What's New? Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews. Hop on over there to ogle what other bloggers got this week.

I am so exhausted! My reading plummeted since the school year started for teachers on the second of September. Students came back yesterday. I am teaching fifth and sixth grade language arts to students on their virtual days, meaning I need to work closely with the LA teachers who have them in-person. The library is closed. I received no money to buy books because so much money had to be spent on cleaning supplies and such in order to reopen safely. Once I'm settled in my new routine of teaching LA, I hope to find a way to open the library virtually, where students send me requests and I place the book in their teacher's mailboxes. I have to figure out something for the fully virtual students. The first two days were just days to acclimate to the new models - fully virtual or hybrid. 

For Review:

Image: Candlewick Press

Jabari Tries by Gaia Cornwall. unpgd. Candlewick Press, September 8, 2020. 9781536207163.

Publisher synopsis: Jabari is making a flying machine in his backyard! “It’ll be easy. I don’t need any help,” he declares. But it doesn’t work! Jabari is frustrated. Good thing Dad is there for a pep talk and his little sister, Nika, is there to assist, fairy wings and all. With the endearing father-child dynamic of Jabari Jumps and engaging mixed-media illustrations, Gaia Cornwall’s tale shows that through perseverance and flexibility, an inventive thought can become a brilliant reality.

Jabari is inventing a machine that will fly all the way across the yard! But making it go from CRASH to WHOOSH will take grit, patience, and maybe even a little help from his sister.

Image: Candlewick Press

Flying Paintings: the Zhou Brothers: a story of revolution and art by Amy Alznauer. Illustrated by ShanZuo Zhou & DaHuang Zhou. unpgd. Candlewick Press, September, 2020. 9781536204285.

Publisher synopsis: First there was one Zhou brother, and then there were two. They lived in a bookstore with their grandmother, Po Po, whose stories of paintings that flew through the air and landed on mountain cliffs inspired them to create their own art. Amid the turbulence of China’s Cultural Revolution in the 1970s, the Zhou Brothers began painting together on the same canvas. Today, ShanZuo and DaHuang Zhou are icons in the art world, renowned for working side by side on all their paintings and sculptures.


In this extraordinary biography, author Amy Alznauer joins with the Zhou Brothers to tell the story of their unique and often difficult childhood and their pursuit of a wild, impossible dream. The lyrical writing blends elements of legend, while the brothers’ dramatic illustrations soar with vibrant colors and surreal imagery from ancient Chinese cliff paintings. An inspiration for young artists and dreamers of all kinds, this deeply felt collaboration explores how art can bring people together, as well as set them free.
The epic story of two Chinese brothers who became art-world legends, illustrated with stunning paintings by the artists themselves.

Purchased: Nothing! Those books are still sitting in my cart!

If you leave a comment, leave the link to your stack. I will pop by and to check out your stack!