Author/Illustrator: Bernard Waber
Year: 1970
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company
Pages: 29
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Awards: 1971 Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor
Genre: Picture Book
Location: The edge of the woods
Time Period: Present Day (1970)
Plot: Torchy the Firefly wants to join his friends in twinkling, glowing, flashing, and sending secret messages. But when he turns on his light, it's so bright that it feels like day. The day animals wake up, the night animals hide, and the flowers open up. Everyone complains that Torchy's light is too bright. Sad and dejected, Torchy wanders off on his own to figure out what the problem is. SPOILER! When Torchy sees the lights of a big city, he discovers that there are many different kinds of light. Torchy learns that his light is special and unique, and he decides that he shouldn't hide it just because it's different.
Comments: I originally found this book while I was looking for non-fiction books about fireflies, but the book's title and the lovely 1960's font (as seen here) made me want to read it. Sometimes you can judge a book by its cover.
Torchy is a cute little firefly, and the message of the book is a great one for kids. As with most picture books, the artwork tells most of the story on its own, with night-black pages splashed with thick, muted colors. The excitement of the city is show with big, bold strokes and bright colors. The text of the story is amusing too. A lot of repetition is involved, with Torchy and the lights around him twinkling and glowing and flashing. Perhaps a better example of this, though is the part where Torchy wakes up all of the forest animals and they all have the same reaction. The flow of the story is simple, but the repetition would make it a good one for both group and individual enjoyment.
Themes: Fireflies, Self-Confidence
Showing posts with label animals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label animals. Show all posts
Friday, July 24, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
Tuff Fluff: The Case of Duckie's Missing Brain
Author/Illustrator: Scott Nash
Year: 2004
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Pages: 40
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Genre: Picture Book/Mystery
Location: Los Attic
Time Period: Present (2004), a.k.a. 3:29, by the stopped watch on the wall
Plot: When Bluebell the stuffed bear comes to Tuff Fluff, Private Investigator, for help, Tuff Fluff is immediately on the case. Bluebell's friend Duckie was reading Bluebell a story when he suddenly lost the ability to speak. Now all Duckie can do is quack. Upon further investigation, Tuff finds out that Duckie's seam has come unsewn, and the fluff that made up his brain has been stolen. Is this the work of the residents of Beantown, an area of toys in Los Attic who think they are better than everyone else because they are stuffed with beans instead of stuffing? SPOILER! When Tuff Fluff, Bluebell, and Duckie confront the inhabitants of Beantown about the crime, they find that the residents of Beantown enjoy Duckie's stories too. Everyone in Los Attic bands together to find Duckie a new brain. Eventually, Bluebell donates some spare fluff to make a new brain for Duckie, and the Beantown residents contribute a bean as well. Duckie is recovered, and everyone joins together to hear him tell stories once again.
Comments: This is a fun appealing adventure story with an exciting tone. The story is told from Tuff Fluff's perspective, and children will enjoy trying to guess what will happen next. Besides the narration, the pictures are also engaging. They are simultaneously dark enough to match the mood, but bright enough to keep the story light-hearted. Fun details are added to each picture: a ceiling fan made out of a pencil eraser and paperclips, and houses made out of cardboard boxes.
As fun as this book is, it can also be off-putting as well. This is listed as a book for children ages 4-8, but it's also a chapter book disguised as a picture book. Each chapter is about two to three pages long, and is accompanied by many full page illustrations. Because of this, the book is really for older children in the age range. See the Red Flags section as well.
Themes: Cooperation, Stories, Mysteries, Toy Animals, Accepting others' differences.
Red Flags: SPOILERS! Duckie's brain is eventually found: it's a ball of fluff, marking the place in the book Duckie was reading to Bluebell. The stuffing just simply fell out. Before they can put the stuffing back in, however, a wind comes through the room and blows Duckie's stuffing brain into Bluebell's mouth, who promptly swallows it. This isn't too disgusting when one focuses on the fact that it is simply stuffing being swallowed by a stuffed bear, but the implications are kind of gross. Children would probably not be bothered by this fact, however.
Year: 2004
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Pages: 40
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Genre: Picture Book/Mystery
Location: Los Attic
Time Period: Present (2004), a.k.a. 3:29, by the stopped watch on the wall
Plot: When Bluebell the stuffed bear comes to Tuff Fluff, Private Investigator, for help, Tuff Fluff is immediately on the case. Bluebell's friend Duckie was reading Bluebell a story when he suddenly lost the ability to speak. Now all Duckie can do is quack. Upon further investigation, Tuff finds out that Duckie's seam has come unsewn, and the fluff that made up his brain has been stolen. Is this the work of the residents of Beantown, an area of toys in Los Attic who think they are better than everyone else because they are stuffed with beans instead of stuffing? SPOILER! When Tuff Fluff, Bluebell, and Duckie confront the inhabitants of Beantown about the crime, they find that the residents of Beantown enjoy Duckie's stories too. Everyone in Los Attic bands together to find Duckie a new brain. Eventually, Bluebell donates some spare fluff to make a new brain for Duckie, and the Beantown residents contribute a bean as well. Duckie is recovered, and everyone joins together to hear him tell stories once again.
Comments: This is a fun appealing adventure story with an exciting tone. The story is told from Tuff Fluff's perspective, and children will enjoy trying to guess what will happen next. Besides the narration, the pictures are also engaging. They are simultaneously dark enough to match the mood, but bright enough to keep the story light-hearted. Fun details are added to each picture: a ceiling fan made out of a pencil eraser and paperclips, and houses made out of cardboard boxes.
As fun as this book is, it can also be off-putting as well. This is listed as a book for children ages 4-8, but it's also a chapter book disguised as a picture book. Each chapter is about two to three pages long, and is accompanied by many full page illustrations. Because of this, the book is really for older children in the age range. See the Red Flags section as well.
