Betsy Devany's Five Favorite Books about "Loveys" (+ a Giveaway!)

Today, we welcome to the Cottage, debut author Betsy Devany! Betsy is the author of the newly released picture book, LUCY'S LOVEY (Christy Ottaviano Books) about a little girl named Lucy, and her beloved "lovey," a very special dolly she's nicknamed Smelly Baby. 

Books about beloved toys or "loveys" are perennial favorites, for kids and adults. So we asked Betsy — who in addition to being an author, helps young children pick out loveys (and occasionally recover lost ones) in her job at The Toy Soldier, a toy shop in her home state of Connecticut — to tell us her five favorite picture books about beloved loveys. And, you can enter to win a LUCY'S LOVEY signed by both Betsy and the Cottage's illustrator-in-residence, Christopher Denise! 

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Loveys. I adore them all. Big loveys, tiny loveys, blankie loveys, dolly loveys, stuffed animal loveys. I see one cradled in the arms of a child and my heart melts, recognizing how much a lovey matters in a child’s life, and how loveys go through thick and thin for Their Child. It is a magical world, this place that exists between children and their special toys.

Today, I share my top five picture books that feature loveys, and the five reasons that loveys mean so much to me. Thank you for inviting me!


FIVE FAVORITES

The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery William, adaptation by Lou Fancher, paintings by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher

Loveys are Real to children.

“Real isn’t how you are made,” said the Skin Horse. “When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.” “By the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and you get very shabby.” This story exquisitely defines the love between a child and their one special toy (lovey). I always think of The Velveteen Rabbit when a child enters the toy store where I work carrying a well-loved lovey. Almost immediately, by noticing the lovey’s condition, you know how the lovey soothes the child. With my tiny Steiff bear, the ends of his arms were worn down to the point that straw was pushing through the mohair because I’d rub Little Bear’s arms when I needed comforting. In The Velveteen Rabbit, all the pink was rubbed off the rabbit’s nose where the boy had kissed him.

Bella and Stella Come Home by Anika Denise, illustrated by Christopher Denise

Loveys are vital transitional and comfort objects.

This theme comes to play in Bella and Stella Come Home. Bella’s own moving fears are projected onto her beloved stuffed elephant Stella, clearly visible on the faces of both the child (Bella) and the lovey (Stella), who at times is depicted as a life-sized stuffed elephant. In comforting Stella every new step along the way in their new “Does NOT feel like home” house, Bella learns to comfort herself, seeing beyond the differences between what is familiar and the unknown. Gradually, Bella realizes that change brings new possibilities, such as a new neighborhood friend. Except for a visual hint of a neighborhood parent, this story offers a bird’s eye view of the touching relationship between a lovey and Their Child.

Sophie’s Squash by Pat Zietlow Miller & Anne Wildorf

Loveys can be anything.

A typical lovey is a doll or a stuffed animal or a blanket. A typical lovey is not a squash purchased at a farmer’s market that bypasses becoming served up for dinner, only to be anthropomorphised. The what-was-supposed-to-be-eaten squash quickly becomes a doll baby named Bernice, in an utterly charming way, inspired by a child’s rich imagination. As the reader, we are privy to Sophie and Bernice’s magical world, their undying love for one another until Bernice turns quite blotchy, as happens to uneaten squash over time. Because Sophie has unconditional love for Bernice, she finds a way for Bernice to live on.

I Don’t Like Koala by Sean Ferrell, illustrated by Charles Santoso

Not all loveys are as loved at first.

Adam does not Koala. He thinks Koala is the most terrible terrible. And Koala’s terrible eyes follow Adam everywhere he goes. But . . . Koala is loyal to Adam, even though Adam has a nightly bedtime routine in which he tries to get rid of Koala. But in the morning, “Koala is always there. In his bed. On his pillow. Closer than close.”
In this laugh-out-loud picture book, it is the lovey that seems to show greater unconditional love for Their Child, until Adam perceives a “MORE terrible terrible?” and then realizes that Koala isn’t so terrible after all. In the end, admitting his love for Koala.

Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems

Lovey memories are never forgotten.

