35. The Light That Shines Forever

The Light That Shines Forever: The True Story and Remarkable Rescue of 669 Children on the Eve of World War II. David T. Warner. 2023. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: In the final months of 1938, the shadow of war was spreading across Europe. HItler's armies had marched into the borderlands of Czechoslovakia, forcing Jewish families, among others, to flee their homes and seek refuge inland.

Premise/plot: This is a picture book for older readers--mid to upper elementary aged students through adults. This is the story of Nicholas Winton and his rescue of six hundred plus Jewish children. While he couldn't rescue or save whole families, he could get hundreds of Jewish children out of the country and living with host families. He did what he could in the months that he could. 

My thoughts: The story has been told in other books about the war (and holocaust). It certainly is a story worth sharing in this new format. The illustrations are beautiful. I definitely found both narrative and illustrations engaging. I would definitely recommend this one to readers of most ages. 

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

41. The Tower of Life

The Tower of Life: How Yaffa Eliach Rebuilt Her Town In Stories and Photographs. Chana Stiefel. Illustrated by Susan Gal. 2022. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: There once was a girl named Yaffa. She was a spirited girl who loved her home and her family. She was born in a shtetl, a small Jewish town that pulsed with love, laughter, and light. The name of her shtetl was Eishyshok (Ay-shi-shok). The family roots of the people in Eishyshok ran deep. For 900 years, their histories and spirits were woven into the fabric of the town. 

Premise/plot: Nonfiction picture book and/or nonfiction picture book biography. I could see it being classified as either/both. The jacket copy says it is the biography of Yaffa Eliach the woman who created "the Tower of Faces" (aka The Tower of Life) at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. It is definitely the story of her life, her work, her life's work. But it is also so much more than that. It is the story of her community, and the story of the Holocaust as well.

My thoughts: I found this one FASCINATING. I really loved this nonfiction picture book. I loved learning the story behind The Tower of Faces. Though I'd not heard of this particular exhibit, I have heard of the Holocaust Memorial Museum. I would love to learn more about this exhibit and the others as well. I loved, loved, loved the photographs of this one.

I found it a powerfully compelling read. I'm not surprised a bit that it won the Sydney Taylor Book Award. (It was also a Robert F. Sibert Honor book). 

 

© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

30. A Most Clever Girl

A Most Clever Girl: How Jane Austen Discovered Her Voice. Jasmine A. Stirling. Illustrated by Vesper Stamper. 2021. [March] 48 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Jane loved stories--long ones, short ones, worn and new. 

Premise/plot: A Most Clever Girl is a picture book biography of Jane Austen. The narrative has a specific focus: how did Jane Austen find her voice? or to word it a different way, how did Austen find her own unique narrative style? The book focuses on her love of READING and WRITING and sharing stories with family and friends. Along the way, readers learn a bit more about Austen's family and the times in which she grew up.

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this one. Probably my favorite thing about this picture book is that it includes Austen quotes throughout the narrative. The words that appears in italics are from Austen herself. (Adults can find the sources for these quotes in the back matter.) I also appreciated how this picture book provides context for reading and appreciating Austen's novels.

Is it really written for children? Or is it written for adults? I think that's a fair enough question. I do think there are plenty of adults who love, love, love Jane Austen who have daughters (and sons), granddaughters (and grandsons), nieces (and nephews). I could see this appealing to Austen fans regardless if they have children in their lives.

I am not someone who thinks that picture books are ONLY for children. I'm not. I think readers of all ages can read and enjoy picture books. I think you never outgrow a good story.

Have you read this one? What did you think about it?

 

 

© 2021 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

129. Grace Banker and Her Hello Girls

Grace Banker and Her Hello Girls Answer the Call. Claudia Friddell. Illustrated by Elizabeth Baddeley. 2021. [February] 40 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Grace Banker opened the newspaper on a brisk December morning in 1917--the world was at war, and General John J. Pershing, the commander of US troops across the Atlantic, was calling for female telephone operators to join the fight against Germany. 

Premise/plot: This nonfiction picture book biography stars Grace Banker one of the female telephone operators recruited to serve overseas in France during World War I at great risk to her own life. (She became the Chief Operator of the 1st Unit of World War I telephone operators.)

