I had not intended to review titles from the Picture Book list, but Wonder Horse: the True Story of the World's Smartest Horse, by Emily Arnold McCully, came across my desk today. As ever, her illustrations are beautiful and gentle with an almost impressionist touch. Even so, there is enough detail in them to give the reader a real sense of time and place. In this case, the time is about 25 years after the end of the American Civil War. Former slave Bill Key has made a fortune selling his Keystone Liniment and buys a horse in hopes of breeding a racer. What he gets is an ugly foal with twisted legs. Eventually, the colt, named Jim Key, grows to be a healthy horse of great intelligence. Bill Key, always a believer in treating and training animals with kindness, teaches Jim Key the alphabet, colors, counting, and how to do math problems. They go on the road, performing until some folks begin to challenge the validity of Jim Key's "education." Amid insults to himself and his methods, Bill Key perseveres. Although this is a fictionalized account, an Author's Note in the back outlines the life of the real Bill Key and his "wonder horse," Jim Key. Ms McCully also includes a bibliography of additional resources on the pair.
While not for pre-school children, this picture book is a delight for the Kindergarten through Second Grade crowd.
Showing posts with label Picture Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Picture Books. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Friday, March 26, 2010
A Picture Book for Bigger People
Help Me, Mr. Mutt!: Expert Answers for Dogs with People Problems, by Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel--Mr. Mutt is a "Canine Counselor" for dogs with issues. From the dog on a diet to the dog in costume to the incessantly barking dog, this book covers all manner of dog troubles and Mr. Mutt's uniquely canine way of dealing with them. To the dog on a diet, he offers this advice: "Dogs require at least eight servings per day of scrumptious food. Your People do not understand this, so you have to take matters into your own paws." He then goes on to describe various methods of doing so.
The constant barker is confused. Every time he barks, his people yell, "Don't bark!" But "Then they tell me, 'Do a trick! Speak! Speak! For a treat!' Doesn't speak mean bark?" Mr. Mutt's advice? "Have some fun. the next time your people say 'Speak!' look them in the eye and let out a big 'MOOOOO.'"
The text and the illustrations contain subleties only appreciated by the older reader. Jokes abound, but one needs a certain frame of reference (i.e. experience as a pet owner) to fully understand everything. Definitely a fun book!
The constant barker is confused. Every time he barks, his people yell, "Don't bark!" But "Then they tell me, 'Do a trick! Speak! Speak! For a treat!' Doesn't speak mean bark?" Mr. Mutt's advice? "Have some fun. the next time your people say 'Speak!' look them in the eye and let out a big 'MOOOOO.'"
The text and the illustrations contain subleties only appreciated by the older reader. Jokes abound, but one needs a certain frame of reference (i.e. experience as a pet owner) to fully understand everything. Definitely a fun book!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
"Read All About It!"
Read All About It!--Tyrone Brown is a pale, freckle-faced boy with unruly hair in this charmingly illustrated offering from Laura Bush and Jenna Bush. Tyrone is not a fan of reading. When his teacher reads aloud from various books, he finds other things to do, such as drawing on his shoe or making paper airplanes. One day, Tyrone sends a paper airplane flying into the chalkboard and realizes none of the other students have even noticed, so enthralled are they by the book in Ms. Libro's hands. He narrates, "So I listened. And the strangest thing happened: I actually liked story hour. And then my whole world turned upside down..." (emphasis Tyrone's). During further storytimes, as he begins to pay more attention, characters begin to appear in the classroom, drawing the attention of the students. This device culminates in the pig from Charlotte's Web taking up residence in the classroom. When Ms. Libro finishes the book, the pig disappears. Tyrone and his friends go looking for him all over the school.
I liked the look of the illustrations by Denise Brunkus, but I had an issue with certain of the details. Ms. Libro has a book list on her board. The list is different on every page, which is great. What is not great is the age-inappropriateness of the titles, given the apparent age Ms. Libro's class. They appear to be in about third or fourth grade, and Tyrone is shown doing basic Algebra in math class. So why do "Clifford the Big Red Dog," Curious George," "Frog and Toad Together," "The Cat in the Hat," "If You Give a Pig a Pancake," and "Olivia" appear on the lists? They are all fine, fine books. Classics even. Don't get me wrong. But what are they doing on a book list for third-graders?
Other than that nit-picking detail, I thought the book was a very nice read and fun to look at.
I liked the look of the illustrations by Denise Brunkus, but I had an issue with certain of the details. Ms. Libro has a book list on her board. The list is different on every page, which is great. What is not great is the age-inappropriateness of the titles, given the apparent age Ms. Libro's class. They appear to be in about third or fourth grade, and Tyrone is shown doing basic Algebra in math class. So why do "Clifford the Big Red Dog," Curious George," "Frog and Toad Together," "The Cat in the Hat," "If You Give a Pig a Pancake," and "Olivia" appear on the lists? They are all fine, fine books. Classics even. Don't get me wrong. But what are they doing on a book list for third-graders?
