Jabari Tries by Gaia Cornwall

"I'm making a flying machine today! Jabari told his dad."

Little sister Nika would love to help but Jabari says NO - this is HIS machine and he will make it fly - right across the garden. 

Then his dad says:

"You know, I bet Nika would love to help out ... what if you thought of her more like a partner?"

Nika joins in and helps but the plane just won't work. When the plane crashes yet again dad says:

"It looks like a frustrating problem ... When I'm frustrated I gather up all my patience and take a deep breath, and blow away all the mixed feelings inside ... And then I try again."

This is the second book about Jabari. I am not a fan of books with "messages" but I love the message in this book and the way it is conveyed. Themes of cooperation; problem solving; perseverance; sibling relationships; listening to wisdom; and accepting help from others.

This generously sized picture book offers a lovely picture of mentorship and healthy relationships in the context of a thriving Black family with dark skin tones. Jabari’s emotional ups and downs will be familiar to young children, and his hard-won success feels triumphant. Kirkus Star review

With older students you could also use this book to research the inventors that Jabari admires - Lewis Howard Latimer (electricity); Dr Flossie Wong-Staal (HIV AIDS); Roy Allela (Sign language gloves); and Dr Shirley Ann Jackson (Physics). Actually I think these choices reflect more about the author and not Jabari who is perhaps a little too young to know about these four inventors. 

Here is the previous book about Jabari:

Publisher blurb: Jabari is definitely ready to jump off the diving board. He’s finished his swimming lessons and passed his swim test, and he’s a great jumper, so he’s not scared at all. “Looks easy,” says Jabari, watching the other kids take their turns. But when his dad squeezes his hand, Jabari squeezes back. He needs to figure out what kind of special jump to do anyway, and he should probably do some stretches before climbing up onto the diving board. In a sweetly appealing tale of overcoming your fears, newcomer Gaia Cornwall captures a moment between a patient and encouraging father and a determined little boy you can’t help but root for.

Here is an interview where Gaia talks about Jabari Jumps. 

The Wrath of the Woolington Wyrm by Karen Foxlee illustrated by Freda Chiu

Could there be any truth to the myth of the beast who lives in the ancient well? And if so, why would it return? 

What is a Wyrm? 

I did a little research and found these definitions:

• In European mythology, a wyrm  is often depicted as a snake of considerable size and somehow related to dragons.
• A huge limbless and wingless dragon or dragon-like creature.

Mary-Kate also does some research and discovers a picture of an Annelid. It looks very similar to the painting of the legendary worm that she has seen in the village library.  "Annelids are segmented worms. If their tail ends are cut off they can sometimes grow them back again." "An earthworm is a type of annelid. They can have five or more hearts. ... They leave behind trails of slime." "Earthworms don't have eyes, but they can sense light. They also feel vibrations."

Mary-Kate is a sensible girl. She has her strawberry scented notebook and glitter pens. She fills her bag with things that give her courage and help her to overcome her many anxieties. It is time to get the facts about this wyrm and then to formulate a theory about the mysterious happenings in this small village.  

Publisher blurb: Dressed in sparkly red shoes and carrying her strawberry-scented notebook, Mary-Kate is accompanying her archaeologist mother to the tranquil English countryside to investigate some interesting bones found in an old well. But once they arrive, they realise that the village of Woolington is not as peaceful as it seems. Mysterious noises, earth tremors and a terrifying legend have the locals frightened.

I especially appreciated the way Karen Foxlee gives her readers a strong sense of place - in this case a small English-style village. There is a map included at the beginning of the book. I do enjoy books with maps  It is also easy to like Mary-Kate because she is so honest about her fears and personal rituals.

"Mary-Kate Martin chose from her lucky items collection carefully. First, she chose the lucky silver packet that contained the last seven pieces of gum that her father left behind before he disappeared on Mount Snishapangma when she was five."

Then she adds - her novelty Big Ben torch; her lucky stress ball; and her international coin collection of 33 coins in a small glass jar. She puts on her red sparkly shoes. Her backpack is also red and sparkly so she has exactly the right amount of sparkle. Mary-Kate is somewhat of a catastrophist. 

"She'd worry that by not wearing matching clothes something would happen. Something terrible. Like a train crash. Or an avalanche. Or an avalanche onto a train travelling through a mountain tunnel."

Mary-Kate does not like brown pencils; beginnings and ending; facing backwards on trains; small talk in social situations; slime; or sudden changes. But she has uncovered a mystery and she has a new friend Arabella and she likes the eccentric village residents so now it's time to put aside some of her fears and try sort out the truth.

Each chapter begins with a extract from PK Mayberry's Guide to Monsters of the Northern Hemisphere:

"Truth is at the heart of every monster hunters' search."

"A monster hunters' greatest tool is knowledge."

"Monsters quite often do very surprising things."

This story had me guessing right to the end. I kept forming my own theories about the wyrm, most of which were proved to be completely incorrect. 

Huge thanks to Allen and Unwin for sending this review copy. The Wrath of the Woolington Wrym will be enjoyed by readers aged 9+. It would also be a good book to read aloud in a family. 

