Get Dressed! by Katy Canales

Ready for some nonfiction goodness? I know I am, and today's read takes a peek at a rarer theme found in this age group range. Fashion! As a person, who loves to sew and be creative, this drew my attention. Now, I realize that not all younger readers out there, who are working up their reading skills, will get excited about a book on fashion. But they are there. I've met them. Luckily, this one also should present the information in an inter-active, game manner...or so the blurb claims. I'm excited to dive in because this one could be tons of fun.

So, grab those garments and add a little history dust...and off we go!

GET DRESSED!

A Historical Guessing Game for Fashion Lovers

by Katy Canales

Illustrated by Erin Vanessa

Phaidon Press

Children's Nonfiction

48 pages

ages 5 to 8

COMING MAY 13th!!!

An illustrated, interactive introduction to fashion history for children, revealing the fascinating connections between clothing and culture

In this first book of fashion history for children, young readers will discover fabulous clothing and fashion trends worn by people past and present. Packed with extraordinary facts and eye-catching illustrations, the book reveals through a fun guessing game format why Elizabethan men stuffed their stockings, only certain people were allowed to wear red in the Ottoman Empire, and Marie Antoinette once wore a wig with a toy ship in it.

Featuring 10 high-interest periods including the Ancient Greeks, Early Iron Age Denmark, Tang Dynasty China, Elizabethan England, the French Revolution, Edo Era Japan, 1920s USA, and 1950s Ghana, Get Dressed! goes back in time to capture the fun of fashions’ past, from the perfectly practical to the potentially perilous.

The book also includes a forward-looking spread on fashion’s future, featuring designers known for their ground-breaking and sustainable approaches, such as Stella McCartney, Sami Miro, Tommy Hilfiger, and Vivienne Westwood.

GOODREADS     /     PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

The answer to the question of what people wore throughout history and across the globe holds more than a few surprises.

These pages jump through various time periods and various places around the globe to highlight several things the people at that time wore. From the Tang Dynasty in China to the Olympics to the Inca civilization, all sorts of climates, purposes, and situations hit the spotlight. Ten periods are looked at and each one zooms in on four different individuals or jobs, ranging from Queen Elizabeth to children during the Iron Age and more. Starting with a question directly pointed at a time period and place, there's a short paragraph with a historical overview to lay the foundation. A bright illustration brings the scene and individuals to life with tags to point out who they are and several details about their clothing and such. To wrap it up, there's a question, which shows three answers to a question surrounding the clothing of the four people being looked at...two correct and one wrong. There are several more very short descriptions to add more historical goodness as well.

There's quite a bit of information packed into these pages, and it's delivered in an entertaining way, which draws in and holds the attention. The chosen time periods and situations are all over the place, meaning the variety is wide-ranging and includes a few famous individuals but mostly everyday people. While some of the clothing articles don't surprise, others are quite interesting. The information about each one is short but grabbing while offering insights and knowledge. Even the wrong answers include a quick sentence about when they were discovered/worn and a few other tidbits. 

The illustrations are, obviously, key, since a visual of the clothing is as important as the descriptions and historical goodness. These are nicely done and make each one easy to understand. The full scenes hold other details to a depth to each moment and even more historical information.

While this one is recommended for 5 to 8 year-olds, I'd slide it to the upper end of this audience level and even recommend it for slightly older readers.

This is not only a fun read for history buffs and fashion friends but would make a nice addition for groups as they study the various time periods...for classrooms as well as homeschoolers. It adds a different perspective to the historical time periods and deepens the understanding of what life was like at that time. Plus, it's an enjoyable read.

And here they are...

Debut children’s author Katy Canales is the Beatrix Potter Curator. Katy joined the National Trust after a decade at Young V&A and the V&A Museum. As curator, she produced family-focused exhibitions, displays and public events. Katy was the V&A Museum’s children’s clothing collection specialist.

Erin Vanessa’s artwork is a blend of traditional and digital methods. Erin lives and works in Canada. She is the author/illustrator of two picture books: You Do You-nicorn and Swept Away at Witch Camp.

Earhart by Torben Kuhlmann

When I first saw today's read, I wasn't sure it would be quite what I was looking for. I'll admit, while I adore history and such, there aren't many books out there, which can hit a historical figure and bring them across in a way that middle graders will really enjoy...unless the readers just happen to be looking for that kind of thing. In other words, I find that these books tend to be for a niche audience or better for the learning end of things. So, I hesitated on this one but something about it made me want to give it a chance.  