Other than that nit-picking detail, I thought the book was a very nice read and fun to look at.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Manners and Math
Two picture books on the list are The Lion's Share, by Matthew McElligott, and Nobunny's Perfect, by Anna Dewdney.
The Lion's Share takes place at a dinner party given by Lion. Ant is invited for the first time and she is certain to be on her best manners. She is shocked at the behavior of the other guests, as each proves to be more rude and uncouth than the last. When it is time for dessert, the other animals' greed in each taking half of what's left after the others have gone before leaves her with nothing but a crumb to share with her host. Not wishing to appear ungrateful or rude, she offers to bake the Lion a cake of his own for the morrow. He graciously accepts, and the other animals decide that Ant is trying to make them look bad, so they each offer to make twice as many cakes as the animal before them. They wind up looking very foolish. The illustrations in this book are softly drawn and boldly colored. The expressions on the animals' faces clearly express their discontent and greed. A good book for sparking discussions of manners (and math!)
Nobunny's Perfect is a rhyming book in which gently drawn, round-faced bunnies are shown playing and eating. They begin nicely, but their behavior breaks down as one after the other is made sad or mad by circumstance or other bunnies. The text points out each bad behavior and in the middle of the book says, "Nobunny's perfect,/that is true--/but aren't you glad/this isn't YOU?" The author then goes on to show how one should behave with others. A cute book, but not very subtle. Definitely for pre-schoolers.
The Lion's Share takes place at a dinner party given by Lion. Ant is invited for the first time and she is certain to be on her best manners. She is shocked at the behavior of the other guests, as each proves to be more rude and uncouth than the last. When it is time for dessert, the other animals' greed in each taking half of what's left after the others have gone before leaves her with nothing but a crumb to share with her host. Not wishing to appear ungrateful or rude, she offers to bake the Lion a cake of his own for the morrow. He graciously accepts, and the other animals decide that Ant is trying to make them look bad, so they each offer to make twice as many cakes as the animal before them. They wind up looking very foolish. The illustrations in this book are softly drawn and boldly colored. The expressions on the animals' faces clearly express their discontent and greed. A good book for sparking discussions of manners (and math!)
Nobunny's Perfect is a rhyming book in which gently drawn, round-faced bunnies are shown playing and eating. They begin nicely, but their behavior breaks down as one after the other is made sad or mad by circumstance or other bunnies. The text points out each bad behavior and in the middle of the book says, "Nobunny's perfect,/that is true--/but aren't you glad/this isn't YOU?" The author then goes on to show how one should behave with others. A cute book, but not very subtle. Definitely for pre-schoolers.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Non-Fiction Picture Books?
Why, yes! There is such a thing! This morning I read Seabiscuit the Wonder Horse, by Meghan McCarthy, and Two Bobbies: a True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival, by Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery, illustrated by Jean Cassels.
Seabiscuit tells the story of an ugly, unappreciated horse. He is wild, lazy, angry and stubborn. A racehorse who hated to run, he seemed doomed to a life of losing. But Charles Howard, a millionaire with an eye for potential, thought Seabiscuit just might be more than he seemed. He also thought that about "Silent Tom" Smith, the horse trainer he hired for his stables and he thought that about John "Red" Pollard, the jockey he hired to ride Seabiscuit.
Up until Mr. Howard bought Seabiscuit, the horse had lost every race he'd ever run. After training with Silent Tom and Red Pollard, he began winning. Mr. Howard wanted there to be no doubt that Seabiscuit was the fastest horse ever, so he challenged the most famous horse in the world, War Admiral, to race against Seabiscuit.
Meghan McCarthy's cartoon-like illustrations are a fun counterpoint to her text. The horses are all a little pop-eyed, with Seabiscuit the worst. He also has a nervous grin in almost every picture, showing he knows how unattractive he is and hoping you'll forgive him for it and like him anyway. I promise, you will. Especially after you read the Author's Note in the back.
Two Bobbies is much less fun, and more moving, given that we are all familiar with Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. Jean Cassels illustrations are realistic, and beautifully rendered. A dog and a cat survive the hurricane together, and show up at a construction site four months later, hungry and tired. The dog has a long length of chain attached to her collar. One of the construction workers, Rich, trims the chain, but leaves enough to drag the ground because the cat seems to like following the jingle. After a week, the construction boss shows up an demands the animals be removed from the site. Rich takes them to the Best Friends Animal Society, where the two are split up. They are named Bobbi and Bob Cat for their bobbed tails. Bobbi howls and barks all night, and Bob Cat paces his cage. Eventually, the shelter volunteers put the two in a larger cage where they touch noses and seem very happy to be reunited.