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this one! I had not heard of Grace Banker or the 'Hello Girls.' (Earlier this year or maybe late last year I came across a sentence or two in another book mentioning telephone operators during the first world war, but I had no idea really about what these women experienced.) I found the story fascinating. It is a well written narrative--well researched too. I loved all that back material which provided more context for understanding their place in history.

© 2020 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Lucy Maud Montgomery

Little People, Big Dreams: L.M. Montgomery. Mª Isabel Sánchez Vegara. Illustrated by Anuska Allepuz. 2018 [October]. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

Premise/plot: This is a lovely picture book biography of Lucy Maud Montgomery. It focuses on her big dream of writing and storytelling. While it briefly mentions her unhappy childhood, for the most part it stays happy-happy never delving into her adulthood unhappiness and struggles with mental health. It is a cozy read for elementary readers who are on the verge of meeting Anne for the first time.

My thoughts: I found this an enjoyable read. Last year I read a biography for an older audience (though still for youth) that was incredibly depressing though probably true to life. Mental health is important and was rarely understood in the past. It was nice that this one didn’t go dark. There is a time and place for both books.

The illustrations are good! I loved seeing a young Maud in braids. 

© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

World at War: The Brave Princess and Me

The Brave Princess and Me. Kathy Kacer. Illustrated by Juliana Kolesova. 2019. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: There once was a princess who lived in Greece. Her full name was Victoria Alice Elizabeth Julia Marie, but she was called Princess Alice. When she was very young her family discovered that she was deaf.

Premise/plot: Rachel Cohen and her daughter, Tilde, are desperate for help and they find it in the kind and gracious acts of a princess. This illustrated book for young readers is set in Greece during the Second World War. The story is inspired by true events. The princess that stars in this one is the mother of Prince Philip who is married to Queen Elizabeth II.

My thoughts: I loved, loved, loved the illustrations of this one. They are simply beautiful. I also love that it is inspired by true people and events. I have read very little about the Second World War that was set in Greece. I loved how Princess Alice fooled the Nazis by playing dumb. It never occurred to them apparently that a deaf person could be intelligent, informed, opinionated, political.

The story is written in the first person. It is short but packed with emotion.

© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Elvis is King!

Elvis is King! Jonah Winter. Illustrated by Red Nose Studios. 2019. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence:

Elvis is born!
But alas, he is born
in a humble shack
on the wrong side of the railroad tracks,
the side where the poorest of the poor live,
down down down in the Deep South--Tupelo, Mississippi.

Premise/plot: This picture book biography of Elvis Presley is written in verse. Each poem highlights a moment in his life. I should mention that this book only covers his childhood and his early young adult years. It ends with the success of Heartbreak Hotel. This picture book biography does not mention his many number one songs, his time in the military, his movie career, etc. This one is just the early stuff.

Hardware Store Guitar
There it is, hanging from a strap
behind the counter.
With pennies she saved,
Mama buys her eleven-year-old birthday boy
the most important gift he will ever receive.
It will be the key to his salvation.

 My thoughts: I don't dislike Elvis. I don't. But I don't love, love, love his work either. Still I was happy to review a picture book biography about his life. I know many people still love and adore Elvis and would love to share that love with their little ones.

I do have a slight pet peeve. I'm guessing the author didn't mean anything disrespectful to those of faith by saying that a guitar is the "most important" gift he ever received and it was "the key to his salvation." But it rubbed me the wrong way all the same. Not in an offended way, but in an annoyed way. (If you can see the distinction.)

I do like the text more than the illustrations. I HATED the illustrations.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 1 out of 5
Total: 5 out of 10


© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Love and the Rocking Chair

Love and the Rocking Chair. Diane and Leo Dillon. 2019. [October 15] Scholastic. 40 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Many years ago, a young couple stood in a sea of chairs, searching for just the right one. "Look at that chair over there. It's perfect for the baby's room," the young woman said.

Premise/plot: Love and the Rocking Chair celebrates generations of a family and the legacy of a rocking chair passed on through the years. The book opens with a young couple expecting a baby and looking for just-the-right rocking chair. The chair is used when he is a baby and as he continues to grow. It is a chair he chooses to use in his own nursery when he's all grown up and expecting a child of his own...

