You know I always have fun looking for accidental themes in my blogs. I think this month my theme is appreciating each moment of time, whether that’s spent pursuing your passions or connecting with a friend. As always, enjoy!
Picture Books
“The Skeleton and the Cat” written and illustrated by Brandon James Scott
The Skeleton loves to garden and enjoys a cozy mug of tea with a good book. Her life is comfortable and predictable, so when the Cat arrives at her doorstep, she’s reluctant to let him in. But with cheerful persistence on the part of the Cat, the two quickly become friends. We watch their friendship unfold over a series of five short stories as the two spend the day together. From sandwich lessons (the Skeleton is terribly confused about how to eat a sandwich) to dancing through the garden, to reading and stargazing together, they have a beautiful start to their friendship. Though a skeleton and black cat may seem spooky, the illustrations are cheerful and bursting with color and light. Perfect for fans of cozy friendship stories, especially new readers who are ready to tackle a slightly longer book.
“Today is the Day” written by Chelsea Lin Wallace and illustrated by Adam Rex
A bird sings out to welcome the new Day. The Day gets moving, knowing that it has so much to do. Around the world, the Day celebrates millions of birthdays, witnesses 100,000 airplanes take off, and welcomes thousands of new lives while saying farewell to others.
Though Day feels special, it also often feels ignored. When it realizes it’s only one of roughly 27,000 days in a person’s life, it wonders if it’s really so important. A mayfly helps it gain perspective, and the Day realizes it may very well be remembered as some people’s best Day. This book is told from such a unique perspective! It has delightfully chaotic illustrations of life around the world, and the back matter has fascinating statistics about all the things that happen in a day.
Chapter Books
“Sleepless” by Gordon Korman
Five seventh graders suddenly discover that they don’t need to sleep anymore. With wide open nights, they each pursue their own interests, excelling at academics, sports, theater, inventions, and social media influencing.
A chance encounter in the middle of the night leads them to the realization that they’re not alone, and the five become unlikely friends. But as they enjoy the fruits of their nighttime labors, a niggling suspicion that this may be more of a curse than a blessing takes root. Soon they’re wondering if success really counts if you have an unfair advantage over everyone else and if being productive is really the only thing time should be for. They’ll need to work together to solve the mystery of their condition and decide if they truly want a cure. Told in alternating first-person perspectives, this is a fast-paced and intriguing read.
“Dare You to Dance” by Rebecca Mock
Gracie is thrilled to be leaving her small town in Ohio to attend a prestigious summer workshop with the New York Ballet Company. But the reality of NYC is very different from her dreams, and she struggles to adjust to the noise, pace, and cutthroat classmates.
Determined to motivate herself, she proclaims a rivalry with Sariah, the most talented girl in class. But Sariah is too focused and serious for a little friendly competition—it seems like what she could use most is a friend. Gracie has to learn to balance her drive and expectations with compassion. This graphic novel does an impressive job of showing the incredible hard work that goes into following your passion. The behind-the-scenes look at the world of ballet is full of both juicy drama and heart.