The volunteers soon realize that Bob Cat is very special, and Bobbi even more so. A search for their families turns up nothing, so the Best Friends Animal Society arranges to have their story told on national television. Hundreds of people contact Best Friends wanting to adopt the two. They find a home. The authors' note in the back gives a few more details which very young children will probably not understand, but grown-ups and older children will have much to think about.
Seabiscuit tells the story of an ugly, unappreciated horse. He is wild, lazy, angry and stubborn. A racehorse who hated to run, he seemed doomed to a life of losing. But Charles Howard, a millionaire with an eye for potential, thought Seabiscuit just might be more than he seemed. He also thought that about "Silent Tom" Smith, the horse trainer he hired for his stables and he thought that about John "Red" Pollard, the jockey he hired to ride Seabiscuit.
Up until Mr. Howard bought Seabiscuit, the horse had lost every race he'd ever run. After training with Silent Tom and Red Pollard, he began winning. Mr. Howard wanted there to be no doubt that Seabiscuit was the fastest horse ever, so he challenged the most famous horse in the world, War Admiral, to race against Seabiscuit.
Meghan McCarthy's cartoon-like illustrations are a fun counterpoint to her text. The horses are all a little pop-eyed, with Seabiscuit the worst. He also has a nervous grin in almost every picture, showing he knows how unattractive he is and hoping you'll forgive him for it and like him anyway. I promise, you will. Especially after you read the Author's Note in the back.
Two Bobbies is much less fun, and more moving, given that we are all familiar with Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. Jean Cassels illustrations are realistic, and beautifully rendered. A dog and a cat survive the hurricane together, and show up at a construction site four months later, hungry and tired. The dog has a long length of chain attached to her collar. One of the construction workers, Rich, trims the chain, but leaves enough to drag the ground because the cat seems to like following the jingle. After a week, the construction boss shows up an demands the animals be removed from the site. Rich takes them to the Best Friends Animal Society, where the two are split up. They are named Bobbi and Bob Cat for their bobbed tails. Bobbi howls and barks all night, and Bob Cat paces his cage. Eventually, the shelter volunteers put the two in a larger cage where they touch noses and seem very happy to be reunited.
The volunteers soon realize that Bob Cat is very special, and Bobbi even more so. A search for their families turns up nothing, so the Best Friends Animal Society arranges to have their story told on national television. Hundreds of people contact Best Friends wanting to adopt the two. They find a home. The authors' note in the back gives a few more details which very young children will probably not understand, but grown-ups and older children will have much to think about.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
The USPS has gone to the dogs
In October of 1888, it actually did. A stray terrier-mix dog found his way into the Post Office at Albany, New York one rainy night. The postal workers found him the next morning and never did call the pound to take him away. Dog and workers adopted each other and a mascot was created.
Owney, the Mail-Pouch Pooch, by Mona Kerby, is a fictionalized account of a true story. Ms. Kerby's picture book includes an Author's Note and Bibliography at the end of the book to highlight the origins of the story. There are also two photographs of Owney.
I am not ashamed to say, reading Owney's story aloud to my children made me weepy. I managed not to crack, only allowing the faintest sheen of tears in my eyes and the barest tremor in my voice. The care and attention lavished on this stray dog was certainly noteworthy and, as Ms. Kerby points out, newsworthy. Newspapers of the time followed Owney's exploits.
Yes, a dog can have exploits. After he had been with the post office for a while, Owney hopped a mail train and vanished for weeks. Upon his return, he was unable to tell his human friends where he had been, so (in case he decided to wander again) they attached a note to his collar asking the Railway Postmen to attach their depot tags to his collar so they could track his wanderings.
Ms. Kerby tells Owney's story with obvious affection, and my children were spell-bound. Need I say more? Oh yes, I'd better mention the pictures, seeing as Owney is a picture book! The pen-and-watercolor illustrations by Lynne Barsch are bright and happy and uncluttered.
An outstanding book.
Owney, the Mail-Pouch Pooch, by Mona Kerby, is a fictionalized account of a true story. Ms. Kerby's picture book includes an Author's Note and Bibliography at the end of the book to highlight the origins of the story. There are also two photographs of Owney.
I am not ashamed to say, reading Owney's story aloud to my children made me weepy. I managed not to crack, only allowing the faintest sheen of tears in my eyes and the barest tremor in my voice. The care and attention lavished on this stray dog was certainly noteworthy and, as Ms. Kerby points out, newsworthy. Newspapers of the time followed Owney's exploits.
