Laura Shovan

This is a story where two people with different backgrounds and all the differences that accompany them. Sara and Elizabeth were two people they had never imagined themselves to be friends with. It started when Els took a cooking class specifically for South Asian cuisine and Sara who tag along her mother as a teacher in the cooking class. From there they started interacting.

Sara with the racist problems she has to face that makes her have a fortress that she builds because she's different, as well as financial problems that she thinks about (even though her mother and father have asked Sara not to worry about it because it is an 'adult' problem), then her love for art and her reluctance when cooking.

Elizabeth with family problems as well, a mother who feels deep sadness because her grandmother left in England, her father who is rarely home, also with her friendship with Maddy.

Sara and Elizabeth both have their own struggles, but in the middle they finally learn that they can find a friendship with each other, learn how their respective families are, and how they deal with each other's problems. Also apologizing and forgiving, character development for the better and learning from mistakes.

I think this novel is good, the narration is easy to digest, the word processing in the scene can make you emotional when reading it, as well as the warm feeling it conveys. Each character has its own portion. And there are some values ​​that can be applied in your daily life.

Like a quote from this book:

"... We shouldn't judge food until we try it. Just because it's different doesn't mean it's less delicious."

… (más)

2023-11-12 Review of Welcome to Monsterville
Poems by Laura Shovan
Illustrations by Michael Rothenberg

I received this book as part of the Library Thing Early Reviewers in exchange for an honest review.
The first poem is an invitation into Monsterville. Sixteen whimsical monsters are then introduced with a poem about their habits , emotions, and coping skills. Monsters are our neighbors and experience sadness, anger, shyness , hunger, and more. Monster houses take walks and “make the sidewalks quake”. In addition to enjoying the illustrations children can get a glimpse into the ways that Monsters deal with their feelings. In the poem “When I Cry” there is a line that asks, “Can I laugh too, even though I am sad? Yes, Monster says.”
My favorite poem in the book is “Micro Monster” that tell of micro monsters that float in the air after your friend sneezes and how they can infect you. The last line tells us it helps “if you cover your honker.”
Children will love the illustrations and may even come up with some of their own. The poems are fun and provide an opportunity for discussion about the situations and feelings. I really enjoyed this book and think children would, also. I think reading it to or with a child would be the best experience for them.… (más)

When I think of poetry for kids, I think of Shel Silverstein. It's time for me to add another thoughtful collection: Welcome to Monsterville. Welcome to Monsterville is a collection of 16 poems, many of which address feelings and emotions. I loved Green Cave's "Sometimes I get so mad, the feelings can't stay inside.", When I Cry's "There is a monster in me called Sadness," Birthday's surprise party, and Freedom's "Their almost-human eyes are watching me. I'm petrified."

Something I appreciated about the writing was the variety and depth. Whenever I read a poem, I got lost in the thoughts it brought up. While I could easily read 16 poems in one sitting, this book took many sessions to get through. I took time comparing the poems, wondering why a style was chosen, the mindset it was written in, and the feeling it brought up.

At the end of the book, Laura Shovan and Michael Rothenberg share the process of making the book.

Recommended age: 6-8 years, though many poems apply to all ages

Writing style: Poetry. The poems in this book follow a range of styles. There is the classic coupled rhyme (AA BB CC...) and four-line rhyme (ABCB), but also blank verse, shape poems, and my favorite, onomatopoeia, or at least parts of it. I felt like I was back in 5th grade learning poetry for the first time. This book would be a great set of examples for learning about types of poems.

Lexile range (unofficial): 410L - 600L
Decoding difficulty: 4/5
Vocabulary difficulty: 4/5
Sentences difficulty: 4/5
Patterns difficulty: 5/5

Illustration style: Quirky colorful monsters are on one page, while the other side has the poem. The monsters are drawn with watercolor. They have enough detail that I could point out the colors, shapes, and components. I think it would be a fun activity for children to draw their own monsters.

Reality-based: Monsters aren't real, fortunately (or maybe unfortunately because these monsters seem fun). However, the sadness, fear, anger, sickness, and other emotions are relatable and real. This may make discussing those emotions easier.

Disclaimer: Thank you, LibraryThing Early Reviewers, and booksforward, for this title. All opinions are my own.… (más)