There are many of us who still have either vivid memories of our childhood lovey and/or still have the remnants of our favorite toy that shepherded us through childhood. The trio of the Knuffle Bunny books speaks to this. In the first book, the young Trixie doesn’t yet have a full grasp of language, but her love for Knuffle Bunny is clear when Knuffle Bunny is unknowingly left behind at the laundromat. Of my five favorite picture books about loveys, Trixie is the youngest protaganist, and thus we see how early on a child forms a lovey attachment. The theme of Knuffle Bunny getting lost carries over into the second and third books (Knuffle Bunny Too and Knuffle Bunny Free), but what I love best is the ending of the third and last book, in which Trixie is now an adult, and a mother herself, and Knuffle Bunny comes back into her life, and into the arms of her own child.

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PLEASE COMMENT BELOW WITH YOUR FAVORITE (OR YOUR CHILD'S OR GRANDCHILD'S FAVORITE) LOVEY, TO WIN A COPY OF LUCY'S LOVEY SIGNED BY BOTH BETSY DEVANY AND CHRISTOPHER DENISE!

WINNER ANNOUNCED ON OCTOBER 12th! 

Lucy's Lovey

by Betsy Devany

illustrated by Christopher Denise

(Henry Holt and Co/ Christy Ottaviano Books, September 27, 2016)

"There is no child who won't empathize with Lucy and cheer for her reunion with Smelly Baby."-Kirkus Reviews

"Suited for one-on-one sharing. . . The pictures are delightful . . . Readers will want to pore over the artwork and will enjoy this domestic drama."-School Library Journal

Betsy Devany has been writing for all ages of kids for over twenty years. Aside from being a first-time author, she loves reading, photography, birding, acting silly with her grandkids, and working at an old-fashioned toy store in Mystic, where she delights in meeting rag-tag (sometimes smelly) loveys. You can visit Betsy at www.betsydevany.com or follow her on Twitter @BetsyDevany or Facebook.  https://www.facebook.com/BetsyDevany/

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Deb Pilutti's Five Favorite Books About Unlikely Friendship . . . Plus a GIVEAWAY!*

Today we have a special guest in the Cottage . . . DEB PILUTTI! Yes, really! Deb is the author-illustrator of several picture books, including Ten Rules of Being a Superhero and the brand-new Bear and Squirrel Are Friends . .  Yes, Really! 
Kirkus calls it a "A nifty, expectation-defying read-aloud." 

* ENTER TO WIN a SIGNED COPY of BEAR AND SQUIRREL ARE FRIENDS . . . . YES, REALLY! by leaving a comment below! We''ll announce the winner on Wednesday, Oct. 28th!

From BEAR AND SQUIRREL ARE FRIENDS . . .  YES, REALLY! Illustration copyright 2015 by Deb Pilutti.

From BEAR AND SQUIRREL ARE FRIENDS . . .  YES, REALLY! Illustration copyright 2015 by Deb Pilutti.

We love Bear and Squirrel! Come on, how cute are they? We asked Deb to share her five favorite picture books about other unlikely friends -- a difficult task! Here are her top picks:

The Lion and the Bird 
by Marian Dubuc
Two animals, a small bird and one adult lion, come into each other’s lives by chance. The Lion, who has been living a quiet but fulfilling, solitary life, finds the injured bird and nurses it to health. The bird is unable to join her flock and the two become friends and spend a cozy winter together. When spring comes, the flock returns and the bird rejoins his clan. There’s no high stakes drama, just a tender friendship tale with underlying currents of loneliness, contentment, loss and joy. The charming illustrations expertly match the emotions being conveyed. This book makes my heart sing. 

Arnie the Doughnut
by Laurie Keller
What could be a more unlikely pairing in a picture book than an older gentleman and a doughnut? If someone explained the premise of this book to me BEFORE I read it, I would have thought they were joking. But Arnie wins our hearts from the get-go. He is a fully rounded character (wink) and proud to be a doughnut with all of his glorious sprinkles. When he discovers that the nice man who buys him is actually going to EAT him, Arnie becomes outraged. He pleads his case with Mr. Bing, and Mr. Bing eventually realizes that Arnie makes a much better friend than a snack. Mr. Bing and Arnie have remained fast friends and shared adventures through 4 books to date. Keller gives her characters such amusing expressions, clever conversation and general silliness that any age reader will be laughing throughout. 

