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 beginning reader. Show all posts
Showing posts with label beginning reader. Show all posts
Friday, July 24, 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
What Charlie Heard: The Story of American Composer Charles Ives
Author/Illustrator: Mordecai Gerstein
Year: 2002
Publisher: Live Oak Media
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Awards: ALA Notable Book 2003, Horn Book Fanfare 2002
Genre: Picture Book/Historical Fiction
Location: Small Town America
Time Period: 1874-1954
Plot: Describes the life of American composer Charles Ives (1874-1954), who wrote music which expressed all the sounds he heard in the world, but which was not well received during his lifetime. SPOILER! At the end of the book, Charlie's music is accepted, and he contemplates writing his greatest work, the Universe Symphony.
Comments: The magic of picture books is that sometimes there is a story that can be told better in pictures than it can through words. Gerstein does a good job of using words to explain how everything Charlie heard could be considered music—from the swish of his mother's skirts to the creaking of a door. Then he shows how Charlie hears the world by filling the pictures full of sounds. By the end of the book, it's hard to see the pictures for the number of sounds that are written across the pages. The pictures are warm and bright, and the text is engaging. Because there is so much going on in the text and in the pictures, this would be a good story for older children who are learning to read on their own rather than for younger children.
This story made me want to learn more about Charles Ives. I even checked out a CD of his music the next time I went to the library because of the book. (Gerstein even recommends a CD at the end of the book.) Combining this book with a sample of a CD would help children find more meaning in the music. Parents and teachers can say, "Remember that part where Charlie's dad directed two bands at once? Can you hear them in this song?" or "What do you think Charlie was thinking of when he wrote this piece?"
Themes: Music, Modernism, Persistence, Doing what you love
Year: 2002
Publisher: Live Oak Media
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Awards: ALA Notable Book 2003, Horn Book Fanfare 2002
Genre: Picture Book/Historical Fiction
Location: Small Town America
Time Period: 1874-1954
Plot: Describes the life of American composer Charles Ives (1874-1954), who wrote music which expressed all the sounds he heard in the world, but which was not well received during his lifetime. SPOILER! At the end of the book, Charlie's music is accepted, and he contemplates writing his greatest work, the Universe Symphony.
Comments: The magic of picture books is that sometimes there is a story that can be told better in pictures than it can through words. Gerstein does a good job of using words to explain how everything Charlie heard could be considered music—from the swish of his mother's skirts to the creaking of a door. Then he shows how Charlie hears the world by filling the pictures full of sounds. By the end of the book, it's hard to see the pictures for the number of sounds that are written across the pages. The pictures are warm and bright, and the text is engaging. Because there is so much going on in the text and in the pictures, this would be a good story for older children who are learning to read on their own rather than for younger children.
This story made me want to learn more about Charles Ives. I even checked out a CD of his music the next time I went to the library because of the book. (Gerstein even recommends a CD at the end of the book.) Combining this book with a sample of a CD would help children find more meaning in the music. Parents and teachers can say, "Remember that part where Charlie's dad directed two bands at once? Can you hear them in this song?" or "What do you think Charlie was thinking of when he wrote this piece?"
Themes: Music, Modernism, Persistence, Doing what you love
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
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Read All About It!
Authors: Lara and Jenna Bush
Illustrator: Denise Brunkus
Year: 2008
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Genre: Picture Book
Location: Good Day Elementary School
Time Period: Present Day (2008)
Plot: Tyrone loves school. He loves hanging out with his friends and solving math problems and watching the science teacher make things explode. However, there is one thing he doesn't like—reading books. Tyrone doesn't pay attention when it is time for story time. But one day, even Tyrone becomes enthralled with the book Miss Libro reads to the children for story time. Suddenly, the characters in the books seem to pop right out of the pages and visit with the schoolchildren. SPOILER! When the children's favorite story character, a pig strongly reminiscent of Wilbur, disappears, Tyrone and his friends go on a search for him. They eventually find the pig and all of the other characters they have met throughout the year in the school library.
Comments: I don't usually read the picture books written by celebrities. It seems highly likely that the books are getting published not because they have any literary merit, but because the author's name is popular and thus profitable. However, I do have a soft spot for Laura Bush since she's a fellow librarian, so I thought I'd try the children's book she wrote with her daughter.
On the whole, but book was cute. The message of finding good friends in a book (and in the library) was a little contrived, but isn't that one reason why I read? I like meeting new people and wondering what it would be like to be them. The pictures were bright and clear and interesting, and there were a lot of fun details specific to each page that were fun to find. For example, the class Book List and Class Rules changed on each page.
The most distracting thing for me was a small thing that most readers wouldn't even think twice about: All of the signs, books, posters, etc. in the artwork used fonts that you'd find in word processing software. They weren't painted in like the rest of the picture, but were obviously added in digitally later. It was just slightly jarring to me. But on the whole, I think this is a good book that young elementary-age readers will enjoy.
