Sunday, September 29, 2013
The Museum, written by Susan Verde, with art by Peter Reynolds. Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2013. $18.95 ages 5 and up
"Whew!
Exhausted.
I take a breath.
I can't wait to see
what's next."
Are you ready for a quick lesson in the true value of art? Susan Verde has created a character who is here to show us that art is not about the piece you are looking at; it is about the experience it evokes when you attend to it. Her visit to the museum is filled with wondrous work, and her response to it is the stuff from whence enjoyable stories come!
As she wanders into the museum she is inspired:
"When I see
a work of art,
something
happens in
my heart."
She just cannot keep her response private. Rather, she balances, poses, twirls, and reacts immediately to each new work she sees. It exhausts her, but it also invigorates her. The museum is filled with the masterful work of famous artists, and her joy in the sharing is evident on every page.
Then, she is stopped in her tracks by something new and unusual...'an empty canvas stares at me.'
She is dumbfounded that there is nothing there. So, she closes her eyes, and imagine her surprise when:
"I start to see things
in my head,
yellow, blue, then green
and red,
circles, lines, all kinds of shapes,
faces, flowers, and landscapes."
It is quite remarkable! She is quick to realize that the blank canvas is hers to do with as she pleases, using her own special talents to the art world.
Peter Reynolds creates active and engaging watercolor illustrations to help readers feel the joy that this young girl feels on her visit. They are fluid, and give readers a chance to experience some very famous artists and their work in his boldly colored representations.
Come celebrate with her!
Oliver and His Alligator, written and illustrated by Paul Schmid. Hyperion Book, Hachette. 2013. $17.50 ages 3 and up
"It got rough right away.
A lady who wasn't his mom
said, "Welcome to your new
school! What might your
name be?"
Oliver suddenly couldn't
remember his name was
Oliver. So, he said,
"Munch, munch!"
Oliver's alligator
swallowed the lady."
RATS! I should have shared this book with you earlier in the month...when the first day jitters were rampant, and many small children were feeling as Oliver does. He would love to be braver than he sometimes is. He is very nervous about the first day of school.
To help assuage those fears, he heads off to the swamp to pick himself an alligator. That should make things much easier. Right? So, when he is confronted by a woman he doesn't know, he is too distressed to answer her question. His alligator takes care of the problem!
The same thing happens time and again, until his classroom is uncomfortably quiet and he begins to feel quite lonely. How is he going to make things better? How does he deal with the lasting results of his alligator's munching? When he hears music and is aware that school is continuing without him inside his alligator, he does the only thing he can think of to make the situation better.
The lines are simple...both verbally and visually. Paul Schmid has created a tiny treasure of a book that will have listeners feeling a bit bewildered to begin with, then absolutely gleeful when they discover the solution to first day jitters. The simplicity of it all is the strength of the book, and it is sure to become a favorite for the preschool crowd.
It is an imaginative romp that will invite discussion and a quick revisit to 'hear it all over again!'
You won't have to wait until the start of another school year to read it with young children; but, you will want it on your back-to-school booklist for years to come!
A lady who wasn't his mom
said, "Welcome to your new
school! What might your
name be?"
Oliver suddenly couldn't
remember his name was
Oliver. So, he said,
"Munch, munch!"
Oliver's alligator
swallowed the lady."
RATS! I should have shared this book with you earlier in the month...when the first day jitters were rampant, and many small children were feeling as Oliver does. He would love to be braver than he sometimes is. He is very nervous about the first day of school.
To help assuage those fears, he heads off to the swamp to pick himself an alligator. That should make things much easier. Right? So, when he is confronted by a woman he doesn't know, he is too distressed to answer her question. His alligator takes care of the problem!
The same thing happens time and again, until his classroom is uncomfortably quiet and he begins to feel quite lonely. How is he going to make things better? How does he deal with the lasting results of his alligator's munching? When he hears music and is aware that school is continuing without him inside his alligator, he does the only thing he can think of to make the situation better.
The lines are simple...both verbally and visually. Paul Schmid has created a tiny treasure of a book that will have listeners feeling a bit bewildered to begin with, then absolutely gleeful when they discover the solution to first day jitters. The simplicity of it all is the strength of the book, and it is sure to become a favorite for the preschool crowd.
It is an imaginative romp that will invite discussion and a quick revisit to 'hear it all over again!'
You won't have to wait until the start of another school year to read it with young children; but, you will want it on your back-to-school booklist for years to come!
Friday, September 27, 2013
Henry's Map, written and illustrated by David Elliot. Philomel, Penguin. 2013. $18.00 ages 3 and up
"All the animals looked at the farm. Then they looked at the map. And then they looked at the farm again. "But we're not there, " bleated the sheep. "We're gone," whinnied Mr. Brown. "Oh, no!" mooed Abigail. "Where did we go?" squawked the chickens. Henry looked out at the empty farm. There was no sign of the animals from his map."
Henry is such an inviting presence on the front cover...smiling, confident, industrious. He seems sure to make a good impression. And, he does!
Henry loves order (I have friends just like him), and he likes to have every little thing in its place. He loves his perpetually perfect pigsty, but is not delighted with the state of clutter he notices in the farmyard itself.
So, Henry decides that a map might be the answer. He sets out to take stock of the places and the animals found there. As he journeys past the woolshed, the tree, the stable and the chicken coop, the rest of the animals accompany him and watch his draw a child-like map of everything he sees. When the map is complete, they find a place where they can get a birds'-eye view of what Henry has just created. At the top of a nearby hill, they see everything that Henry has mapped. Horrors...the most important elements are missing!
Off they go to set things straight...with the help of Henry's map!
David Elliot has created an illustrated book that will delight readers and give them a sense of what happens when text and visual content are a just right match. He has a real sense of timing, and of conversation for little ones. He tells his tale without a single word more that is needed. He creates animal characters who have appeal and personality. He gives his young readers the opportunity to be one step ahead of the animals as they are baffled by what the map is missing. While Henry remains serious throughout, the lambs are a perfect foil for that. Enjoy!
Henry is such an inviting presence on the front cover...smiling, confident, industrious. He seems sure to make a good impression. And, he does!
Henry loves order (I have friends just like him), and he likes to have every little thing in its place. He loves his perpetually perfect pigsty, but is not delighted with the state of clutter he notices in the farmyard itself.
So, Henry decides that a map might be the answer. He sets out to take stock of the places and the animals found there. As he journeys past the woolshed, the tree, the stable and the chicken coop, the rest of the animals accompany him and watch his draw a child-like map of everything he sees. When the map is complete, they find a place where they can get a birds'-eye view of what Henry has just created. At the top of a nearby hill, they see everything that Henry has mapped. Horrors...the most important elements are missing!
Off they go to set things straight...with the help of Henry's map!
David Elliot has created an illustrated book that will delight readers and give them a sense of what happens when text and visual content are a just right match. He has a real sense of timing, and of conversation for little ones. He tells his tale without a single word more that is needed. He creates animal characters who have appeal and personality. He gives his young readers the opportunity to be one step ahead of the animals as they are baffled by what the map is missing. While Henry remains serious throughout, the lambs are a perfect foil for that. Enjoy!
The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp, written by Kathi Appelt. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Simon & Schuster. 2013. $18.99 ages 9 and up
"Since they were both in agreement, they each picked up a Paradise Pie, and - sit down, brothers and sisters - they did not think they had ever tasted anything so rapturous in their entire lives. Not crawdads. Not blackberries. Not crickets. Not slugs. Not minnows. Nothing could compare. Those pies kicked their striped booties! They ate one pie each. Then just one more. Then really just one more."
Although I do not know her, I would like to add my thanks to Cynthia Leitich Smith for suggesting to this marvelous author that she should try writing a funny story. Kathi Appelt provides thanks in her acknowledgement; but, I just want Cynthia to know that her suggestion provided hours of enormous reading fun for me and is sure to do the same for any teacher, parent, grandparent or child who reads about Bingo, J'Miah, Chap, the Sugar Man, Coyoteman Jim, Grandpa Audie and the rest of the cast of memorable characters, both human and critter, that inhabit its pages. It is a real delight to spend time with them and makes this book perfect for reading aloud!