Themes: Cooperation, Stories, Mysteries, Toy Animals, Accepting others' differences.
Red Flags: SPOILERS! Duckie's brain is eventually found: it's a ball of fluff, marking the place in the book Duckie was reading to Bluebell. The stuffing just simply fell out. Before they can put the stuffing back in, however, a wind comes through the room and blows Duckie's stuffing brain into Bluebell's mouth, who promptly swallows it. This isn't too disgusting when one focuses on the fact that it is simply stuffing being swallowed by a stuffed bear, but the implications are kind of gross. Children would probably not be bothered by this fact, however.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Duck at the Door
Author/Illustrator: Jackie Urbanovic
Year: 2007
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Genre: Picture Book/Animals
Series Information: First book in the Max the Duck series.
Location: A farm in the country (U.S.A.)
Time Period: Present Day (2007)
Plot: When Max the Duck decides he wants to see what winter is like, he is taken by surprise—it's so cold! He knocks on the door of Irene and her birds, cats, dogs, rabbit, and ferret, and is welcomed with open arms. Soon Max makes himself right at home—hogging the TV, experimenting with recipes in the kitchen, and playing with his rubber duckies in the bathtub. SPOILER! When Spring comes, Max leaves to join his flock. Suddenly life without Max seems boring. When Winter comes again Max comes back, and he brings his flock with him!
Comments: This book is a great example of how pictures can tell a lot of the story if you let them. You wouldn't really think that the animals are annoyed with Max's antics if you didn't see the annoyance on the animals' faces. Each watercolor picture is simply done, but it speaks volumes. Words placed by each animal on the page also help convey what each animal is thinking. There is plenty of white space on the page, which makes this a great book for younger children. However, because a lot of the story is told in the pictures instead of the words, I wouldn't recommend this for a very big crowd.
The animals themselves steal the show, and Max is hilarious. No wonder this book and the others in the series are on the New York Times Bestseller list!
Themes: Ducks, Animals, Migration, Winter, Spring, Pros and Cons of Friendship
Year: 2007
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Genre: Picture Book/Animals
Series Information: First book in the Max the Duck series.
Location: A farm in the country (U.S.A.)
Time Period: Present Day (2007)
Plot: When Max the Duck decides he wants to see what winter is like, he is taken by surprise—it's so cold! He knocks on the door of Irene and her birds, cats, dogs, rabbit, and ferret, and is welcomed with open arms. Soon Max makes himself right at home—hogging the TV, experimenting with recipes in the kitchen, and playing with his rubber duckies in the bathtub. SPOILER! When Spring comes, Max leaves to join his flock. Suddenly life without Max seems boring. When Winter comes again Max comes back, and he brings his flock with him!
Comments: This book is a great example of how pictures can tell a lot of the story if you let them. You wouldn't really think that the animals are annoyed with Max's antics if you didn't see the annoyance on the animals' faces. Each watercolor picture is simply done, but it speaks volumes. Words placed by each animal on the page also help convey what each animal is thinking. There is plenty of white space on the page, which makes this a great book for younger children. However, because a lot of the story is told in the pictures instead of the words, I wouldn't recommend this for a very big crowd.
The animals themselves steal the show, and Max is hilarious. No wonder this book and the others in the series are on the New York Times Bestseller list!
Themes: Ducks, Animals, Migration, Winter, Spring, Pros and Cons of Friendship
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Timothy and the Strong Pajamas
Author/Illustrator: Viviane Schwarz
Year: 2007
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
Pages: 40
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Genre: Picture Book/Animal Adventure Story
Location: Not Specified
Time Period: Present Day? (2007)
Plot: When Timothy Smallbeast's mother fixes his favorite pajamas with "patches of power" and "buttons of braveness," Timothy suddenly finds that he has super strength. Determined to use his new superpower for good, he sets out to help an elephant, an old lady, a princess, some sailors, a zookeeper, a kitten, and a bear. SPOILER! When Timothy's pajamas rip, he loses his super strength, and must ask for help from those he just helped himself. When he gets home, his mother fixes his pajamas again.
Comments: If the storyline of this book is not fun enough, Schwarz makes this book even more fun by using various font sizes to emphasize particular points. The pictures are also bright and full of bold, yet simple color schemes. At times this book looks like a graphic novel, with different panes on one page. At other times, a single image takes up the entire page. I especially liked the comments of Timothy's stuffed monkey, who gave commentary on Timothy's feats of amazing strength. This is a book that I think any child will enjoy.
Themes: Friendship, Favorite Objects, Helping Others
Year: 2007
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
Pages: 40
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Genre: Picture Book/Animal Adventure Story
Location: Not Specified
Time Period: Present Day? (2007)
Plot: When Timothy Smallbeast's mother fixes his favorite pajamas with "patches of power" and "buttons of braveness," Timothy suddenly finds that he has super strength. Determined to use his new superpower for good, he sets out to help an elephant, an old lady, a princess, some sailors, a zookeeper, a kitten, and a bear. SPOILER! When Timothy's pajamas rip, he loses his super strength, and must ask for help from those he just helped himself. When he gets home, his mother fixes his pajamas again.
Comments: If the storyline of this book is not fun enough, Schwarz makes this book even more fun by using various font sizes to emphasize particular points. The pictures are also bright and full of bold, yet simple color schemes. At times this book looks like a graphic novel, with different panes on one page. At other times, a single image takes up the entire page. I especially liked the comments of Timothy's stuffed monkey, who gave commentary on Timothy's feats of amazing strength. This is a book that I think any child will enjoy.
