Read, Write, Repeat.

Spirals have always been one of my favorite shapes.

Once, at some corporate training sessions I had to endure, everyone had to pick a favorite shape.

Then, the presenter proceeded to analyze people based on which shape they chose. People who chose circles were dependable, people who chose squares were organized.

When the presenter got to the spiral, she said, “You really don’t want to have ANYTHING to do with these people. They’re a little crazy.”

That was reassuring.

But I feel better knowing that if I’m crazy, so are a lot of beautiful things in nature. Many of them are described in Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2011) written by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Beth Krommes.

The book has been well received. It has won too many honors to list here, but highlights include starred reviews in Publishers Weekly,  Kirkus, Booklist, The School Library Journal and Horn Book Magazine. It also was a highly commended title by the CCBC.

But let’s see what an actual reader thinks. Take it away, Angela!

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Today’s reviewer: Angela

Age: 6

Things I like to do: Swim, color in coloring books, play outside with my daddy and my friends, plant flowers, jump rope, watch movies and ride my scooter.

This book was about: Different things in nature that have spirals either on their bodies or when they curl their bodies to make spirals.

The best part was when: I found all the different animals in the artwork on the pages.

I smiled when: The two Asian elephants were lined up, and the front elephant picked up a branch in its trunk to make a spiral. Then the second elephant made a spiral out of its trunk to hold the front elephant’s tail.

I was surprised when: The European hedgehog curled up to protect itself from a red fox.

This book taught me: There are spirals all over in nature that I never noticed before. I learned a lot from this book. Did you know the rose is a spiral and so is a chrysanthemum?

Three words that best describe this book are: “Colorful.” “Interesting.” “Educational.”

My favorite line or phrase in this book is: “A spiral reaches out, too, exploring the world. It winds around and around.”

My favorite picture in this book is: The two pages that have a lot of flowers on them.

Other kids reading this book should watch for: All the fine detail in each of the paintings. All different things from nature are hidden in the artwork on all the pages.

You should read this book because: You will enjoy the cool artwork and wonderful words. You will learn all about spirals and how they are hidden in nature.

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Thanks, Angela! Very nicely done.

If you’d like to learn more about author Joyce Sidman, you can visit her website. You also can watch this video interview with her as she discusses another one of her books.

And you really ought to know that Joyce’s book Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night, which was illustrated by Rick Allen, received a 2011 Newbery Honor award.

If you’d like to learn more about illustrator Beth Krommes, you can visit her website. You also can read this interview with her on the notable blog Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.

And, you really ought to know that Beth won the 2009 Caldecott Medal for the best illustrated children’s book for The House in the Night, written by Susan Marie Swanson.

My Dadima Wears a Sari (Peachtree, 2007) written by Kashmira Sheth and illustrated by Yoshiko Jaeggi is a lovely picture book about a granddaughter asking her grandmother why she always wears a sari.

The grandmother patiently answers the questions. She explains why she likes saris and the many ways a sari can be used. (As an umbrella! Or a basket!) She also shares some of her favorite saris and the stories behind them, and even explains how to wear one.

The book is full of familial love as the grandmother passes on traditions and memories. It also include a glossary to identify some Hindi words used in the text and a step-by-step guide to putting on a sari properly.

Today’s reviewer, Aria, wasn’t familiar with saris before reading this book, but she is now.

Let’s hear what she has to say.

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Our reviewer: Aria

Age:  7

Things I like to do: Climb trees — it’s one of my favorite hobbies. I also like to swim.

This book was about: Dadima and her two grandchildren and how they always wanted to know why she wears a sari.

The best part was when: They were all looking in the mirror. That was the best part — with the saris.

I smiled when: When I saw the younger one of the granddaughters ask, “What if we were out in the jungle?”

I was surprised when: The book kept me thinking. I wanted to see what her three favorite saris were. It kept me curious.

This book taught me: How you can wrap a sari and the special way to do it. It’s a very big piece of material.