My thoughts: Love and The Rocking Chair is a picture book for older readers. Dare I say it's a picture books written specificially with adults in mind?! It's a lovely book, don't get me wrong. But it's a book packed with sentiment and wisdom that only age can truly appreciate.

Love and the Rocking Chair is a bittersweet read. On the one hand, captured within this gem of a book are scenes of a family through the years. Babies being rocked. Toddlers being read to. Children imagining and playing. Children growing up, getting older, moving on, etc. On the other hand, it captures some heartbreaking moments as well. The husband/father getting old/sick, the wife/mother and the son standing together by a casket mourning. The wife/mother/grandmother wishing that her husband could be by her side to see his granddaughter. It's TOUGH, TOUGH I tell you on the heart strings.

It captures what life is--the way things are, the way things will always be in this world. LOVE is always present. Every single spread captures what it means to love and be loved. That's a difficult thing perhaps to capture in a meaningful way.

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10


© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Before They Were Authors

Before They Were Authors: Famous Writers as Kids. Elizabeth Haidle. 2019. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 64 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: What makes a writer? Many of us wonder about the stories behind the stories of best selling authors...

Premise/plot: What do you call a nonfiction book that uses the graphic novel format?! This one is nonfiction. It includes brief biographies of ten--yes, ten--writers. (5 Men. 5 Women.) The writers included are Mark Twain, Maya Angelou, Dr. Seuss, Sandra Cisneros, Roald Dahl, J.K. Rowling, Gene Luen Yang, Beatrix Potter, C.S. Lewis, and Madeleine L'Engle. Some of these writers wrote for children--toddlers, preschoolers, grade school students; some of these writers wrote for young adults or even adults.

Each author biography is told over several pages. As I mentioned earlier, it uses the graphic novel/comic book format to tell the stories. Sprinkled throughout the biographies are quotes from the writers.

My thoughts: I love the idea of loving this one. I do. The truth is very few readers are going to agree on which ten authors "should" be included in the book. There are no right answers here. Some seem obvious to me--Dr. Seuss, for example or even J.K. Rowling. There is one "omission" that saddens me. I would have LOVED, LOVED, LOVED to see Beverly Cleary included here. Her story is surely just as interesting as Beatrix Potter's?! Another "omission" that comes to mind is L.M. Montgomery. Also Mo Willems. And Shannon Hale.

Are these ten authors personal favorites of mine? Not really. That's okay. The subtitle isn't Becky's Favorite Writers As Kids.



© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Voices from the Underground Railroad

Voices from the Underground Railroad. Kay Winters. Illustrated by Larry Day. 2018. 48 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Tonight's the night.

Premise/plot: Jeb and Mattie are two slaves that have decided to run away. Their stories are told in verse. The perspectives alternate between the two. Occasionally readers hear other voices as well from men and women working on the underground railroad.

My thoughts: I would definitely recommend this picture book for older readers. It is a compelling story told completely in verse. The back matter includes an author's note and extensive bibliography. The illustrations are lovely.

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 4 out of 5
Total: 9 out of 10


© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Astronaut Who Painted the Moon

The Astronaut Who Painted the Moon: The True Story of Alan Bean. Dean Robbins. Illustrated by Sean Rubin. 2019. 40 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Lights flashed. A rocket rumbled. Alan Bean's dream was about to come true.

Premise/plot: The Astronaut Who Painted the Moon is a picture book biography of Alan Bean. The book shares how he was a pilot and astronaut who learned to paint...not just what he saw, but what he felt. He would take the photographs he took of the moon and translate them into artistic paintings of what he felt like being on the moon. Whether you're interest--as a reader--is in space or space travel OR art--I think this one has much appeal.

My thoughts: I definitely loved this one. I loved the text. The narrative is engaging.

The Earth looked breathtaking from the cockpit. The white clouds above. The green fields below. The blue all around. Alan wished he could paint what he saw. He found an art class to teach him about patterns and forms. Alan dabbed his brush on the canvas to paint a vase of flowers. His flowers didn't look exactly real, but he didn't want them to. They were brighter and bolder than real ones because he let his imagination take over. The painting showed how stunning the flowers looked through Alan's eyes. How they made him feel.