Officer Buckle and Gloria 
by Peggy Rathmann
Really good friends shine a light on one another, especially when they are faltering. This is definitely the case in Peggy Rathmann’s very funny Officer Buckle and Gloria. Before the police dog, Gloria, starts appearing with Officer Buckle at his safety talks, students and teachers were dozing off mid-lecture. But thanks to Gloria’s hilarious antics, all performed behind Officer Buckle’s back, the lessons become a huge hit. The only problem is that when Officer Buckle finds out that it is Gloria, not his lessons that are popular, his feelings get hurt and he refuses to give any more safety talks. Gloria tries doing the safety lessons on her own, but the solo attempt is a disaster. The two discover they are better as a team. Rathmann’s expressive illustrations will give you giggle fits.

Owen & Mzee
The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship
as told by Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff and Dr. Paula Kahumbu
photographs by Peter Greste
I am a sucker for true-life unlikely animal friendships. I’ll watch any internet video or meme if it shows a monkey cuddling a baby tiger or a deer who wanders into a house to hang out on the couch with the family golden retriever and cat. This story of a 130-year-old giant tortoise named Mzee and an orphaned 1-year-old hippopotamus named Owen is one of the best unlikely animal stories. It starts with the dramatic situation of Owen losing both his herd and mother. After a daring rescue, Owen relocates to the Haller Park animal sanctuary where it is the cranky, standoffish Mzee who is able to comfort the baby hippo. The two bond and become inseparable. 

Leo
A Ghost Story
by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Christian Robinson
Everyone needs a friend and a ghost is no exception. Especially a young ghost named Leo who has been living in a house for a long time, reading and drawing pictures in the dust. The problem is that no one can actually see Leo. They walk right through him or become frightened by his ghostly actions. Until he meets Jane, a young girl with a vivid imagination. She believes Leo to be an imaginary friend and the two have wonderful adventures. One night, Leo uses his ghostly abilities to scare a sneak thief and discloses to Jane that he is, in fact, a ghost. Jane sees Leo for exactly what he is, a friend. Christian Robinson’s spare, mixed-media illustrations are wonderfully playful and perfectly expressive.

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Bear and Squirrel Are Friends ...Yes Really!

by Deb Pilutti

Published by Paula Wiseman Books

ISBN: 978-1481429139

"This very funny story tests and tickles readers' faith in unlikely friendships before ending up right where it should." --Publishers Weekly

"A nifty, expectation-defying read-aloud." --Kirkus Reviews

TEN RULES OF BEING A SUPERHERO
by Deb Pilutti
Published by Christy Ottaviano Books, Oct. 2014
ISBN: 978-0805097597
 
“This story illuminates the fantasy world of one little boy and his favorite toy, Captain Magma . . . will appeal to young superheroes (and their sidekicks) everywhere.” ―School Library Journal

“Instead of opting for braggadocio and mock high drama, Pilutti's duo's self-awareness and low-stakes theatrics have an offhanded, almost improvisational vibe.” ―Publishers Weekly

Deb Pilutti feels lucky to have a job where reading, playing with toys and watching cartoons is considered “research.” Deb has worked as a graphic designer and illustrator, most recently for Oliebollen.com, and now spends her time writing and illustrating for children. Her most recent books include: Bear and Squirrel are Friends…Yes, Really! A Paula Wiseman Book/Simon & Schuster and Ten Rules of Being a Superhero, Christy Ottaviano/Henry Holt. She is working on several other books at her studio in Ann Arbor, MI.

To learn more info and fun downloads, visit her website.

Audrey Vernick's Five Favorite Back-to-School Books (PLUS A 'FIRST GRADE DROPOUT' GIVEAWAY!)

Are your little ones trotting off to school this week? Are you an elementary school teacher welcoming students back to your classroom or library? Perhaps you just need a list of five fabulous books to read as you move into the cozy fall-reading season?

Well, huzzah! AUDREY VERNICK, author of more than a dozen delightful books for young readers—including two of our favorite back-to-school reads, Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten?, illustrated by Daniel Jennewein, and the brand new (and totally hilarious) First Grade Dropout, illustrated by Matthew Cordell—is with us in the Cottage today. And she's brought along five of her all-time favorite back-to-school books to share.