Themes: Friendship, Favorite Objects, Helping Others
Friday, December 5, 2008
Babymouse: Queen of the World!
Authors: Jennifer L. Holm
Illustrator: Matthew Holm
Year: 2005
Publisher: Random House
Pages: 91
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Genre: Graphic Novel
Series Information: First Book in the Babymouse Series
Location: Elementary School
Time Period: Present Day (2005)
Plot: When Babymouse hears that the most popular girl in school, Felicia Furrypaws, is having a sleepover, Babymouse becomes determined to get an invitation, even if it means helping Felicia cheat on her book report and letting down her best friend, Wilson Weasel. SPOILER! When Babymouse goes to the sleepover, she realizes just how mean Felicia is and just how much they don't have in common. Babymouse realizes that she doesn't need to be popular to be happy, and she leaves the sleepover, and heads over to Wilson's house to make amends.
Comments: I can see why this book is popular. Babymouse is not only a precocious little mouse, she's also extremely imaginative. The pictures in the book are mostly black and white, until Babymouse starts daydreaming, at which point the pages explode with the color pink. Babymouse's imagination turns even the most boring of topics into something fun and exciting. Children probably also enjoy the fact that this is a "thick" book that they can read and understand.
Themes: Sleepovers, Friends, Popularity, Using your Imagination
Red Flags: None
Illustrator: Matthew Holm
Year: 2005
Publisher: Random House
Pages: 91
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Genre: Graphic Novel
Series Information: First Book in the Babymouse Series
Location: Elementary School
Time Period: Present Day (2005)
Plot: When Babymouse hears that the most popular girl in school, Felicia Furrypaws, is having a sleepover, Babymouse becomes determined to get an invitation, even if it means helping Felicia cheat on her book report and letting down her best friend, Wilson Weasel. SPOILER! When Babymouse goes to the sleepover, she realizes just how mean Felicia is and just how much they don't have in common. Babymouse realizes that she doesn't need to be popular to be happy, and she leaves the sleepover, and heads over to Wilson's house to make amends.
Comments: I can see why this book is popular. Babymouse is not only a precocious little mouse, she's also extremely imaginative. The pictures in the book are mostly black and white, until Babymouse starts daydreaming, at which point the pages explode with the color pink. Babymouse's imagination turns even the most boring of topics into something fun and exciting. Children probably also enjoy the fact that this is a "thick" book that they can read and understand.
Themes: Sleepovers, Friends, Popularity, Using your Imagination
Red Flags: None
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Tails
Author: Matthew Van Fleet
Art Directed by: Skip Skwarck
Year: 2003
Publisher: Red Wagon Books (Harcourt, Inc.)
Pages: 20
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (Preschool)
Genre: Picture Book/Tactile Book/Movable Book
Plot: Children will learn about different animals and their tails in this movable book which includes 7 different textures to touch, a scratch-and-sniff scent, pull tabs and flaps, and more.
Comments: If you look at the back of the book, it looks like this is the ultimate educational tool. Along with the features I mentioned above, this book claims it "demonstrates opposites, actions, counting, and more." The rhyming text was minimal, but it did convey the idea of opposites. The last page included a picture of all of the animals in the book, along with labels of their names. (I was impressed when the monkey was labelled as a Tamarin). I guess I've got a long way to go as an educator. I also read this book to the same 2 1/2 year-old mentioned in the previous post, and besides touching all of the different tails, I had the most fun asking her what noises the different animals make (the monkey says "aaaaa"). I didn't even think about discussing the concept of opposites with her. Despite my personal lackings, this is a very well put-together book with bright colors that I think children would enjoy even without the tactile and movable elements. Those just make the book more fun.
Themes: Animals, Tails, Learning what makes things different
Red Flags: None
Art Directed by: Skip Skwarck
Year: 2003
Publisher: Red Wagon Books (Harcourt, Inc.)
Pages: 20
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (Preschool)
Genre: Picture Book/Tactile Book/Movable Book
Plot: Children will learn about different animals and their tails in this movable book which includes 7 different textures to touch, a scratch-and-sniff scent, pull tabs and flaps, and more.
Comments: If you look at the back of the book, it looks like this is the ultimate educational tool. Along with the features I mentioned above, this book claims it "demonstrates opposites, actions, counting, and more." The rhyming text was minimal, but it did convey the idea of opposites. The last page included a picture of all of the animals in the book, along with labels of their names. (I was impressed when the monkey was labelled as a Tamarin). I guess I've got a long way to go as an educator. I also read this book to the same 2 1/2 year-old mentioned in the previous post, and besides touching all of the different tails, I had the most fun asking her what noises the different animals make (the monkey says "aaaaa"). I didn't even think about discussing the concept of opposites with her. Despite my personal lackings, this is a very well put-together book with bright colors that I think children would enjoy even without the tactile and movable elements. Those just make the book more fun.
Themes: Animals, Tails, Learning what makes things different
Red Flags: None
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
The Chameleon Wore Chartreuse
Author/Illustrator: Bruce Hale
Year: 2000
Publisher: Harcourt, Inc.
Pages: 95
Reading Level: Intermediate (ages 9-12)
Genre: Mystery/Detective
Series Information: First of the Chet Gecko series
Location: Emerson Hicky Elementary
Time Period: Present Day (2000)
Plot: Chet Gecko is a fourth grade private eye at Emerson Hicky Elementary. When Shirley Chameleon tells Chet that her brother Billy is missing and that she will give Chet a stinkbug pie if he can find Billy before the school football game, Chet is on the case. In order to figure out where Billy is, Chet must outsmart his teachers, deal with bullies, perform many and various hijinks, and dodge detention. Although he doesn't originally want the help, he pairs up with Shirley Mockingbird to solve the case. But the school bully, Herman Gila Monster, is on the trail too, and he's out to stop Chet before he uncovers too much. SPOILER! After Herman and his gang catch Chet and Shirley and tie them to the school diving board, dangling precariously over the school swimming pool, Chet and Shirley finally figure out the last clue to the puzzle. The two manage to untie themselves and race out to the football field just in time to find Billy Chameleon (who was off willingly helping Herman with his pranks) and thwart Herman in a plot to undermine the school football game.
