narrator, Cherry Jones, did a WONDERFUL job creating all of the different characters. She used different voices so believably that the story truly came to life. I highly recommend this book to all ages!

City of Orphans

City of Orphans by Avi
Youth New Book Shelves - Lower Level - AVI

Also available in audio book form:
City of Orphans by Avi
Teen Zone CD Books - Main Level - AVI

The audio version of this book is exceptional. The reader is fantastic! I love all of Avi's books, and this is one of my favorites.

The setting is New York City in 1893. The city is filled with immigrants and the streets are filled with orphaned children. Times are tough, and families are just trying to get by. The Geless family are from Denmark, and their oldest children have jobs - including Maks. Maks is a 13-year-old "newsy," selling World News newspapers and trying to steer clear of the Plug Ugly gang. The Plug Uglies are violent and nasty, and have been known to shake down newsies for their paper money.

One night, the Plug Uglies come after him. A street orphan named Willa comes to his rescue, beating the gang off with her stick. Maks owes her for her help, and takes her home to be fed by his mother.

When they get home, they find out that Maks's sister Emma has been arrested for stealing. Maks and the family know she would never have done such a thing, and embark on a plan to prove her innocence. Willa and Maks are particularly helpful, enlisting the help of a private investigator who teaches them how to find clues.

This is a fast-paced story, and highly recommended to upper-elementary and middle schoolers!

Laundry Day

Continuing with the immigrants in the city theme, here is a cheerful look at the city of old and its residents aimed at the younger set.

Laundry Day by Maurie J. Manning.
Youth Graphic Novels – Lower Level - MAN

Laundry Day falls somewhere between a graphic novel and a picture book, with a comic book-style layout of cells in a picture book size and target age. Our hero is a little shoeshine boy in a big city, probably around the 1910s. He’s looking fruitlessly for customers when a bright red cloth drops down on him from the tall buildings above. One level up, he sees a Chinese laundress, so he climbs up to ask if it’s hers. It isn’t, but she offers him a moon cake and sends him to a neighbor whom she thinks might be the owner. The little boy’s journey goes on, as he climbs up balconies and across laundry lines, meeting and helping neighbors in small ways. In one case, he takes a penny to an Italian organ grinder from a Ukrainian mother with a crying baby, to see if some music will calm the baby. They are Chinese, Italian, Polish, Jamaican, Ukrainian, and Jewish, as revealed by their hanging laundry and tiny bits of their native languages sprinkled in (pronunciations and definitions given in a glossary at the end). Not until he reaches the roof of the building does he meet the owner. Once he is down on the ground again, the neighborhood is filled with friends instead of strangers and his shoeshine business is booming. One of my youth librarians points out that this is a rare book for preschool/early elementary that takes place during the “Olden Days” in a city rather than on the frontier. This is joyous celebration of the New World and of community.

The Sisters Club

The Sisters Club by Megan McDonald
Youth Cd Books - Lower Level - McDonald

The Sisters Club by Megan McDonald is a very humorous and sweet tale. It tells the story of three sisters: the oldest Alex, the middle child Stevie, and the youngest Joey. All of the sisters are very different. Alex is almost 13 and loves acting. Stevie is 10-years-old and is "the glue" of the family. She always tries to make things better. Finally there is 8-year-old Joey. Sweet yet mischievous Joey loves homework, writing in her journal, and pioneers.

The three sisters engage in typical fights about parental affection, missing items, and crushes. Yet they also share sweet and tender times where they play the "remembering game" and have Sister's Club meetings with a sock monkey puppet. The sibling relationships are absolutely believable and hilarious. While their parents are included in the story, the real stars of the novel are the sisters.

The Sisters Club is the first book in a series. The other titles include The Rule of Three and Cloudy with a Chance of Boys. I listened to the title on Cd, and the narrators were absolutely wonderful in capturing the different personalities of each sister. It is an absolutely fantastic listen for parents and children alike. I guarantee that you will be laughing and smiling the whole time!

The Night Tourist

The Night Tourist by Katherine Marsh
Youth Fiction-Lower Level MARSH


The hallmark of an excellent mythology is the ability to be retold in various ways. The stories from classic Greek mythology endure because of their timeless characters and themes. With The Night Tourist,author Katherine Marsh tells a tale inspired by the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. While Orpheus traveled to the underworld to rescue his beloved Eurydice, Marsh’s main character Jack journeys into the spirit underworld of New York City to find his deceased mother. He meets a young ghost named Euri who acts as his guide while trying to avoid being caught by the underworld authorities and their dog Cerberus.

Youths looking for a supernatural tale will find much to offer with this novel. There are naturally many references and parallels to the Orpheus legend but readers will also learn about some of New York City’s famous locations, history, geography, and people. Marsh clearly has a love for the city. Young readers do not need to already be aware of the Orpheus myth as the characters do bring up the story and how their situation mirrors it. I was surprised that the ending followed through on the myth from which it was based but the characters still manage to mostly find a happy state of mind in the end. Readers who enjoy this story might also want to check out the sequel entitled The Twilight Prisoner.

A Wrinkle in Time

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle.
Youth Fiction – Lower Level – L’Engle

2012 year marks the 50th anniversary of one of my all-time favorite books. There was even a whole blog tour about it, to go along with the new 50th Anniversary Commemorative Edition. This has yummy extras, such as a brief bio and memories of L’Engle by her granddaughter Charlotte Voiklis, photos, a facsimile of the manuscript for the first chapter with corrections, and L’Engle’s Newbery acceptance speech.