And as an added treat, Audrey's giving away a SIGNED COPY of FIRST GRADE DROPOUT to one lucky reader. Leave a comment in the comments section below to enter.

Welcome, Audrey! Please tell us which books are your favorites for back-to-school and why. . .

1. Oliver and His Alligator by Paul Schmid

This book has the most enviable one-two punch. It begins like this: "Oliver sometimes felt his brave wasn't nearly as big as he needed it to be." And get a load of page two: “So on his first day of school, Oliver thought it best to stop by the swamp and pick up an alligator. Just in case things got rough.” Sigh. And swoon! But for me, even with those two wins in its corner, the most amazing thing about Oliver and His Alligator is the beautiful illustrations.

2. Maple and Willow Apart by Lori Nichols

This may be unique to me, the youngest of three sisters, but simply looking at the cover of this book just about breaks me open. After a lovely summer for two close summer-loving sisters, Maple and Willow Apart provides a thoughtful story about a less-explored side to the back-to-school oeuvre—the effect on the child left behind. It’s a sweet and quiet story about the bond between sisters—one in kindergarten and one still at home, with some very sweet pig-Latin moments (issmay ouyay).

3. Ralph Tells a Story by Abby Hanlon

I include this book for the kids at every school I visit—the ones who look at me blankly, hopelessly, desperately—when I do a writing workshop, because despite having lived ten years on this planet, they have never had anything worth writing about happen to them, not ever. This is a really nice story for the start of the school year about a child who is sure he has no ideas at all and guess what?! (Spoiler alert: he does.) And it’s a debut!!! Looking forward to more from Abby Hanlon!

4. Rain School, by James Rumford

Sometimes I read a book and know that a particular element would have been absolutely irresistible to young me. In this book, Thomas and his fellow students show up for the first day of school in Chad (Africa) and before their traditional learning can begin, they literally have to build their school. Of course, the act of building itself—walls and desks from mud, grass for the roof—provides its own learning experience. And then traditional classes begin. But here’s the irresistible part: in the summer, every summer, the heavy rains wash the school away. In fall, they begin again.

5. Chrysanthemum, by Kevin Henkes

I went back and forth about this one, because of Victoria, who falls somewhere between Nellie Olsen and Regina George in the literary pantheon of mean girls. But the rest of it—Chrysanthemum’s loving mom and thesaurus-y dad; the divine Mrs. Delphinium Twinkle; and the two-word sentence that, along with “Hey, Boo,” tops the list of Great American Two-Word Sentences (“Chrysanthemum wilted.”) all stand to prove that this one’s been around for decades for a reason.

Happy back to school, everyone!

Thanks, Audrey! We will happily add these books to our Little Crooked Bookshelf. And here are two of Audrey's books YOU should most defintely add to yours. . . 

FIRST GRADE DROPOUT
by Audrey Vernick
illustrated by Matthew Cordell
(Clarion Books 2015)

★ "Vernick’s tousled-haired hero may feel miserable, but he has the self-awareness, timing, and raconteurship of a master monologist; readers will be won over from his intriguing opening line (“I’ve been lots of things”) and quickly assured that this, too, shall pass." So effective is Vernick in conjuring the boy’s blush-inducing, sweat-triggering embarrassment, readers young and old will probably find themselves flashing back to their own not-quite-forgotten moments of humiliation. Likewise, Cordell’s sketchlike illustrations, composed of frenetic ink lines and punctuated with washes of bright color, are almost Feifferesque in their sense of emotional spontaneity and comic angst." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"This winning picture book will be popular for its entertainment value, as well as for its potential to introduce ideas about empathy."