Comments: Children may read this book for the mystery, but they are more likely to enjoy it for the satire. Almost every line in the entire book is a pun or a joke or a farce of some kind. Chet isn't a very good detective, but children probably won't worry about that. Another fun aspect of the book is the fact that all of the characters are animals, so they do animal things. For example, since Chet is a gecko, he can climb walls, stick out his tongue to trip bullies, and detach his tail or use it to pick a lock at will. The text is broken up with fun ink and pencil drawings, which will be welcome to reluctant readers. Because of the drawings, this book may look like it's meant for younger readers, but the satire may make it more appropriate for older children who will better understand the jokes.
Themes: Detectives, Bullies, Football, Mystery, School, Missing People
Red Flags: Although these animals talk, they still eat worms and flies and whatnot.
Year: 2000
Publisher: Harcourt, Inc.
Pages: 95
Reading Level: Intermediate (ages 9-12)
Genre: Mystery/Detective
Series Information: First of the Chet Gecko series
Location: Emerson Hicky Elementary
Time Period: Present Day (2000)
Plot: Chet Gecko is a fourth grade private eye at Emerson Hicky Elementary. When Shirley Chameleon tells Chet that her brother Billy is missing and that she will give Chet a stinkbug pie if he can find Billy before the school football game, Chet is on the case. In order to figure out where Billy is, Chet must outsmart his teachers, deal with bullies, perform many and various hijinks, and dodge detention. Although he doesn't originally want the help, he pairs up with Shirley Mockingbird to solve the case. But the school bully, Herman Gila Monster, is on the trail too, and he's out to stop Chet before he uncovers too much. SPOILER! After Herman and his gang catch Chet and Shirley and tie them to the school diving board, dangling precariously over the school swimming pool, Chet and Shirley finally figure out the last clue to the puzzle. The two manage to untie themselves and race out to the football field just in time to find Billy Chameleon (who was off willingly helping Herman with his pranks) and thwart Herman in a plot to undermine the school football game.
Comments: Children may read this book for the mystery, but they are more likely to enjoy it for the satire. Almost every line in the entire book is a pun or a joke or a farce of some kind. Chet isn't a very good detective, but children probably won't worry about that. Another fun aspect of the book is the fact that all of the characters are animals, so they do animal things. For example, since Chet is a gecko, he can climb walls, stick out his tongue to trip bullies, and detach his tail or use it to pick a lock at will. The text is broken up with fun ink and pencil drawings, which will be welcome to reluctant readers. Because of the drawings, this book may look like it's meant for younger readers, but the satire may make it more appropriate for older children who will better understand the jokes.
Themes: Detectives, Bullies, Football, Mystery, School, Missing People
Red Flags: Although these animals talk, they still eat worms and flies and whatnot.
Monday, November 3, 2008
George Washington's Cows
Author/Illustrator: David Small
Year: 1994
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux
Pages: 40
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Genre: Picture Book/Historical Fiction/Beast Tale
Series Information: Not Part of a Series
Location: Mount Vernon, Virginia
Time Period: Late 1700s
Plot: The animals on George Washington's farm are driving him crazy. The cows must be pampered: dressed in fine gowns, lodged in their own private upstairs room, allowed to eat jam on scones, and begged on hands and knees in order for them to obligingly let you milk them. The pigs are a genteel, helpful bunch and they like to help with the chores and serve the guests at dinner parties. The sheep are all scholars, and they hold a number of degrees. SPOILER! Unsure how to cope with the animals' behavior, George Washington decides to try his hand at politics, and he leaves the farm.
Comments: This is a picture book I would recommend for older children rather than for preschoolers. The story is funny and engaging, told in a sing-song rhyming pattern. The pictures are nice and detailed watercolors, and it's fun to see examples of the events the text is describing: cows in purple gowns, wigged pigs playing musical instruments and serving wine to guests, sheep in scholarly caps and gowns playing with chemistry sets and looking through telescopes, and of course a rendition of George Washington crossing the Delaware.
Themes: History re-written, George Washington, Farm Animals
Red Flags: None
Year: 1994
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux
Pages: 40
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Genre: Picture Book/Historical Fiction/Beast Tale
Series Information: Not Part of a Series
Location: Mount Vernon, Virginia
Time Period: Late 1700s
Plot: The animals on George Washington's farm are driving him crazy. The cows must be pampered: dressed in fine gowns, lodged in their own private upstairs room, allowed to eat jam on scones, and begged on hands and knees in order for them to obligingly let you milk them. The pigs are a genteel, helpful bunch and they like to help with the chores and serve the guests at dinner parties. The sheep are all scholars, and they hold a number of degrees. SPOILER! Unsure how to cope with the animals' behavior, George Washington decides to try his hand at politics, and he leaves the farm.
Comments: This is a picture book I would recommend for older children rather than for preschoolers. The story is funny and engaging, told in a sing-song rhyming pattern. The pictures are nice and detailed watercolors, and it's fun to see examples of the events the text is describing: cows in purple gowns, wigged pigs playing musical instruments and serving wine to guests, sheep in scholarly caps and gowns playing with chemistry sets and looking through telescopes, and of course a rendition of George Washington crossing the Delaware.