Bingo and J'Miah have just become the newest official information officers at Sugar Man Swamp. Their task is simple...listen to the Voice of Intelligence and wake the Sugar Man if insurmountable trouble seems imminent. Will they be able to find him if they need his help? He is reclusive, but he is the swamp's protector and his size strikes fear in everyone who has heard his story. He's been asleep for sixty years; it seems that might soon come to an end, as trouble is brewing. No one wants to tangle with the Sugar Man:
"The wrath of the Sugar Man was something to avoid. His bursts of anger were legendary, which we’ll discover soon enough. . . . Brothers and sisters, the stakes were high.”
The author uses short chapters and ever-changing voices, cleverly-drawn characters and consistent plotting to keep her audience amused and always moving forward with the story. There are times when we go back to before Grandpa Audie's death. He was a man who loved nature, his family and had a special love for the Lord God bird. Having read Phillip Hoose's amazing nonfiction book The Race to Save the Lord God Bird (Farrar, 2004) gave me a special connection to Chap's grandfather. He remains a huge influence in Chap's life and, as readers, we understand their connection and Chap's grief at his loss.
When the swamp is threatened with destruction by its greedy owner, and also by a marauding group of wild hogs, the narrator offers this advice:
"Mothers and fathers, lock your doors. Pull the covers up to your chinny chin chins. Head for the hills.”
There are a number of stories going on here, and Ms. Appelt deftly keeps all the balls in the air. There is never a time when those stories seem unrelated. They are each an integral part of an amazing whole. There's humor throughout and polished storytelling. I found myself going back to reread funny passages, just to enjoy the telling one more time. I know that once you have closed the book on its last page, someone is going to ask to borrow it, or you are going to want to share it with someone else! It is a book for all ages!
Although I do not know her, I would like to add my thanks to Cynthia Leitich Smith for suggesting to this marvelous author that she should try writing a funny story. Kathi Appelt provides thanks in her acknowledgement; but, I just want Cynthia to know that her suggestion provided hours of enormous reading fun for me and is sure to do the same for any teacher, parent, grandparent or child who reads about Bingo, J'Miah, Chap, the Sugar Man, Coyoteman Jim, Grandpa Audie and the rest of the cast of memorable characters, both human and critter, that inhabit its pages. It is a real delight to spend time with them and makes this book perfect for reading aloud!
Bingo and J'Miah have just become the newest official information officers at Sugar Man Swamp. Their task is simple...listen to the Voice of Intelligence and wake the Sugar Man if insurmountable trouble seems imminent. Will they be able to find him if they need his help? He is reclusive, but he is the swamp's protector and his size strikes fear in everyone who has heard his story. He's been asleep for sixty years; it seems that might soon come to an end, as trouble is brewing. No one wants to tangle with the Sugar Man:
The author uses short chapters and ever-changing voices, cleverly-drawn characters and consistent plotting to keep her audience amused and always moving forward with the story. There are times when we go back to before Grandpa Audie's death. He was a man who loved nature, his family and had a special love for the Lord God bird. Having read Phillip Hoose's amazing nonfiction book The Race to Save the Lord God Bird (Farrar, 2004) gave me a special connection to Chap's grandfather. He remains a huge influence in Chap's life and, as readers, we understand their connection and Chap's grief at his loss.
When the swamp is threatened with destruction by its greedy owner, and also by a marauding group of wild hogs, the narrator offers this advice:
"Mothers and fathers, lock your doors. Pull the covers up to your chinny chin chins. Head for the hills.”
There are a number of stories going on here, and Ms. Appelt deftly keeps all the balls in the air. There is never a time when those stories seem unrelated. They are each an integral part of an amazing whole. There's humor throughout and polished storytelling. I found myself going back to reread funny passages, just to enjoy the telling one more time. I know that once you have closed the book on its last page, someone is going to ask to borrow it, or you are going to want to share it with someone else! It is a book for all ages!
Thursday, September 26, 2013
The Green Bath, written by Margaret Mahy and illustrated by Steven Kellogg. Arthur A. Levine Books, Scholastic. 2013. $18.99 ages 3 and up
"Sammy watched his father connect the bath to the pipes and stepped HARD on one clawed foot. Toot! Toot! honked the Trottingham horn as they set off for the seashore. But just at that moment, Sammy heard the bath give a gurgle as if it were laughing. He thought it was scratching itself with one of its strange claw-feet. He blinked and looked again."
How sad for the world of children's literature, that there will be no new books from this grand lady from New Zealand. Her stories will be shared with future generations, but we will miss the chance to hear new voices and enjoy new adventures.
The Trottingham boys are ecstatic when their father brings home a 'sleek and scarlet' speedboat from the flea market. Sammy next door is not so enamored of his father's find...a green bathtub. But, we know from the first meeting with the tub that adventure is ahead. It has a face, wide warm eyes and feelings. As his father hooks it up, the tub seems content and almost euphoric.
So, when Sammy's mom suggests that he clean himself up before the arrival of his grandmother, readers will not surprised to find that the bathtub is quick to lead Sammy on an imaginative romp to the ocean. While they are jumping the back hedge, Grandma is making her appearance at the front door. Nothing is going to keep Sammy and his sprightly, delightful companion from their watery escapades.
Mermaids, a sea serpent and a landing on an island inhabited by a host of buccaneers conjure up great fun for all. It's made more enjoyable by the witty collaboration of text and illustration:
"The buccaneers had swords, but Sammy bewildered
them with bubbles and baffled them with soapsuds.
At last, every single buccaneer was bobbing in the waves,
beaten,
bubbling,
and blustering."
Once you have shared and savored the language, take time to really look at Steven Kellogg's illustrations and the fun that he includes on every page. These are classic Kellogg fare and offer and funny and frenetic fantasy world that perfectly matches the lyrical text.
It makes taking a bath worth it...every time!
How sad for the world of children's literature, that there will be no new books from this grand lady from New Zealand. Her stories will be shared with future generations, but we will miss the chance to hear new voices and enjoy new adventures.
The Trottingham boys are ecstatic when their father brings home a 'sleek and scarlet' speedboat from the flea market. Sammy next door is not so enamored of his father's find...a green bathtub. But, we know from the first meeting with the tub that adventure is ahead. It has a face, wide warm eyes and feelings. As his father hooks it up, the tub seems content and almost euphoric.
So, when Sammy's mom suggests that he clean himself up before the arrival of his grandmother, readers will not surprised to find that the bathtub is quick to lead Sammy on an imaginative romp to the ocean. While they are jumping the back hedge, Grandma is making her appearance at the front door. Nothing is going to keep Sammy and his sprightly, delightful companion from their watery escapades.
Mermaids, a sea serpent and a landing on an island inhabited by a host of buccaneers conjure up great fun for all. It's made more enjoyable by the witty collaboration of text and illustration:
"The buccaneers had swords, but Sammy bewildered
them with bubbles and baffled them with soapsuds.
At last, every single buccaneer was bobbing in the waves,
beaten,
bubbling,
and blustering."
Once you have shared and savored the language, take time to really look at Steven Kellogg's illustrations and the fun that he includes on every page. These are classic Kellogg fare and offer and funny and frenetic fantasy world that perfectly matches the lyrical text.
It makes taking a bath worth it...every time!
Sunday, September 22, 2013
What's the Time, Mr. Wolf? Written and illustrated by Debi Gliori. Bloomsbury, Penguin. 2012. $10.99 ages 4 and up

"It is four o'clock in the
afternoon. Mr. Wolf takes
the shortcut home. It is cool
and shady under the trees.
'Time for a nap,' says Mr. Wolf.
He is nearly asleep when....
HEY DIDDLE-EE
DIDDLE-EE DIDDLE-EE
YOWWWL!"
Oh, my kindergarten kids would have loved this book! Please, before you read it with your children at home or your students at school, be sure that they have been introduced to the fairy tales and nursery rhymes that will make the sharing so much more satisfying. If they have no prior knowledge of the many wonderful characters included here, they will miss out on the many joys it truly brings.