—School Library Journal

IS YOUR BUFFALO READY FOR KINDERGARTEN?
by Audrey Vernick
illustrated by Daniel Jennewein
(Balzer & Bray 2010)

"This wacky picture book, with its bold cartoonlike illustrations of a buffalo that snorts, dances, and makes faces, may help apprehensive youngsters to be more at ease about going to school. 'Everyone's special in his or her own way. That's the kind of thing you learn in kindergarten.' Vernick's amusing tale will prove handy as a first-day-of-school book recommendation for children and teachers alike." —SLJ

"Just the thing to calm those night-before nerves." —Booklist

Audrey Vernick is the author of over a dozen books for young readers, including Brothers at Bat, a New York Times Notable book. A frequent speaker at elementary schools and conferences, Audrey lives near the ocean in New Jersey with her family. You can visit her online at www.audreyvernick.com.

Tell us YOUR favorite back-to-school books in the comments below to enter to win an autographed copy of FIRST GRADE DROPOUT by Audrey Vernick and Matt Cordell! 

(Winner will be announced on Wednesday, September 16th.) 

Terry Shay's Favorite Books to Spark Creativity!

It's Teacher Appreciation Week! And we're celebrating by inviting one our favorite teachers, Terry Shay, to the Cottage! In addition to teaching music and technology in Iowa, Terry is one of the founders of International Dot Day–a global creativity and literacy celebration inspired by Peter Reynolds' book, The Dot—as well as the founder and facilitator of the popular Celebri-dots program. He's also a tireless champion of creativity, an avid reader with an infectious love of books, and an all-around sweet guy.

We asked Terry for his recommendations on books to ignite a creative spark!

"In the last few years there has been a great resurgence in the focus on Creativity, most likely as a reaction to the testing culture that has permeated schools. There are many books that help foster creativity in classrooms and homes. I’ve made a list of my favorites so you can begin creating your own library."

"In 2009, The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds formed the inspiration for a global creativity celebration called International Dot Day. Since its inception, Dot Day has been celebrated by almost two million people in ninety countries. The Dot tells the story of creativity-challenged Vashti, and her teacher who encourages her to “make a mark and see where it takes you.” Peter has followed up with two other books, Ish and Sky Color, to form the “Creatrilogy.” This set of books is essential to both inspire kids to create, and to challenge many of the things that hold them back. When I think of a creativity champion, I think of Peter H. Reynolds."

"Biographies can also be stellar choices to inspire creativity. The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds Kandinsky’s Abstract Art is a Caldecott Honor book and rightfully so. Mary Grandpré has created stunning visuals to go along with Barbara Rosenstock’s excellent story of artist Vasya Kandinsky and his way of looking at the world." 

"In Mary’s Garden is another visually appealing story by Carson and Tina Kugler that tells the story of Mary Nohl and her famous upcycling masterpiece house near Milwaukee, WI. The art is so beautiful and so true to Mary’s artwork that you will want to run out and make your own masterpiece." 

"Wendell Minor is a masterful artist and he channels the art of Edward Hopper in Edward Hopper Paints His World. It had to have been very difficult to get the right feeling on the iconic Hopper, but Wendell does it with great style. When you add Robert Burleigh’s words in retelling the story of Edward Hopper, the book becomes an inspirational masterpiece. The beauty in all of these biographical books is that the subjects had to overcome struggles, which is a common theme, and one that will reassure and inspire young artists."

"For plain fun and creativity, you can’t beat Drew Daywalt’s The Day the Crayons Quit. Disguised as a book about complaining crayons, this book questions the notion of certain colors being strongly associated with certain objects, like is the sun yellow or orange? This book is laugh-out-loud good with a strong creative message. It also opens the whole idea of personification, which could be the launching point for creative writing." 

"Also take a look at Louise Loves Art by Kelly Light. A super sweet book about inspiration, creating, and siblings. Louise says, “I love art! It’s my imagination on the outside.” Kelly has created a charming book about the importance of audience and of being a creator."

"Have you heard about the “maker movement” that is ramping up creativity in an entirely new way? Start with Going Places by Peter H. and Paul A. Reynolds. Going Places is the story of kids who are participating in a go-cart competition that ignites their imagination. This book would be a great place to start a discussion about how creativity can lead to exploration and making." 

"Speaking of engineering, check out Open This Little Book by Jesse Klausmeier. Although the story itself is not about engineering, the unique engineering of paper and the book's clever design will give students a clear message about thinking outside the box."