When I was ten, I got into a fierce argument with my best friend about which was better, Wrinkle or A Wind in the Door and A Swiftly Tilting Planet. I had not read the second and third books yet, but loved Wrinkle so much that I wouldn’t believe her that the second two were as good or better. I saw her point when I finally did get around to reading them, though Mari Ness’s thoughts on A Swiftly Tilting Planet felt like unwelcome disillusion, with criticisms of the book that I couldn’t really disagree with, despite having loved it so hard since childhood. Though Robin McKinley’s Beauty still has to be my most re-read comfort book of all time, I am likely to pick up any of the first three time trilogy books during stressful times.

In case you haven’t read or don’t remember the book, here’s a brief summary of the plot: prickly teenager Meg Murry and her genius kid brother, Charles Wallace, meet up with the popular but surprisingly nice and very smart older boy Calvin in the woods near their property. They also meet with some strange old women who are clearly making a joke of pretending to be witches, but just as clearly really are much more than ordinary humans. These three – Mrs Whatsit, Mrs Who, and Mrs Which (much to Microsoft Word’s chagrin, I am leaving the periods off of the “Mrs”, British-style, as L’Engle intended) – send the three children off to find Mr. Murry, a physicist who went missing while researching the tesseract some years ago. This journey that takes them to many other planets, including ones where the inhabitants are sightless but still have better knowledge of the universe than humans. They see a dark shadow of evil over earth and even more heavily over the planet of Camazotz, where Mr. Murry is being held captive by a disembodied brain called IT. In the end, it’s up to Meg to save the day, Meg who has been used to relying on Charles Wallace for comfort. There’s also a grand mix of theology (implicitly Christian) and science, both real and invented. I love the strong and memorable characters, Meg’s journey to independence and acceptance of herself, and the easy relationship between science and religion, increasingly rare these days. Some people may find the science of the tesseract a little fuzzy, and others say that Charles Wallace’s character could be a little more fleshed out. They may be right, but this is still a book that does so very much well, with a story and characters that stand on their own and give plenty to chew on afterward. L’Engle’s world is one where the Dark is real and ever-present, filled with the knowledge that fight will be hard and still worth fighting, that love (to say it tritely) makes the world go around. Perhaps most importantly to my adolescent self, it shows an unpopular girl (in other ways rather unlike me) turning out OK in not-miraculous fashion and learning to accept herself.

The Astonishing Secret of Awesome Man

The Astonishing Secret of Awesome Man by Michael Chabon. Illustrated by Jake Parker.
Youth New Book Shelves – Lower Level - CHA

Awesome Man himself takes through a day in the life of… Awesome Man. He describes his costumes, his powers (the “Awesome Power Grip,” aka hugging), and his sidekick dog, Moscowitz. We see Awesome Man beating villains like Radioactive Jell-o from Outer Space and Dr. Von Evil. And then, alas, Awesome Man is beaten by his arch nemesis. He must flee to his secret fortress, a small patch of suburbia in an undersea bubble. After some deep reflection huddled on his bed, Awesome Man realizes that the problem is that he’s out of positrons. He needs to eat to regain his strength! But once on the job again, will he ever stop long enough to reveal his secret identity to the reader? The ending is undeniably sweet. The bright, smooth pictures have occasional retro-feeling dot fills, giving a hint of old-school comics. There are just enough details to let you discover new details in subsequent readings. This is ideal for superhero-obsessed preschoolers and early elementary kids, with just the right blend of action and innocence.

Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude

Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude written and illustrated by Kevin O’Malley. Illustrated by Carol Heyer. Illustrated by Scott Goto.
Picture Book Shelves – Lower Level - OMA

Two children, a girl and a boy, are assigned to give a school report on their favorite fairy tale. Only as they couldn’t agree on a favorite fairy tale, they decide instead to write their own. The girl starts, telling a romantic tale of the sweet and beautiful Princess Tenderheart, whose beloved unicorn ponies are tragically being kidnapped by a giant. Then the boy interrupts, having a cool motorcycle dude come and battle the giant every night while the princess spins golden thread for him in payment. Then the girl interrupts again, incensed at her princess’s new role. Princess Tenderheart now goes to the gym to pump iron and becomes Princess Warrior, so she can rescue her ponies herself. From here, the interruptions from one side and the other become more and more frequent, until the children find a story and characters that they can both enjoy. The story is funny to start with, and the illustrations really make it. O’Malley draws the two children in a fairly realistic cartoon style with pen and ink. Heyer illustrates the girl’s story in oil paintings that you might find in a straight-up Beautiful Fairy Tale book, except for the obviously little girl elements like having Princess Tenderheart wear only bright pink and purple dresses. Goto illustrates the boy’s story in bright, vigorous pastels where the motorcycle dude and his motorcycle vie for space with the hideous giant and exploding volcanoes. This book was a hit with everyone who saw it, including adults, my son and his K-1 class, and my two-year-old.

Try these other funny, nontraditional fairy tale-inspired picture books, too:

The Princess and the Pizza by Mary Jane and Herm Auch.

Fairly Fairy Tales by Esme Raji Codell. Illustrated by Elisa Chavarri

An Undone Fairy Tale by Ian Lendler. Illustrated by Whitney Martin.