Too many children today have not heard any of those familiar-to-me rhymes and tales of old. They may know the Disney versions of some, but have no familiarity with the traditional folklore. So, there's a task for upcoming days!
Debi Gliori creates a brilliant and totally entertaining story of Mr. Wolf and the doings of his day. It starts when four and twenty blackbirds make sure he is awake to start his day off right. He is grumpy and disgruntled. When they ask the time, he suggests it might be time for blackbird pie! At each new hour of the day, someone begs the question about time. His responses are not especially agreeable. Teary and anxious, he goes about the business of his day, all the while wondering if his friends have forgotten that it is his birthday.
Each new hour brings consternation. Feeling peaky and in need of a snack at eleven o'clock in the morning, he goes inside:
"But when he goes to
his cupboard, it is bare -
even his dish has run off
with his spoon!"
This is not even close to the familiar surprise parties of other books. The plot may not be new, but the many text and picture clues offer brand new fun, and an abundance of entertainment and humor. When Red Riding Hood, who is the very efficient post girl, makes her rounds, she has letters for the frog prince, the little mermaid, and Mary and her lambs. Even the birds and dragonflies have mail. Mr. Wolf? No, sorry!
At every hour throughout the day, we are privy to what is happening with Mr. Wolf. Shopping at noon? Not only does it rain, but he has no umbrella. It can, and does, get worse! The poor guy...what a miserable way to spend your special day.
Keep your eyes peeled for the many different ways that time is told throughout this charmer! There is so much to see, and to discuss as you share it with little ones. You are sure to read it again and again...and you won't even mind. I guarantee it!!!
Who better to share this wondrous book with you than the author/illustrator herself? Enjoy!
http://youtu.be/4T3vvAa-qTs
JInx, written by Sage Blackwood. Harper, 2013. $18.00 ages 10 and up
"Jinx sat up. Reven was sitting beside him, his arms bandaged in a red-and-white napkin. The troll was gone. There was blood on the path. And something large and inert. Jinx's stomach did a flip flop. It was the troll's arm. Jinx put his hand to his face and it came away bloody. The things that had just happened began to sort themselves out in his head."
If you've never been to the forest of Urwald, let Sage Blackwood take you there. You will find a distinct and imaginative world where life happens in a way that is not always good:
"In the Urwald you grow up fast or not at all. By the time Jinx was six he had learned to live quietly and carefully, squeezed into the spaces left by other people even though the hut he lived in with his stepparents actually belonged to him. He had inherited it after his father died of werewolves and his mother was carried off by elves."
As winter looms following a poor harvest, Jinx becomes an even more unwelcome child...'too much trouble and expense to raise.' His stepfather takes him out of their clearing and into the Urwald, eventually leading him off the path. A lesson for all children has been to never leave the path, and Jinx is sure they are in big trouble. Taking a winding route through the forest and away from the path, Bergthold soon has Jinx stop and plans to leave him there. When he cannot find his own way out, he asks Jinx to help. Enter the wizard Simon who makes a deal to buy Jinx, even though he doesn't believe it when Jinx tells him he can communicate with the trees of the forest by digging his toes into the earth; and that he can see the aura that surrounds the people he meets.
His life with Simon is generally good, if a bit restricted. The food is delicious and there are few rules.
If you've never been to the forest of Urwald, let Sage Blackwood take you there. You will find a distinct and imaginative world where life happens in a way that is not always good:
"In the Urwald you grow up fast or not at all. By the time Jinx was six he had learned to live quietly and carefully, squeezed into the spaces left by other people even though the hut he lived in with his stepparents actually belonged to him. He had inherited it after his father died of werewolves and his mother was carried off by elves."
As winter looms following a poor harvest, Jinx becomes an even more unwelcome child...'too much trouble and expense to raise.' His stepfather takes him out of their clearing and into the Urwald, eventually leading him off the path. A lesson for all children has been to never leave the path, and Jinx is sure they are in big trouble. Taking a winding route through the forest and away from the path, Bergthold soon has Jinx stop and plans to leave him there. When he cannot find his own way out, he asks Jinx to help. Enter the wizard Simon who makes a deal to buy Jinx, even though he doesn't believe it when Jinx tells him he can communicate with the trees of the forest by digging his toes into the earth; and that he can see the aura that surrounds the people he meets.
His life with Simon is generally good, if a bit restricted. The food is delicious and there are few rules.
There are, however, certain rooms he is not allowed to enter. Although he is not very good at magic, Jinx begins his tutelage under Simon. As he explores his own power, he becomes disgruntled with the limits put upon him. His refusal to listen to Simon's warnings lead to adventure, and much danger.
The ending is satisfying and will lead readers to hope that we might meet them again at some later date.
Saturday, September 21, 2013
This Is the Rope, written by Jacqueline Woodson and illustrated by James Ransome. Nancy Paulsen Books, Penguin. 2013. $18.00 ages 4 and up
"This is the rope my mama
held out to the girls on the
block, her new Brooklyn
block, a home of their own
that they finally owned.
Mama asked shyly,
Anybody want to play?"
In this fictional tribute to her family's history, Jacqueline Woodson creates a portrait of people moving from the southern United States to the north during the Great Migration. She dedicates it to those who left one home to find another:
"This book is dedicated to the more than 6 million African Americans who left the unjust conditions of the South for a better life in the North from the early 1900s until the 1970s. My mother and grandmother were among them. I thank you all for your courage and for making a way out of no way."
It begins with a rope found beneath an old oak tree when her grandmother still lived in South Carolina. That rope provides hours of skipping fun. As the rope is handed from one generation to the next, it has many uses. As the grandparents load up the car that they will drive north, the rope holds their many possessions to the rooftop. Once they settle in New York City it finds works in holding dried flowers, stringing laundry to blow in the breeze, pulling a toy duck, and once again, skipping with children from the new neighborhood. When needed ten years later, it is still there...always a symbol connecting present to past.
Told in lyric prose that exudes the warmth of family and connection, the rope in the story epitomizes
'hope' for all who made the journey to better...'better jobs, better treatment, better education and better lives.'
The rich depth of James Ransome's realistic oil paintings add to that feeling of warmth and hope. Filled with movement and infused with light, they offer a look at the lives of three generations connected by love, memory and a belief in the future. They take readers into times past and allow us a close look at Brooklyn at the height of the Great Migration.
As the story ends, the rope is returned to its original owner in trade:
"This is the rope, threadbare and graying,
that I traded with Grandma for a brand-new one.
Then I jumped a new jump..."
Friday, September 20, 2013
What Floats in a Moat? Written by Lynne Berry and illustrated by Matthew Cordell. Simon & Schuster, 2013. $19.99 ages 5 and up
"The hen and the goat,
alongside the moat,
hammered and nailed,
clanged and banged.
They wired and tied,
and built the SS Buttermilk.
Archie the Goat climbed
aboard. "Ready for launch?"
he called."
This might take you back to the first time you read Mr. Archimedes' Bath (Puffin, 1994). I love books that help to explain scientific principles in such endearing ways. Archie and Skinny are here to help cement the concept of water displacement. Hurrah!
Archie is a goat, and Skinny is a chicken. Three barrels of buttermilk are destined for delivery to the queen. There is only one goal in mind...they want to get to the castle. When they arrive, they take note that it is surrounded by a moat. What to do, what to do?
Archie has a plan:
"He measured and mapped.
He doodled and drew.
He sketched and scribbled
and scrawled.
"Aha! To cross the moat,"
pronounced the goat,
"we build a contraption to float!"
Skinny has another idea, but it is ignored. The goat asserts the time has come to use science! Much thought and hard work go into attempts to make the boat float. The first one is too heavy and it sinks. The next try comes with a ton of trouble for Skinny, who is not the scientist, but is skinny. The task is to empty the barrel of its buttermilk:
"She sipped and slurped and guzzled...
and sipped and slurped and gulped...
and sipped and slurped and guzzled...
to the bottom of the barrel of buttermilk."