Yes, a dog can have exploits. After he had been with the post office for a while, Owney hopped a mail train and vanished for weeks. Upon his return, he was unable to tell his human friends where he had been, so (in case he decided to wander again) they attached a note to his collar asking the Railway Postmen to attach their depot tags to his collar so they could track his wanderings.
He rejected efforts to remove any of them, though. The postal workers bought a harness which wrapped around his back and chest in order to distribute the weight of the tags. Owney enjoyed the jingle of all his tags! Ms. Kerby doesn't say how many tags Owney collected in the course of his life, but on his round-the-world trip (sponsored by his human friends) in 1895, he collected over 200 new tags in 132 days.It wasn't long before Owney hopped another train. The next time Owney showed up in Albany, he had so many tags hanging from his collar that he could barely lift his head.
Ms. Kerby tells Owney's story with obvious affection, and my children were spell-bound. Need I say more? Oh yes, I'd better mention the pictures, seeing as Owney is a picture book! The pen-and-watercolor illustrations by Lynne Barsch are bright and happy and uncluttered.
An outstanding book.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Four Picture Books
Wangari's Trees of Peace: A True Story From Africa, by Jeanette Winter--Wangari Maathai is a real woman, born in Kenya in 1940. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in the biological sciences while studying in the United States. Upon returning to Kenya, she discovered that her beloved country had been deforested and was sadly lacking the means to keep itself healthy. This simply and beautifully illustrated picture book chronicles her efforts to re-forest Kenya, beginning by planting nine tree seedlings in her own yard. The text is spare and suitable for kindergartners, although some word choices will require explanation (scholarship, barren, and forester are among them). Ms Winter does not spare the truth for the sake of young ears and eyes. She tells of Wangari's beating at the hands of police, and the accompanying illustration shows Wangari bleeding from a small wound to her head as a policeman threatens her further with a club. It is not gory or grusome or gratuitous. The illustration is as spare and beautiful as the rest; it is simply unflinching. This book will provoke discussion of conservation and fair vs. unfair among even the youngest audience.
Ron's Big Mission, by Rose Blue and Corinne J. Naden--A fictionalized account of an incident in astronaut Ron McNair's childhood, this book has a special place on the SCBAN list as it takes place in Lake City, SC, in Florence County. The year is 1959. Ron, an avid reader, dreams of being a pilot. On this particular day, he has a goal closer to home. He wants to check out books from the Lake City Library. One problem: he is black. The Lake City Library has a policy preventing black people from checking out books. Some white patrons, familiar with Ron, offer to check out his books for him. He declines. In a show of peaceful resistance, he politely asks the circulation clerk to check to books out to him. She pretends not to hear. He jumps up on her desk and politely repeats his request. After the police and his mother are called to the library, the librarian has a choice to make. The story is told in language appropriate even for kindergartners, but like Wangari's story above, the authors are unflinching in their portrayal of segregation in small-town South Carolina. My five-year old cheered when Ron was handed his library card.
Mail Harry to the Moon!, by Robie H. Harris--On a MUCH lighter note... Anyone who's ever felt jealous of a younger sibling will appreciate this tale of a boy who feels his place in the family has been usurped by his baby brother. The unnamed older brother has perpetually drawn-together eyebrows as he contemplates all the recent changes in his life. Harry is in all the pictures; Harry eats big brother's banana; Harry spits up; Harry chews on big brother's toy gorilla. Each disaster is met by a plea from big brother to get rid of Harry somehow. Fed up with Harry screaming in the night, big brother screams back, "Mail Harry to the moon!" the next morning, no Harry. Big brother looks everywhere, but instead of doing a happy dance that his problems are solved, big brother goes looking for Harry. Where he finds him and how he brings him back are two delightful resolutions.
Turtle's Penguin Day, by Valeri Gorbachev--Youngsters love pretending and playing dress-up, and little Turtle is no exception. After his father reads a book about penguins to him at bedtime, Turtle dreams of being a penguin. The next day, Turtle finds an old black jacket and puts it on over his white pajamas and decides he is a penguin for the day. He brings the penguin book to school, and the teacher decides to have a penguin day. She reads the book to the class and they all play at being penguins. Mr. Gorbachev has given us a fun book with a variety of animal characters to accompany Turtle at school. The expressions on all the creature's faes are reminiscent of Richard Scarry, although the actual drawings are very different. A fun exploration of play-acting. Teachers will wish for the freedom to depart from lesson plans with the ease of Ms. Dog!