Three words that best describe this book are: “Beautiful.” “Curious.” “Illustrations.” (Aria noted that the book has beautiful illustrations.)

My favorite part of the book: All the colorful words. Especially when she was describing the gold sari she wore for her wedding.

My favorite picture in the book: The one on the last page where they’re smiling in the mirror.

Other kids reading this book should look for: The illustrations.

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Thank you, Aria!

You can learn more about author Kashmira Sheth by visiting her website. You also can read this interview .

You can learn more about illustrator Yoshiko Jaeggi by visiting her website. You also can read this review of another book she illustrated.

It’s never easy being the new kid in school.

Everyone else already has friends. They know where to sit at lunch and how to line up for recess.

And being the new kid in school can be even more difficult if you’re not like everyone else to begin with.

This is the case in Marshall Armstrong is New to Our School  (Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2011) by David Mackintosh.

Marshall is a new student and he’s just a little different. He’s always dressed up. He has sensitive skin. He’s very precise about his school supplies. And the food he brings for lunch looks like something astronauts might eat in outer space.

The other kids watch him from afar and wonder. But when Marshall throws an atypical birthday party and invites the entire class, they discover that different doesn’t necessarily mean bad.

Now, let’s hear from today’s guest reviewer, Liam. Liam says the best birthday party he ever went to was his friend Matthew’s. He had an egg hunt in his basement with teams.

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Our reviewer: Liam

Age: 8

Things I like to do: Be outside. Run and jump over things.

This book was about: A kid named Marshall Armstrong being new and completely different than other kids. Other kids didn’t like him. It turns out well because of his birthday.

The best part was when: When the other kid gets mad about going to Marshall’s birthday party.

I smiled when: At that same part.

I was surprised when: Nothing surprised me. This is the second time I’ve read it. I remember everything from before.

This book taught me: I’d like to know more about the space food Marshall eats.

Three words that describe this book: “New.” “Different.” “Friends.”

You should read this book because: To find out that things can work out fine if you’re new or something.

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Thanks, Liam!

This book reminds me of one of my all-time favorite picture books — Odd Velvet by Mary Whitcomb. It follows the adventures of a new girl in school who’s not anything like her classmates.

You can learn more about David Mackintosh by visiting his website.

I am one of those people who just can’t handle roller coasters. Or any other rides that whirl, twirl, lunge and plunge.

I learned this at an early age and have avoided such rides ever since. I can now be found on the ground waving happily at whichever friend or family member is spinning past me.

Whether you’re like me, or whether you’re one of those folks who loves being hurled through space at a breakneck, devil-may-care speed, chances are you’ll adore Marla Frazee’s picture book Roller Coaster (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2006).

It follows a group of folks getting ready to ride a roller coaster. Some are old hands, others are first-timers. Some love it. Some hate it. And some stay firmly on the ground.

Today’s guest reviewer, Leo, likes roller coasters. He says they’re cool, fun and scary. He also adds that if he were a character in this book, he would be one of the people screaming.

So, take it away, Leo!

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Our reviewer: Leo

Age: 8

Things I like to do: Play tackle football and baseball with my friends, draw pictures and have fun.

This book was about: This big roller coaster and all these people who wanted to ride it and what they were doing and stuff. The main character was probably this girl. I think it was her first time on a roller coaster.

The best part was when: She was going on the roller coaster again — right now!

I smiled when: When the two dads got sick. They didn’t look like they would mind the roller coaster.

I was surprised when: When I first read it, I thought two things — the girl wasn’s scared and the guys wouldn’t get sick.

This book taught me: To not make fun of some people if they don’t want to ride. It’s OK. But, don’t be afraid.

Three words that best describe this book: “Roller coaster.” “Happy.” “Scary.”

My favorite line or phrase in this book is: “All the way around!”

My favorite picture in this book is: Where everyone riding the roller coaster is happy except those two guys. It shows how they really feel the whole time. It’s fun to watch all the riders.