Foxlee has the ability to create a world which is easy to imagine, captivating the reader from beginning to end. Whether it be set in the real world, or one which has an element of fantasy, the reader is always taken on a ride. All her stories so far have a young female central character and The Wrath of the Woolington Wyrm is no exception.  GLAM Adelaide

This is the first book in a series entitled - Miss Mary-Kate Martin's Guide to Monsters. Book two is titled The Trouble with the Two-headed Hydra. There are just enough mysteries left over from book one that all readers will hope are solved in the second instalment - is Mary-Kate's father actually dead; what is her mother's real job and is this connected with monsters: and with just six pieces of gum left will Mary-Kate need to use another one for her next adventure. I do enjoy stories where objects, like the ones in her backpack, each have an important, but unpredictable, role in the story solution. Take a look at my discussion of My Father's Dragon for a great example of this. I do like the cover by Freda Chiu. This book has an old-fashioned feel a little like the Stella Montgomery series (book two) (book three) by Judith Rossell. 

I have talked about nearly all of Karen Foxlee's previous books:

Dragon Skin

Lenny's Book of Everything

Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy

A most Magical Girl

Brick by brick by Heidi Woodward Sheffield

 

Mi papi es fuerte - my papi is strong. He's a bricklayer. His arms are like stone.

Each day Papi heads off to work and Luis heads off to school. Luis imagines his papi working with the bricks and mixing the mortar to build the city. When Luis sits down to enjoy his lunch papi is also eating "mama's special empanada" and he is drinking cinnamon horchata. 

Luis has a dream that one day his family will have a house of their own and perhaps he will even be allowed to have a dog. Finally one weekend, Papi tells Luis he has a surprise. Luis puts on his father's big hard hat which covers his eyes. The pair drive across the city and arrive at their new house where his mother is waiting and yes there is a new puppy too. 

"Tonight I dream in my house. Nuestra casa papa siempre - our always house."

As you can see this is partly a dual language text in English and Spanish. The illustrations are made using collage which at times seems almost tactile. This warm-hearted story of a hard working family shows that dreams can come true. When you look into the background of the illustrations you will see the important story words - build, dream, I can, hola, adios and bye. Time is marked in this story by tiny details. It clearly took time to build their new house. As the story opens there are spring flowers in their apartment window box and on the day of the surprise visit it is Halloween. 

Publisher blurb: Papi is a bricklayer, and he works hard every day to help build the city, brick by brick. His son, Luis, works hard too–in school, book by book. Papi climbs scaffolds, makes mortar, and shovels sand. Luis climbs on the playground and molds clay into tiny bricks to make buildings, just like Papi. Together, they dream big about their future as they work to make those dreams come true. And then one Saturday, Papi surprises Luis with something special he’s built for their family, brick by brick.

When I see the words "Nancy Paulsen Books" on the cover or in-print information on a book I always anticipate a book of the highest quality and as you can see this book is an Ezra Jack Keats award winner (2021) too. In this video Heidi reads her book. Here is an interview with Heidi. Here is one quote:

Picture books are like haikus, in their brevity but also in their condensed meaning. They are the perfect marriage of words and images. I believe picture books are for all ages. There’s an initial simplicity that gives way to nuance, and a boiling down of word and picture that leads to a beautiful richness.

Take a look at the extensive Pinterest of Construction books collected by my friend from Kinderbookswitheverything. Here are some companion reads:

Andrew Henry's Meadow by Doris Burn

Just as relevant today as it was in 1965, this is a heart-warming story about children who want to feel special and appreciated for who they are.  Book Depository

This is a very old book but luckily it is a classic and so it is still in print.  Andrew Henry's Meadow was first published in 1965 and so it seems odd that I had not heard about this book nor had I encountered Doris Burn who is such a skilled illustrator.

Andrew Henry lives in the town of Stubbsville. Andrew Henry is an inventor. He makes the most wonderful devices - a helicopter in the kitchen, an eagle's cage in the living room, a merry-go-round for his sisters Marian and Martha and a "system of  pulleys" for his brothers Robert and Ronald. Sadly his family do not appreciate his creativity so he packs his tools and sets off to build a house for himself. Sam, his dog, is left at home. Andrew Henry finds the perfect location and he builds a splendid house using clay, rocks and poles. Andrew Henry enjoys his solitude but he is not alone for long. Alice Burdock arrives and she asks Andrew Henry build her a tree house. As the days go by George Turner wants a bridge house and Joe Polasky wants a dugout house. Jane O'Malley and Margot LePorte request a castle and a tee pee.  Meanwhile all the parents are frantically searching for their missing children. It's time for Sam to save the day!

When Andrew Henry comes home things change. He is given space for building and he makes something for every member of his family.

"He built a roller coaster for Robert and Ronald's toy cars. By using a bucket and parts of an electric fan, he made a hair dryer for Marian and Martha. The coffee mug he made for his father worked the same way as a bird feeder does. And he was especially proud of the automatic table setter he made for his mother."

You can see more of the illustrations here and here. You can see a video reading of the whole book.

I would pair Andrew Henry's House with Building our House, The Junkyard Wonders, Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty and Whatcha building by Andrew Daddo.  If you have a child who loves to draw grab this book because the pencil sketches are sure to inspire them. Also why not take this book outside to read and then make a construction, invention or house yourself. The fun you and your children will have might amaze you.