Ron's Big Mission, by Rose Blue and Corinne J. Naden--A fictionalized account of an incident in astronaut Ron McNair's childhood, this book has a special place on the SCBAN list as it takes place in Lake City, SC, in Florence County. The year is 1959. Ron, an avid reader, dreams of being a pilot. On this particular day, he has a goal closer to home. He wants to check out books from the Lake City Library. One problem: he is black. The Lake City Library has a policy preventing black people from checking out books. Some white patrons, familiar with Ron, offer to check out his books for him. He declines. In a show of peaceful resistance, he politely asks the circulation clerk to check to books out to him. She pretends not to hear. He jumps up on her desk and politely repeats his request. After the police and his mother are called to the library, the librarian has a choice to make. The story is told in language appropriate even for kindergartners, but like Wangari's story above, the authors are unflinching in their portrayal of segregation in small-town South Carolina. My five-year old cheered when Ron was handed his library card.
Mail Harry to the Moon!, by Robie H. Harris--On a MUCH lighter note... Anyone who's ever felt jealous of a younger sibling will appreciate this tale of a boy who feels his place in the family has been usurped by his baby brother. The unnamed older brother has perpetually drawn-together eyebrows as he contemplates all the recent changes in his life. Harry is in all the pictures; Harry eats big brother's banana; Harry spits up; Harry chews on big brother's toy gorilla. Each disaster is met by a plea from big brother to get rid of Harry somehow. Fed up with Harry screaming in the night, big brother screams back, "Mail Harry to the moon!" the next morning, no Harry. Big brother looks everywhere, but instead of doing a happy dance that his problems are solved, big brother goes looking for Harry. Where he finds him and how he brings him back are two delightful resolutions.
Turtle's Penguin Day, by Valeri Gorbachev--Youngsters love pretending and playing dress-up, and little Turtle is no exception. After his father reads a book about penguins to him at bedtime, Turtle dreams of being a penguin. The next day, Turtle finds an old black jacket and puts it on over his white pajamas and decides he is a penguin for the day. He brings the penguin book to school, and the teacher decides to have a penguin day. She reads the book to the class and they all play at being penguins. Mr. Gorbachev has given us a fun book with a variety of animal characters to accompany Turtle at school. The expressions on all the creature's faes are reminiscent of Richard Scarry, although the actual drawings are very different. A fun exploration of play-acting. Teachers will wish for the freedom to depart from lesson plans with the ease of Ms. Dog!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Just two quick ones...
Picture book: Bandit, by Karen Rostoker-Gruber--Bandit is a cat with a comfortable life. He has sunshine, carpeted floors, a fuzzy mouse, tuna. Suddenly, people come along and pick up the couch. They box up the books. Michelle grabs Bandit and puts him in the cat carrier and takes him for a much longer ride than just a trip to the vet. What's going on? Puns abound as Bandit contemplates the changes. The illustrations by Vincent Nguyen look as though they were lifted out of a large-scale comic book. By which I mean the pictures are line drawings colored in fine dots. Mr. Nguyen gives Bandit wonderful expression as the cat realizes his life is altering forever.
Juvenile book: The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Eighth Grade Bites, by Heather Brewer--This one is not on the SCBAN list for 2010-2011. I include it in the reviews because its sequel Ninth Grade Slays is on the list. I wanted to read them in order (I'm funny that way). Living quietly in upstate New York, Vlad has always known he is a vampire. The son of a vampire father and a human mother, he has never fed on the blood of a human (well, not counting the one bite of his best friend when they were eight). His mother's best friend made sure he and his father had a sufficient supply of expired or nearly-expired blood from the local hospital where she works. When Vlad's mother and father die in a mysterious flash-fire three years before the book opens, Nelly takes Vlad in to raise. Now in eighth grade, Vlad goes to school wearing lots of sunscreen, tussles with bullies, has a crush on a girl, and is still best friends with Henry --who, when Vlad apologizes for that bite when they were eight, simply says, "No problem. Just stay away from the cat or Mom will throw a fit."
Vlad's adventures begin when his English teacher disappears. The substitute, Mr. Otis, seems a little off. His behavior toward Vlad is suspicious at best, and our hero wonders if Mr. Otis knows his secret. More importantly--what does Mr. Otis intend to do with it?
Ms. Brewer tells Vlad's story with wit and style. There's not so much blood as to be off-putting, but readers who don't mind gore will not find it lacking. I am eagerly anticipating Ninth Grade Slays.
Juvenile book: The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Eighth Grade Bites, by Heather Brewer--This one is not on the SCBAN list for 2010-2011. I include it in the reviews because its sequel Ninth Grade Slays is on the list. I wanted to read them in order (I'm funny that way). Living quietly in upstate New York, Vlad has always known he is a vampire. The son of a vampire father and a human mother, he has never fed on the blood of a human (well, not counting the one bite of his best friend when they were eight). His mother's best friend made sure he and his father had a sufficient supply of expired or nearly-expired blood from the local hospital where she works. When Vlad's mother and father die in a mysterious flash-fire three years before the book opens, Nelly takes Vlad in to raise. Now in eighth grade, Vlad goes to school wearing lots of sunscreen, tussles with bullies, has a crush on a girl, and is still best friends with Henry --who, when Vlad apologizes for that bite when they were eight, simply says, "No problem. Just stay away from the cat or Mom will throw a fit."
