Rutabaga's Reads 2024: Part 13

Here comes the next compilation of picture books! I thought I’d have more than two picture book compilations this year, but alas, no.

The Bakery Dragon (Oct. 1, 2024) by Devin Elle Kurtz.

As a dragon, Ember wants to bring home spoils and hoard gold like the other dragons do, but he’s little and only produces a very small flame. Ember flies into a nearby town and gets caught in a fierce storm. A nice baker allows Ember to ride out the rainstorm in her bakery and teaches him to help her bake. “Ember watched, full of wonder, as the gooey blobs of dough transformed like magic into ... shining gold.” She gives him a tray of “baker’s gold.” It’s the most glorious thing he’s tasted, and when he returns home, its delectable aroma draws the other dragons. The baker isn’t thrilled when Ember returns with the other dragons, because they’ve done “an awful lot of stealing.” But, as they all learn, “...baking gold is better than taking it. And sharing it is best of all.”

            This story is *chef’s kiss* with its sweet storyline and warm illustrations that are so engaging that readers can smell the wafting deliciousness of fresh-baked bread and feel the decadent warmth of bread straight from the oven. The author-illustrator’s stunning pictures are as golden as the gold dragons want to hoard. This cheerful picture book is friendly and has a good message about sharing and generosity. I absolutely ate up this radiant picture book!

The Barnabus Project (Sept. 1, 2020) by Terry Fan, Eric Fan and Devin Fan (The Fan Brothers).

In a world created for Perfect Pets, half mouse, half elephant Barnabus is a Failed Project. His friend, Pip the cockroach, tells him stories about things like a sparkling silver lake and “mountains that reached all the way to the sky, lit with their own stars.” Barnabus believes that nothing is impossible, and on the day that the Failed Projects receive a “strange red stamp” (it says FAIL), Barnabus decides they all need to escape. Barnabus doesn’t want to be “recycled” and come out fluffier and cuter. He likes himself just the way he is. But how can Barnabus and his fellow Failed Project friends escape their confines in the hidden lab deep underground and avoid the Green Rubber Suits?

            The Fan brothers create an epic adventure of escape, rebellion and suspense that is moving and magical with detailed worldbuilding (the two-page illustration of the lab is fairly meticulous). It’s easy to root for Barnabus and his friends who want freedom and who accept each other just as they are. This picture book is stunning as it showcases bravery and diversity in a unique way. Fun and tender with beautiful imagination and glorious illustrations besides. The adventure is ambitious, it is perilous, and it has such heart.

Cozy in Love (Nov. 8, 2022) by Jan Brett.

In this second story featuring Cozy the musk ox, Cozy is downhearted after losing a test of strength with another in his herd. He wonders how he’ll gain the admiration of lovely Lofti, but he doesn’t wonder long, because one of his puffin friends alerts him to an emergency. Bella, their young beluga whale friend has played too long in Teardrop Inlet, and its entrance to the Bering Sea has frozen. If the entire inlet freezes over, she’ll lose access to air. Cozy devises a plan to use “simple science” and his own ox strength to help Bella over the ice wall. Little does Cozy know that someone is witnessing the entire scene and is admiring his strong, smart, bighearted self.

            With her signature storytelling, gorgeous illustrations and artwork vignettes, which also accompany the storytelling, Brett gives readers another quintessential Jan Brett picture book. The kindness and quick-thinking at the book’s heart reminds us that it’s always in-style to help friends in need. Brett’s rich artwork lends stunning beauty to a frigid Alaska backdrop and reminds us to care for all of the creatures of the world. This book is essential for any Brett fans and all libraries who carry her stories. It is a sweet, enchanting story.

The Goblin Twins (Sept. 5, 2023) by Frances Cha.

   Jaime Kim, illustrator.

Meet the goblin twins (Korean: dokkaebi). Doki likes conjuring gifts of gold or silver with his magic club (bangmangi) instead of scaring people. He also loves reading one of his three abandoned books. Kebi likes scaring people too much and gets in trouble for it with the elder dokkaebi. He loves exploring. The twins are young, only 601 years old! When they have to move out of their abandoned house, most move to a graveyard, but Doki and Kebi move from Seoul to a strange land called New York City. Trying to find the perfect place to live, they spot houses that are too cheerful or too new or already occupied by “New York monsters” (people) who aren’t very friendly. When they find the perfect house, what will they think of trick-or-treaters?

            As soon as I read the goblins’ names, my mind automatically thought of dokkaebi. This not-so-scary Halloween picture book is an entertaining treat. In other versions of Korean mythology, dokkaebi are to be avoided at all costs, for they cause dreamers to dream their worst fears, and then the dokkaebi feed on those fears. Yeah, not so nice. But even with Kebi being the mischievous of the two and the darkly bold, yet colorful, illustrations, this is overall a friendly tale. It’s not a fright, but a delight. It’s mythology, but cartoonish. It is adorable, and my nephew enjoyed it, too. I’d totally want to adopt book-loving Doki, but I’d watch out for Kebi’s shenanigans!

We Are Definitely Human (Aug. 6, 2024) by X. Fang.

It’s midnight when three strangers (aliens) crash-land outside Mr. and Mrs. Li’s house. The strangers’ “shape was very hard to describe,” and “their skin was very blue,” but they inform Mr. Li (Mrs. Li’s a very sound sleeper) that, “We are DEFINITELY human.” They are “…from…Europe.” Their “car” (UFO) has broken down and needs repair, but with the stores being closed for the night, Mr. Li, being a kind human, invites them into their home for the night and offers to help them repair their car. While Mrs. Li is surprised to see houseguests the following morning, she takes it all in stride, and asks what they do in Europe. They “make business,” “play sportsball” and “wear hat.” Fixing their car becomes a community event, and when they leave, Mr. Li declares, “Yep, they are DEFINITELY not from Europe.”

            While this story is fantastical with its not-remotely-human-looking aliens, their vehicle a.k.a. UFO and interplanetary interactions, it’s a story of kindness. Kindness radiates through the story, first with Mr. Li and then with the townsfolk, who, like Mr. and Mrs. Li “were all kind humans.” It’s a sweet, feel-good story with a message of kindness, yes, but of acceptance, too. The author/illustrator’s illustrations are fun but not over-the-top. It is pleasantly wise, pleasingly diverse (the Lis cue as Asian, the townsfolk vary in skin tone, and the visitors vary in size and height) and perfect for earthlings of any age.