Themes: Reading, Story Characters, Libraries
Multicultural Elements: One or two of the children in the classroom are obviously of different races, but that is it.
Illustrator: Denise Brunkus
Year: 2008
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Genre: Picture Book
Location: Good Day Elementary School
Time Period: Present Day (2008)
Plot: Tyrone loves school. He loves hanging out with his friends and solving math problems and watching the science teacher make things explode. However, there is one thing he doesn't like—reading books. Tyrone doesn't pay attention when it is time for story time. But one day, even Tyrone becomes enthralled with the book Miss Libro reads to the children for story time. Suddenly, the characters in the books seem to pop right out of the pages and visit with the schoolchildren. SPOILER! When the children's favorite story character, a pig strongly reminiscent of Wilbur, disappears, Tyrone and his friends go on a search for him. They eventually find the pig and all of the other characters they have met throughout the year in the school library.
Comments: I don't usually read the picture books written by celebrities. It seems highly likely that the books are getting published not because they have any literary merit, but because the author's name is popular and thus profitable. However, I do have a soft spot for Laura Bush since she's a fellow librarian, so I thought I'd try the children's book she wrote with her daughter.
On the whole, but book was cute. The message of finding good friends in a book (and in the library) was a little contrived, but isn't that one reason why I read? I like meeting new people and wondering what it would be like to be them. The pictures were bright and clear and interesting, and there were a lot of fun details specific to each page that were fun to find. For example, the class Book List and Class Rules changed on each page.
The most distracting thing for me was a small thing that most readers wouldn't even think twice about: All of the signs, books, posters, etc. in the artwork used fonts that you'd find in word processing software. They weren't painted in like the rest of the picture, but were obviously added in digitally later. It was just slightly jarring to me. But on the whole, I think this is a good book that young elementary-age readers will enjoy.
Themes: Reading, Story Characters, Libraries
Multicultural Elements: One or two of the children in the classroom are obviously of different races, but that is it.
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 12, 2008
The Book of Boys (for Girls) and the Book of Girls (for Boys)
Author: David T. Greenberg
Illustrator: Joy Allen
Year: 2005
Publisher: Little, Brown & Co.
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Genre: Picture Book/Poetry
Location: Anywhere, U.S.A.
Time Period: Present Day (2005)
Plot: Starting off with the classic nursery rhymes stating what little boys and girls are made of, this book turns into a battle of the sexes, with girls on left pages talking about what they don't like about boys, and boys on right pages talking about what they don't like about girls. Peace is restored when each gender discusses the things they like about the other.
Comments: The text on the inside flap of this book states that it is intended as two books in one. "Boys can read the Book of Girls (for Boys) on the left side, and the girls can counter by reading the Book of Boys (for Girls) on the right." Text isn't always lined up this way, however, so it might be hard for two people to read the different parts at the same time. It's a very fun idea, however, and the rhymes are creative. The watercolor and pencil drawings are fun and bright, and they show a lot of action. Children who are entering the "cootie" stage would enjoy this book.
Themes: Boys, Girls, Getting Along, Looking for the Good in Others.
Red Flags: A few burp and fart jokes, Children misbehaving
Multicultural Elements: Children of many different cultures are depicted
Illustrator: Joy Allen
Year: 2005
Publisher: Little, Brown & Co.
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Genre: Picture Book/Poetry
Location: Anywhere, U.S.A.
Time Period: Present Day (2005)
Plot: Starting off with the classic nursery rhymes stating what little boys and girls are made of, this book turns into a battle of the sexes, with girls on left pages talking about what they don't like about boys, and boys on right pages talking about what they don't like about girls. Peace is restored when each gender discusses the things they like about the other.
Comments: The text on the inside flap of this book states that it is intended as two books in one. "Boys can read the Book of Girls (for Boys) on the left side, and the girls can counter by reading the Book of Boys (for Girls) on the right." Text isn't always lined up this way, however, so it might be hard for two people to read the different parts at the same time. It's a very fun idea, however, and the rhymes are creative. The watercolor and pencil drawings are fun and bright, and they show a lot of action. Children who are entering the "cootie" stage would enjoy this book.
Themes: Boys, Girls, Getting Along, Looking for the Good in Others.
Red Flags: A few burp and fart jokes, Children misbehaving
Multicultural Elements: Children of many different cultures are depicted
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
How I Became a Pirate
Author: Melinda Long
Illustrator: David Shannon
Year: 2003
Publisher: Harcourt
Pages: 44
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Awards: 2004 ALA Notable Book, 2004 Book Sense Book of the Year
Genre: Picture Book/Adventure
Series Information: First of the Pirate books
Location: High Seas
Time Period: Present Day (2003)
Plot: When Braid Beard and his crew land at the beach, they meet Jeremy Jacob, a boy whose family is vacationing at the beach that day. Braid Beard notices Jeremy's talents at digging in the sand, and he asks Jeremy to join the crew and help them find the perfect place to bury their treasure. Jeremy agrees, and at first he enjoys eating with his mouth open and staying up past his bedtime. Jeremy starts to rethink his decision when he realizes that pirates don't get a bedtime story and goodnight kiss each night. SPOILER! When a terrible storm hits, and the ship loses its mast, Jeremy decides he has had enough of being a pirate. He suggests that Braid Beard and the crew hide their treasure in his back yard, which they do with the promise that they'll come by to see if he ever needs help.
