50    International Journal of the Whole Child 2020, VOL. 5, NO. 2 Page Turners: Books for Children Katrina Bartow Jacobsa, Carla K. Meyerb, Michelle J. Sobolakc, Patricia Crawfordd, Maria T. Geneste aUniversity of Pittsburgh, bDuquesne University, cUniversity of Pittsburgh, dUniversity of Pittsburgh, eLa Roche University Fish Everywhere Written and Illustrated by Britta Teckentrup Big Picture Press, 2019. ISBN 9781536206258 This stunning nonfiction text brings the underwater world of fish to life! With detailed, brightly colored illustrations that frequently spread across both pages, readers are quickly engaged in the many facets of fish life, from freshwater to the salty deep sea. This book is packed with information, including labeled drawings of fish anatomy, the evolution of fish over time, the ocean food chain, and the relationship between fish and people. This is a beautifully crafted, worthwhile addition to your sea life book collection. Ages 6-9. (MTG) Molly Mischief Saves the World! Written and illustrated by Adam Hargreaves Penguin Random House, 2018. ISBN 9781524788049 Molly Mischief Saves the World! is the second book in the series starring Molly who loves to be mischievous. While Molly loves mischief, and is quite good at it, she certainly does not like chores. When she completes her chores her family is never happy, and Molly thinks there is no way to please them. She comes up with an idea to become a superhero to complete her chores in record time. Not only does she complete her chores but she goes on to help the community and even saves the world. However, there is one problem...being a superhero is really just doing more chores! The bright, engaging illustrations compliment a character to whom many children can surely relate. Ages 4-8. (MJS) 51    Perfect Written and Illustrated by Max Amato Scholastic, 2019. ISBN 9780545829311 What does it mean for something to be perfect? That’s a question that this delightful book takes up by exploring the perspectives of a neat-loving eraser and a scribble-happy pencil. At first, these two seem like the most improbable of friends, disrupting each other’s efforts at every turn. But soon they find that playing together makes things even more perfect than they could have imagined. This nearly wordless picture book is not only a lovely story of compromise when playing together, but also highly engaging for young children, with illustrations that seem to jump off the page. Ages 4-8. (KBJ) Sadie and the Silver Shoes Written by Jane Godwin. Illustrated by Anna Walker Candlewick, 2019. ISBN 9781536204803 Sadie is the youngest of four children and hand-me-down clothes are the order of the day in her family. So, when she gets to choose brand new shoes for her very own, Sadie opts for a special pair of extra special, sparkly, silver ones. She loves them so much that she wears them everywhere. All goes well until one of her shoes slips off during an outing. What will she do? A serendipitous turn of events helps Sadie reunite with her shoe, and meet a new friend at the same time. This is a gentle story that honors the roles of family and friends, and speaks to the power of resilience when life seems challenging. Ages 4-8. (PAC) Sweet Dreamers Written and Illustrated by Isabelle Simler First published in English by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2019. ISBN 9780802855176 From the author/illustrator of Plume comes another lovely book that weaves together non-fiction, poetry, and gorgeous illustrations. Each page shares detailed but graphic drawings of a sleeping animal, crafted with fine lines and bright colors. These are accompanied by short poems that share details of how each animal finds its rest, including details of habitat and anatomy. The illustrations are striking on mostly dark or black backgrounds, inviting the reader to look closer at the wondrous details. In the end, the author brings it together by sharing the ways that a young girl visits these slumbering animals through her dreams. This text would be a peaceful read- aloud text to help children settle down into restful or quiet activities. Ages 4-8. (KBJ) 52    Try a Little Kindness Written and illustrated by Henry Cole Scholastic, 2018. ISBN 9781338256413 A little kindness can go a long way! In this straightforward text, a group of animal friends encourage readers to make kindness a way of life by finding many different ways to make the world better for others. Inviting others to play, sharing toys, reading to friends, feeding pets, and writing notes are just some of the ways that one can show care. The snippets in this book offer conversation starters for helping children to identify concrete ways to establish a culture of care in the classroom and home. The reassuring book could also serve as a mentor text for helping children to write and illustrate their own guidelines for spreading kindness in both pandemic times and less pressing ones. Ages 3-8. (PAC) We’ve Got the Whole World in Our Hands Written and illustrated by Rafael López Orchard Books, 2018. ISBN 9781338177367 In this adaptation of the song, He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands, author and illustrator Rafael López creates a vibrant, colorful tale that shows how the world and all its diverse inhabitants are interconnected. Woven into each page is a multi-colored ball of yarn that travels the world, flowing through the hands of many children representing the beautiful multicultural human race. Readers will be delighted by the larger than life illustrations that highlight not only the children of the world, but also the many magnificent landscapes and animals within this world, as they engage with commonly known lyrics. Ages 3-5. (MJS) What Kind of Car Does a T.Rex Drive? Written by Mark Lee. Illustrated by Brian Biggs G.P Putnam’s Sons, 2019. ISBN 9781524741235 There’s kid-friendly humor on every page in this picturebook, with hilarious details in the illustrations and dialogue that bring life to the question of how to choose the best car for each dinosaur that visits the used car dealership. With brightly colored images of larger-than-life dinosaurs, young readers will enjoy discussing why a Pterodactyl might choose a convertible, or how a delivery van meets the unique needs of a Triceratops. This is a perfect read-aloud for all children who love dinosaurs and transportation, as this fun book combines those interests in surprising and engaging ways. Ages 3-7. (MTG) 53    Dig Written by A.S. King Penguin Books, 2019. ISBN 9781101994931 Winner of the 2020 Michael L. Printz Medal, “Dig”, written by A.S. King, commands the reader’s attention from page one. The story, told from the varying perspectives of five quirky teenagers, unapologetically explores the intersection of racism, White Privilege, toxic masculinity and death in modern America. On first glance, the level of the text seems straightforward, but those familiar with A.S. King’s earlier work, know the story will challenge even the most advanced reader. Dig will tax the reader’s conceptualization of family relationships and leave them applauding the young adult characters’ ability to learn and grow from those who came before them. In today’s world, this is an important read. Ages 14+. (CKM) Final Copy IJWC 12.10.2020 50 Final Copy IJWC 12.10.2020 51 Final Copy IJWC 12.10.2020 52 Final Copy IJWC 12.10.2020 53