Poor Skinny! Still, the attempt is a failure.There is only thing left to try...and it breeds success. Ah, the mysteries of science! Could Archie be named for Archimedes? Wonder no more...
This book is such fun to read aloud...and Matt Cordell's artwork only ups the enjoyment. Done in pen and ink with watercolor, he creates personable, expressive characters, and places them in humorous settings to make the story even more entertaining. He 'klunks' and 'splashes' the boat into the water,
'glubs' it to the bottom of the moat, and 'bangs' and 'clangs' the next barrel into shape for sailing. He totally matches the fun inherent in the tale, and encourages much discussion about the science behind the story.
An author's note explains Archimedes' principle in a way that is accessible to even the youngest readers.
Is This Panama? Written by Jan Thornhill and illustrated by Soyeon Kim. OwlKids, 2013. $17.95 ages 8 and up
"But where were all the other warblers? Usually there was somebody foraging for food nearby. Sammy hopped up to the top of the tallest dwarf birch expecting to see someone he knew, but there was no one. Sammy was worried. He didn't know how to get to Panama by himself."
When Sammy discovers that all of his bird family and friends have gone, he is concerned. It's a long way from Alaska to Panama. In fact, he has no idea where Panama is!
Undeterred, he sets out to get himself from his summer home to a place of rest and warmth for the winter. As he makes his way south, he meets up with others who are also migrating. The ptarmigan has no reason to worry about staying. He is equipped with white replacement feathers that will keep him safe during the long, cold winter, and there is plenty of food. He suggests that Sammy should hurry on his way. Sammy's next encounter is with a caribou, who is heading toward his winter forest. Panama? Nope, he doesn't know anything about Panama.
Sammy makes a long and meandering journey toward Panama, taking all advice that seems credible, and occasionally accepting a ride to help with the exhaustion. The beautifully illustrated double page spreads will help readers begin to understand the mystery of migration for a variety of species. Sammy is definitely in for the adventure of his short lifetime, and we can't help but wish him well on his quest to find the rest of his flock.
The dangers inherent in such a long trek are carefully considered...enough of the right kind of food, fatigue, recognizing landmarks, predators, weather, city lights, and being off course. He perseveres through all of the challenges presented and eventually, he makes it to Panama. It is worth celebrating!
Written to help young readers gain knowledge of migration for more than one type of animal, and offering a young, appealing avian narrator to give an account of all he experiences on his journey south, this book will find fans because of its accessible telling and wonderfully realistic collage illustrations. The author adds back matter that includes a map of the regular migratory route taken by warblers comparing it to the route Sammy took, a list of the various migrating species who offered advice and gave aid, and a list of the ways in which animals migrate.
Another hit for Jan Thornhill.
When Sammy discovers that all of his bird family and friends have gone, he is concerned. It's a long way from Alaska to Panama. In fact, he has no idea where Panama is!
Undeterred, he sets out to get himself from his summer home to a place of rest and warmth for the winter. As he makes his way south, he meets up with others who are also migrating. The ptarmigan has no reason to worry about staying. He is equipped with white replacement feathers that will keep him safe during the long, cold winter, and there is plenty of food. He suggests that Sammy should hurry on his way. Sammy's next encounter is with a caribou, who is heading toward his winter forest. Panama? Nope, he doesn't know anything about Panama.
Sammy makes a long and meandering journey toward Panama, taking all advice that seems credible, and occasionally accepting a ride to help with the exhaustion. The beautifully illustrated double page spreads will help readers begin to understand the mystery of migration for a variety of species. Sammy is definitely in for the adventure of his short lifetime, and we can't help but wish him well on his quest to find the rest of his flock.
The dangers inherent in such a long trek are carefully considered...enough of the right kind of food, fatigue, recognizing landmarks, predators, weather, city lights, and being off course. He perseveres through all of the challenges presented and eventually, he makes it to Panama. It is worth celebrating!
Written to help young readers gain knowledge of migration for more than one type of animal, and offering a young, appealing avian narrator to give an account of all he experiences on his journey south, this book will find fans because of its accessible telling and wonderfully realistic collage illustrations. The author adds back matter that includes a map of the regular migratory route taken by warblers comparing it to the route Sammy took, a list of the various migrating species who offered advice and gave aid, and a list of the ways in which animals migrate.
Another hit for Jan Thornhill.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Joe and Sparky Go to School, written by Jamie Michalak and illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz. Candlewick Press, Random House. 2013. $18.00 ages 5 and up
"Joe watched Sparky grow smaller and smaller. He looked like a pea. "SLOW DOWN, BUS!" yelled Sparky the pea. "SAFETY FIRST!" "Do not worry, my small, green friend!" called Joe. "I will save you!" Joe was no slowpoke. He caught the bus. He held on tight. Joe and Sparky rode the bus out of the zoo."
Early readers are going to find this funny enough to read again! Safari Land is rife with 'noisy short people' when Joe the giraffe and Sparky the turtle look over the hedge one day. Those children quickly climb into a school bus and head straight toward the two animal friends. As they check out the bus and its occupants, Sparky inadvertently finds himself on its roof...and the bus is PULLING AWAY!
Joe is in shock but it doesn't keep him from chasing the bus, and grabbing hold of the back of it. He wants to save his friend. Soon, they leave the zoo. Little do they know that they are headed back to school with the children and their teacher. Nor do they know that the teacher will step on her glasses, breaking them and creating a source of ensuing hilarity for readers:
"She squinted at Joe. "Is that you, Timmy?" she asked. "I thought you were absent today."
"That is not Timmy," said a boy. "That is a giraffe."
She thinks that Sparky is a 'funny green hat' on 'Timmy's' head, and goes on as if the children are trying to trick her when they go out of their way to set things straight for her.
This is their third chapter book, and Joe and Sparky continue to entertain with silly dialogue and funny misinterpretations. The two remain polar opposites, but children will understand what makes their friendship work. Readers will giggle and then want to share it with others. I love it when the two discover the toilet which engages them in a number of flushes. They finally declare that school is wonderful because they have 'a magic pond'...too funny!
Watercolor and pencil crayon artwork add to the fun...with bright colors, expressive faces and lots of action. The illustrations also support early reading attempts with visual clues that keep the reader wanting to know more and able to read unfamiliar words.
Fans will be glad to welcome Joe and Sparky back! The author leaves us thinking that we are not through with them yet.
Monday, September 16, 2013
The Year of the Baby, by Andrea Cheng, with illustrations by Patrice Barton. Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, Thomas Allen & Son. 2013. $19.99 ages 8 and up
"Dad looks at his watch again. "Okay. Just play with her here in the living room, and Mom will be home any minute." As soon as Dad leaves, Kaylee starts fussing. I sing her the gumdrop song, and she listens, but when I stop, she whimpers and struggles to get down. I set her on her feet and she goes to the window."
In this welcome sequel to The Year of the Book, fans of Anna and her friends will find much to enjoy. Anna's parents have returned from China with an adopted sister for Anna and Ken. Kaylee is a beautiful little girl and she is loved immediately by all.
There is, however, a problem and the whole family is worried. She looks fine to everyone, and seems happy. But, Kaylee is not thriving, according to her pediatrician. It's true that Kaylee doesn't appear to be interested in eating. She turns up her nose at the food that is presented to her. If it does make it into her mouth, she quickly spits it out. No one knows what to do!
At school, Anna is dealing with another problem. She can't think of a science fair project. Fifth grade is turning out to be a bit of a nightmare for her. Finally, with help from her friends Camille and Laura, Kaylee becomes the subject for their shared project. Camille has been able to distract Kaylee with her singing. They decide that they will try singing songs in two languages to see if they can distract the little one from her aversion to food, and the family's obsession with getting her to eat. They scientifically record their observations, by singing songs in both languages and offering bits of banana and Chinese hamburger. Kaylee eats when she is distracted. Then, it's off to the doctor to see if their plan has had any effect.