Comments: Boys especially will like this story of a boy who gets to act up as much as he wants, but determines that he'd rather be home with his parents. Shannon's paintings are full of detail, and his pirates are hilarious. Even on pages that are mostly text, pirates are drawn around the edges, giving the effect of pirates looking at you from above as you lay on the floor looking up. The text is fun, but the best part of it is the crew's habit of repeating whatever it is the captain says in large, bold, messy letters.
Themes: Pirates, Treasure, Acting Up, Appreciating Regular Life
Red Flags: Small instances of Peril; Most of the characters are pirates, but they're harmless ones.
Illustrator: David Shannon
Year: 2003
Publisher: Harcourt
Pages: 44
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Awards: 2004 ALA Notable Book, 2004 Book Sense Book of the Year
Genre: Picture Book/Adventure
Series Information: First of the Pirate books
Location: High Seas
Time Period: Present Day (2003)
Plot: When Braid Beard and his crew land at the beach, they meet Jeremy Jacob, a boy whose family is vacationing at the beach that day. Braid Beard notices Jeremy's talents at digging in the sand, and he asks Jeremy to join the crew and help them find the perfect place to bury their treasure. Jeremy agrees, and at first he enjoys eating with his mouth open and staying up past his bedtime. Jeremy starts to rethink his decision when he realizes that pirates don't get a bedtime story and goodnight kiss each night. SPOILER! When a terrible storm hits, and the ship loses its mast, Jeremy decides he has had enough of being a pirate. He suggests that Braid Beard and the crew hide their treasure in his back yard, which they do with the promise that they'll come by to see if he ever needs help.
Comments: Boys especially will like this story of a boy who gets to act up as much as he wants, but determines that he'd rather be home with his parents. Shannon's paintings are full of detail, and his pirates are hilarious. Even on pages that are mostly text, pirates are drawn around the edges, giving the effect of pirates looking at you from above as you lay on the floor looking up. The text is fun, but the best part of it is the crew's habit of repeating whatever it is the captain says in large, bold, messy letters.
Themes: Pirates, Treasure, Acting Up, Appreciating Regular Life
Red Flags: Small instances of Peril; Most of the characters are pirates, but they're harmless ones.
Baby Brains: The Smartest Baby in the Whole World
Author/Illustrator: Simon James
Year: 2004
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Awards: 2004 Horn Book Fanfare award
Genre: Picture Book/Fantasy
Series Information: First of the Baby Brains series
Location: Anytown, USA
Time Period: Present Day (2003)
Plot: Mr. and Mrs. Brains wanted their baby to be smart, so even before he was born Mrs. Brains read to him at night and played classical music and foreign language tapes during the day. The morning after Mr. and Mrs. Brains bring him back from the hospital, he is discovered reading the newspaper and he fixes the family car. He attends school and earns a medical degree in a matter of weeks. When NASA finds out about Baby Brains, they ask him to go on the next space mission. SPOILER! Finding himself alone in the middle of space, Baby Brains finally does something normal: he asks for his mommy. Baby Brains is sent back home, where he decides to enjoy the benefits of being a baby, except for on weekends when he helps out at the local hospital.
Comments: Children will probably love the absurd idea of a baby who is so smart that he can fix a car, practice medicine, and become an astronaut. Simon James has an artistic style similar to that of Quentin Blake of the Roald Dahl books fame. In fact, the slightly absurd subject matter and pictures made me feel like I was reading a Roald Dahl book written for younger readers.
Themes: Genius Children, Babies, The importance of families
Red Flags: None
Year: 2004
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Awards: 2004 Horn Book Fanfare award
Genre: Picture Book/Fantasy
Series Information: First of the Baby Brains series
Location: Anytown, USA
Time Period: Present Day (2003)
Plot: Mr. and Mrs. Brains wanted their baby to be smart, so even before he was born Mrs. Brains read to him at night and played classical music and foreign language tapes during the day. The morning after Mr. and Mrs. Brains bring him back from the hospital, he is discovered reading the newspaper and he fixes the family car. He attends school and earns a medical degree in a matter of weeks. When NASA finds out about Baby Brains, they ask him to go on the next space mission. SPOILER! Finding himself alone in the middle of space, Baby Brains finally does something normal: he asks for his mommy. Baby Brains is sent back home, where he decides to enjoy the benefits of being a baby, except for on weekends when he helps out at the local hospital.
