The Schmutzy Family, by Madelyn Rosenburg

 After I read it to two neeflings, plotted to read it to two more, and put it on my own to-buy list, I decided that it was probably time to review this book.

The Schmutzy family (from a Yiddish word meaning "dirty") has no concern at all about getting their clothing, house, and selves dirty five and a half days a week. Mom says nothing about most of the messes and even helps stop up the sink when it's time to start a frog habitat. On Friday around midmorning, however, she calls a halt to all that and they clean up for Shabbat. Utterly charming, delightful, and most of all AMAZING at helping kids learn that keeping a few rules doesn't have to make you boring or mean. Reading it even helped me be a little more cheerful about my own Saturday-afternoon cleanup efforts.

El Deafo, by Cece Bell

 

I learned about this book because I went to an author event set up by my public library-- and I got to see and hear Cece Bell speak. She was/is amazing! She ended up losing 90% of her hearing when she was a toddler, and El Deafo describes a fictionalized version of her life from that time until she was in late elementary school. I mean, the characters are rabbits. Clearly it's fictionalized. But I feel like it offers an emotionally safe way for younger persons to consider what it might really be like to be deaf, mostly because the reader gets so caught up in Cece's world that it becomes easy to identify with her. On top of that, she mentioned* how she hopes it will help kids who feel... different... like their lives could turn out OK. I'm not a kid, and I still feel like it left me with this message.

*I'm paraphrasing what I remember from an event several years ago. Please don't be mad at me, Cece Bell, (if you see this) if I got your words wrong! (But do please email me, because I want to get it right.)

Gamayun Tales, by Alexander Utkin

 Graphic novels "based on traditional Russian folklore." Exciting, fast-paced, not too gory or overtly sexual for my extremely tame tastes. Has bad guys, but none that are so bad that they automatically deserve to die just from their category. If you find folk tales satisfying, you will find these satisfying. I only checked out the first three in the series (The King of the Birds, The Water Spirit, and Tyna of the Lake) but plan on getting more as soon as there is room on my library card :). These are also going on my to-buy list.

The Flying Witch

 Jane Yolen, legend of storytelling for extremely good reason, did not disappoint as she added to the already-established genre of Baba Yaga tales. I loved that the little heroine was clever, and I loved that her dad literally saved her with his turnip truck. It's a picture book. It's a quick read. And it's going on my to-buy list.