Readers will like the simple Chinese phrases used in the telling, and the references to children's literature. With good luck and an interested parent, they might even try making Grandma's Steamed Red Bean Bao Zi. There is a detailed recipe at the end of the book. As well as that, in back matter, they will find the first chapter of the third book in this series. The Year of the Fortune Cookies finds Anna in middle school, and on her way to China to help her teacher adopt a baby girl. Will she be able to do what is needed?
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Maggot Moon, written by Sally Gardner. Candlewick Press, Random House. 2012. $19.99 ages 14 and up
The wall was built so high that Gramps and me, whose garden backed up to it, couldn't see over the fricking thing."
Oh boy! This is one of those books where I have 'sticky-noted' page after page. It is the outstanding writing...Sally Gardner is a word master! She writes with such clarity and spellbinding turns of phrase:
"The man was coat-hanger thin, with a shock of gray hair. He had gray, bushy eyebrows, the only barricades against a large expanse of wrinkled forehead that threatened to tumble down in an avalanche of anxiety over the rest of his features."
Standish Treadwell is dyslexic. Although he doesn't communicate as others do, he has the most astonishing ideas and imagination. It is what draws him to Hector, who doesn't see Standish in the same way that others do. He appreciates his differences, and recognizes how truly gifted Standish is. He helps Standish deal with the bullies, and to see himself in a different light.
When Standish is called to the office one day, there is a man sitting in the corner:
"He looked as if he was made up out of a geometry set, all triangles and straight edges. He face was hidden by a hat. It wasn't at a rakish angle, not like they wear in the land of Croca-Colas. No, this hat was knife sharp with a brim that could slice a lie in half. He wore black-framed, eye-socket-fitting sunglasses."
The narration moves between past and present seamlessly and we learn that Hector has disappeared. Standish knows that Hector should never have gone to the other side of the wall. The Motherland has forbidden such a thing for everyone. Hector is gone because he saw what he was not supposed to see. His parents are gone, too. In this dark future world, differences are seen as a threat, and sameness is the ideal. When Hector and his family disappear, it has a powerful effect on Gramps:
"What I remember about Gramps after the Lushes went was that he looked older, more worried, with each day that passed. We were being watched. One thing bled into another. The wound kept oozing grief, no matter how many bandages of "it will be all right.""
Through this finely drawn, unforgettable narrator, we see that world in a unique and powerful way. Standish is our guide through an ever unfolding story. There is so much pain and violence, laced with a hint of hope. He is a symbol for the imperfect; yet, he perfectly embodies a brave, impressive, incredibly astute young man who sees so much more than anyone can imagine. His quest to destroy the conspiracy being perpetrated on the rest of the world, and to find his best friend Hector, will keep you awake at night.
It is unceasingly real and immediate. It is the story of friends, of love and fighting to survive, and it ends as it should. It will break your heart, and you will never forget reading it.
"I say, "When you left, there was this huge hole. I couldn't walk around with a hole that size in the heart of me."
He says nothing but I know he is listening. Words are the only medicine I have.
"You make sense of a world that is senseless. You gave me space boots so that I could walk on other planets. Without you, I'm lost. There's no left, no right. No tomorrows, only miles of yesterdays. It doesn't matter what happens now because I've found you. That's why I'm here. Because of you. You who I love. My best friend. My brother."
I will read it again when I have had time to savor it, and to more fully appreciate the incredible story that it is.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
The Meanest Birthday Girl, written and illustrated by Josh Schneider. Clarion Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Thomas Allen & Son, 2013. $16.99 ages 6 and up
"In the morning, Dana made breakfast. She made the big white elephant an especially big and tasty breakfast, because it is important to take good care of one's pets. The big white elephant ate its breakfast. Then it looked at Dana. "Of course," said Dana, "an elephant as big and fine as you needs lots of food." She gave the big white elephant her own breakfast and it ate that, too."
Dana is not the kind of girl that many of us would like to meet...she only gets worse on her birthday! She is told that it is her day to do whatever she likes. That condition leads to some unpleasant moments for those who share her day.
At the bus stop, she begins by calling Anthony a name and then pinching him. To add further fuel to the fire, she eats her own two desserts at lunch and then eats Anthony's as well.
Anthony is some kind of special boy...he takes what she hands out throughout his school day; then, he arrives at Dana's house in the evening, with gift in hand. Well, not really in hand! It is too big a gift to hold, except by its large, white trunk.
Anthony leaves the gift with Dana, reminding her to take good care of it. Dana, who has always wanted an elephant, assures him that it is exactly what she will do. Easier said than done, it seems. Taking good care of an elephant is pretty hard work:
"They went for miles and miles, and still the big white elephant did not look tired. They went until Dana had to lie down for a bit. She had not slept well the night before, lying on the floor. She unpacked their snacks. The big white elephant ate its snack. Then it ate Dana's snack."
A bit of comeuppance? What do you think?
Exhaustion and an inability to react makes Dana a target for a girl named Gertrude. That gives Dana pause and leads to a heart-to-heart talk with Anthony. Their conversation gives Dana the out she needs from the bone-wearying work of being an elephant caregiver.
What a gift this is to beginning readers! A protagonist with little charm learns a gentle lesson in caring about others. The elephant helps with that, while never bullying her in any way. In the end, she is able to pay forward what she hopes Gertrude might learn in terms of her own treatment of others. The story is well-told, the ink and watercolor artwork entertains with clear images, clever expressive characters and humorous detail, and it begs to be read aloud.
How do you think Anthony got that elephant?
Dana is not the kind of girl that many of us would like to meet...she only gets worse on her birthday! She is told that it is her day to do whatever she likes. That condition leads to some unpleasant moments for those who share her day.
At the bus stop, she begins by calling Anthony a name and then pinching him. To add further fuel to the fire, she eats her own two desserts at lunch and then eats Anthony's as well.
Anthony is some kind of special boy...he takes what she hands out throughout his school day; then, he arrives at Dana's house in the evening, with gift in hand. Well, not really in hand! It is too big a gift to hold, except by its large, white trunk.
Anthony leaves the gift with Dana, reminding her to take good care of it. Dana, who has always wanted an elephant, assures him that it is exactly what she will do. Easier said than done, it seems. Taking good care of an elephant is pretty hard work:
"They went for miles and miles, and still the big white elephant did not look tired. They went until Dana had to lie down for a bit. She had not slept well the night before, lying on the floor. She unpacked their snacks. The big white elephant ate its snack. Then it ate Dana's snack."
A bit of comeuppance? What do you think?
Exhaustion and an inability to react makes Dana a target for a girl named Gertrude. That gives Dana pause and leads to a heart-to-heart talk with Anthony. Their conversation gives Dana the out she needs from the bone-wearying work of being an elephant caregiver.
What a gift this is to beginning readers! A protagonist with little charm learns a gentle lesson in caring about others. The elephant helps with that, while never bullying her in any way. In the end, she is able to pay forward what she hopes Gertrude might learn in terms of her own treatment of others. The story is well-told, the ink and watercolor artwork entertains with clear images, clever expressive characters and humorous detail, and it begs to be read aloud.
How do you think Anthony got that elephant?
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Nora's Chicks, written by Patricia MacLachlan and illustrated by Kathryn Brown. Candlewick Press, Random House. 2013. $18.00 ages 3 and up
"The prairie farm was not beautiful to Nora. There were no trees like the Russian trees, only one cottonwood by the river. There were no hills like the Russian hills. Nora cried. "Don't cry, Nora," said her father. "We'll plant trees." "You can't plant a hill!" said Nora, crying harder."
Patricia MacLachlan sure can tell tender and heartwarming stories, whether in a picture book or a short novel. This illustrated book is a page taken from her family's history, and tells the story of Nora and her family who emigrate from Russia to America's prairie land. For Nora, it is a lonely and isolated life.
She finds little to like about this new place and tries desperately to find something to keep her company. Her mother is busy caring for the family, her father has his cattle and horses to keep him busy during the long days, her brother Milo is too small to offer conversation and somehow makes friends with a stray dog that Nora had her heart set on loving.