Comments: Children will probably love the absurd idea of a baby who is so smart that he can fix a car, practice medicine, and become an astronaut. Simon James has an artistic style similar to that of Quentin Blake of the Roald Dahl books fame. In fact, the slightly absurd subject matter and pictures made me feel like I was reading a Roald Dahl book written for younger readers.
Themes: Genius Children, Babies, The importance of families
Red Flags: None
Monday, December 8, 2008
Duck and Goose
Author/Illustrator: Tad Hills
Year: 2006
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade Books
Pages: 40
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Awards: 2007 ALA Notable Book for Children
Genre: Picture Book
Series Information: First book in the Duck & Goose series
Location: A ball sitting in the grass in a meadow
Time Period: Present Day (2006)
Plot: When Duck and Goose spot a large white ball with yellow, orange, and red spots on it, they mistake it for an egg. The two begin to fight over whose egg it is, and they eventually decide to raise it together. SPOILER! When a bluebird comes by and asks if he can play with their ball too, Duck and Goose realize their mistake, and they begin playing with the ball instead of sitting on it.
Comments: This was a very cute story. Hills manages to teach children about cooperation and sharing without hitting them over the head with the message. Hills also tries to keep children's interest with the text, making shouted phrases in bigger fonts and placing text in different places on the page. Perhaps the most successful part of this story is Hills' description of Duck and Goose, who are both comical characters. A lot of this comes through in Hills' artwork. His paintings are bright and fun. I especially enjoyed the expressions and mannerisms he manages to give Duck and Goose even though they're simply drawn.
Themes: Sharing, Friendship, Cooperation, Mistaken Identity
Red Flags: None
Year: 2006
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade Books
Pages: 40
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Awards: 2007 ALA Notable Book for Children
Genre: Picture Book
Series Information: First book in the Duck & Goose series
Location: A ball sitting in the grass in a meadow
Time Period: Present Day (2006)
Plot: When Duck and Goose spot a large white ball with yellow, orange, and red spots on it, they mistake it for an egg. The two begin to fight over whose egg it is, and they eventually decide to raise it together. SPOILER! When a bluebird comes by and asks if he can play with their ball too, Duck and Goose realize their mistake, and they begin playing with the ball instead of sitting on it.
Comments: This was a very cute story. Hills manages to teach children about cooperation and sharing without hitting them over the head with the message. Hills also tries to keep children's interest with the text, making shouted phrases in bigger fonts and placing text in different places on the page. Perhaps the most successful part of this story is Hills' description of Duck and Goose, who are both comical characters. A lot of this comes through in Hills' artwork. His paintings are bright and fun. I especially enjoyed the expressions and mannerisms he manages to give Duck and Goose even though they're simply drawn.
Themes: Sharing, Friendship, Cooperation, Mistaken Identity
Red Flags: None
At Night
Author/Illustrator: Jonathan Bean
Year: 2007
Publisher: Farrar, Straus & Giroux
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Awards: 2007 Horn Book Fanfare award, 2008 Charlotte Zolotow Award
Genre: Picture Book/Realistic Fiction
Location: New York City at Night
Time Period: Present Day (2007)
Plot: A young girl who cannot sleep feels a breeze coming from her bedroom window. She picks up her pillow and blankets and follows the breeze upstairs to the roof of their house in New York City, where she makes a bed out of two garden chairs. She then falls asleep after watching the stars. The last page shows the mother sitting next to the little girl, enjoying the peace and quiet.
Comments: The soothing, rhythmic text and the calm, muted pictures make this book an excellent choice for bedtime reading. It was obvious to me that the author is an artist rather than a storyteller because sometimes the text is interrupted at an odd place for the insertion of another picture, but this doesn't really matter that much since it is in the pictures that the story is truly told. This book makes me wish I had a rooftop garden to sleep in during the summer months.
Themes: Having Trouble Sleeping, New York at Night, Enjoying the world around you.
Red Flags: None
Year: 2007
Publisher: Farrar, Straus & Giroux
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Awards: 2007 Horn Book Fanfare award, 2008 Charlotte Zolotow Award
Genre: Picture Book/Realistic Fiction
Location: New York City at Night
Time Period: Present Day (2007)
Plot: A young girl who cannot sleep feels a breeze coming from her bedroom window. She picks up her pillow and blankets and follows the breeze upstairs to the roof of their house in New York City, where she makes a bed out of two garden chairs. She then falls asleep after watching the stars. The last page shows the mother sitting next to the little girl, enjoying the peace and quiet.
Comments: The soothing, rhythmic text and the calm, muted pictures make this book an excellent choice for bedtime reading. It was obvious to me that the author is an artist rather than a storyteller because sometimes the text is interrupted at an odd place for the insertion of another picture, but this doesn't really matter that much since it is in the pictures that the story is truly told. This book makes me wish I had a rooftop garden to sleep in during the summer months.
Themes: Having Trouble Sleeping, New York at Night, Enjoying the world around you.