Themes: History re-written, George Washington, Farm Animals
Red Flags: None
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Gracias the Thanksgiving Turkey
Author: Joy Cowley
Illustrator: Joe Cepeda
Year: 1996
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Genre: Picture Book/Thanksgiving Story
Series Information: Not Part of a Series
Location: New York City
Time Period: Present Day (1996)
Plot: When Miguel's father sends Miguel a live turkey as a present, Miguel names the turkey Gracias and the two become fast friends. Miguel starts to get worried because everyone he meets says they want to eat his new friend for Thanksgiving dinner. SPOILER! When Gracias follows Miguel to church one Sunday, the Father sees Miguel's pet turkey, and he gives both Miguel and Gracias a blessing. The family decides they can't eat Gracias now that he's been blessed, and they decide to have turkey as a guest for dinner instead of as the main dish.
Comments: This is a cute story, even though the ending is obviously contrived and a bit of a logical stretch. The real appeal of the story actually lies not in the plot or even in the pictures, which are bright and fun, but in its accurate depiction of a Puerto Rican-American family. I like the fact that this family isn't eating beans and rice or tortillas for thanksgiving, but they're showing their American side by planning on eating turkey. A few Spanish words such as amigo, gracias, and padre are sprinkled throughout the text, and they are found in a nice glossary in the back of the book for quick reference.
Themes: Thanksgiving, Friendship, Pets, Family
Red Flags: Turkey-napping (like kidnapping, but with turkeys)
Multicultural Elements: Puerto Rican-American family
Illustrator: Joe Cepeda
Year: 1996
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Genre: Picture Book/Thanksgiving Story
Series Information: Not Part of a Series
Location: New York City
Time Period: Present Day (1996)
Plot: When Miguel's father sends Miguel a live turkey as a present, Miguel names the turkey Gracias and the two become fast friends. Miguel starts to get worried because everyone he meets says they want to eat his new friend for Thanksgiving dinner. SPOILER! When Gracias follows Miguel to church one Sunday, the Father sees Miguel's pet turkey, and he gives both Miguel and Gracias a blessing. The family decides they can't eat Gracias now that he's been blessed, and they decide to have turkey as a guest for dinner instead of as the main dish.
Comments: This is a cute story, even though the ending is obviously contrived and a bit of a logical stretch. The real appeal of the story actually lies not in the plot or even in the pictures, which are bright and fun, but in its accurate depiction of a Puerto Rican-American family. I like the fact that this family isn't eating beans and rice or tortillas for thanksgiving, but they're showing their American side by planning on eating turkey. A few Spanish words such as amigo, gracias, and padre are sprinkled throughout the text, and they are found in a nice glossary in the back of the book for quick reference.
Themes: Thanksgiving, Friendship, Pets, Family
Red Flags: Turkey-napping (like kidnapping, but with turkeys)
Multicultural Elements: Puerto Rican-American family
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Bats at the Library
Author/Illustrator: Brian Lies
Year: 2008
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Beginning (ages 4-8)
Genre: Picture Book/Fantasy
Series Information: Sequel to Bats at the Beach
Location: Public Library at Night
Time Period: Present (2008)
Plot: When a window is left open at the local library, a bunch of bats race to the library to check out the library's latest offerings. Some of the younger bats who have never been to the library start misbehaving—playing tag, making shadow puppets, making photocopies of themselves, and playing in the drinking fountain. But when story time starts, everyone gets pulled in by the stories until daylight comes and the bats must leave before the librarian catches them.
Comments: Maybe it's because I'm a library nerd, but I loved this book! Although the text is cute and has a fun rhyme, the real appeal is in the pictures. They pull you right in. They actually give the bats a lot of personality. I laughed aloud at the thought of the bats playing with the Xerox machine (Possibly because of the time a guy came up to me when I was working at the reference desk and asked me how to operate the copier. He blushed as he explained that he needed to Xerox his face for an art class.). The story time pictures, however, are the best part of this book. Characters and scenes from famous children's stories are changed slightly to incorporate bats. This makes it a fun book for older children to guess which stories the bats are reading.
Themes: Libraries, Story time, Reading, Bats
Red Flags: None
Year: 2008
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Beginning (ages 4-8)
Genre: Picture Book/Fantasy
Series Information: Sequel to Bats at the Beach
Location: Public Library at Night
Time Period: Present (2008)
Plot: When a window is left open at the local library, a bunch of bats race to the library to check out the library's latest offerings. Some of the younger bats who have never been to the library start misbehaving—playing tag, making shadow puppets, making photocopies of themselves, and playing in the drinking fountain. But when story time starts, everyone gets pulled in by the stories until daylight comes and the bats must leave before the librarian catches them.
Comments: Maybe it's because I'm a library nerd, but I loved this book! Although the text is cute and has a fun rhyme, the real appeal is in the pictures. They pull you right in. They actually give the bats a lot of personality. I laughed aloud at the thought of the bats playing with the Xerox machine (Possibly because of the time a guy came up to me when I was working at the reference desk and asked me how to operate the copier. He blushed as he explained that he needed to Xerox his face for an art class.). The story time pictures, however, are the best part of this book. Characters and scenes from famous children's stories are changed slightly to incorporate bats. This makes it a fun book for older children to guess which stories the bats are reading.
Themes: Libraries, Story time, Reading, Bats
Red Flags: None
Saturday, October 11, 2008
My Friend Rabbit
Author/Illustrator: Eric Rohmann
Year: 2002
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Beginner (ages 4-8)
Awards: 2003 Caldecott Medal
Genre: Almost Wordless Picture Book
Series Information: Not part of a series
Location: Not mentioned
Time Period: Present Day (2002)
Plot: When Rabbit gets Mouse's airplane stuck in a tree, Rabbit keeps coming up with new ways to help that just seem to make the problem worse. No matter what trouble Rabbit gets Mouse in, they are friends and Mouse forgives him.
