Outstanding Books of the Month – February 2024
Each month we post an annotated bibliography of books that were rated ‘Outstanding’ at our previous meeting and nominated for our year-end Distinguished List. You can see full reviews of these books and many more in our BayViews blog. Interested in becoming a member? Join, come to our monthly meetings, and hear about these Outstanding books in person!
Biography
Cactus Queen: Minerva Hoyt Establishes Joshua Tree National Park by Lori Alexander, illustrated by Jen Ely, Calkins Creek, March 2024.
At the turn of the 20th century, most saw the desert as a wasteland. Minerva realized the importance of preserving the Mojave from indifference and avarice. Colorful illustrations reveal her tireless campaign to promote its beauty and value as she fought to establish Joshua Tree National Park.
Fiction
Henry, Like Always by Jenn Bailey, illustrated by Mika Song, Chronicle, March 2023.
Henry likes school but doesn’t like it when the schedule changes or things are not done as expected. It isn’t ever mentioned, but readers may infer that he may have OCD or be autistic. This early five-chapter book is perfect for those just moving out of easy readers into transitional fiction.
The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh, Roaring Brook, January 2023.
When Matthew and his 100-year-old Ukrainian great-grandmother (GG) find an old picture, GG reveals their secret story about the Ukrainian famine of 1932. This compelling survival story brings timely information and the themes of propaganda, fake news, and human compassion will resonate.
Only This Beautiful Moment by Abdi Nazemian, Balzer + Bray, May 2023.
A deftly plotted, multigenerational story of identity and family secrets, Only This Beautiful Moment takes the reader through the lives of three generations of men in the Jafarzadeh family.
Remember Us by Jacqueline Woodson, Penguin Random House/Nancy Paulsen, October 2023.
In Remember Us, Woodson crafts a masterful story of friendships, growing up, and loss.
Rez Ball by Byron Graves, HarperCollins/Heartdrum, September 2023.
This strong debut novel touches on themes of grief, coming of age, racism, belonging, community, and basketball. It is a great companion or update to Sherman Alexie’s popular YA work.
Wishing Season by Anica Mrose Rissi, Quill Tree, June 2023.
Lily and her single mother navigate the profound grief of losing their brother and son. Rissi employs her elegant writing skills to address the deep pain experienced by those who have lost their loved ones, inviting readers to empathize with the characters’ emotional struggles.
Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir by Pedro Martin, illustrated by Pedro Martin, Dial, August 2023.
Pedro/Peter Martín’s Mexikid is a graphic memoir that captures both a deeply personal coming-of-age voyage which the narrator takes with his family as well as a snapshot of life in the 1970s. Martín’s humor, attention to detail and versatile artwork bring us along on an epic adventure.
Picture Book
Mi papá es un agrícola / My father, the farmworker by J. Roman Pérez Varela, illustrated by Jose Ramirez, Little Libros, April 2023.
An admiring son’s tribute, this bilingual tale follows the life of a hard-working campesino through a full day of working the land from dawn to dusk. Deeply hued, bold illustrations and a poetic cadence depict each moment with great honor, conveying heartfelt gratitude for sacrifice lovingly given.
Two New Years by Richard Ho, illustrated by Lynn Scurfield, Chronicle, August 2023.
One family’s joyful celebrations guide us through two New Year traditions: Rosh Hashanah in the fall and Lunar New Year in the spring. Inspired by his own multicultural experiences, Ho conveys the joy of recognizing connection among us all–a complex achievement simply and exuberantly presented.
The Concrete Garden by Bob Graham, illustrated by Bob Graham, Candlewick Press, November 2023.
Amanda, a young girl who presents as black, shares out a big box of chalk, leading to the creation of a glowing drawing in front of her apartment building. A simple story line holds positive messages about sharing, community and healing.
Truth About Dragons, The by Julie Leung, illustrated by Hanna Cha, Henry Holt, August 2023.
An Asian mother tells her son a story about dragons, including the two cultural descriptions of dragons, one European and one Asian, reflecting the child’s biracial identity. Accomplished using ink drawings colored digitally, this is a Caldecott Honor book.
Voice in the Hollow, The by Will Hillenbrand, illustrated by Will Hillenbrand, Holiday House, October 2023.
During a snowstorm, Hubert (a young mouse) takes a shortcut home through the hollow after visiting the library. The scenes of the forest hollow are filled with falling snow and huge snowdrifts, and there are fallen trees and limbs that look like scary polar bears.
Remember by Joy Harjo, illustrated by Michaela Goade, Random House Studio/Random, March 2023.
The text and illustrations of Remember verbally and visually point out the connections to our communities, our families, and the natural world.
Reader
Fox Has a Problem by Cory R. Tabor, illustrated by Cory R. Tabor, Balzer+Bray, August 2023.
Fox has a problem, but each solution makes it worse. Sparse text and winning sherbet-colored pencil drawings leave plenty of space for emerging readers to predict the action. A handful of adjectives transform a few simple words into a satisfying and humorous story that celebrates collaboration.
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