Red Flags: None
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
Ten Little Ladybugs
Author: Melanie Gerth
Illustrator: Laura Huliska-Beith
Year: 2003
Publisher: Piggy Toes Press
Pages: 22
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Genre: Picture Book/Counting Book
Series Information: Same idea used in Good Night, Sweet Butterflies and others
Location: Anywhere in the World
Time Period: Present Day (2007)
Plot: Young children learn to count backwards as their parents read of ten little ladybugs who fly away one by one.
Comments: In most book reviews I would discuss Gerth's whimsical rhyme or the dreamlike quality of Huliska-Beith's watercolors. Both are excellent reasons to like this book, and I think they are important in keeping a young child's attention. However, I read this book to a 2 1/2 year old over the Thanksgiving break, and the part she obviously loved the most was the fact that she could actually touch each of the bumpy ladybugs that stood out of the page. She touched them over and over and over again as I counted. I guess it just goes to show that a picture book can be of the highest quality, but the child actually gets the most out of the fact that they are having a one-on-one moment with a parent or other adult. Either that, or those bumpy ladybugs are a lot of fun! :)
Themes: Counting Backwards, Ladybugs
Red Flags: None
Illustrator: Laura Huliska-Beith
Year: 2003
Publisher: Piggy Toes Press
Pages: 22
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Genre: Picture Book/Counting Book
Series Information: Same idea used in Good Night, Sweet Butterflies and others
Location: Anywhere in the World
Time Period: Present Day (2007)
Plot: Young children learn to count backwards as their parents read of ten little ladybugs who fly away one by one.
Comments: In most book reviews I would discuss Gerth's whimsical rhyme or the dreamlike quality of Huliska-Beith's watercolors. Both are excellent reasons to like this book, and I think they are important in keeping a young child's attention. However, I read this book to a 2 1/2 year old over the Thanksgiving break, and the part she obviously loved the most was the fact that she could actually touch each of the bumpy ladybugs that stood out of the page. She touched them over and over and over again as I counted. I guess it just goes to show that a picture book can be of the highest quality, but the child actually gets the most out of the fact that they are having a one-on-one moment with a parent or other adult. Either that, or those bumpy ladybugs are a lot of fun! :)
Themes: Counting Backwards, Ladybugs
Red Flags: None
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Apples to Oregon
Extended Title: Apples to Oregon: Being the (Slightly) True Narrative of How a Brave Pioneer Father Brought Apples, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Grapes, and Cherries (and Children) Across the Plains
Author: Deborah Hopkinson
Illustrator: Nancy Carpenter
Year: 2004
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Pages: 40
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Awards: 2005 ALA Notable Book, 2004 Golden Kite Award
Genre: Picture Book, Historical Fiction/Tall Tale/Western
Location: Oregon Trail
Time Period: Early 1800s
Plot: A tall tale based loosely on the life of Henderson Luelling, this book describes what it might have been like on the trail when a farmer from Iowa tries to bring not only his family across the prairie to Oregon, but also hundreds of fruit trees and vines as well. The family encounters adventures such as crossing the Platte and Columbia Rivers, dust storms, droughts, dangerous mountain passes, and the oncoming threat of winter.
Comments: Hopkinson writes in an amusing, singsong tone that sounds just like someone telling a western tall tale. Although this is the story of Henderson Luelling, children will like the fact that it is the main character, Delicious, who saves the trees again and again. Carpenter's oil paintings are fun and bright and golden, matching the tone of Hopkinson's tall tale. The end of the book includes a note about the source of the tale, describing who Henderson Luelling really was and giving a little bit of the history of what it takes to grow apples. Children can learn something with this book without feeling like the information is being crammed down their throats.
Themes: Crossing the Plains, Pioneers, Fruit, Apples, Henderson Luelling
Red Flags: A mighty dust storm requires all of the children to take off their clothes and drape them over the fruit trees, other slight instances of peril
Author: Deborah Hopkinson
Illustrator: Nancy Carpenter
Year: 2004
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Pages: 40
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Awards: 2005 ALA Notable Book, 2004 Golden Kite Award
Genre: Picture Book, Historical Fiction/Tall Tale/Western
Location: Oregon Trail
Time Period: Early 1800s
Plot: A tall tale based loosely on the life of Henderson Luelling, this book describes what it might have been like on the trail when a farmer from Iowa tries to bring not only his family across the prairie to Oregon, but also hundreds of fruit trees and vines as well. The family encounters adventures such as crossing the Platte and Columbia Rivers, dust storms, droughts, dangerous mountain passes, and the oncoming threat of winter.
Comments: Hopkinson writes in an amusing, singsong tone that sounds just like someone telling a western tall tale. Although this is the story of Henderson Luelling, children will like the fact that it is the main character, Delicious, who saves the trees again and again. Carpenter's oil paintings are fun and bright and golden, matching the tone of Hopkinson's tall tale. The end of the book includes a note about the source of the tale, describing who Henderson Luelling really was and giving a little bit of the history of what it takes to grow apples. Children can learn something with this book without feeling like the information is being crammed down their throats.