Vlad's adventures begin when his English teacher disappears. The substitute, Mr. Otis, seems a little off. His behavior toward Vlad is suspicious at best, and our hero wonders if Mr. Otis knows his secret. More importantly--what does Mr. Otis intend to do with it?
Ms. Brewer tells Vlad's story with wit and style. There's not so much blood as to be off-putting, but readers who don't mind gore will not find it lacking. I am eagerly anticipating Ninth Grade Slays.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
But Wait! There's More!
In addition to the books discussed in the other two posts today, I have also read:
from the Picture Book list--Bark Park, by Karen Gray Ruelle; Big Bad Bunny, by Franny Billingsley; and What Bluebirds Do, by Pamela Kirby.
from the Juvenile Book list--Chains, by Laurie Halse Anderson; and Flygirl, by Sherri L. Smith.
Bark Park, by Karen Gray Ruelle--This picture book is reminiscent of One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, by Dr. Seuss. However, the text and illustrations do not have the whimsical, fanciful lilt of Seuss. The text is instead funny by its very real characterizations of different types of dogs ("Hot dog, dot dog, in the park." is accompanied by an illustration of a Dachshund and a Dalmatian walking on a path toward a dog park.). The illustrations are almost, but not quite, child-like. Ms Ruelle has created a book appealing to children which will make adults smile, as well.
Big Bad Bunny, by Franny Billingsley--Illustrated by G. Brian Karas, the story opens like a horror show. "Big Bad Bunny has long sharp claws. Scritch! Scritch! Scritch! But over in the Mouse House, everything is quiet. It's naptime, and Mama Mouse tucks her babies into bed." You just know BBB is on his way to the Mouse House to wreak destruction. Then you turn the page. You notice BBB is wearing yellow pants with pink polka-dots and what appear to be fuzzy slippers. Huh? Keep turning the pages. Back at the Mouse House... "But wait! Where is Baby Boo-Boo? Mama Mouse races into the forest." Grown-ups know what is coming, as do some of the more perceptive children readers. Do you?
What Bluebirds Do, by Pamela Kirby--This picture book is a departure from the other picture books I've reviewed, as it is non-fiction. It is not the only non-fiction on the list, but it is the first here on this blog! A photo-essay in book form, this is the story of how a family of bluebirds came to make their home in Ms Kirby's yard. The photos are beautiful and the text is clear and concise. My children were enthralled with the tale of the bluebirds, and the most memorable moment for them was learning how bluebirds clean out their nests. Be prepared for a happy chorus of "Ewww!" from your young listeners and readers. As the hatchlings learn to fly, we got the sense that we, too, were on the brink of something marvelous.
Moving along to the Juvenile list:
Chains, by Laurie Halse Anderson--One tends to forget that slavery in the United States was not isolated to the 19th century South. The year is 1776. Isabel and her sister, Ruth, are slaves in Manhattan, sold there from Rhode Island when the nephew of their former owner disregards his aunt's will to have the girls set free upon her death. Purchased by the Locktons, Loyalist supporters who play at being Patriots in order to keep their own fortunes afloat, the girls are mightily abused. While running errands one day, Isabel is approached by another slave with an offer of assistance if she will spy on the Locktons and report to the Patriot leaders. She is unwilling at first to risk anything for fear of losing what precious little she has, but events conspire to force her decision. Driven by her own dreams of freedom, she aids the Patriots, only to discover that not all of them dream of freedom for her and her fellow slaves. Her loyalties become divided and she finds herself caught in the maelstrom that becomes the American Revolution--completely against her will and for no personal benefit whatsoever. The book ends with a cliffhanger and a promise of another volume to follow.
Flygirl, by Sherri L. Smith--I was disappointed in this novel. Ida Mae Jones is a girl living in Louisiana as the world is on the brink of the Second World War. She is the product of a black mother and father, although her father's heritage has given her skin so light, she could pass for white. Her father taught her to fly his crop-dusting airplane when she was much younger, and her grandfather takes her to Tuskeegee to test for her license, since they heard the administration there will give licenses to coloreds.