Comments: This cute story about friendship is almost wordless. The pictures tell the story of Rabbit's hare-brained schemes, and the words kind of act like book-ends to the plot told in pictures. Almost the same dialog is used at the beginning of the story as is used at the end. It's a clever means of showing Rabbit's antics is fun and refreshing, and children should enjoy it.
Themes: Friendship
Red Flags: None
Year: 2002
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Beginner (ages 4-8)
Awards: 2003 Caldecott Medal
Genre: Almost Wordless Picture Book
Series Information: Not part of a series
Location: Not mentioned
Time Period: Present Day (2002)
Plot: When Rabbit gets Mouse's airplane stuck in a tree, Rabbit keeps coming up with new ways to help that just seem to make the problem worse. No matter what trouble Rabbit gets Mouse in, they are friends and Mouse forgives him.
Comments: This cute story about friendship is almost wordless. The pictures tell the story of Rabbit's hare-brained schemes, and the words kind of act like book-ends to the plot told in pictures. Almost the same dialog is used at the beginning of the story as is used at the end. It's a clever means of showing Rabbit's antics is fun and refreshing, and children should enjoy it.
Themes: Friendship
Red Flags: None
Kitten's First Full Moon
Author/Illustrator: Kevin Henkes
Year: 2004
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Pages: 40
Reading Level: Beginner (ages 4-8)
Awards: 2005 Caldecott Medal, many others
Genre: Picture Book/Realistic Fiction
Series Information: Not part of a series
Location: Anywhere, USA
Time Period: Present (2004)
Plot: When Kitten sees a full moon in the sky, he thinks it's a little bowl of milk. He tries many different antics to get to it, all to no avail. SPOILER! When Kitten finally gives up and returns home, he finds a bowl of milk waiting for him.
Comments: This book is a great one for young children. The pictures are in black and white, but they are well done, showing the action of Kitten without being too busy or distracting. Kitten is cute and curious and mischievous. The text is also fun, repeating the line: "Still, there was the little bowl of milk, just waiting." I would have thought that picture books need to have bright colors to engage children's interest, but the engaging plot and rambunctious character bring a lot of energy to the story on their own.
Red Flags: None
Year: 2004
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Pages: 40
Reading Level: Beginner (ages 4-8)
Awards: 2005 Caldecott Medal, many others
Genre: Picture Book/Realistic Fiction
Series Information: Not part of a series
Location: Anywhere, USA
Time Period: Present (2004)
Plot: When Kitten sees a full moon in the sky, he thinks it's a little bowl of milk. He tries many different antics to get to it, all to no avail. SPOILER! When Kitten finally gives up and returns home, he finds a bowl of milk waiting for him.
Comments: This book is a great one for young children. The pictures are in black and white, but they are well done, showing the action of Kitten without being too busy or distracting. Kitten is cute and curious and mischievous. The text is also fun, repeating the line: "Still, there was the little bowl of milk, just waiting." I would have thought that picture books need to have bright colors to engage children's interest, but the engaging plot and rambunctious character bring a lot of energy to the story on their own.
Red Flags: None
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Jack and the Animals
Author: Donald Davis
Illustrator: Kitty Harvill
Year: 1995
Publisher: August House Littlefolk
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Beginner (ages 4-8)
Genre: Picture Book/Folk Tale (The Bremen Town Musicians)
Series Information: Not part of a series
Location: Appalachian Region, America
Time Period: Undetermined
Plot: Jack heads out into the world to seek his fortune. He runs into a cow, a dog, a cat, a donkey, and a rooster who are all sad because they are too old to be useful any more. Jack invites the animals to join him on his journey. SPOILER! When night approaches, Jack and his friends find a robbers’ hideout and they break in to eat the robbers’ food. As they are finishing, one of the robbers come back. Jack and the animals blow out the candles and hide throughout the house. As the robber approaches each animal the animal attacks, and the robber runs from the house and tells his friends that the cottage is full of monsters. Jack shows the sheriff the robbers’ loot, and as a reward the sheriff gives it to Jack. Jack and his friends live in the cottage in comfort for the rest of their days.
Comments: This was a fun new version of the Bremen Town Musicians—a story I thought I knew pretty well. I especially liked the pictures, which helped show what the robber was imagining he was experiencing.
Themes: Friendship, Seeking Fortune, Triumph of Good over Evil
Red Flags: Some animal violence
Illustrator: Kitty Harvill
Year: 1995
Publisher: August House Littlefolk
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Beginner (ages 4-8)
Genre: Picture Book/Folk Tale (The Bremen Town Musicians)
Series Information: Not part of a series
Location: Appalachian Region, America
Time Period: Undetermined
Plot: Jack heads out into the world to seek his fortune. He runs into a cow, a dog, a cat, a donkey, and a rooster who are all sad because they are too old to be useful any more. Jack invites the animals to join him on his journey. SPOILER! When night approaches, Jack and his friends find a robbers’ hideout and they break in to eat the robbers’ food. As they are finishing, one of the robbers come back. Jack and the animals blow out the candles and hide throughout the house. As the robber approaches each animal the animal attacks, and the robber runs from the house and tells his friends that the cottage is full of monsters. Jack shows the sheriff the robbers’ loot, and as a reward the sheriff gives it to Jack. Jack and his friends live in the cottage in comfort for the rest of their days.
Comments: This was a fun new version of the Bremen Town Musicians—a story I thought I knew pretty well. I especially liked the pictures, which helped show what the robber was imagining he was experiencing.