She is lonely. She knows about the house nearby:
"It was far, but near enough to call whoever lived there a neighbor. One day a woman came from the house to visit. She brought a pie for Nora's family. And she brought her daughter, Susannah."
Both girls are shy, and have little to say to each other. They don't visit often. No, Nora needs something of her own. When her father brings home chicks and geese to be fed and fattened for the dinner table, Nora finally finds her calling. After some convincing, her father agrees that they can be hers. She names each one; and those chicks follow her everywhere she goes. She is content with their company, but remains lonely.
When they even follow her to church one day, she arrives home to find she has lost one. It is Susannah to the rescue. She returns the lost chick to Nora's delight. It is the beginning of a new and much needed friendship for both.
This is a beautifully told story, with not one word more than is needed to tell it. Kathryn Brown's watercolor illustrations are just as beautiful, and certainly add to the appeal. The rural setting and the historical time period give young readers context for the loneliness that is such a part of Nora's new life. I love the delicate details and the warm feelings evoked by the soft pastel palette.
Patricia MacLachlan sure can tell tender and heartwarming stories, whether in a picture book or a short novel. This illustrated book is a page taken from her family's history, and tells the story of Nora and her family who emigrate from Russia to America's prairie land. For Nora, it is a lonely and isolated life.
She finds little to like about this new place and tries desperately to find something to keep her company. Her mother is busy caring for the family, her father has his cattle and horses to keep him busy during the long days, her brother Milo is too small to offer conversation and somehow makes friends with a stray dog that Nora had her heart set on loving.
She is lonely. She knows about the house nearby:
"It was far, but near enough to call whoever lived there a neighbor. One day a woman came from the house to visit. She brought a pie for Nora's family. And she brought her daughter, Susannah."
Both girls are shy, and have little to say to each other. They don't visit often. No, Nora needs something of her own. When her father brings home chicks and geese to be fed and fattened for the dinner table, Nora finally finds her calling. After some convincing, her father agrees that they can be hers. She names each one; and those chicks follow her everywhere she goes. She is content with their company, but remains lonely.
When they even follow her to church one day, she arrives home to find she has lost one. It is Susannah to the rescue. She returns the lost chick to Nora's delight. It is the beginning of a new and much needed friendship for both.
This is a beautifully told story, with not one word more than is needed to tell it. Kathryn Brown's watercolor illustrations are just as beautiful, and certainly add to the appeal. The rural setting and the historical time period give young readers context for the loneliness that is such a part of Nora's new life. I love the delicate details and the warm feelings evoked by the soft pastel palette.
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Sparrow Road, written by Sheila O'Connor. Puffin, Penguin. 2012. $7.99 ages 10 and up
"The man was here at Sparrow Road? "Is it Diego?" I heard the hope squeak out in my voice; Diego would be the perfect dad. Maybe that's why he told Mama she should tell me. And why he'd asked about my dad the first day we met. And why he spent all that time with Mama. Maybe Mama brought me here to meet Diego. "Mama, is it him?"
Raine O'Rourke thinks her life in Milwaukee is perfect; she lives there with her dearly loved grandfather and her mother. They are together, and she thinks they are content. When her mother suddenly uproots the two of them to spend the summer at Sparrow Road, Raine is angry that the decision was made without her input. She is also very sad to leave Grandpa Mac behind, to work in his store alone.
Her mother has decided, and Raine has no choice but to go with her. While her mother cooks meals for the artists who find inspiration and quiet to do their work at Sparrow Road, Raine must learn to abide by the rules set out by Viktor:
"Of course the artists' sheds, their rooms and all those spaces are totally off-limits. Always. Like the silence until supper; that rule must be honored. The artists came for quiet. They must be left alone."
There is more to this visit than meets the eye. As the days pass, and Raine comes to know the artists who are resident for the summer, she is able to uncover some secrets. Some are easier to figure out than others. One in particular is the reason for her mother taking this summer job, and bringing Raine with her. Once uncovered, it takes Raine some time to come to grips with its many parts.
This is an appealing story about family, friendships, growing up and acceptance. Raine grows to love Sparrow Road and its inhabitants, the joys of open spaces and small towns, the close connections to be made with those she meets. Sparrow Road is a wonderfully appealing place, and the author gives it life through her fine description of it inside and out. She tells her readers about the place it once was, and is now. Setting holds pride of place, along with the lovely and loving characters she introduces to help Raine through what starts out to be a boring and lonesome summer. Hopeful and heartwarming, and I loved it.
It would make a wonderful read aloud to begin a new school year.
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Super Hair-O and the Barber of Doom, written and illustrated by John Rocco. Hyperion Books, Hachette. 2013. $17.99 ages 5 and up
"Every superhero gets his powers from somewhere.Photon Man had his ring. Robo Girl had her bionic arms. My superpowers came from my hair. The more my hair grew, the more awesome my superpowers became. ZOOM! Go, Rocco! Dude."
John Rocco is privy to 'big hair'. An early photo of the young John graces the jacket flap and leaves no doubt about the length some kids will go to in order to avoid the barber. It seems he never set foot in a barber shop as a child. So, he knows about the power he got from that hair, and how he wants his story to play out!
The boy in this new book is smitten with comic book heroes. He knows that their power has to come from somewhere. And, he knows where he gets his:
"The more my hair grew, the more awesome my superpowers became."
His friends are in awe. But wait, they have superpowers, too. They are a formidable team!
When he is captured (in his father's station wagon) and driven away, his friends aren't sure what to do. His father is taking him to the BARBER SHOP...the boy calls it the 'villain's lair'. No amount of struggle can save him. His powers are gone...
He has grave concern over his lack of energy, and about his friends' reaction to his new look. When he meets up with them, they too have lost their superpowers. It is only when a crisis demands action that they make a remarkable discovery...and learn to live with it.
You are going to love these kids! They have such spunk and spirit, brilliantly displayed in John Rocco's artwork. As superheroes they live in a bright and daring world; with a bike jump ramp made from a plastic crate and an old board, a tire swing, pond rocks for leaping, block buildings to smash, and plastic pools for cannonball dives from step ladders. The ladder is tall, but there is nothing too dangerous here.
Dim gray colors their world, once their superpowers have been shorn. The expressions are priceless, the gloom is palpable, and their spirits sink to a new low. Once called into action, all that changes and the boys are left to discover that there was no need to worry...they remain invincible!
My Name is Blessing, written by Eric Walters and illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes. Tundra, 2013. $19.99 ages 5 and up
"He could think clearly. He was one of the top students in the entire school. "And I know you have a greater spirit. I can sense it." She paused. "It is so sad that other children can only have ten fingers when you have a larger heart, a bigger brain, and greater spirit." His smile grew from the inside."
Eric Walters tells a simple story that is dear to his heart and to the hearts of anyone who cares about the world's children. Mr. Walters and his family founded Creation of Hope for Kenyan orphans. This is the harsh, yet hopeful story of just one of them.
He is named Mithuni, and he lives with his grandmother. We learn quickly that Grace is caring for nine grandchildren. Mithuni is the youngest; and he is last of the children to be served from the porridge pot each day...perhaps only once. Even at his young age, he has a wish:
"There was only one thing that would have made it better. He wished that his Nayana had saved some for herself. Most often, she only ate the burnt parts from the bottom of the pot."
It takes mere moments for readers to learn that life for this Kenyan family is very difficult. There is never enough food, and Mithuni is often the object of derision because of an abnormality at birth. He has no fingers on his left hand, and only two on his right. In his language, his name means 'suffering'. Grace does not notice his hands, and is quick to let him know that his heart is the most important part of him.
As he plays soccer at school one day, he notices that his grandmother is watching. He is concerned that she has walked so far to see him. He senses that there might be trouble. As they walk along, she tries to prepare her grandson for what is to come:
"She reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I am too old to do what I want to do. So now I must do what I have to do." She let out a deep sigh. "You and I must go on an even longer walk. I only hope you can forgive me."
Grace is desolate over her need to leave her youngest grandson at a nearby orphanage; but, she knows it is in his best interest. You will be delighted to read the rest of the story, and to meet Baraka...
