THE NIGHT BOX by Louise Greig. Illus. by Ashling Lindsay. New York: Clarion Books, 2018. 32p. ISBN 978-132885093-5 hc. $17.99     PreS-Gr.1     E PIC

The golden glow and deep shadows from the setting sun turn to orange as Max is called into the house for the night.  It's getting dark, but Max completes the process by opening the Night Box to let darkness out and the light in before locking it up again and going to bed.  The illustrations become even more breathtaking (if that's possible) as stars come out and animals from the woods nearby carry on their nocturnal activities.  When morning comes, Max's Night Box lets the light out and stores darkness for another day.  This simplistic explanation for day and night may be perfect for youngsters who like to imagine control over the routines in their lives.  Others will want to know about the sun in relation to the earth's daily rotation.  It's a gentle story that could lead to educational discussion.
Lynette Suckow, Superiorland Preview Center, Marquette, MI

I GOT THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT by Connie Schofield-Morrison.  Illus. by Frank Morrison.  New York:  Bloomsbury, 2018.  32p. ISBN 978-168119-528-5 hc. $16.99    PreS-Gr.2    E PIC

Connie and Frank Morrison, who wrote I GOT THE RHYTHM in 2014, have teamed up once again to ring in the Christmas season with the sights and sounds of a walk downtown to shop.  The young protagonist with pom-pom pigtails is the same and the journey similar, as she and her mom contribute to the Salvation Army bucket and sing with carolers nearby.  They take a spin around the ice rink and window shop before visiting Santa and buying the perfect gift.  As in the first book, the illustrations are large and lifelike, while the text is short and rhythmic.  Both books are great for reading aloud to one child or a group.  Enjoy!
Lynette Suckow, Superiorland Preview Center, Marquette, MI

THE SLOTH WHO SLOWED US DOWN by Margaret Wild.  Illus. by
Vivienne To. New York: Abrams, 2018  32p. ISBN 978-141973195-2 hc.
$16.99   Gr. K-3   E PIC

Amy's family rushed through life, cramming as many activities as possible
into each day.  Things began to change when she brought a sloth home
from the park.  Amy's parents encouraged the sloth to move a little faster,
but he took lots of time to clean up before dinner, even longer to eat, and
continued his slow pace while helping with the dishes.  Amy, being a
considerate person, immediately slowed down her level of activity to
accomodate the sloth, and soon her parents did too.  They seemed to enjoy
spending time together and decided to make some changes in their daily
schedule to slow down, following the example of sloth.  The illustrations
are vivid, expressing the slowness of the sloth against the flurry of activity
produced by Amy and her family.  The last page humorously portrays
sloth, who has moved next door to where he's needed most - with the new
"speediest family in the world."
Lynette Suckow, Superiorland Preview Center, Marquette, MI

THIRTY MINUTES OVER OREGON: A Japanese Pilot's World War II Story by Marc Tyler 
Nobleman.  Illus. by Melissa Iwai.  New York:  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing, 2018. 
42p.  ISBN 978-0544430761 hc. $17.99    Gr.2-5    J940.54

After Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941, drawing the United States into World War II, the
U.S. retaliated by bombing Tokyo, Japan’s largest city.  That led to another attack on the U.S.
- this time a mission to start fires with bombs near the town of Brookings, Oregon.  This true
 story focuses on Nobuo Fujita, the pilot of that plane who catapulted his plane from a 
Japanese submarine and flew to the Oregon coast.  Although Fujita completed his bombing 
mission, only one bomb detonated and didn't burn very long in the wet forest.  The war 
ended in 1945, and Nobuo Fujita became a regular civilian, although he harbored some guilt 
about his part in wartime destruction.  The town of Brookings, however, invited him to a 
Memorial Day Festival to put old World War II resentment to rest.  He accepted the invitation, 
and began a 35 year journey of forgiveness and acceptance between the people of his home
in Japan and his new friends in Oregon.  Over time, he donated money to the Brookings 
library for "children's books that celebrate other cultures" with the hope that understanding 
other people would prevent future conflict between cultures. Nobuo Fujita died in 1997 at the 
age of 85.


Lynette Suckow, Superiorland Preview Center, Marquette, MI

BOB by Wendy Mass & Rebecca Stead.  Illus. by Nicholas Gannon.  New York:  Feiwel and Friends Books, 2018.  ISBN 978-125016662-3 hb. $16.99   Gr. 4-5   JUV

It's been five years - half of her life - since Livy visited Gran in Australia.  She doesn't remember much about the things she enjoyed last time she was here, but when she opens her closet, someone remembers her.  There's a short green creature, dressed in burlap, talking to her about a promise she made to help him find his way home.  As Livy re-learns about her friend, Bob, she also learns about friendship and keeping promises.  Bob is very literal, which leads to some humorous situations, but he is also connected to nature and the five-year drought in the area.  Everything comes around in the end, and it's a pleasure reading the well-constructed story to get there.  The quiet sepia-colored illustrations are few in number, but check out the book cover which reveals a small triangle of color.  Beautiful.
Lynette Suckow, Superiorland Preview Center, Marquette, MI

VERNON IS ON HIS WAY: Small Stories by Philip C. Stead.  New York: Roaring Book Press, 2018. 64p.  ISBN 978-1626726550 hc. $19.99    Gr. K-3    E PIC

Stead offers three related stories about Vernon, who is an introspective character, and his very kind friends, Skunk and Porcupine.  "Waiting" is almost wordless, but Stead's simple, translucent illustrations get the point of the story across to readers. Readers won't be able to hold back a smile at the end of each small story. "Fishing" takes a look at the adventure of fishing in a whole new way, again retaining the subtle humor of the story.  "Gardening" is all about friendship and the activities friends will go through to make someone happy.  Vernon's very slow, thoughtful way of interacting with the world will have a calming effect on his audience.
Lynette Suckow, Superiorland Preview Center, Marquette, MI

ZOLA'S ELEPHANT by Randall deSeve.  Illus. by Pamela Zagarenski. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing, 2018. ISBN 978-132888629-3 hc. $17.99.   Gr. K-2   E PIC

"There's a new girl next door."  The narrator knows her name is Zola and that a very large box was moved into her house - probably containing an elephant.  Zola is likely to be feeding her elephant because the smell of toast is coming from her house.  There's also the sounds of running water and hammering - which could mean that Zola and her elephant are taking a bubble bath or building a clubhouse.  All these imaginings make the narrator feel left out of the fun, until gathering the courage to knock on Zola's door and become her new friend.  Readers will enjoy trying to guess what's in the box - probably NOT an elephant.  Zagarenski's illustrations are unmatched in their depth of emotion, whimsical quality, and colorful expression.  Her art won Caldecott Honors for SLEEP LIKE A TIGER by Mary Logue (2012) and RED SINGS FROM TREETOPS: A Year in Colors by Joyce Sidman (2009).
Lynette Suckow, Superiorland Preview Center, Marquette, MI