Themes: Crossing the Plains, Pioneers, Fruit, Apples, Henderson Luelling
Red Flags: A mighty dust storm requires all of the children to take off their clothes and drape them over the fruit trees, other slight instances of peril
Monday, December 1, 2008
The Secret Olivia Told Me
Author: N. Joy
Illustrator: Nancy Devard
Year: 2007
Publisher: Just Us Books Inc.
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Awards: 2008 ALA Coretta Scott King Award
Genre: Picture Book/Realistic Fiction/Christian Fiction
Location: A schoolyard in urban America
Time Period: Present Day (2007)
Plot: When Olivia tells her best friend a secret, the secret gets spread around the schoolyard, getting bigger and stranger with each telling. SPOILER! Olivia's friend must confess that she told the secret in order to keep their friendship intact.
Comments: Joy, a popular urban Christian fiction writer, addresses the issue of being trustworthy with a simple, catchy rhyme that children should enjoy. However, it is the pictures that are the most interesting part of this book. Most of the pictures are black and white, showing silhouettes of each child. The secret is depicted in the form of a bright red balloon, with a string trailing from the mouth of the child who told it. As the secret is spread, the balloon gets bigger and bigger. The balloon pops when Olivia's friend confesses that she told the secret.
Another interesting part of this book was the list of questions provided at the end of the book. The questions are designed to help parents open up a discussion with their children as to why it is wrong to tell secrets about other people. This could be a heavy topic for some parents and children, but it may be useful for those parents who are having trouble explaining to their children why one should not tell lies and secrets.
Themes: Lies, Friendship, Urban Christian Fiction
Red Flags: None
Multicultural Elements: The book includes children of many races, but most of the children are African-American.
Illustrator: Nancy Devard
Year: 2007
Publisher: Just Us Books Inc.
Pages: 32
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Awards: 2008 ALA Coretta Scott King Award
Genre: Picture Book/Realistic Fiction/Christian Fiction
Location: A schoolyard in urban America
Time Period: Present Day (2007)
Plot: When Olivia tells her best friend a secret, the secret gets spread around the schoolyard, getting bigger and stranger with each telling. SPOILER! Olivia's friend must confess that she told the secret in order to keep their friendship intact.
Comments: Joy, a popular urban Christian fiction writer, addresses the issue of being trustworthy with a simple, catchy rhyme that children should enjoy. However, it is the pictures that are the most interesting part of this book. Most of the pictures are black and white, showing silhouettes of each child. The secret is depicted in the form of a bright red balloon, with a string trailing from the mouth of the child who told it. As the secret is spread, the balloon gets bigger and bigger. The balloon pops when Olivia's friend confesses that she told the secret.
Another interesting part of this book was the list of questions provided at the end of the book. The questions are designed to help parents open up a discussion with their children as to why it is wrong to tell secrets about other people. This could be a heavy topic for some parents and children, but it may be useful for those parents who are having trouble explaining to their children why one should not tell lies and secrets.
Themes: Lies, Friendship, Urban Christian Fiction
Red Flags: None
Multicultural Elements: The book includes children of many races, but most of the children are African-American.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad
Author: Ellen Levine
Illustrator: Kadir Nelson
Year: 2007
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 40
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Awards: 2008 Caldecott Honor Book
Genre: Picture Book/Historical Fiction
Location: Richmond, Virginia/Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Time Period: 1840's
Plot: A retelling of a true story, Henry Brown was a slave in Virginia. When his wife and children were sold by their owner, Henry decided he needed to figure out a way to become free. With the help of a few friends, Henry stowed away in a crate and was mailed to Philadelphia, where he could be free. Because of his journey, Henry earned the name Henry "Box" Brown.
Comments: This is definitely an example of a picture book that tells more through the pictures than it does through the words. Nelson's artwork, inspired by an old lithograph of the actual Henry "Box" Brown, uses very dark, rich colors. In fact, it's sometimes hard to read Levine's simple but well-written text because of the artwork. However, this is a very well told story, and the pencil/watercolor/oil pictures do compliment the mood of the story. My favorite picture is a cross-section of Henry in the box, which shows Henry's forehead and hand as if they are pressed against glass instead of against the side of a crate. Children will enjoy the pictures and the fact that this is a true story.
Themes: Slavery, Underground Railroad, Henry "Box" Brown
Red Flags: Slavery, Children and others sold and separated from their families
Multicultural Elements: African Americans
Illustrator: Kadir Nelson
Year: 2007
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 40
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Awards: 2008 Caldecott Honor Book
Genre: Picture Book/Historical Fiction
Location: Richmond, Virginia/Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Time Period: 1840's
Plot: A retelling of a true story, Henry Brown was a slave in Virginia. When his wife and children were sold by their owner, Henry decided he needed to figure out a way to become free. With the help of a few friends, Henry stowed away in a crate and was mailed to Philadelphia, where he could be free. Because of his journey, Henry earned the name Henry "Box" Brown.
