Ahoy! by Sophie Blackall (Anne Schwartz Books, 48 pages, ages 4-8). As a parent gets ready to vacuum, a child is ready to set sail. “What are you playing?” asks the parent. “I’m not playing!” is the response. “Why are you shouting?” “Because there’s a storm coming!” Before long, the parent, despite protests of too much to do, is drawn into the game. Readers will enjoy watching everyday objects transform into part of the seascape then change back again when the two sailors are interrupted by an important adult phone call. There’s a storm, a shipwreck, and a daring rescue at sea that takes them to a lighthouse. Another adult appears at the lighthouse door with the question, “What are you two playing?” The answer (in unison): “We’re not playing!!” And the game continues.
Would I read it to a class? Probably, I think they would enjoy all the details from the illustrations and it’s a fun tale about using your imagination that could potentially be extended into some writing. Caldecott contender? I would never count Sophie Blackall out, but although the illustrations are amazing (of course), I don’t think it’s one of her strongest.
The House Before Falling Into the Sea by Ann Suk Wang, illustrated by Hanna Cha (Dial Books, 40 pages, grades 1-4). Kyung lives with her parents in a house near the sea in Busan, Korea. One day some strangers appear at the door, and Kyung’s parents welcome them as guests. Each day, more and more guests arrive. It’s fun when she makes a new friend, frustrating when she has to share and do extra chores, and scary when sirens sound and everyone has to hide underground. Kyung hears one of the guests tell her father that their house is the last before falling into the sea. When she asks what that means, he explains that if her parents didn’t let them into their house, the soldiers would have chased them into the sea. This makes the hardships easier, and the last page shows two older women holding hands in a modern Korean city, their friendship having endured through the years. The author’s and illustrator’s notes share stories of a mother and grandmother who lived through this time in Korea in the 1950’s.
Would I read it to a class? Not without giving a lot of historical context first. It’s a fascinating story, but one that might be appreciated more by older elementary kids. Caldecott contender? I certainly think so. Hanna Cha won a Caldecott Honor in January for The Truth About Dragons.
All That Grows by Jack Wong (Groundwood Books, 32 pages, ages 4-8). A boy explores neighborhood plants with his knowledgeable sister, who points out various fruits and flowers before getting to work in her own garden. The boy tries to help with weeding, but telling the plants from the weeds is confusing. Sometimes even the weeds are edible, like dandelion greens and the cooked fiddleheads from the market that the family eats for dinner last night. The next day, the boy discovers a plant in the garden that his sister can’t identify, and they make a plan to research it later on.
Would I read it to a class? I loved the illustrations, with their close-up and aerial perspectives, but the sister felt like an annoying walking botany textbook, and I don’t think kids would be all that interested in the facts she shares. Caldecott contender? Unfortunately, from a Caldecott perspective, Jack Wong lives in Canada.