You should read this book because: It’s funny and surprising.

Thank you, Leo!

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This book is written and illustrated by Marla Frazee, whose work I have long, long admired. Seriously. Her illustrations are warm and loving and absolutely drip with details and meaning. You can’t spend too much time examing them and noticing everything she’s got going on.

I’ve also seen Marla speak at an SCBWI event and was further blown away by her talent and general good humor. So I obviously think you should learn more about her and her work. To do so, you can:

• Visit her website.
• Watch this video interview on Reading Rockets. Or this video interview where she discusses illustrating All the World, a 2010 Caldecott Honor book.
• See this kid review of Stars, a book she illustrated.

Rodney Rat is a small rodent who can’t say his r’s. No matter how hard he tries, they come out sounding like w’s.

Despite this, Rodney is a happy fellow. In Wodney Wat’s Wobot (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2011) by Helen Lester and Lynn Munsinger, Rodney likes going to school, has good friends, and for his birthday, he gets a wonderful wobot.

I mean a ronderful robot. Or a wonderful robot. Whatever.

When Rodney pushes a button on the robot’s nose and speaks, the robot repeats what Rodney says … but the robot pronounces all the letters correctly.

Rodney is thrilled. He takes the robot to school with him where it’s very helpful when Rodney wants to order ribs and rice for lunch.

But then, Camilla Capybara, the biggest and meanest rodent around, comes back to school and resumes her reign of terror. Just at that time, the batteries in Rodney’s wonderful robot start to fade.

And, somehow, without meaning to, Rodney finds the one thing that Camilla is scared of.

Will it be enough to save the day?

Let’s hear from today’s guest reviewer, Ben!

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Today’s reviewer: Ben

Age: Just turned 5.

I like: Candy, having soccer practice, super heroes.

This book was about: A robot.

The best part was when: Rodney had a birthday cake made out of cheese on the first page.

I laughed when: Camilla teased Rodney with her tongue out.

I was worried when: The robot ran out of batteries.

I was surprised that: Camilla the Capybara came back!

This book taught me: Not to tease people and to be nice.

Other kids reading this book should watch for: Camilla. Because she was teasing and sticking her tongue out.

Three words that best describe this book: “Rodney.” “Robot.” “Worried.”

My favorite line or phrase in this book: “Nananana na na. someone’s got a stutter.” and “Something’s wrong with my wobot.”

You should read this book because: Of the robot. And because Camilla is mean.

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Thank you, Ben!

This book is a follow-up to Hooway for Wodney Wat.

If you’d like to learn more about author Helen Lester, you can read this interview.  (My favorite quote from it is, “I don’t think the thrill of turning a page to see what happens next will ever go out of style.”) Or, you can visit Helen’s website.

If you’d like to learn more about illustrator Lynn Munsinger, check out this impressive list of books she’s been involved with.

Glee’s cast of characters is getting bigger all the time.

In some ways that’s frustrating. With each new character that walks the halls of William McKinley High or the area surrounding Lima, Ohio, there’s less screen time for a character we already know and love from previous seasons.

But it also can be good.

Because Glee’s creators — with a few notable exceptions –do a nice job of adding people who bring something new and memorable to the show. Characters we want to know more about.

A case in point this season was the relatively brief appearance of Wade Adams, the new lead singer of Vocal Adrenaline, the archrivals of the New Directions kids.

Wade, who’s played by Season One “The Glee Project” runner-up Alex Newell, came in with a bit of pressure before we knew anything else about him.

Vocal Adrenaline has a history of winning national championships, and Wade was being coached by a very driven Jesse St. James who led the group to some of those national titles himself.

Wade had more than a garden variety case of nerves however. He also was battling some internal challenges.

He felt most alive — most himself — when he was dressed as his alter-ego, a confident female performer he called Unique. And Wade turned to Kurt Hummel and Mercedes Jones for advice on whether he should follow his heart and take the stage as Unique or stick to the status quo and perform as Wade.