Eugenie Fernandes gives life to the story's characters, and to the Kenyan setting. The love and concern that Grace has for her family is evident on every page. Her joy in family assures as good a life as she can provide...she is proud, but realistic about Mithuni's future and her own.
An author's note, accompanied by clear and telling photographs, allows us to meet the boy and his grandmother, and to know how being part of the Creation of Hope family has changed their present and their future.
Please visit www.creationofhope.com to learn more.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
The Vine Basket, written by Josanne La Valley. Clarion Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Thomas Allen & Son, 2013. $18.99 ages 10 and up
I love reading books that have heart; it's an added bonus when they teach me something that matters to my heart and that is brand new to me! I know I don't live under a rock and am pretty aware of what is happening in world communities. But, I had no idea about the Uyghur (pronounced WEEgur) people of East Turkestan. In a note from Mamatjan Juma (Radio Free Asia), we learn a bit about the events that have lead to the life Mehrugil is now experiencing.
"It describes the experiences of a teenage girl struggling to find her way in a world where Uyghurs trying to live a traditional lifestyle are prohibited from doing so because of the Chinese government's cultural and ethnic policies. Many observers feel that Uyghur identity, culture, language, and religion are in danger of being lost forever."
When her older brother Memet leaves the family, much of the work that was his responsibility is turned over to Mehrigul. Her father is always angry, gambling and drinking away what little bit of money they are able to make at market. Her mother has fallen into a depression and spends much of her day in bed, unable to help with the family farm. Her younger sister is in school, which is where Mehrigul very much wants to be, too. If she doesn't attend school, she could be sent far away to work in a factory. It is a troubling thought.
Her grandfather lives with them, and is a basket weaver by trade. Mehrigul learns about making baskets while sitting at his side. When an American woman admires a vine basket that Mehrigul has crafted and wants to buy it, the young girl is at first apprehensive, and then very pleased to have her work so valued. The purchase price is astonishing, but the money is quickly taken by her father. It will help the family if he uses it well! When asked to make more baskets, Mehrigul agrees.
Once home, her father will not allow such useless work. So, she works in secret, and after some trying and heartbreaking incidents, she fashions a bamboo basket with her grandfather's help. It is the only one that she is able to make, but it is stunning and results in hope for the family's future.
This book is beautifully written. It's hard to imagine that it is the debut work of Josanne La Valley. In an author's note she describes the plight of the Uyghur people with compassion and with clear and conscientious research. We are made more aware by reading Mehrigul's story. The politics are obviously complicated, but her storytelling allows her readers to see the untenable position of the family. She creates admirable characters who grow and learn from the experiences. We learn about the desert, its beauty and its terror. We are made aware of the expert craftspeople who work hard to maintain a culture that may be lost. I hope it leads some students to want to learn more about western China and its amazing people. Bravo!
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Water in the Park, written by Emily Jenkins and illustrated by Stephanie Graegin. Schwartz & Wade, Random House. 2013. $18.99 ages 3 and up
"The metal slides are too hot to touch, but the playground is crowded by ten o'clock. "Sweating even in the shade," complains Claudie K.'s sitter, fanning herself with a magazine. Children pour water down the slides."
Take a park, some sunshine, turtles, a bunch of dogs and their walkers, babies and their mothers, park attendants, birds, many more babies, children and their parents, an ice cream truck, puddles, pets, sundown and a rain shower...and you have a story. In Emily Jenkins' adept hand, you have a winsome, always fascinating homage to water and city parks, and their many fans.
It begins just at sunrise, when dogs come to enjoy a morning swim in the clear, blue pond. Of course, they are with their walkers (owners). As they romp, others arrive and thus begins an onslaught of visitors, all with purpose in mind and joy in their hearts. It's a simple story, told in Ms. Jenkin's own inimitable way. She tells it as if she is one of the children enjoying its many delights. She has a way with mentioning everything that attracts and holds the attention of little ones.
In present tense, she explores the joys to be found in the park and all of the ways that water plays a role in what is happening. In an opening note, she says that the idea came from spending time in Prospect Park in Brooklyn one hot summer. She is a shrewd witness to the many details that are cause for celebration. It's a day-in-the-life in the perfect sense of the word. I will read it again and again, always hoping that some young reader will enjoy the perfect language as much as I do...its rhythm, its simple elegance.
Stephanie Graegin creates exemplary pencil-and-ink washes meant to encourage long leisurely looking. There is so much to see, the details are endless. Choose just one or two people and spend the day with them. Then, try someone else. Or, plant yourself at the sandbox, or the water fountain, or any of the other places she so ably explores. Did you meet Claudie K.?
Take a park, some sunshine, turtles, a bunch of dogs and their walkers, babies and their mothers, park attendants, birds, many more babies, children and their parents, an ice cream truck, puddles, pets, sundown and a rain shower...and you have a story. In Emily Jenkins' adept hand, you have a winsome, always fascinating homage to water and city parks, and their many fans.
It begins just at sunrise, when dogs come to enjoy a morning swim in the clear, blue pond. Of course, they are with their walkers (owners). As they romp, others arrive and thus begins an onslaught of visitors, all with purpose in mind and joy in their hearts. It's a simple story, told in Ms. Jenkin's own inimitable way. She tells it as if she is one of the children enjoying its many delights. She has a way with mentioning everything that attracts and holds the attention of little ones.
In present tense, she explores the joys to be found in the park and all of the ways that water plays a role in what is happening. In an opening note, she says that the idea came from spending time in Prospect Park in Brooklyn one hot summer. She is a shrewd witness to the many details that are cause for celebration. It's a day-in-the-life in the perfect sense of the word. I will read it again and again, always hoping that some young reader will enjoy the perfect language as much as I do...its rhythm, its simple elegance.
Stephanie Graegin creates exemplary pencil-and-ink washes meant to encourage long leisurely looking. There is so much to see, the details are endless. Choose just one or two people and spend the day with them. Then, try someone else. Or, plant yourself at the sandbox, or the water fountain, or any of the other places she so ably explores. Did you meet Claudie K.?
It is a feast for your eyes and your ears!
Monday, September 2, 2013
I Dare You Not To Yawn, written by Helene Boudreau and illustrated by Serge Bloch. Candlewick Press, Random House. 2013. $18.00 ages 2 and up
"So, if you're not ready to go to bed, follow these tips and DO NOT YAWN!
If someone else yawns, like your baby brother or your big sister, or the dog - ahhh! - LOOK AWAY!
Yawns are like colds.
They spread."
It's a good thing this book wasn't one of Bret's favorites when we were reading three books a night before he went to sleep. As it was, he probably couldn't count the nights he had to shake us awake so we could read the next Berenstain Bears book, or whatever other books were his favorites at the time. All I need to see is one yawn...and I am done! I guess that's what happens for everyone. It's a contagious thing!
In this highly entertaining book, the boy's downfall begins when he looks at his yawning cat. He then explains to his audience that, no matter what important work you might be doing, the next thing you know you will get caught up in the business of yawning. You can TRY to stop it; but, you're toast. They are sneaky little things, those yawns. And, they cause chaos of all kinds.
Your listeners are sure to giggle, and perhaps even yawn...depending on how good you are it yourself. At night, it might be the perfect way to that persnickety little one to snuggle up and then settle in. You can surely give it a try!
The story is perfectly scripted to give readers a clear understanding for how the young man is feeling, and that a mistimed yawn can produce dire results. He does all in his power to keep it from happening to him:
"Don't sing sleepy-time songs about twinkling stars or baaing sheep, especially the counting kind - one sheep, two sheep, baa...baa...baa..."
Serge Bloch uses a humorous bent to create his illustrations which perfectly capture the young boy's annoyance with the way that yawns can sneak up on you, and result in an early bedtime. The range of emotions he captures will have young readers commiserating with the narrator as he tries to avoid any contact with that persistent, troublemaking yawn. He extends our understanding of this engaging tale with his use of textures and bold colors.
You may think that you are not about to get drawn into this yawning nonsense. I think you have your work cut out for you and besides, what fun to stretch your arms, close your eyes tight and let your mouth open wide. Who would want to miss that? Try to remember his warning:
"They creep up on you when you least expect them."