Themes: Friendship, Seeking Fortune, Triumph of Good over Evil
Red Flags: Some animal violence
The Musicians of Bremen
Author/Illustrator: Niroot Puttapipat
Year: 2005
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Beginner (ages 4-8)
Genre: Picture Book/Folk Tale
Series Information: None
Location: German Countryside
Time Period: Early Seventeenth Century
Plot: Four old animals—a donkey, a dog, a cat, and a rooster—threatened by their masters with death, set out for the town of Bremen in the hopes of becoming musicians. Along the way they find a house full of robbers and break into the house, scaring the robbers away. SPOILER! When one robber comes back in the dead of night, the animals fight together to kick him out again. Unsure of what attacked him, the robber tells his friends that the house is haunted, and the robbers leave permanently. The animals live in the cottage together in peace and in comfort for the rest of their days.
Comments: This version of the famous Grimm’s fairy tale stays pretty close to the original, except for the fact that the author added more musical elements. Specific composers of the early Seventeenth Century are listed. Also, the book is set up like the Donkey is telling the other animals the story.
Themes: Friendship, Music, Triumph of Good over Evil
Red Flags: The old masters of the animals threaten to kill them.
Year: 2005
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Beginner (ages 4-8)
Genre: Picture Book/Folk Tale
Series Information: None
Location: German Countryside
Time Period: Early Seventeenth Century
Plot: Four old animals—a donkey, a dog, a cat, and a rooster—threatened by their masters with death, set out for the town of Bremen in the hopes of becoming musicians. Along the way they find a house full of robbers and break into the house, scaring the robbers away. SPOILER! When one robber comes back in the dead of night, the animals fight together to kick him out again. Unsure of what attacked him, the robber tells his friends that the house is haunted, and the robbers leave permanently. The animals live in the cottage together in peace and in comfort for the rest of their days.
Comments: This version of the famous Grimm’s fairy tale stays pretty close to the original, except for the fact that the author added more musical elements. Specific composers of the early Seventeenth Century are listed. Also, the book is set up like the Donkey is telling the other animals the story.
Themes: Friendship, Music, Triumph of Good over Evil
Red Flags: The old masters of the animals threaten to kill them.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Voices in the Park
Author/Illustrator: Anthony Browne
Year: 1998
Publisher: D.K. Publishing, Inc.
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Genre: Picture Book
Series Information: Not part of a series
Location: A park in Anytown, USA
Time Period: Present (1998)
Plot: A trip to the park is told in four different voices, giving different perspectives of the same incident. The trip to the park is told by a wealthy mother, her bored son Charlie, a father looking for work, and his rambunctious daughter Smudge.
Comments: Although this book has many benefits, I’m not sure I would recommend it to the age group it was written for. The simple language and bright pictures make this seem like the perfect book for a young child who is just learning to read. It also has a cute message about how people need to be tolerant of each other and about how we can choose our own attitudes. However, the backgrounds of the pictures carry a somewhat subversive tone to them. When the mother worries about where her son went, all of the trees in the background start screaming with her, and when she leaves the park a tree bursts into flames. The father passes a frowning Mona Lisa and a begging Santa Claus on the way to the park, and sits and reads a paper with Munch’s The Scream on the front cover. Charlie is bored, and his mother’s hat can be found in almost every picture in his part of the book. Smudge is chipper, so all of her pages are brighter than the rest of the story, and random objects such as fruits are found in the background. Also, the characters are anthropomorphic gorillas, which adds to the subversive tone of the book. While children will probably enjoy looking for all of the random objects and trying to find the families’ dogs in every picture, the subversive undertones of the pictures were a little too much for me. I think the meanings of some of these objects will go over the heads of the age range this book is written for.
Themes: Friendship, Point of View
Red Flags: The pictures in this book don’t seem to match the age range of the text (see Comments).
Year: 1998
Publisher: D.K. Publishing, Inc.
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Genre: Picture Book
Series Information: Not part of a series
Location: A park in Anytown, USA
Time Period: Present (1998)
Plot: A trip to the park is told in four different voices, giving different perspectives of the same incident. The trip to the park is told by a wealthy mother, her bored son Charlie, a father looking for work, and his rambunctious daughter Smudge.
Comments: Although this book has many benefits, I’m not sure I would recommend it to the age group it was written for. The simple language and bright pictures make this seem like the perfect book for a young child who is just learning to read. It also has a cute message about how people need to be tolerant of each other and about how we can choose our own attitudes. However, the backgrounds of the pictures carry a somewhat subversive tone to them. When the mother worries about where her son went, all of the trees in the background start screaming with her, and when she leaves the park a tree bursts into flames. The father passes a frowning Mona Lisa and a begging Santa Claus on the way to the park, and sits and reads a paper with Munch’s The Scream on the front cover. Charlie is bored, and his mother’s hat can be found in almost every picture in his part of the book. Smudge is chipper, so all of her pages are brighter than the rest of the story, and random objects such as fruits are found in the background. Also, the characters are anthropomorphic gorillas, which adds to the subversive tone of the book. While children will probably enjoy looking for all of the random objects and trying to find the families’ dogs in every picture, the subversive undertones of the pictures were a little too much for me. I think the meanings of some of these objects will go over the heads of the age range this book is written for.
Themes: Friendship, Point of View
Red Flags: The pictures in this book don’t seem to match the age range of the text (see Comments).
Sit, Truman!
Author: Dan Harper and Cara Moser
Illustrator: Barry Moser
Year: 2001
Publisher: Harcourt
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Genre: Picture Book/Realistic Fiction
Series Information: One of the books Moser wrote with his family
Location: Any town, America/Barry Moser’s house
Time Period: Present Day (2001)
Plot: Truman is a very disobedient dog who is always told what to do by his owners. Examples of text include: “Stop drooling, Truman!” “No Mail for you, Truman!” “No dancing, Truman!” “Go fetch, Truman!” etc., etc., etc.