"I believe that everyone is creative. The problem is that sometimes people have such a limited view of creativity that they start to believe they aren’t creative. These last two books are not directly about creativity, but are nonetheless inspiring. The Story of Fish and Snail by Deborah Freedman shares the important concept of being brave. Although I believe everyone is creative, sometimes I think a strong shot of bravery is needed to get it out for the world to see."

"Another great title is Henny by Elizabeth Rose Stanton. Henny is about a chicken that was born with arms instead of wings. The message in this fabulous book is your talent may not be the same as someone else's, but you should use the talents you have.

Happy creating!"

Resources:

International Dot Day www.thedotclub.org

Celebridots www.celebridots.com

The Testing Camera http://www.fablevisionlearning.com/blog/2014/12/the-testing-camera

Terry Shay is a 5-12 Vocal Music and Technology teacher at North Tama School in Traer, IA. You can find Terry on Twitter at @tjshay

Sarah Albee's Five Favorite History Books

Every now and then, we Cottagers get giddy over one of our guests. That's not to say we don't enjoy each and every visitor we are fortunate to host at our humble abode… but, you know how it is, when someone comes to dinner you just KNOW is going to have the BEST stories? That's Sarah Albee. Sarah is the author of more than 100 books for young readers, many of them related to beguiling historical subjects such as Bugs, or Poop, or her latest… Why'd They Wear That? a funny and informative romp through centuries of fashion dos and don'ts. From the skeevy to the sublime, Sarah is a master at getting kids excited about fascinating tidbits of history—so we asked her for a list of her five favorite books to get budding history buffs reading.

Thanks, Cottagers, for inviting me to talk about some of my favorite history books. It was really hard to narrow it down to these, but I did manage to sneak in a sixth because one of my choices is a follow-up, heh heh. I love medical history, social history, and stories that help kids see the human side of history. Extra points go to history writers with a sense of humor, which helps draw kids into the story.

Red Madness: How a Medical Mystery Changed What We Eat, by Gail Jarrow  (Calkins Creek, 2014).

It’s a dramatically-designed book with plenty of graphic pictures of the dreadful disease called pellagra, which ravaged the country in the first part of the twentieth century but which has practically been forgotten in modern times. Jarrow meticulously chronicles the progress made by medical “detectives” who uncovered its cause and who ultimately saved thousands of lives. If you have—or know of—a kid who says she hates to eat her vegetables, shove this book into her hands. It’ll do the trick. I’m a big fan of histories of public health heroes, and books about epidemiology, and Gail Jarrow has done a remarkable job portraying the disease and its ultimate cure. Plus the pictures are truly gruesome. What’s not to love?

  

I Feel Better With a Frog in My Throat, written and illustrated by Carlyn Beccia (Houghton Mifflin, 2010)

An entertaining romp through medical history and the cures for various ailments that medical practitioners have tried on their patients. Versions of some of these treatments are still in practice today (see caterpillar fungus, frog slime, and leeches). Beccia is a hilarious writer (“Some things get better with age. Urine is not one of them.”), a thorough researcher, and also, she illustrates her own books. I know. It’s enough to make a history writer want to Frisbee her own laptop across the room at the opposite wall.

How They Choked: Failures, Flops, and Flaws of the Awfully Famous by Georgia Bragg, illustrated by Kevin O’Malley (Walker, 2014)

See? By mentioning this follow-up to Bragg’s wonderful How they Croaked (2010) as one of my top five, I am slyly able to up my title count, because I love both of these books so much. In her intro, Georgia Bragg says, “Juicy failures don’t often make it into biographies because sometimes historians lose sight of the fact that their subjects were human beings.” And the book covers the lives of some of my favorite historical figures, including Ferdinand Magellan, Isaac Newton, and Queen Isabella. The writing is hilarious and lively and compelling.

The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer’s Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors by Chris Barton. Illustrated by Tony Persiani (Charlesbridge, 2009).

This book is ingenious for all sorts of reasons: the writing, which captures the lives of two brothers and distills down some pretty complicated science into an entertaining read; the design, which perfectly complements the historical era; and most notably, the art, which is flat brilliant. As the story of the brothers’ discoveries unfolds, the pictures progress from black and white, to including spots of color, to full-on Day-Glo. And the style is so evocative of the era, which is one of my favorite time periods for animation (and for fashion).