I really loved the author's note. The author's note includes more information about Alan Bean. It also shows Alan's photographs side-by-side with his artwork. This book provides several quotes by Alan Bean. And overall it seems well-researched. (There's even an in-depth timeline of space exploration.)

The book focuses on his adult life--his training to be an astronaut, his moon mission, his work as a painter.

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

World at War: The Good Son

The Good Son: A Story From the First World War Told In Miniature. Pierre-Jacques Ober. Illustrated by Jules Ober and Felicity Coonan. 2019. Candlewick Press. 104 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: About one hundred years ago, the whole world went to war. The war was supposed to last months. It lasted years.

Premise/plot: The Good Son is set in France during the first world war. Pierre is a French soldier. Pierre wanting to be a good son decided to go home and visit his mother for Christmas--without permission. It was just two days. But those two days may just cost him his life. For in being a good son, his being a good soldier was called into question. As he awaits his fate he writes a letter home to his mother.

My thoughts: Don't be fooled by the format of this one. It may look like a picture book--its shape and size--but if ideas carried weight this one would weigh a ton. It is impossible to judge a book like The Good Son.

On one hand, it's visually wonderful. It is told in miniature and stars VINTAGE TOY SOLDIERS. The book is illustrated with PHOTOGRAPHS. Artistically one can't help celebrating its mastery. I'd be surprised if this one didn't earn STARS and ACCLAIM by critics.

It isn't just the art. The story is technically brilliant as well. I'm currently reading Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. If anyone knows how to slip in philosophy and BIG IDEAS into a fictional story it's Hugo. Ober makes a good, strong effort in The Good Son. Does war have a point? Is there such a thing as a good or just war? Is all war evil? What is it all for? What price does war cost us as humans? As I mentioned earlier, if ideas have weight, this one would weigh several hundred pounds.

On the other hand, The Good Son makes Jude the Obscure look like a bright, cheery, pep-you-up read. Or perhaps compare it to ANIMAL FARM. For being just 104 pages in length it packs in enough sorrow and despair for one hundred books. This book is bleak, dismal, dark, depressing. It packs a philosophical punch or two. But is it a punch readers can withstand?

© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

HIdden Figures

Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race. Margo Lee Shetterly and Winifred Conkling. Illustrated by Laura Freeman. 2018. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden were good at math. Really good.

Premise/plot: This is a picture book adaptation of the story first told in an adult nonfiction book--Hidden Figures. It follows the lives of four human computers--Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden. The focus being on their contribution to the space race and the challenges they faced as black women at a time when they would face discrimination for being black and for being female.

My thoughts: I loved, loved, loved Hidden Figures. The book and movie were fabulous. I highly recommend both. I'm glad to see this story is being adapted for all ages and audiences. The illustrations are wonderful. The book received a Coretta Scott King Honor for illustration in 2019.

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 10 out of 10

© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Eliza: The Story of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton

Eliza: The Story of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton. Margaret McNamara. Illustrated by Esme Shapiro. 2018. 48 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence:

July 4, 1854, Washington
My dearly beloved Elizabeth, for I hope that is what you will be called, if you are born a girl, my daughter who is your grandmama, has asked me to devote this day to writing a letter to you, about my very long and fortunate life. I am not much given to letter-writing nowadays, nor was I ever inclined to write about myself, yet you may perhaps find much to interest you herein.

Premise/plot: It is a picture book biography of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton. The framework of this one is that Eliza herself is telling her own story via letter to her yet unborn great-granddaughter. (This much is fact: the last year of Eliza's life--1854--her granddaughter was expecting a child.) The book spans her whole life--well, up until 1854.

My thoughts: I liked this one. I do think it is a picture book for older children; perhaps I'd even go so far as to say it's a picture book for adults. There is a LOT of text. I think for those that love, love, love the musical Hamilton and for those that also enjoy reading, this one is worth seeking out.

I liked the text; I liked the illustrations. But I didn't "love, love, love" either. I am glad I read it. It is nice to read picture books that touch upon history now and then. 