Will I regret it or, maybe, I'll be won over? It turns out there's an entire series with similar books, so I could be headed into an entire row of reads to pick up and explore. Let's find out if this one is a winner or not!

(Note: This one is going onto my possible favorites of the year list. After my first thoughts, I had to smile about that, too.)

Also, it's Monday! That means the Marvelous Middle Grade list is up with a list or recommended reads from lovers and knowers of the genre. Just head on over HERE!

EARHART

The Incredible Flight of a Field Mouse Around the World

by Torben Kuhlmann

Illustrated by David Henry Wilson

NorthSouth Books

Middle Grade Fiction

128 pages

ages 8 to 12

COMING MAY 13th!!!

The latest tale in award-winning author and illustrator Torben Kuhlmann’s Mouse Adventures series takes flight with the courage and spirit of aviation pioneers.

For the field mice, the boundary of the garden is the edge of the world. But one little field mouse is determined to discover the wide world beyond the burrow—even if she isn’t supposed to fly. With her knack for engineering and help from an experienced mouse aviator, she defies the other field mice and sets off on a daring journey. Could it be that she inspired Amelia Earhart’s pioneering aviation career?

Amelia Earhart dreamed of becoming a pilot after she attended an airshow, and went on to defy gender barriers when she became the first female to fly non-stop across the Atlantic. Torben Kuhlmann’s masterfully rendered illustrations and gripping story, inspired by Earhart, encourage young readers to pursue their passions–despite all obstacles.

Includes nonfiction backmatter: a biography of Amelia Earhart, a description of her infamous flight and the myths around it, and a timeline of other successful flights around the world!

“Adventure is worthwhile in itself.” –Amelia Earhart

GOODREADS

MY TIDBITS

Get ready for adventure because this little mouse is about to go where no mouse has gone before.

This book is only one of...oh, I don't know how many books centered around historical moments, which set san adorable mouse as the main character. I picked this read up unaware of the series, and that's no problem since these are made as stand-alones. I will be heading back to discover some of the other tales, though, since it is really a delightful read. 

A little field mouse dreams of discovering the world beyond its burrow and receives inspiration from a tale about a mouse, who once flew to a far away place itself. After seeing amazing places around the globe on stamps, the mouse takes one on its back and heads out to see if its truly possible to visit far away places. Especially the giant cats in Africa seem like something worth seeing...if they truly exist. The journey leads to unexpected places and has the mouse meeting interesting characters. There's danger, disappointment, unexpected surprises, and experiences which make the heart soar. But the goal of flying to Africa isn't one easily achieved, and every step forward could be the mouse's last.

I'm simply going to gush over my favorite part of this read right away: the illustrations. Middle grade books tend to be packed with words, where illustrations remain on the  sideline at best. This book turns that trend on its head. Each page radiates with capturing scenes, filled with details and love. The artwork is carefully done and visually adds so much depth and information to each moment. It's a treat to simply pick the book up and soak in each one.

The text is well set for the middle grade audience or as a read-aloud for slightly younger audiences (but it will take several sessions to get through this read that way). The chapters are short but grabbing. While it might first appear that this might work for chapter book readers, the vocabulary and sentences are fitting to the slightly older reading group. While the illustrations carry much of the world-building visually, the text concentrates on driving the plot and characters' personalities forward. And it does a marvelous job, making the mouse easy to like and root for. The plot is also quick-paced, tense and intriguing. Even more reluctant readers won't steer clear of this one. It reminded me a bit of An American Tail.

With all of this mouse-adventure goodness, there is a historical twist...and it didn't come like I expected. Ms. Earhart doesn't play a major role in the story until the very end. Instead, the joy of chasing goals, and the difficulty and work involved in finding a way (or finding a way to fly) is explored. The historical aspects hit after this inspiration settles in, building on the excitement after the tale. Not only is there a summary of Earhart's journey (and this, too, is interesting and even explores the various myths of what really happened to her), but other famous flights are quickly summed up and highlighted. 

Not only is this a very enjoyable read, but it uses the inspiration to introduce historical facts and leave the readers with a new respect for accomplishments of the past. 

And her he is...