My problem with the book is that Ms Smith builds the tension of Ida Mae's fear of being discovered as a colored woman, but never takes that tension anywhere. There is no defining moment, no real climax to the story which will make her choose. Even at the end, when she writes a letter revealing her secret to a white man who had shown interest in her, she doesn't seem to have a whole lot of emotion riding on his response. Real life doesn't always call for us to define ourselves in a momentous way, but a good author WILL ask that of his or her characters. I don't believe Ms Smith asked that of Ida Mae.
from the Picture Book list--Bark Park, by Karen Gray Ruelle; Big Bad Bunny, by Franny Billingsley; and What Bluebirds Do, by Pamela Kirby.
from the Juvenile Book list--Chains, by Laurie Halse Anderson; and Flygirl, by Sherri L. Smith.
Bark Park, by Karen Gray Ruelle--This picture book is reminiscent of One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, by Dr. Seuss. However, the text and illustrations do not have the whimsical, fanciful lilt of Seuss. The text is instead funny by its very real characterizations of different types of dogs ("Hot dog, dot dog, in the park." is accompanied by an illustration of a Dachshund and a Dalmatian walking on a path toward a dog park.). The illustrations are almost, but not quite, child-like. Ms Ruelle has created a book appealing to children which will make adults smile, as well.
Big Bad Bunny, by Franny Billingsley--Illustrated by G. Brian Karas, the story opens like a horror show. "Big Bad Bunny has long sharp claws. Scritch! Scritch! Scritch! But over in the Mouse House, everything is quiet. It's naptime, and Mama Mouse tucks her babies into bed." You just know BBB is on his way to the Mouse House to wreak destruction. Then you turn the page. You notice BBB is wearing yellow pants with pink polka-dots and what appear to be fuzzy slippers. Huh? Keep turning the pages. Back at the Mouse House... "But wait! Where is Baby Boo-Boo? Mama Mouse races into the forest." Grown-ups know what is coming, as do some of the more perceptive children readers. Do you?
What Bluebirds Do, by Pamela Kirby--This picture book is a departure from the other picture books I've reviewed, as it is non-fiction. It is not the only non-fiction on the list, but it is the first here on this blog! A photo-essay in book form, this is the story of how a family of bluebirds came to make their home in Ms Kirby's yard. The photos are beautiful and the text is clear and concise. My children were enthralled with the tale of the bluebirds, and the most memorable moment for them was learning how bluebirds clean out their nests. Be prepared for a happy chorus of "Ewww!" from your young listeners and readers. As the hatchlings learn to fly, we got the sense that we, too, were on the brink of something marvelous.
Moving along to the Juvenile list:
Chains, by Laurie Halse Anderson--One tends to forget that slavery in the United States was not isolated to the 19th century South. The year is 1776. Isabel and her sister, Ruth, are slaves in Manhattan, sold there from Rhode Island when the nephew of their former owner disregards his aunt's will to have the girls set free upon her death. Purchased by the Locktons, Loyalist supporters who play at being Patriots in order to keep their own fortunes afloat, the girls are mightily abused. While running errands one day, Isabel is approached by another slave with an offer of assistance if she will spy on the Locktons and report to the Patriot leaders. She is unwilling at first to risk anything for fear of losing what precious little she has, but events conspire to force her decision. Driven by her own dreams of freedom, she aids the Patriots, only to discover that not all of them dream of freedom for her and her fellow slaves. Her loyalties become divided and she finds herself caught in the maelstrom that becomes the American Revolution--completely against her will and for no personal benefit whatsoever. The book ends with a cliffhanger and a promise of another volume to follow.
Flygirl, by Sherri L. Smith--I was disappointed in this novel. Ida Mae Jones is a girl living in Louisiana as the world is on the brink of the Second World War. She is the product of a black mother and father, although her father's heritage has given her skin so light, she could pass for white. Her father taught her to fly his crop-dusting airplane when she was much younger, and her grandfather takes her to Tuskeegee to test for her license, since they heard the administration there will give licenses to coloreds.
But when we climbed out of that plane, Mr. Anderson looked at me and said, "You can fly, no doubt about it. But no woman's gonna get a license out of me. Go home, Miss Jones. You've failed."Now Ida Mae's dream is to save enough to go to the colored-owned Coffey School of Aeronautics in Chicago, where they teach both men and women. Working as a maid for a local family, her savings is growing slowly. After the news of the bombing of Pearl Harbor is announced, her brother leaves medical school to join the Army so he can be a medic to colored units fighting overseas. Ida Mae can't stand to stay home and do nothing, so as soon as she hears about the Women's Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), she determines to sign up. There are two problems with her plan. One, she has no license (thanks a lot, Mr. Anderson); and, two, she's colored. With the help of her friend, Jolene, Ida Mae determines to "pass" for the first time in her life. She succeeds in getting into the WASP training program.
