Dolly’s Blue Ribbon Book Selection Committee picked some great books to kick off summer! Amanda Urabe with Imagination Library of Waco is here to give us book reviews on two books arriving in mailboxes during June.
Squeak!
by Laura McGee Kvasnosky and illustrated by Kate Harvey McGee
In this delightful tale, animals near and far awake following a tiny squeak from a mouse who was stirred by a gentle breeze. A chain-reaction coupled with an onomatopoetic text, may remind some readers of the classic folktale Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears. Adorable pictures in muted earth tones fill the pages.
“Squeak! That tiny squeak floated upward to the chipmunks’ hollow.”
Books that use onomatopoeia (words that name a sound or action like “buzz” or “hiss”) lend well for doing voices. Go ahead and be silly—your kids will love it!
Squeak! was written and illustrated by sisters, Laura McGee Kvasnosky and Kate Harvey McGee. The pair also created the Margaret Wise Brown Honor Book Little Wolf’s First Howling.
Hair Love
by Matthew A. Cherry and illustrated by Vashti Harrison
Zuri loves her hair—she can wear braids with beads and become a princess or style it into two puffs and morph into a superhero! Her hair can do magic tricks—going from big to small, with just a little rain. But when an important day comes, she’ll need a little help from Dad.
“It kinks, coils and curls every which way.”
With beautiful illustrations that help propel the story, Hair Love is a touching and sweet book about the love between a father and daughter. It also has a powerful message about loving yourself.
Cherry, a former NFL player, also directed the Academy-Award winning short-film “Hair Love” based on this story. Harrison has written and illustrated numerous books including Sulwe for which she received the Coretta Scott King Honor Award for her vibrant illustrations.
Amanda Urabe has written book reviews for publishing houses such as Simon & Schuster and narrated a reading app for children. Alongside her husband and their two sons, she re-located to Waco three years ago from Los Angeles. Then known as L.A. Book Mom, she maintained a blog and hosted story time at local businesses and farmers markets to promote the joy of reading in her community. With a degree in Education and a passion for literacy, she is thrilled to be working with Imagination Library of Waco.
Imagination Library of Waco 