Kurt and Mercedes weren’t sure what to recommend.

They were all for Wade being true to himself, but they also knew a performance in drag might be more than a traditional show choir audience was ready for. So they wanted to protect Wade. But, they’d also heard Wade sing and knew he was their biggest competition for the national title. After a little wrangling among themselves and Sue Sylvester, they decided to support Wade in his performance as Unique, even if it cost them the title.

As you might expect, Unique was fabulous, singing “Boogie Shoes,” “Starships” and “Pinball Wizard.” Kurt and Mercedes beamed from the sidelines as Jesse St. James fumed. If you watched Season Three, you know New Directions ultimately ended up on top, but you also heard Wade/Unique say he might have to transfer schools next year — and I don’t think he was referring to Dalton Academy.

So that’s why, if I were the librarian at William McKinley High, I’d feel comfortable recommending Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy by Bil Wright (Simon and Schuster, 2011) to Wade.

A little summer reading is always a good idea, and this is just the book Wade needs.

This novel features Carlos Duarte, a high schooler who knows exactly what he’s good at — making people look fabulous with his make-up skills. As you might imagine this makes him a bit of an oddity at his school. The fact that he wears make-up himself, is gay and is chunky doesn’t help matters either.

For all that, Carlos is very confident in who he is and what he wants. He knows he has what it takes to be a famous make-up artist, and he moves full-speed toward that goal with help from his friends, his sister and a boy Carlos may like as more than a friend. But Carlos’  oversized confidence and personality get him noticed in good and bad ways.

On the good side …

Carlos gets a job at the FeatureFace counter even though he’s still in high school and the manager feels threatened by his talent. He convinces his friends to pose for his portfolio, and the pictures end up getting positive reviews at an art show. His sister and one of his friends take risks for him to help him get closer to his dream. And, for a moment, it looks at if everything could come together perfectly when Carlos helps a TV star who stops by his make-up counter solve a skin problem.

On the bad side …

Carlos doesn’t always do a good job of thanking or repaying his friends for their help — even when they’ve gone out on a limb for him. And, in one case, his single-mindedness to his own needs ends up costing him a friendship. Carlos also makes poor choices at work — in hopes of furthering his career — which could cost him his job. And then there’s his sister’s boyfriend, who bullies Carlos for being gay and ends up attacking him.

Carlos isn’t transgender, but his make-up and the way he dresses lead to him sometimes being mistaken for a girl. The book raises interesting questions about whether you should be true to yourself even when it puts you at risk and how much you should support your family and friends when their actions and decisions are not what you might choose.

If I were Glee’s librarian, I’d have Wade pay particular attention to the time Carlos’ sister does not stand up for him or support him. And to the times Carlos is not there for his friend Soraya. I’d also have him focus on encounter Carlos has with a bus driver, a mother and a small child who are confused by his clothing choices.

So no matter if Wade ends up singing for New Directions or Vocal Adrenaline next school year, this book would help him think through who he is and determine the best way to consistently be that person.

Interested in a little summer reading of your own?

Here are other books I’ve recommended to Glee characters:

• Wade Adams – Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy by Bil Wright.
• Mike Chang – Good Enough by Paula Yoo.
• Artie Abrams – Accidents of Nature by Harriet McBryde Johnson.
• Noah Puckerman - So Punk Rock (And Other Ways to Disappoint Your Mother) by Micol Ostow.
• Brittany Pierce – Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John.
• Mercedes Jones – Dramarama by E. Lockhart.
• Tina Cohen-Chang – My Not-So-Still Life by Liz Gallagher.
• Santana Lopez – Sister Mischief by Laura Goode.
• Blaine Anderson – Pitch Perfect by Mickey Rapkin.
• Finn Hudson – Struts & Frets by Jon Skovron.
• Sam Evans – Guitar Boy by MJ Auch.
• Quinn Fabray – Beauty Queens by Libba Bray.
• David Karofsky – Dairy Queen and The Off Season both by Catherine Gilbert Murdock.
• Rachel Berry – Theater Geek by Mickey Rapkin.
• Kurt Hummel – Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan.