My problem with the book is that Ms Smith builds the tension of Ida Mae's fear of being discovered as a colored woman, but never takes that tension anywhere. There is no defining moment, no real climax to the story which will make her choose. Even at the end, when she writes a letter revealing her secret to a white man who had shown interest in her, she doesn't seem to have a whole lot of emotion riding on his response. Real life doesn't always call for us to define ourselves in a momentous way, but a good author WILL ask that of his or her characters. I don't believe Ms Smith asked that of Ida Mae.
The first few
Okay, it's been a month since I decided to do this, and I have been reading a variety from the Picture Book and Juvenile lists.
First, the Picture Books:
The Dog Who Belonged to No One, by Amy Hest--This book is utterly charming. From the gentle illustrations by Amy Bates to the easy rhythms and rhymes of Ms. Hest's text, the book moved quickly without feeling rushed. The lonely little dog with crooked ears and the lonely little girl with the time-consuming task of delivering her family's baked goods to the town are in desperately in need of each other. My 5-year-old and my 7-year old both enjoyed this. But I think I liked it more.
The Pout-Pout Fish, by Deborah Diesen--My kids ask for this one over and over. Something about it really strikes a chord with them. Whether it's the repetitive text or the funny illustrations by Dan Hanna, I'm not sure. It definitely has the kid stamp of approval! The Pout-Pout Fish is grumpy and his face is permanently pouting. Through a series of encounters with other sea creatures who try to encourage him to smile, his frown remains. He does finally learn to smile, but I'm not going to give away the whole ending!
Skunkdog, by Emily Jenkins--The story of a dog with no sense of smell. Ms Jenkins made me think about how this particular "disability" really would be a disability for a dog. It would completely rob them of their social skills, considering how much dogs rely on their sense of smell for identifying features and creatures of the world around them. Dumpling is a dog clueless to her predicament. When her family moves to the country, she is left to explore new territory without the use of her nose. Of course, she encounters...a skunk. She immediately tries to make friends. The skunk is understandably wary and sprays Dumpling. Dumpling's family tries a variety of ways to get rid of the smell, but no sooner are they successful than Dumpling and the skunk meet again.
Bats at the Library, by Brian Lies--This book held little charm for me. I'm not sure why. Maybe because as a librarian, I find the idea of flying rodents invading my space to be a little too creepy-crummy. The illustrations are meant to be cute, and they are, but the text feels forced to me, and there's no real storyline to follow.
A Whiff of Pine, A Hint of Skunk: A Forest of Poems--I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of poems. My five-year-old sat still for it, but didn't seem particularly engaged. The illustrations held more attraction for her than did the poems. On the other hand, she doesn't have much experience with wandering through the woods, so her frame of reference for the material is limited.
I'll do mini-reviews of the two Juvenile novels I read in the next post.
First, the Picture Books:
The Dog Who Belonged to No One, by Amy Hest--This book is utterly charming. From the gentle illustrations by Amy Bates to the easy rhythms and rhymes of Ms. Hest's text, the book moved quickly without feeling rushed. The lonely little dog with crooked ears and the lonely little girl with the time-consuming task of delivering her family's baked goods to the town are in desperately in need of each other. My 5-year-old and my 7-year old both enjoyed this. But I think I liked it more.
The Pout-Pout Fish, by Deborah Diesen--My kids ask for this one over and over. Something about it really strikes a chord with them. Whether it's the repetitive text or the funny illustrations by Dan Hanna, I'm not sure. It definitely has the kid stamp of approval! The Pout-Pout Fish is grumpy and his face is permanently pouting. Through a series of encounters with other sea creatures who try to encourage him to smile, his frown remains. He does finally learn to smile, but I'm not going to give away the whole ending!
Skunkdog, by Emily Jenkins--The story of a dog with no sense of smell. Ms Jenkins made me think about how this particular "disability" really would be a disability for a dog. It would completely rob them of their social skills, considering how much dogs rely on their sense of smell for identifying features and creatures of the world around them. Dumpling is a dog clueless to her predicament. When her family moves to the country, she is left to explore new territory without the use of her nose. Of course, she encounters...a skunk. She immediately tries to make friends. The skunk is understandably wary and sprays Dumpling. Dumpling's family tries a variety of ways to get rid of the smell, but no sooner are they successful than Dumpling and the skunk meet again.
Bats at the Library, by Brian Lies--This book held little charm for me. I'm not sure why. Maybe because as a librarian, I find the idea of flying rodents invading my space to be a little too creepy-crummy. The illustrations are meant to be cute, and they are, but the text feels forced to me, and there's no real storyline to follow.
A Whiff of Pine, A Hint of Skunk: A Forest of Poems--I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of poems. My five-year-old sat still for it, but didn't seem particularly engaged. The illustrations held more attraction for her than did the poems. On the other hand, she doesn't have much experience with wandering through the woods, so her frame of reference for the material is limited.
I'll do mini-reviews of the two Juvenile novels I read in the next post.
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