Comments: This is definitely an example of a picture book that tells more through the pictures than it does through the words. Nelson's artwork, inspired by an old lithograph of the actual Henry "Box" Brown, uses very dark, rich colors. In fact, it's sometimes hard to read Levine's simple but well-written text because of the artwork. However, this is a very well told story, and the pencil/watercolor/oil pictures do compliment the mood of the story. My favorite picture is a cross-section of Henry in the box, which shows Henry's forehead and hand as if they are pressed against glass instead of against the side of a crate. Children will enjoy the pictures and the fact that this is a true story.
Themes: Slavery, Underground Railroad, Henry "Box" Brown
Red Flags: Slavery, Children and others sold and separated from their families
Multicultural Elements: African Americans
Thursday, November 20, 2008
The Chronicles of Narnia
Author: Based on the Books by C.S. Lewis
Illustrator: Pop-Ups by Robert Sabuda; Full-Color Art by Matthew Armstrong.
Year: 2007
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 14
Reading Level: Beginner (ages 4-8)
Genre: Pop-up/Movable Books/Fantasy
Series Information: Based on The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis
Location: Narnia, a magical land where animals can talk
Time Period: The entire life span of Narnia from its creation to its destruction
Book Summary: Each two-page spread of this magical book summarizes one of the books in the Chronicles of Narnia series written by C.S. Lewis. Summaries of each book are only a paragraph long, leaving most of the page open for the artwork of award-winning paper engineer Robert Sabuda.
Comments: The Chronicles of Narnia, especially the first book in the series, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, is one of my favorite books/series ever written. Imagine my happiness when I found out that Robert Sabuda had done a version of these books! Sabuda's art does pop out of the page, and I was enthralled by it. My favorite pages were probably the Chronicles of Narnia page (so pretty!) and The Last Battle page (that page just keeps popping and popping and popping), followed closely by The Magician's Nephew page (Aslan the Lion springs out of the book).
As fun as this book is, because each page is a summary of an entire story, it's not a good one to choose for a story time or even for reading one-on-one with a child who does not know the series. Part of me wishes Sabuda would have summarized just one of the books instead of the entire series. That would have made the book more readable. But maybe that's just the Narnia-lover in me, wishing he'd depicted a few more of my favorite scenes.
Themes: Pop-up Books, Art, Sabuda, Chronicles of Narnia
Red Flags: None
Illustrator: Pop-Ups by Robert Sabuda; Full-Color Art by Matthew Armstrong.
Year: 2007
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 14
Reading Level: Beginner (ages 4-8)
Genre: Pop-up/Movable Books/Fantasy
Series Information: Based on The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis
Location: Narnia, a magical land where animals can talk
Time Period: The entire life span of Narnia from its creation to its destruction
Book Summary: Each two-page spread of this magical book summarizes one of the books in the Chronicles of Narnia series written by C.S. Lewis. Summaries of each book are only a paragraph long, leaving most of the page open for the artwork of award-winning paper engineer Robert Sabuda.
Comments: The Chronicles of Narnia, especially the first book in the series, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, is one of my favorite books/series ever written. Imagine my happiness when I found out that Robert Sabuda had done a version of these books! Sabuda's art does pop out of the page, and I was enthralled by it. My favorite pages were probably the Chronicles of Narnia page (so pretty!) and The Last Battle page (that page just keeps popping and popping and popping), followed closely by The Magician's Nephew page (Aslan the Lion springs out of the book).
As fun as this book is, because each page is a summary of an entire story, it's not a good one to choose for a story time or even for reading one-on-one with a child who does not know the series. Part of me wishes Sabuda would have summarized just one of the books instead of the entire series. That would have made the book more readable. But maybe that's just the Narnia-lover in me, wishing he'd depicted a few more of my favorite scenes.
Themes: Pop-up Books, Art, Sabuda, Chronicles of Narnia
Red Flags: None
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
The Lemonade Club
Author/Illustrator: Patricia Polacco
Year: 2007
Publisher: Philomel Books
Pages: 48
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Genre: Picture Book/Realistic Fiction
Location: Miss Wichelman's fifth grade class (Anytown, USA)
Time Period: 1970s?
Plot: Tells the true story of Polacco's daughter, Traci, her best friend, Marilyn, and their teacher, Miss Wichelman. Traci and Marilyn love being part of Miss Wichelman's fifth grade class. Every day Miss Wichelman ends class by reciting the adage, "if life gives you lemons, make lemonade." One day Marilyn discovers that she has leukemia, and she has to undergo radiation treatment, which takes away all of her hair. Traci and Miss Wichelman come to Marilyn's aid, encouraging the entire class to support Marilyn by shaving their heads. SPOILER! While Marilyn recovers and everyone's hair is growing in again, Miss Wichelman stays bald. Miss Wichelman confides to Traci and Marilyn that she has breast cancer and is also going through radiation treatments. Traci and Marilyn rally behind their teacher, encouraging her to "make lemonade" out of the situation. Five years later, Traci and Marilyn are bridesmaids at Miss Wichelman's wedding, and the three are still close friends.