In many houses, going to bed is anything but a fun experience.

There are objections, arguments, tears and fears.

 Jammy Dance (Farrar Straus Giroux, 2012) by Rebecca Janni and Tracy Dockray puts a happy spin on the bedtime ritual. The book features a brother and sister who, with a little help from Mom and Dad, dance their way into bed.

Today’s reviewer, Abby, has a brother, so she just might try her own jammy dance one night. (Although, as you’ll see below, the part of the book that really made an impression on her was the illustration of the dog drinking out of the toilet!)

Take it away, Abby!

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Our reviewer: Abby

Age: 4.5

Things I like to do: Read books. Play with Mommy. Have play dates with Sienna.

This book was about: The jammy dance to help the brother and sister get ready for bed.

The best part was when: They jammy danced.

I smiled when: The dog was crushing the dolls.

I was surprised when: The dog was licking the potty water.

This book taught me: How to get ready for bed in a happy way.

Three words that best describe this book: “Dirty.” (The kids’ room was messy!) “Fun.” “Nice.”

My favorite line or phrase in this book is: “I love you.” (Editor’s note: This phrase isn’t actually in the book, but that’s what Abby remembers. And love is certainly an underlying theme of the book.)

My favorite picture in this book is: The dog drinking the potty water.

Other kids reading this book should watch for: The dog licking the potty water and the messy room.

You should read this book because: It’s fun!

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Thank you, Abby!

If you’d like to learn more about author Rebecca Janni (who has had two other books reviewed on this blog by two different kids — Sonia and Brooke) you can visit her website.

If you’d like to learn more about illustrator Tracy Dockray, you can visit this site.

Books tell stories.

That seems pretty simple.

Sometimes, those stories are wild flights of fancy that take readers someplace they never dreamed could exist.

Other times, those stories are based on the lives of real people who did something interesting or extraordinary. That’s where today’s book, Tomás and the Library Lady (Dragonfly Books, 2000), fits in.

It tells the story of a boy named Tomás who is part of a family of migrant workers. They travel the country picking crops. While his parents work one summer in Iowa, Tomás visits the town library and becomes friends with the librarian. She finds books he’ll like. He teaches her some Spanish.

It’s a sweet story. And then, at the very end, we find it’s based on the life of Tomás Rivera, a man who started out as a migrant worker and ended up being an author and chancellor at the University of California at Riverside. Mr. Rivera died in 1984, but the library at the college he led now bears his name.

Publishers Weekly described the book saying, “A gentle text and innovative artwork depict a pivotal summer in a boy’s life.”

What did today’s guest reviewer think? Let’s find out.

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Today’s reviewer: Gwen

Age: 7

This book was about: This kid named Tomás and the library teacher. He spent a lot of time in the library and they became friends. Then he had to leave. It was sad.

The best part was when: When they met, because it felt like they were going to be friends.

I smiled when: Tomás was imagining the dinosaurs and stuff.

This book taught me: About dinosaurs and stuff. I like science books.

Three words that best describe this book: “Cool.” “Arty.” “Fun.”

My favorite picture in this book is: When he imagined all the dinosaurs.

Other kids reading this book should watch for: The author who made it.

You should read this book because: It’s fun to learn from.

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Thank you, Gwen!

If you’d like to learn more about author Pat Mora, you can visit her website or watch this video interview with her where she discusses her Mexican culture and how it’s influenced her writing.

If you’d like to learn more about illustrator Raul Colon, visit this website to see examples of his marvelous work. Or, listen to this podcast interview with him on Just One More Book.

And, if you’d like to learn more about Tomás Rivera, the man this book was based on, read this biography.

You also can learn more about the library named for him, which is pictured at the left.