Torben Kuhlmann lives and works in Hamburg as a freelance children’s author and illustrator. He studied illustration and communications design at the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences. He wrote and illustrated his first picture book, Lindbergh: The Tale of a Flying Mouse, in 2012 as his final thesis, and it was published in 2014 by NorthSouth. It quickly became a bestseller and has been translated into more than 30 languages. Three more Mouse Adventures followed and were equally successful, including 2019 Batchelder honor and ALA Notable Book Edison. The publication of Earhart, the fifth book, marks the tenth anniversary of the series. However, a few mouse-free books have also crept into the repertoire during the last ten years, including Moletown, The Clown Said No, and The Gray City.

Starstuff edited by William Alexander and Wade Roush

Anyone who regularly follows me might remember me mentioning the up-tick in science fiction literature in the kidlit realm. Today's read is another one, which happened across my radar. It's an anthology for middle graders...I don't cover many of those, either. Like never. So, this will be an interesting treat, too, since anthologies offer not only short reads but hold a nice variety...when done right. 

Which I hope this one is. Let's sit back and look!

STARSTUFF

Ten Science Fiction Stories to Celebrate New Possibilities

by Various Authors

edited by William Alexander & Wade Roush

MIT Kids Press

Middle Grade Science Fiction Anthology

288 pages

ages 8 to 12

COMING MAY 20th!!!

In a thrilling follow-up to Tasting Light, ten best-selling and award-winning masters of the form use the possible—and the premise of hope—to explore how science and technology can reshape our world and defy assumptions.

At once a collection of hard science fiction for curious middle-graders and an antidote to despair in the face of dystopian uncertainty, these ten horizon-bending stories may seem unreal, but all follow the rules of physics and biology as we understand them today. These tales of space junk, multiverse navigation, an asteroid named Doomsday, and bees and marmots in space pulse with honesty and optimism. Whether home is a planet, a moon, a space station, or a fleet starship, relatable protagonists of different genders, classes, nationalities, ethnicities, and orientations face challenges—some harrowing, some hilarious—true to their moment in time and space. Brisk plots, resonant themes, and scientific rigor define these forward-facing stories by leading middle-grade authors. Taken together, the tales champion youth agency through characters who approach science in adventurous ways, underscoring that we are all, indeed, made of the same luminous stuff.

With stories
William Alexander * A. R. Capetta * Maddi Gonzalez * Carlos Hernandez * Kekla Magoon * Jenn Reese * David Robertson * Wade Roush * Eliot Schrefer * Fran Wilde

GOODREADS

MY TIDBITS

These pages offer a smorgasbord of short stories to delight more than just science fiction fans.

I can't remember the last time I picked up an anthology for the middle grade audience, and I'll admit that I grabbed this one with uncertainty...which was completely misplaced. This is a fun collection of ten short stories surrounding space in various ways, which stretch not only the imagination but add food for thought. The stories hover around twenty to thirty or so pages and are easy to read thanks to the larger font and wider sentence spacing. Even the longer tales are easily enjoyed as shorter reads. The tales hit a large array of directions, everything from aliens to asteroids to space stations and more. Some are more Earth based, while others shoot into the stars and beyond. While there are action packed tales, other head into the drama direction and touch the heart. 

Each story centers around a character, which middle graders can sympathize with. The messages are also appropriate for the age group and will resonate with the intended audience. There's something for everyone, allowing readers to dive into tense scifi moments or take on more true-to-life issues with a galactic twist. I enjoy that the variety demonstrates the broad spectrum science fiction can include as it reaches beyond space ships, lasers and little green men. Instead, it shows the various directions the genre can take. 

This is a lovely collection to pickup and enjoy in pieces here and there, or dive into and enjoy from beginning to end...or simply as the stories catch each reader's attention. 

And here he is...

Wade Roush is a freelance science and technology writer, columnist at Scientific American, and host and producer of the tech-and-culture podcast Soonish. His work has appeared in Science, Xconomy, and MIT Technology Review. He is the editor of the science fiction anthology Twelve Tomorrows (MIT Press).

The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall by Charis Cotter

 Time for a little mystery with today's read. This is a summer camp mystery set back in the 1960's. The cover is dark and spooky, isn't it? And who doesn't love to canoe across a river...maybe, not in the dark, but still. 

Anyway, let's see how this one goes!