Comments: It's always encouraging to see other people supporting each other, and that's what this book is all about. Because it's a true story, it may be one enjoyed by adults as well. In fact, for this reason I almost listed the book as an intermediate reader instead of as the beginning reader that Amazon.com says it is. Polacco's marker and colored pencil drawings go well with the story because they look like something Traci or Marilyn would probably draw to help explain what is going on. I also appreciated the pictures of the real-life Traci, Marilyn, and Miss Wichelman included in the back of the book, along with the note about where the three are now and what they are doing with their lives.
Themes: Cancer, Friendship, Baldness, Sickness, Dreams
Red Flags: None
Multicultural Elements: Kids of different races are in Miss Wichelman's class, but the main characters are Caucasian
Year: 2007
Publisher: Philomel Books
Pages: 48
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Genre: Picture Book/Realistic Fiction
Location: Miss Wichelman's fifth grade class (Anytown, USA)
Time Period: 1970s?
Plot: Tells the true story of Polacco's daughter, Traci, her best friend, Marilyn, and their teacher, Miss Wichelman. Traci and Marilyn love being part of Miss Wichelman's fifth grade class. Every day Miss Wichelman ends class by reciting the adage, "if life gives you lemons, make lemonade." One day Marilyn discovers that she has leukemia, and she has to undergo radiation treatment, which takes away all of her hair. Traci and Miss Wichelman come to Marilyn's aid, encouraging the entire class to support Marilyn by shaving their heads. SPOILER! While Marilyn recovers and everyone's hair is growing in again, Miss Wichelman stays bald. Miss Wichelman confides to Traci and Marilyn that she has breast cancer and is also going through radiation treatments. Traci and Marilyn rally behind their teacher, encouraging her to "make lemonade" out of the situation. Five years later, Traci and Marilyn are bridesmaids at Miss Wichelman's wedding, and the three are still close friends.
Comments: It's always encouraging to see other people supporting each other, and that's what this book is all about. Because it's a true story, it may be one enjoyed by adults as well. In fact, for this reason I almost listed the book as an intermediate reader instead of as the beginning reader that Amazon.com says it is. Polacco's marker and colored pencil drawings go well with the story because they look like something Traci or Marilyn would probably draw to help explain what is going on. I also appreciated the pictures of the real-life Traci, Marilyn, and Miss Wichelman included in the back of the book, along with the note about where the three are now and what they are doing with their lives.
Themes: Cancer, Friendship, Baldness, Sickness, Dreams
Red Flags: None
Multicultural Elements: Kids of different races are in Miss Wichelman's class, but the main characters are Caucasian
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
The Man Who Walked Between the Towers
Author/Illustrator: Mordicai Gerstein
Year: 2003
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Pages: 40
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Awards: 2004 Caldecott Medal, 2004 Horn Book Award
Genre: Historical Fiction/Picture Book
Location: World Trade Center, New York City, New York
Time Period: 1974
Plot: The story of how Philippe Petit snuck into New York City's World Trade Center by night and performed his famous tightrope walk between the Twin Towers.
Comments: Although this story aims to capture an event in history—the famous tightrope walk of Philippe Petit—it also seems like this story is trying to capture the memory of the Twin Towers themselves. The story is told simply and poetically in prose, but the story is perhaps even better portrayed in the ink and oil drawings. The most interesting pages were the depictions of the actual tightrope walk itself, which are done on extended pages to give a sense of how high up Philippe had to be in order to accomplish his task. An interesting book that tries to capture a happy moment related to something that usually is associated with sadness.
Themes: Tightrope Walking, World Trade Center, Entertainment, Momentous Occasions
Red Flags: None
Year: 2003
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Pages: 40
Reading Level: Beginning Reader (ages 4-8)
Awards: 2004 Caldecott Medal, 2004 Horn Book Award
Genre: Historical Fiction/Picture Book
Location: World Trade Center, New York City, New York
Time Period: 1974
Plot: The story of how Philippe Petit snuck into New York City's World Trade Center by night and performed his famous tightrope walk between the Twin Towers.
Comments: Although this story aims to capture an event in history—the famous tightrope walk of Philippe Petit—it also seems like this story is trying to capture the memory of the Twin Towers themselves. The story is told simply and poetically in prose, but the story is perhaps even better portrayed in the ink and oil drawings. The most interesting pages were the depictions of the actual tightrope walk itself, which are done on extended pages to give a sense of how high up Philippe had to be in order to accomplish his task. An interesting book that tries to capture a happy moment related to something that usually is associated with sadness.
Themes: Tightrope Walking, World Trade Center, Entertainment, Momentous Occasions
Red Flags: None
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