Book Bundles: Pick a Picture Book

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Amy Bates. In a gentle story that follows a character from childhood to old age, readers are prompted to ponder what the ocean teaches us. "Once there was a boy who lived by the sea," the book opens, as the child and his grandfather sit at the shore. The protagonist loves and identifies with the ocean; as he grows, he is, by turns, "dark and dangerous" and "tranquil and tender," just like the churning waves. The contemplative boy faces adolescent highs and lows, always returning to the water. The ways in which the ocean speaks to the boy (as well as some of his teenage troubles) are somewhat vague; but ocean lovers everywhere will relate to the pull of the water. The narrative comes full circle in the end, with the protagonist now an elderly man. "Once there was a boy who lived by the sea" is his grandson. Bates's striking illustrations are rendered in shades of teal and cerulean with warm touches of coral, and her panoramic views of the sky above the shoreline capture light magnificently.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson

(2) K-3 Anna, who is white, and her best friend, Tess, who is Black, go on an afternoon adventure to save bees (much to more-cautious Tess's dismay). The two plant some seeds, and the warm sun lulls them to sleep: "Wake me up when there are flowers," Tess says. When they awake, they discover they've been shrunk by a gnome, who invites them on a new adventure. Tess is unsure, but Anna is delighted. Soon, nothing is familiar to Tess, and she has had enough. Anna continues on without her, but soon she too becomes afraid and flees the gnomes, only to wake up and realize that it was all a dream. Anna's dream helps her realize that she hasn't been a good friend to Tess, as she has not been listening to what Tess wants. She encourages Tess to suggest what they should do next; meanwhile, having become excited after seeing that one of their flowers has sprouted, Tess is no longer as fearful of bees. Vibrant illustrations accompany this friendship story.

Reviewer: Maija Meadows Hasegawa

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Paola Escobar. Baby Beauty's arrival into the world begins in the womb, "First there is one heart, / then two." With a metered, lyrical cadence, Ramos's text centers on the collective, enumerating how the kinship family--from la doctora, to the espiritista, to the community at the Puerto Rican Day Parade--envelops Beauty and her immediate family in love. As she grows up, this kinship family transmits to Beauty an understanding of her Taíno, African, and Boricua ancestral ties, a deep cultural knowledge that ignites "resistance, / imagination, / hope" in Beauty. This knowledge ultimately supports her when she encounters racist language aimed at "people that looked like family." Confused and hurt, Beauty runs through her neighborhood to process the emotions of “her heart brusin' / black and blue." Escobar's digital illustrations include neighborhood murals that incorporate Taíno symbols with faces of children and elders as well as Black and Brown raised fists of resistance. The concluding subsequent spreads in luminous colorful palettes show Beauty's return home, where a healing ceremony empowers her to see the beauty of her heritage.

Reviewer: Lettycia Terrones

(2) K-3 Most readers know someone like Ozzy: fun-loving, energetic, exuberant--and always wanting to be the center of attention. She particularly wants her cool (so cool she displays a poster of Grace Jones in her classroom) music teacher, Ms. Bomba, to notice her. So, when it comes time to pick an instrument for the school's recital, Izzy decides that it's the drums that will make the biggest impact. After creating a lot of noise, however, she discovers that's not the type of impact her teacher wants. Ms. Bomba gently reminds her that rather than be the star of the show, the drummer's job is to be discreet and set the tempo, a task she glumly carries out. "Ozzy felt invisible." Still, she practices her part, but on the night of the recital, she freezes; the bewildered band members are unable to begin. Ms. Bomba smoothly directs Ozzy to establish the beat, and "lead us in." Acting as a cohesive whole, the group performs beautifully, a thematic element emphasized as they sit on a curved stage visually enfolding all the musicians. Steele's vibrant watercolor and ink illustrations reflect the energy of Ozzy's diverse classroom; readers see the students dancing, tapping their toes, and singing in unison, displaying a contagious joy that hits all the right notes.

Reviewer: Betty Carter