THE MYSTERY OF THE HAUNTED DANCE HALL

by Charis Cotter

Tundra Books

Middle Grade Mystery

392 pages

ages 9 to 12

COMING...

MAY 13th!!!

Set in the '60s at a summer camp, The Mystery of the Haunted Dance Hall is a spooky, atmospheric middle-grade story for fans of classic ghost stories, unlikely friendships and intriguing mysteries.

Bee's mom has a job in New York City for the summer, so Bee is being sent to summer camp. She's not excited about it. Being around other people is hard for her, plus she knows nothing about campfires, she's not a good swimmer and she's never even been in a canoe.

When she first arrives, things go pretty much as she expected. The other girls either make fun of her or ignore her, and the woods surrounding the camp give her the she keeps hearing elusive music coming from somewhere in the distance, and there's something unearthly about it.

But then Zippy comes on the scene — an oddball like Bee, but with a lot more confidence and hard-won knowledge gleaned from many summers spent at this exact camp. And most importantly, Zippy has also discovered mysterious behavior going on at the the older girls from the Hawks cabin are sneaking out to do . . . something. They're always exhausted, and their flashlight batteries are running out at an alarming rate. But their counselors are never woken up by girls sneaking out, no one on staff doing nightly rounds ever sees them outside the cabin, and even when they start doing a bed check at night, the girls all seem to be in their bunks.

Zippy and Bee are on the case, and with the help of an unlikely ally, they try to figure out what the Hawks are up to. But they soon discover there's more going on than just the usual summer-camp hijinks. How are the Hawks getting out at night? What is the deal with the (very cute) mysterious boy who seems to be working with the groundskeeper? Where is the distant music coming from? And what does the reclusive camp founder know about all of it?

GOODREADS    /     PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

Bee is a bit different from other kids and so far, has been able to avoid summer camp thanks to all of her quirks. But not this year. Her mother needs to head to New York for a few weeks for work, leaving Bee with a 'must go' ultimatum. At camp, things start out a little rough as she just doesn't seem to fit in, but she expected that. When she meets Zippy, things do a turn around, and she has a friend. Before she can sink into camp fun, Bee notices strange things occurring. There's music coming from somewhere in the middle of the night, and no one seems to notice the older girls sneaking out. Or are they? Because the few times anyone checks, the girls are in their beds. But something's up, and Bee is going to get to the bottom of it.

 

This heads back to earlier summer camp days, where cell phones didn't exist and kids found other ways to keep themselves busy. Bee enters the camp with a closed door to others and doesn't really feel comfortable in her own skin, There's a bit of bullying, but that is quickly dimmed as she finds Zippy and her first friend. The friendship between the two is inspiring, which is great since they are up against quite the mystery. 

While the twists and turns are unexpected and things such as hidden passages and dark forests draw in, this is a calmer spooky read, which slowly draws in and let's things unfold as they come. It's not easy to guess what will happen next, and the odd occurrences will have readers questioning what is going on. The pacing is steady, but it isn't necessarily for action fans. Rather, it's for those readers who want to enjoy the characters and discover what secrets the camp holds.

And here she is...

CHARIS COTTER went to camp for ten years and never wanted to go home at the end of summer. Growing up beside a graveyard, she became well acquainted with ghosts and has been living with them ever since. Charis studied English in university and went to drama school in London, England. She is the multi-award-winning author of several novels and picture books, including The Swallow, The Ghost Road, The Dollhouse, and Screech! Ghost Stories from Old Newfoundland. Charis has worked extensively in schools and libraries from coast to coast, using drama and storytelling to bring her books to life. Her performances of Newfoundland ghost stories have thrilled audiences of all ages, from Florida to Vancouver Island. She lives at the end of a road beside the ocean, in one of the most haunted parts of Newfoundland, Canada. 

Kat's Greek Summer by Mima Tipper

With Spring fully underway, thoughts of Summer are slowly simmering toward the front of the mind. I'm beginning to mentally lay out a list of the places we might visit. Short weekend and day trips. Like last year, I'm going to have to skip on a larger vacation for now. Farm life makes longer trips hard (animals like to eat and be cared for), and my oldest is moving from Kansas to the Virginian coast in a few months, which will require whatever time I can squeeze out to help him. But I am looking forward to seeing Virginia even if it won't be for leisure.

Anyway, today's read is perfect for summer vacation dreamers, especially those who might love to travel abroad. I'm expecting cultural goodness, a bit of self-discovery, maybe a little tensions, and since this is a romance...well, romance.