Comments: This is a very fun book. Most of the comments I have for this book were made previously on My Dog Rosie, but this book seems a little simpler. Instead of full-on sentences, the book consists of commands that children will love to yell along with their parents. The watercolors are bright and fun, and children will enjoy Truman’s antics.
Red Flags: None
Illustrator: Barry Moser
Year: 2001
Publisher: Harcourt
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Genre: Picture Book/Realistic Fiction
Series Information: One of the books Moser wrote with his family
Location: Any town, America/Barry Moser’s house
Time Period: Present Day (2001)
Plot: Truman is a very disobedient dog who is always told what to do by his owners. Examples of text include: “Stop drooling, Truman!” “No Mail for you, Truman!” “No dancing, Truman!” “Go fetch, Truman!” etc., etc., etc.
Comments: This is a very fun book. Most of the comments I have for this book were made previously on My Dog Rosie, but this book seems a little simpler. Instead of full-on sentences, the book consists of commands that children will love to yell along with their parents. The watercolors are bright and fun, and children will enjoy Truman’s antics.
Red Flags: None
My Dog Rosie
Author: Isabelle Harper
Illustrator: Barry Moser
Year: 1994
Publisher: Blue Sky Press
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Beginning Readers (ages 4-8)
Genre: Picture Book/Realistic Fiction
Series Information: One of the books Moser wrote with his family
Location: Any town, America/Barry Moser’s house
Time Period: Present Day (1994)
Plot: When Grandpa (Barry Moser) goes to his art studio to work, his granddaughter looks after Grandpa’s dog, Rosie.
Comments: I have looked at a lot of Barry Moser books recently. I appreciate his artistic quality in his illustrated versions of such books as Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Frankenstein, and Moby Dick, but this is something else entirely. While Moser’s books for an older audience are done in wood cut and have a dark and unsettling tone, the books he writes with his family are usually bright watercolors full of joy. Children will like talking about all of the fun things Moser’s real-life granddaughter does with Rosie, including feeding Rosie, playing fetch, and giving Rosie a bath.
Red Flags: Moser’s granddaughter is only wearing a pair of underwear.
Illustrator: Barry Moser
Year: 1994
Publisher: Blue Sky Press
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Beginning Readers (ages 4-8)
Genre: Picture Book/Realistic Fiction
Series Information: One of the books Moser wrote with his family
Location: Any town, America/Barry Moser’s house
Time Period: Present Day (1994)
Plot: When Grandpa (Barry Moser) goes to his art studio to work, his granddaughter looks after Grandpa’s dog, Rosie.
Comments: I have looked at a lot of Barry Moser books recently. I appreciate his artistic quality in his illustrated versions of such books as Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Frankenstein, and Moby Dick, but this is something else entirely. While Moser’s books for an older audience are done in wood cut and have a dark and unsettling tone, the books he writes with his family are usually bright watercolors full of joy. Children will like talking about all of the fun things Moser’s real-life granddaughter does with Rosie, including feeding Rosie, playing fetch, and giving Rosie a bath.
Red Flags: Moser’s granddaughter is only wearing a pair of underwear.
Jump! The Adventures of Brer Rabbit
Author: Joel Chandler Harris
Illustrator: Barry Moser
Year: 1986
Publisher: Harcourt Brace
Pages: 40
Reading Level: Intermediate (ages 9-12)
Genre: Southern Folktale/Trickster Tales (Brer Rabbit)
Series Information: The First of the Jump! series illustrated by Barry Moser
Location: Deep South, North America
Time Period: 17 or 1800’s? Not Specified
Plot: Five different stories of Brer Rabbit’s cleverness and trickery are found in this book. Children can learn how Brer Rabbit out-smarted his enemies Brer Wolf, Brer Fox, and Brer Bear. They can also see Brer Rabbit get a taste of his own medicine when he is out-smarted by Brer Terrapin in a Tortoise and the Hare-esque tale that also involves trickery on the part of Brer Terrapin. The end of the book contains a song as well: Hominy Grove.
Comments: The Brer Rabbit stories may be appealing to young readers since it is Brer Rabbit and Brer Terrapin, the smallest of the animals in the community, who end up using their brains to pull a trick on those who are bigger and stronger than they are. Moser’s watercolor illustrations are fun, but they are not on every page, which makes this a book for older children who are patient enough to simply listen to the story.
Red Flags: This book encourages trickery, which some parents may not want their children to read.
Illustrator: Barry Moser
Year: 1986
Publisher: Harcourt Brace
Pages: 40
Reading Level: Intermediate (ages 9-12)
Genre: Southern Folktale/Trickster Tales (Brer Rabbit)
Series Information: The First of the Jump! series illustrated by Barry Moser
Location: Deep South, North America
Time Period: 17 or 1800’s? Not Specified
Plot: Five different stories of Brer Rabbit’s cleverness and trickery are found in this book. Children can learn how Brer Rabbit out-smarted his enemies Brer Wolf, Brer Fox, and Brer Bear. They can also see Brer Rabbit get a taste of his own medicine when he is out-smarted by Brer Terrapin in a Tortoise and the Hare-esque tale that also involves trickery on the part of Brer Terrapin. The end of the book contains a song as well: Hominy Grove.
Comments: The Brer Rabbit stories may be appealing to young readers since it is Brer Rabbit and Brer Terrapin, the smallest of the animals in the community, who end up using their brains to pull a trick on those who are bigger and stronger than they are. Moser’s watercolor illustrations are fun, but they are not on every page, which makes this a book for older children who are patient enough to simply listen to the story.
Red Flags: This book encourages trickery, which some parents may not want their children to read.
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