Why must time-travellers never poo when visiting the past? And did dinosaurs beat us to the moon? These vital issues, and many more, are addressed by podcaster Dan Schreiber in Impossible Things (Hachette, £12.99), zanily illustrated by Kristyna Baczynski. Readers can enjoy teasing their family with weird questions as they follow Schreiber’s double-D “odyssey”. It’s enjoyably brain-stretching (ever considered the difference between a real imaginary friend and a pretend one?), silly, slightly scary but also reassuring (you’ll learn why zombies won’t ever take over the earth). Age eight to 14.
Rebecca’s Prayer for President Lincoln by Jane Yolen (Kar-Ben, £15) introduces young readers to the historic assassination and to the concept of Kaddish. Rebecca is part of a loving Jewish family who admire Lincoln’s stance on the abolition of slavery, especially as Jews were slaves in Egypt. There is a touchingly Jewish focus on Papa’s Civil War injury – having lost his right hand, he holds his prayer book in his left and needs help donning his tallit. Yolen sets her story on the Shabbat of the assassination, when the news was broken in shul and the congregation burst into the mourning prayer. Laura Barella’s light-filled illustrations add to the quiet yet powerful mood of spirituality. But also revel in her pattern-perfect depictions of period clothing and a glowing roast chicken dinner. Age seven to 11.
In the 1950s, the competitive tennis world was white. White clothes, white balls and – as Lori Dubbin points out – white players. Her picture book, Perfect Match (illustrated by Amanda Quartey, Kar-Ben, £15) tells the story of Althea Gibson and Angela Buxton. Both talented players, Gibson (born 1927) was black, so for many years was barred from top tournaments, while Buxton (born 1934) was excluded from tennis clubs by her Jewishness. The pair became supportive friends and victorious doubles partners. An inspiring topic, keeping alive the memory of two pioneers. Age five to nine (novice readers may need guidance on the numerous US spellings).
The Apple Argument (Kar-Ben, £11.99) is Jane Yolen’s modern midrash about Eden, with Anita Barghigiani’s illustrations, all snaking tendrils (plus hidden snake), plump fruits and lush vegetation. The fruits have sweet faces – but turn out sour. They tempt their human caretakers into eating them instead of vegetables, which are permitted but require you to dig deep. A refreshing retelling with an easy-to-grasp moral. Age five to eight.