Let's see if anyone else will want to visit Greece after reading this one!

KAT'S GREEK SUMMER

by Mima Tipper

SparkPress

YA Romance

248 pages

COMING...

MAY 13th!!!

For fans of Jenna Evans Welch and Barbara Dee, a timely and uplifting contemporary YA story of a young girl risking all for self-truth, family, and first love over one sun-drenched Greek summer.

Ready—set—look out, world! Kat Baker is about to explode . . . onto the high school scene, that is. All she has to do? Spend July and August training with New Canaan High’s cross-country team, become a running goddess and, come fall, claim her place as the team’s star freshman runner.

When her mom shocks her with the unwelcome news that the family will spend the summer exploring their roots in the rustic Greek village of Paralia, Kat’s sure her high school popularity plan is toast. Once in Paralia, punishing heat and cultural clashes force her to launch a risky and covert training strategy to keep her running-star dreams alive. And it is during these hidden sessions that Kat is swept into late-night encounters with Theofilus Zafirakis, a beautiful but off-limits Greek boy.

As Kat’s lies mount, her secret odyssey spirals out of control, finally putting one of her cousins in danger. In the end, it takes the unexpected meddling of a village full of crazy, wonderful—and not so wonderful—Greeks for her to open up to her Greek side and stand strong, discovering at last that the key to belonging anywhere is belonging first to herself.

GOODREADS     /     PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

Reaching goals clashes with family expectations to allow secrets, romance, and bitter-sweet moments to flood in.

Kat is about to start high school, and thanks to a guy on the team, she's determined to become the next track team goddess. As she's ramping up her training to, hopefully, impress and catch her heart's attention, her mother drops a bombshell and the family heads to Greece for the entire summer...which means no team summer training for Kat. Worse yet, Yiayia, the grandmother, lives in the most remote fishing town possible, where there's no internet, no real door to the bedroom, and the most old-fashioned expectations ever. Not only does Kat's running outfit constantly catch attention and Yiayia's criticism, but she's soon seen as a bad influence on her cousins. Especially when she constantly seeks to meet a fisherman, who has caught her interest. A possible relationship between her and the handsome teen isn't catching anyone's approval, which means they need to meet in secret. In other words, the entire summer is turning into a huge mess. 

This is a wonderful read for fans of high school romance, who enjoy forbidden love and a character who's trying to find her way. The family life of Kat is already in a bit of an upset thanks to the divorce, and her mother's desire to reconnect with her family in Greece rocks everything a bit more. Kat's disappointment at having to give up of her plans of training with the team during the summer are understandable as is her disappointment and irritation at spending months in a foreign atmosphere under somewhat rustic circumstances...especially when she doesn't speak Greek and few speak English. She does carry some sass, especially in the beginning, which makes her a bit prickly, at times. Yet, there's enough family love shining through to draw in sympathy. Her decisions aren't always great, but it's fitting for her age...and readers will see that, maybe, things could go a bit differently if she'd just step back from her emotions for a moment.

While readers get a feel for the culture, landscape, and lifestyle of the town and people, the descriptions never weigh down. Rather, there's just enough to create the scenes and give a little depth as the tale flows along. The culture differences are also reflected in the relationships between Kat and her family members. These aren't always easy, and there are more than a few hurdles to smooth out, while other moments are touching and inspiring. Even the romance displays the cultural differences as the father of Kat's crush disapproves right along with Kat's own family. This leads to more bad decisions as Kat allows herself to be driven by the moments. 

Fans of high school romance are sure to want to pick this one up as a summer read because it doesn't disappoint...if you enjoy characters, who make mistakes, and lessons about life, which need to be learned. I especially see tweens enjoying this one (the younger end of the young adult audience), and it should be noted that there is light intimacy in the romance, which upper middle graders, who are peering at this one, might want to be aware of.

And here she is...

Mima Tipper is half Greek and half American, and her writing reflects her heritage—a little bit old-country, a little bit rock and roll; one foot wandering through the dreamy realm of myths and faerie tales, the other running on the solid ground of fast-paced, contemporary story. She earned her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and has published YA fiction in Hunger Mountain and Sucker Literary magazine. When not working on her own writing, she is committed to promoting literacy and to supporting the writing community. Mima lives in Vermont.