(Bonus points if you want to see historical examples of this style of animation. Click on this link to watch the memorable opening of the 1960s TV show My Three Sons https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3nLLI-CilM. And the 1961 Disney version of 101 Dalmations has a jazzy opening credit sequence—complete with Day-Glo-like colors-- that I could watch over and over: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34e-ADjBwG4. You’ll appreciate how the design of Day-Glo Brothers is so spot-on.)

The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion and The Fall of Imperial Russia by Candace Fleming (Schwartz and Wade, 2014).

I’ve been obsessed with the Romanovs ever since I did a report on Rasputin in sixth grade. Also, my sister is fluent in Russian—she has lived in Saint Petersburg for twenty years with her Russian husband and my Russian niece, and I’m super close to my sister, so I feel like I’m kind of part-Russian. The story of the fall of Imperial Russia and the doomed, out-of-touch Tsar and his family is incredibly compelling, dramatic, and tragic, and Candace Fleming is a master storyteller—the perfect writer for this complex and interwoven tale. She moves back and forth between the royal family and the starving Russian peasantry and the dreadfully underequipped soldiers fighting in World War I, so the reader has a vivid picture of how and why the Bolsheviks were able to rise to power, and can appreciate how much suffering the average Russians had to endure.

Sarah Albee is the New York Times bestselling author of more than 100 books for kids, ranging from preschool through middle grade. Her nonfiction middle grade titles include Why'd They Wear That? (National Geographic, 2015), Bugged: How Insects Changed History (2014), and Poop Happened: A History of the World from the Bottom Up (2010)–and several more are on the way. She loves to visit schools to talk to kids about history and writing. She lives in Connecticut with her family and blogs about offbeat history at http://sarahalbeebooks.com.

Why'd They Wear That? (National Geographic, 2015)
By Sarah Albee
Foreword by Tim Gunn
ISBN: 978-1426319198

"Opening with a foreword by style guru Tim Gunn, this lavishly illustrated book presents history as a long and winding runway of fashion. In its brightly adorned pages, readers can gaze and gawk at the strange outfits humans have dreamed up since “casting off their smelly bear-skins” 10,000 years ago." - The Washington Post

"...this is truly an ageless piece of work that does everything a book should do. This book educates, elucidates, and entertains and should be deemed required reading for anyone who is interested in fashion on any level." - New York Journal of Books

"What a good idea for a book. And what a clever way to do it. As the subtitle says, this hefty, extensively illustrated book uses fashion to discuss the ways and whys people dress and how it reflects what’s happening in their civilization." - Booklist

"Now see, the reason I like National Geographic Kids is that they’re reliable. Take Why’d They Wear That?, for example. You know what you’re getting here, even if you don’t know the details. Mind you, the details are where all the good stuff is." - School Library Journal

"Full of period images that show off every bustle, frill, and rivet, this wide-ranging guide to clothing throughout time will fascinate history and fashion buffs alike." - Publishers Weekly

Bugged
By Sarah Albee
Illustrated by Robert Leighton
Bloomsbury USA Childrens (April 15, 2014)

ISBN: 978-0802734228

"The shock value alone makes this worth the cover price, but once kids are pulled in, they will learn more than they bargained for about the impact of insects on human history. Insects have determined the outcomes of wars and the paths of human migrations; they have brought plagues, provided strong fabrics, and sweetened our tea. Chapters are divided topically, beginning with the basics of insect life cycles, moving on to human hygiene and beneficial insects, and then covering 'bad news bugs,' before tackling history from the 'earliest epidemics' to current concerns in the relationship between humans and insects. This is history for those with a strong constitution, who aren't bothered by phrases such as 'cockroach brain tissue,' 'crawling with maggots,' and 'bursting buboes' or by the idea of receiving 9,000 insect bites in a minute. With a green-and-purple design, reminiscent of a beetle, and black-and-white photos and cartoon illustrations, this is an attractive package full of hand-washing inducing facts. Overall, this title is astonishing, disgusting, revolting, and ultimately fascinating, making it perfect for emerging entomologists, budding historians, reluctant readers, and gross-out junkies alike."—SLJ