Surprises and delights for younger readers

NONFICTION

The Mythmakers (Abrams, 224 pp. ) by John Hendrix tells the story of two battle-scarred veterans of the Great War who met at Oxford in 1926. One was an avowed atheist bachelor, the other a devout Catholic family man. What they shared was a love of classic literature, myth, and fantasy. Within five years, the Catholic had proved instrumental in the Christian conversion of the atheist, strengthening their bond. Over time the friends expanded their circle to include fellow literates who shared stories and criticism in weekly meetings of “the Inklings.” Out of that creative ferment, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien produced two classics that changed an entire literary genre.

In this unique graphic-novel format, a lion (representing Lewis) and a wizard (representing Tolkien) provide the central narrative in dialogue form. The author explains, “This book is not meant to be an encyclopedic account of their lives and accomplishments; rather, it is a portal”—not only to parallel lives but also to the roots of myth and legend.

It’s highly possible that neither Narnia nor Middle Earth would have seen print without each writer’s influence on the other. Though their relationship ended unhappily, Hendrix imagines a reconciliation in the afterlife, where love and ­forgiveness write the final page.

Honorable Mentions

• The Bard and the Book: How the First Folio Saved the Plays of William Shakespeare From Oblivion
  by Ann Bausum (Peachtree, 104 pp.)
  
  Entertaining text and humorous illustrations make an engaging intro­duction to Shakespeare, with generous quotations from his plays. —Ages 8-14

• Life After Whale: The Amazing Ecosystem of a Whale Fall
  by Lynn Brunelle, illustrated by Jason Chin (Neal Porter Books, 48 pp.)
  
  This beautifully illustrated picture book showcases the variety and economy of creation as a blue whale sustains life long after its death. —Ages 6-10

• One Long Line: Marching Caterpillars and the Scientists Who Followed Them
  by Loree Griffin Burns (Candlewick, 64 pp.)
  
  The study of pine processional caterpillars by two observant naturalists illustrates how curiosity fuels the scientific method. —Ages 8-12

• Radar and the Raft: A True Story About a Scientific Marvel, the Lives It Saved, and the World It Changed
  by Jeff Lantos (Charlesbridge, 192 pp.)
  
  The perspective of the scientists who developed radar and the missionaries rescued by it combine in a riveting story. —Ages 8-14

FICTION

In One Big Open Sky by Lesa Cline-Ransome (Holiday House, 304 pp.), Lettie’s mother Sylvia wasn’t happy when her father decided to join a wagon train from Mississippi to a claim in Nebraska. To Thomas, a former slave, land represents freedom. To Sylvia, home means extended family and a church she may never see again. Lettie doesn’t know what to think, but there’s a long road ahead with time for thinking. She’s a bright girl with a head for numbers and a blank ledger that will fill up with a record of their great adventure: the exhaustion and boredom of travel as well as the new friends, new sights, new challenges, joys, and tragedies.

This is a “Great Migration” little noted in history books: Southern black families, often entire communities, relocating to the Midwest in response to the Homestead Act of 1862. It’s a story of oppressed people taking their destiny in hand and acting with courage and determination. Lettie is the chief narrator, but her mother has a side to tell, as does Philomena, an ambitious young woman who joins the wagon train in Independence. The men are seen through their eyes, chiefly Thomas the instigator of it all: a flawed man, both proud and prickly, but also a man of vision.

The verse-novel format works for the free-flowing thoughts of the three narrators, though readers will be puzzled at first by the lack of punctuation. With perseverance a flow will emerge, along with a deep connection to these characters as they grow into better versions of themselves. One instance of mild cursing and the development of a romantic angle make this a novel best suited to mature middle graders and teens.

Honorable Mentions

• Ferris
  by Kate DiCamillo (Candlewick, 226 pp.)
  
  “Every story is a love story” in this delightful tale of a curious and caring fifth grader and her quirky, challenging family. —Ages 10-14

• The Found Boys
  by S.D. Smith (Harvest House, 172 pp.)
  
  Three boys find racial trouble in small-town West Virginia, but also deepen their understanding of grace and forgiveness. —Ages 8-12

• Majestica
  by Sarah Tolscer (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 307 pp.)
  
  A quasi-Victorian resort is the setting for this action-packed fantasy adventure with shades of environmental stewardship. —Ages 10-14

• Once a Queen
  by Sarah Arthur (Waterbrook, 384 pp.)
  
  Myth becomes reality in a magical Narnia-like setting that interacts with a teen girl’s growth and change. —Ages 12-15

PICTURE BOOKS

In The Man Who Didn’t Like Animals (Clarion Books, 40 pp.), Deborah Underwood crafts a clever and delightful read-aloud that imagines what Old MacDonald was like before he became the eponym of the boisterous farmyard song. The story opens with a man who likes his tidy home and living alone. When a cat appears at his doorstep, he tries to scare it off, but the cat won’t leave. The man discovers that the cat likes to do many of the things he likes to do, so he decides the cat can stay. But then another cat arrives followed by two dogs, and so begins a hilarious progression of ­additions until the man finds himself living in a very untidy townhouse surrounded by very unhappy neighbors. He must make the difficult decision to boot his brood, but soon realizes an empty, tidy home is no home at all. LeUyen Pham’s charming illustrations bring the story to life and feature detailed spreads that children will want to pore over (including the endpapers and book cover under the dust jacket). Keen observers will notice Pham begins the book with a muted palette that progresses into warm and colorful pages as the man’s life transforms. His transformation can remind readers that we, too, are characters in a larger story who, through God’s grace and mercy, can also experience radically changed lives. That message, along with the book’s satisfying conclusion, will move this story into the ranks of timeless and beloved bedtime stories. —Kristin Chapman

Honorable Mentions

• When God Makes Scribbles Beautiful
  by Kate Rietema (B&H Kids, 32 pp.)
  
  A look at how God takes the struggles of life and transforms them into something good.

• Noodles on a Bicycle
  by Kyo Maclear (Random House Studio, 40 pp.)
  
  A delightful recounting of the acrobatic abilities of Tokyo’s noodle deliverymen.

• When Beavers Flew
  by Kristen Tracy (Random House Studio, 40 pp.)
  
  The true story of one man’s creative solution to rehome destructive beavers.

• World More Beautiful
  by Angela Burke Kunkel (Random House Studio, 40 pp.)
  
  A lovely biographical overview of author and illustrator Barbara Cooney’s life.