Stay strong! See if you can keep that yawn from happening to you...
If someone else yawns, like your baby brother or your big sister, or the dog - ahhh! - LOOK AWAY!
Yawns are like colds.
They spread."
It's a good thing this book wasn't one of Bret's favorites when we were reading three books a night before he went to sleep. As it was, he probably couldn't count the nights he had to shake us awake so we could read the next Berenstain Bears book, or whatever other books were his favorites at the time. All I need to see is one yawn...and I am done! I guess that's what happens for everyone. It's a contagious thing!
In this highly entertaining book, the boy's downfall begins when he looks at his yawning cat. He then explains to his audience that, no matter what important work you might be doing, the next thing you know you will get caught up in the business of yawning. You can TRY to stop it; but, you're toast. They are sneaky little things, those yawns. And, they cause chaos of all kinds.
Your listeners are sure to giggle, and perhaps even yawn...depending on how good you are it yourself. At night, it might be the perfect way to that persnickety little one to snuggle up and then settle in. You can surely give it a try!
The story is perfectly scripted to give readers a clear understanding for how the young man is feeling, and that a mistimed yawn can produce dire results. He does all in his power to keep it from happening to him:
"Don't sing sleepy-time songs about twinkling stars or baaing sheep, especially the counting kind - one sheep, two sheep, baa...baa...baa..."
Serge Bloch uses a humorous bent to create his illustrations which perfectly capture the young boy's annoyance with the way that yawns can sneak up on you, and result in an early bedtime. The range of emotions he captures will have young readers commiserating with the narrator as he tries to avoid any contact with that persistent, troublemaking yawn. He extends our understanding of this engaging tale with his use of textures and bold colors.
You may think that you are not about to get drawn into this yawning nonsense. I think you have your work cut out for you and besides, what fun to stretch your arms, close your eyes tight and let your mouth open wide. Who would want to miss that? Try to remember his warning:
"They creep up on you when you least expect them."
Stay strong! See if you can keep that yawn from happening to you...
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Forest Has a Song, with poems by Amy Ludwig Vanerwater and illustrations by Robbin Gourley. Clarion Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Thomas Allen & Son, 2013. $20.99 ages 5 and up
"I dug in the creek bed.
I dug and I found
a grandfather fossil
asleep underground.
He whispered a story
of creatures in sand.
I listened as trilobites
filled up my hand..."
For a long time I have been visiting The Poem Farm (www.poemfarm.amylv.com), and always enjoying Amy's exceptional poetry and lessons for young writers. You should go there right now!
So, it is with great pleasure I share her first book. I have read her poetry in other places, but it is very special to have these poems about the forest in one place to share with you, and with young readers everywhere. The little girl whose poems are narrated here lives near a forest and enjoys its many pleasures on frequent visits.
The sights and sounds that are so particular to the forest offer an attraction that cannot be ignored. While she visits, she uses all of her senses to explore its beauty...from an old dead branch, to a chirping chickadee, and from footprints that leave a very special newscast:
"Scribbled hints
in footprints
tell about the day.
I stop to read
the Forest News
before it's worn away."
I live in awe of a poet so adept at choosing the perfect word(s) to show readers what she wants us to see. She paints clear pictures with those words. Through the seasons, the girl makes new discoveries that play with her senses, and help readers feel what she is feeling as she explores the nearby forest. There are so many special moments to celebrate in the gentle poems written for our reading pleasure. There are twenty-six poems. Having read them numerous times, I only wish there were more!
Robbin Gourley is able to match the many special moments with her watercolor illustrations. They evoke the same harmonious feelings that the girl feels every time she enters the forest, alone or with companions. The art shows a playground ripe for adventure and meditation, allowing readers a clear feeling for the mood of each of the beautifully crafted poems.
From a Canadian prairie girl, I share this...my favorite poem today:
"...
Winds whip.
Geese call.
Squirrels chase.
Leaves fall.
Trees creak.
Birds flap.
Deer run.
Twigs snap.
Silence in Forest
never lasts long.
Melody
is everywhere
mixing in
with piney air.
Forest has a song."
It must be the leaves that are dancing in the driveway on this windy, warm first day of September! Now, I invite you to listen to Amy as she reads these beautiful words for us.
http://youtu.be/NRIqI_FOQtw
Toys in Space, written and illustrated by Mini Grey. Alfred A. Knopf, Random House, 2013. $19.99 ages 5 and up
"And the toys realized it
was actually not a star at all -
it was a spaceship!
And the spaceship
opened up a bright
hole and
beamed
the toys
up into it."
Toys left out in the yard? Have you heard a similar story? It seems an age-old dilemma...forgetful children, toys left to the whims of the elements and anyone who might venture into that yard and see them there. That is where any comparison I might make ends!
The seven toys left to their own devices in Mini Grey's latest tale are laying about on a darkening lawn, all looking upward luckily, and taking note of the night sky. What a wonder for them! They quietly take it all in stride, and through speech bubbles, allow readers a tiny glimpse at their very divergent personalities. There is a cowboy, a robot, a bunny, a horse, a wonder doll, a sheep and a dinosaur. They are resourceful, clever, thoughtful, helpful, brave, strong and truly a wonder! As the night closes in, and the lawn grows damp, they begin to worry for their safety and their patience at being left alone for too long.
It is the WonderDoll who steps up to the plate, and entertains them with a story. Her story is about themselves and includes an alien who discovers the toys and takes them to space with him, hoping that they will help him find 'Cuddles', his own much-.loved toy. WonderDoll names the alien the Hoctopize, and he describes his lost toy companion. When he shows them the Room of a Thousand Lost Toys, they realize that it is he who comes and takes any toys that are left alone outside, all in hopes of finding Cuddles. They talk him into returning the toys to their rightful places. Be sure you check out the address labels.
I love all of the opinions that emerge as WonderDoll tells her story...everybody has one! The tale changes course in the aftermath of these statements. As we have come to expect from this fine artist, the illustrations are full of wit and sparkle. Ms. Grey uses ever-changing perspectives to accompany this well told tale. They are busy pages that are sure to attract and hold audience attention throughout, and encourage a return to see what was missed the first time. There is much to enjoy in this warm, playful tale.
was actually not a star at all -
it was a spaceship!
And the spaceship
opened up a bright
hole and
beamed
the toys
up into it."
Toys left out in the yard? Have you heard a similar story? It seems an age-old dilemma...forgetful children, toys left to the whims of the elements and anyone who might venture into that yard and see them there. That is where any comparison I might make ends!
The seven toys left to their own devices in Mini Grey's latest tale are laying about on a darkening lawn, all looking upward luckily, and taking note of the night sky. What a wonder for them! They quietly take it all in stride, and through speech bubbles, allow readers a tiny glimpse at their very divergent personalities. There is a cowboy, a robot, a bunny, a horse, a wonder doll, a sheep and a dinosaur. They are resourceful, clever, thoughtful, helpful, brave, strong and truly a wonder! As the night closes in, and the lawn grows damp, they begin to worry for their safety and their patience at being left alone for too long.
It is the WonderDoll who steps up to the plate, and entertains them with a story. Her story is about themselves and includes an alien who discovers the toys and takes them to space with him, hoping that they will help him find 'Cuddles', his own much-.loved toy. WonderDoll names the alien the Hoctopize, and he describes his lost toy companion. When he shows them the Room of a Thousand Lost Toys, they realize that it is he who comes and takes any toys that are left alone outside, all in hopes of finding Cuddles. They talk him into returning the toys to their rightful places. Be sure you check out the address labels.
I love all of the opinions that emerge as WonderDoll tells her story...everybody has one! The tale changes course in the aftermath of these statements. As we have come to expect from this fine artist, the illustrations are full of wit and sparkle. Ms. Grey uses ever-changing perspectives to accompany this well told tale. They are busy pages that are sure to attract and hold audience attention throughout, and encourage a return to see what was missed the first time. There is much to enjoy in this warm, playful tale.
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