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The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson Illustrated by Rafael López


Square by Mac Barnett illustrated by Jon Klassen


Nothing Stopped Sophie: The Story of Unshakable Mathematician Sophie Germain Cheryl Bardoe illustrated by Barbara McClintock


Baby Monkey, Private Eye by Brian Selznick and David Serlin

Are any of these a Caldecott contender?

The Day You Begin is beautiful-- I think it will be a Caldecott or at the minimum a beloved beginning of the school year book!

Tiffany wrote: "The Day You Begin is beautiful-- I think it will be a Caldecott or at the minimum a beloved beginning of the school year book!" I agree with Tiffany! Getting children to understand that they don't have to be just like everyone else is important. Equally, important, children need to learn to listen to others, find unique traits in others, be respectful, and learn how to make others feel valued and special. Many discussion points can come from sharing this book in a group of students.

The artwork is cheerful and includes every color in the rainbow.

Tiffany wrote: "The Day You Begin is beautiful-- I think it will be a Caldecott or at the minimum a beloved beginning of the school year book!"

It is perfect and stunning. Rafael Lopez has another picture book coming out in October called We've Got the Whole World in Our Hands. The words and the artwork for The Day You Begin are perfect together. Poetic, really and absolutely glorious.

Baby Monkey, Private Eye

This is a picture book (or a series of picture books) in a chapter book size and format (189 p.) But the font is huge, and there is mostly one sentence per page or double page spread. And many of the pages are illustration only; the illustrations are black and white pencil or ink drawings, and the only color is some red at the end of each of the stories. In each chapter, Baby Monkey's office has different famous paintings, posters, and busts that have something to do with that chapter's mystery, with all of those items listed at the end of the book. This is another of Selznick's bending the boundaries between what is considered a picture book or a chapter book. But, as noted, there is much less text here than in his Caldecott winning The Invention of Hugo Cabret. So this is aimed at younger children, although adults will enjoy the visual jokes. I hope the Committee seriously considers this book.

Baby Monkey, Private Eye is one unusual picture/early reader/-not really sure book. The great Brian Selznick may have created a new category entirely. It may have a chance at the Geisel award.

I like Square better than the first book in the series. I wish they had put the trilogy in one picture book or early reader multiple chapter book. The board book format for this series isn't working for me. Board books are typically for the youngest readers. They are primarily purchased because the parents want a sturdy, colorful often classic and/or learning book. Babies/toddlers are into sucking, teething and chewing on board books. I get that the amazing Barnett is teaching shapes but the stories are rather sophisticated. Waiting three years for the whole story to be told is a long wait as well.

The Day You Begin is total perfection. An award winning team has a good shot at winning one or more 2019 awards. Wonderful, poetic text with joyous illustrations. A new classic starting school or back to school book.

I absolutely LOVE Baby Monkey, Private Eye. So well executed.
Exquisitely simple and quite complex at the same time. I would loveto see this win something!

Square - Marc Barnett and Jon Kalssen
While Baby Monkey, Private Eye may be genre shifting I am not sure what Square is. It's not really a board book - too fragile for that. I am not even sure it wants to BE a board book but it certainly has that look about it. What does this book want to be when it grows up? What story does it want to tell? Nope. Square leaves me --- flat.

Nothing Stopped Sophie
I really liked this biography of a female genius mathematician, but then I think all mathematicians are geniuses, since math is so far over my head! Anyway, Barbara McClintock did a fabulous job of illustrating this book with numbers and equations swirling around on just about every spread. On one page, Sophie is jumping around (after she saw the sand vibrating on glass), and in the illustration are depicted shapes that sand actually makes when vibrated on glass--McClintock says she researched this for that illustration. Artistic genius! And, in her note, the artist says that this is the first book in which she used collage. I think that the text and pictures worked together extremely well in this book.

Laura wrote: "I like Square better than the first book in the series. I wish they had put the trilogy in one picture book or early reader multiple chapter book. The board book format for this series isn't workin..."

The copies of Square and Triangle in our library system have very thick cardboard covers, but the pages inside are regular paper, rather than the thick cardboard pages that board books typically have. So, I wouldn't consider our copies board books, and in our system, they are classified in the picture book section. I do agree that these books would not be typical board book fare.

Square
I found this story to be quite humorous. I liked the illustrations, although I am underwhelmed by the drab color scheme. I really loved how Square accidentally made a perfect circle "sculpture" for Circle. While I did like the story a lot, if I were on the Committee, I probably would not vote for this book.

Beverly wrote: "Square
I found this story to be quite humorous. I liked the illustrations, although I am underwhelmed by the drab color scheme. I really loved how Square accidentally made a perfect circle "sculptu..."

I found it funny as well.

The Day You Begin
I liked this book and the illustrations were lovely, rendered in acrylic paint, pen, ink, pencil and watercolors. I am not sure, however, that I liked the author switching from child to child, instead of just following one child.

The Day You Begin
If there were a way to give this book 10 stars, 20 stars, a constellation I would do it. This is one of those books that I wish I'd had as a child and am glad I have as an adult. There are so many ways we feel we don't fit, that we are uncomfortable in our own skin and carefully, without condescension, Woodson clears away the cobwebs of self-doubt and says, "Share your story. ... And ... the world opens itself up a little wider to make some space for you." This book belongs in every library everywhere! And it needs to have a big gold medal on it come January.

I found square amusing, but I don't find the artwork particularly noteworthy. Unlike in Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, the artwork does not complicate or enlarge on the story (unless I missed something, which is totally possible...I had to read Sam and Dave multiple times before I really got the art)