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10


© 2019 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Ordinary, Extraordinary Jane Austen

Ordinary, Extraordinary Jane Austen. Deborah Hopkinson. Illustrated by Qin Leng. 2018. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: It is a truth universally acknowledged that Jane Austen is one of our greatest writers. But it might surprise you to know that Jane lived a simple life. She wasn't rich or even very famous in her time.

Premise/plot: Ordinary, Extraordinary Jane Austen is a picture book biography of Jane Austen. The narrative is perfectly suitable for sharing with young readers. Yet it may delight older readers--adult readers--even more. What age is the right age for a person to "meet" Jane Austen?

My thoughts: What a lovely book! I enjoyed this one so much. I love, love, love Jane Austen. Though truth be told, I love Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte more than any individual novel by Jane Austen. (With the exception of Persuasion. Persuasion and Jane Eyre are probably too much of a tie to decide which one is my absolute, most favorite book.) I didn't start reading or watching Austen until I was an adult. (Unless you count Clueless as an introduction to Emma. I think I might have even read Emma as a teen, but I can't remember for sure. I think it was my first Austen to buy--and I did buy it because of Clueless.)

I found the writing to be wonderful.

There were plenty of stories for her to read, too. Her father's great library boasted five hundred books (almost all of them by men). Since Jane had little outside schooling, the library was her classroom. And while Jane devoured everything, from history to poetry to biographies, she loved novels best of all. 

The illustrations were PERFECT.

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 10 out of 10


© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

P is for Pterodactyl: The Worst Alphabet Book Ever

P is for Pterodactyl: The Worst Alphabet Book Ever. Raj Haldar and Chris Carpenter. Illustrated by Maria Tina Beddia. 2018. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: A is for Aisle. The bread aisle has not been cleaned in aeons, and nine tiny beasts meet to have a feast.

Premise/plot: This book is not your traditional alphabet book. It is choosing to highlight words that "misbehave" in one way or another. Usually misbehaving words start with silent letters or break phonic rules in some way. Some letters are trickier to find examples for than others. Some choices make total sense--others not so much. There is a glossary and word pronunciation guide at the back of the book.

More examples:

• C is for Czar. Shhh! The fascinating czar is secretly part Czech.
• E is for Ewe. Eileen the ewe was so euphoric the wolves were eaten, she even gave the eulogy.
• G is for Gnocchi. The gnome yells, "Waiter! There's a bright white gnat nibbling on my gnocchi!"
• I is not for Eye. We asked the pirate if he has two eyes, and he said, "aye, aye!"
• K is for Knight. The noble knight's knife nicked the knave's knee.
• N is not for Knot. N is for naughty children who will sing a solemn hymn when autumn comes to an end. 
• P is for Pterodactyl. Ptolemy the psychic pterodactyl struggles with psoriasis. 
• T is for Tsunami. The charging tsunami washed away all of Tchaikovsky's tchotchkes. 

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. I did. Granted, I am an adult. I'm not sure this is a picture book for actual children. As in children who are just beginning to read and sound out words. I'm not sure how it would work as a read aloud for a group. Perhaps it has some potential there! If you are planning to read it aloud, I'd recommend practice. (It's always a great idea to pre-read a book before reading it aloud anyway.)

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10

© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Boo-Boos That Changed the World

The Boo-Boos That Changed the World: A True Story About an Accidental Invention (Really!). Barry Wittenstein. Illustrated by Chris Hsu. 2018. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence:  Once upon a time, in 1917 actually, a cotton buyer named Earle Dickson married his beloved, Josephine, and they lived happily ever after. The end. Actually, that was just the beginning. The newlyweds expected to live a quiet life in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Instead, Earle and Josephine ended up changing the world, one boo-boo at a time.

Premise/plot: This is a nonfiction book about the inventor of the band-aid. There is a personal story behind this invention.

My thoughts: I found this one to be a compelling read. I'd never thought about the person who invented band-aids. Like most, I imagine, I have taken them for granted never giving a moment's thought to WHO invented them and WHY. (Not to mention the WHEN and HOW). I am thankful for the invention--as a book lover prone to paper cuts they're an absolute necessity--and thankful for the book.



© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Promise

The Promise. Pnina Bat Zvi and Margie Wolfe. Illustrated by Isabelle Cardinal. 2018. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Rachel pulled herself out of her happy dream. In her sleep she was free to be with her friends and go to school. But now, the gong announced the beginning of another day in Auschwitz prison camp.

Premise/plot: Toby and Rachel are sisters held together by love and a promise: to stay together no matter what. Can these two sisters keep that promise even in Auschwitz? Is the promise worth risking everything for?

My thoughts: What an emotional story! The Promise is a nonfiction picture book for older readers. It is NOT for young readers, in my opinion. Of course one could ask when is the right age--the appropriate time--to introduce the subject of the Holocaust to children. I do think it's something that must be taught, shared. Those voices--in particular nonfiction--deserve to be heard in every generation.

There are a few picture books set during the Holocaust or World War II. But there aren't all that many. I do think it's worth reading.

Text: 4 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 7 out of 10


© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

Irving Berlin: The Immigrant Boy Who Made America Sing

Irving Berlin: The Immigrant Boy Who Made America Sing. Nancy Churnin. Illustrated by James Rey Sanchez. 2018. 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Irving stood on tiptoe to see over the rail. Behind him, too far to glimpse, was Russia where angry Cossacks had burned his family's home to ashes. Ahead was America. What would they find there?

Premise/plot: Nancy Churnin has written a picture book biography of songwriter Irving Berlin. She begins his story with his family's journey to America. He was five. Life in the new country was hard--strange--but Berlin loved it. The picture book focuses on his early years: how he got started writing songs, how he got into the music business, his most popular songs. But the book specifically highlights his writing "God Bless America."

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. I found it informative and compelling. I didn't realize how little I knew about his personal life until I read this one. I think we all tend to take certain songs for granted without really thinking about why/how they were written, without thinking about the songwriters behind them. It's a book worth reading.

© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

The Remember Balloons

The Remember Balloons. Jessie Oliveros. Illustrated by Dana Wulfekotte. 2018. Simon & Schuster. 48 pages. [Source: Library]

 First sentence: I have lots and lots of balloons, way more than my little brother. "This one's my favorite," I tell him, pointing to the balloon filled with my last birthday party. When I look at it, I can see the pony again. I can still taste the chocolate frosting.

Premise/plot: The balloons in the story symbolize a person's memories. James, our narrator, has many balloons though not as many as his parents and his grandpa. But that changes over the course of the book. His grandpa loses all of his balloons--his memories. This upsets James greatly. But then he notices that while his grandpa's balloons are gone, he has plenty of NEW balloons. Every single story his grandpa shared with him--every single balloon--is now his. His to remember. His to share. His to cherish.

But Grandpa has been having problems with his balloons lately. One will get caught in a tree, and he'll tell me the same story over and over. "Let me tell you about the Christmas I went to Aunt Nelle's farm," Grandpa says, even though he just finished telling me about it. Other times, a balloon will float right out of his hand, and he won't even know it.

My thoughts: I love, love, love, LOVE, crazy-love this one. It is incredibly good. It is sweet, bittersweet, and thought-provoking. It is on a sensitive topic; one that might be difficult for children to understand. (It may be "easy" for adults to grasp what Alzheimer's disease is mentally at least, but it's far from easy to process it in reality.)

This book celebrates FAMILY. I love that. The boy is obviously close with his whole family, but he is especially close with his grandfather. You don't always see that in picture books. It's obvious that these two have a lot of shared memories.

This book also celebrates STORIES. I really love that. Stories are gifts. Storytellers are gifted. Stories create bonds; stories celebrate what matters in life. The good. The bad. The ugly. The hilarious. The sweet. The more you hear a story, the more it becomes YOURS. Stories definitely shape/mold/transform our own memories, our own sense of self, of who we are, of where we belong.

I thought about my own balloons while reading this story. As soon as I read the book, I made my mom read it. Soon after she was, "I have a balloon I want to give you, but I'm not sure of its color." She then started telling me a story about how my sister told the nurse that her mama was going to be giving HER a baby.

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 5 out of 5
Total: 10 out of 10

© 2018 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews