Bibliography

Plot Summary:  Goose is ready for all things winter: snowflakes, sledding, snow angels, snowballs, snowmen (geese), skating and snow forts.  Duck doesn’t have time for these activities, he knows what time it really is.

Critical Analysis:  So much packed into this little book.  The text is simple and repetitive but the pictures are delightful.  Lots of color, expression and personality.  Goose throws himself into each activity while Duck stands off watching, looking at times worried and at others reproachful.  It all works out in the end when Goose helps Duck decorate the Christmas tree.  Perfect for little ones as both a read aloud and to explore on their own.  There is a whole series featuring Duck and Goose.

Review Excerpts: “A cute story with nice repetition of the phrase “It is not time for…” makes this a child pleaser. The expressions on Duck and Goose’s faces add to the story’s charm.”–Children’s Literature

“It seems a little sad that Duck is such a killjoy, stopping Goose from enjoying his winter fun, but that’s a minor quibble. And the cover glitters! Cheery holiday fare for pre-readers.”–School Library Journal

Reviewed from public library e-book copy.  Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

Bibliography: Offill, Jenny and Nancy Carpenter. (2006).  17 Things I’m Not Allowed to Do Any More. New York: Schwartz and Wade.  ISBN: 9780375835964 (hc) 9780375866012 (pbk)

Plot Summary:  A mischievous little girl has a lot of seemingly good ideas but they all seem to get her in trouble.

Critical Analysis:  Books like this one make me miss being a children’s librarian and seeing new picture books and reading them at story time.  This one is so much fun, and such a marriage between the text and the artwork to tell the story, communicate the emotion to the reader.  The pictures, a combination of pen and ink drawings and digitally manipulated images on crumpled paper not only fill in some of the details, but also are the kind that children will want to examine even after the story is finished.  In addition, the text leaves room for the reader or listener to come up with their own ideas about what happens.  Or in my case, to think about other great ideas that might not turn out so well.  ”I had an idea…”

Review Excerpts:  ”Ingenious artwork–a flawless marriage of digital imagery and pen-and-ink–is indisputably the focus of this winning title….striking and subtle–real wood grain, blades of grass, the chrome-plated details on classroom furniture–all are seamlessly integrated around a winsome cast of well-drawn characters….just about picture-perfect”–School Library Journal

“The title is terrifically cheeky, and Carpenter…outdoes herself in these mixed-media illustrations….Kids will be intrigued by the pictures’ playful sense of composition as well as the heroine’s brazenness….”–Publisher’s Weekly

“Our mischievous but delightful heroine is the kind of kid who makes parents and teachers old before their time, but still makes us laugh….Carpenter combines a lively pen and ink black line with naturalistic colors and digital media….The mottled look of the paper is achieved by crumpling it and filing with an emery board; Adobe Photoshop is used to rescan and manipulate the type; bits of photo collage are added for a fresh visual look. The glue she is smilingly squeezing from the bottle on the jacket has an attractive three-dimensional quality.”–Children’s Literature

Reviewed from public library copy.  Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

I don’t usually write posts like this one, but I think this line of books is genius!  Specially designed mailable paperback versions of backlist titles.  Kids love to get mail, and these could also be sent instead of greeting cards in some cases or just because.  The current list price for the line is $4.99.  So for that plus the cost of three postage stamps, one of these little books could be on its way to a child in your life.  Each book has a mailing label for writing the address and a sticker to seal the book closed.  There is a place on the inside cover to write a message.  This fall Christmas, Hanukkah and winter stories are being released in this format.

More details in this Publisher’s Weekly article.

Current titles:  Everywhere Babies by Marla Frazee, Won’t You Be My Kissaroo by Joanne Ryder, I Like You by Sandol Stoddard, No Matter What by Debi Gliori.

Coming October 2011: Santa Claus the World’s Number One Toy Expert by Marla Frazee, Annie and the Wild Animals by Jan Brett, Latkes, Latkes, Good to Eat by Naomi Howland and T’was the Night Before Christmas by Clement Clark Moore.

Reviewed from publisher provided copy.  Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

When we were little, my sister and I got several magazines delivered to the house, Cricket, Ranger Rick, Penny Power, Muppet Magazine, Barbie Magazine to name just a few.  One was Highlights, which had stories and articles and crafts as well as regular features and puzzles.  One was a hidden picture puzzle:  A scene that at first looked normal but then if you looked closer, you could see things hidden in the pictures–a leaf that looks like a banana, a cloud that looks like a sheep and so forth.  You had to look carefully to find the different objects.  Later there were the Where’s Waldo books by Martin Handford.  My mom had a small plastic Waldo figure that she would hide in different places so young visitors could spot him

Bibliography: Steiner, Joan. (2003). Look-Alikes: Christmas. New York:  Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 978-0316811873

I first saw Joan Steiner’s Look-Alike books at the public library and they were amazing.  Scenes that at first look normal and real but then if you look closer, you realize that everything in the scene is made of something else.  And then the trick becomes spotting and naming all of those things.  I thought that these would be great for fans of Walter Wick’s I Spy series.  When I set out to choose books for holiday reading, I know I had to find Steiner’s holiday book to read and review.  I was not disappointed, I spent several hours studying the various scenes.  The first scene, a cottage covered in snow is astonishing, and I loved the Nutcracker scene.  The cathedral and New Year’s Eve fireworks though were jaw dropping in their intricacy and detail.

An added bonus is a section at the back of the book where Steiner includes a few activities for children to make their own “Look Alikes” as well as notes on how she comes up with and constructs her scenes.  Fascinating, and maybe enough to jump start creativity for young AND old.

After looking at this book, and online, I realize that we also had a jigsaw puzzle of one of Joan Steiner’s scenes, a general store I think, and was fun to put together and then try to find all the different things she had used to make the scene.  Several other puzzles are available, including the kitchen scene from this book.

Readalikes:  Walter Wick’s I Spy series as mentioned above, and books by Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers who use fruit and vegetables to create scenes and stories.

Review Excerpt: “Eagle-eyed readers rejoice! There’s more to Christmas than meets the eye in Steiner’s latest Look-Alikes collection of astounding 3-D assemblages….A minimum of 100 objects makes up each of the nine settings (e.g., transporting the audience to a performance of the Nutcracker ballet, Santa’s workshop and an ornate cathedral where readers seem to stand before its stained-glass windows), and avid fans will want to seek them all.”–Publisher’s Weekly

Reviewed from public library copy.  Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

It is funny what sticks with you.  This book is one that it seems like we always had.  I remember reading it over and over again, and scratching and smelling the little stickers for hot chocolate and candy canes and a Christmas tree and oranges and apple pie.

Bibliography: Scarry, Patricia M. (1970). The Sweet Smell of Christmas. Illustrated by J. P. Miller. New York: Golden Books. ISBN: 9780375826436 (2003 edition)

Review: Simple and warm, this book takes children through some of the traditional preparation for Christmas, from Christmas trees to candy canes, holiday baking to Christmas stockings.  In just a few words, you are drawn into the Bear Family home, and the illustrations light up the page.  Really, the scratch and sniff stickers are just a bonus.  (I know I read our copy even after the smelliness was gone.)

Patricia Scarry was the wife of Richard Scarry, and seems to have his knack for writing for children.  J. P. Miller illustrated many Golden Books, including others in the “Scented Storybook” series.  The genius in using animals in a story like this is that somehow every child sees the story as theirs, with no race or ethnicity attached.

If you didn’t have this book as a child, I hope you’ll take advantage of the fact that it has been reissued and is available at a very reasonable price.

Reviewed from personal copy.  Amazon Affiliate: If you click from here to Amazon and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.

Bibliography

Review:  I don’t usually review picture books, but when this one showed up in my mailbox, I was so tickled by it that I wanted to share it with just about everyone I know.  (My mom has already gone out and bought a copy for a future grandchild…and I showed it briefly to a friend at work, and she immediately asked me if HER grandson could have it after I had reviewed it.  So D., this book will coming your way soon.)

From the first look at the cover with it’s active and bold black letters and blue rug and animated style, to the prologue where the same two boys are shown collpased and exhausted asking, “What are we going to do now?”  Frankie and Sal draw you into to their busy lives where they take the challenge after having done EVERYTHING (played sports,painted pictures, made cookies, played games and read comic books) to do NOTHING.  And it should be simple, right?  Just sit in a chair and do nothing.  Be statues in the park, trees in a forest, skyscrapers in the city.  But adding a little imagination and wit to the mix, and they realize doing nothing is harder than it sounds.

Fucile has been an animator of major feature films, first for Disney and more recently for Pixar.  It shows in both the style and action in the art work for this book.  The story is simple, but the sly humor of the artwork really add to it, as art in all good picture books should.  Also the layout and sequencing of events is well done, with page turns in the right place making this a great read aloud for the 5 to 7 year old crowd.  This would be a great book to buy and put aside for the next time your child says, “I’m bored.  There’s never anything to do!”  And yet, I think this book stretches to reach older children, teens, and even adults.  Can any of us say that we don’t have moments in our lives when we want to stop, lie down on the floor and do ten seconds of nothing?

The folks at Candlewick have loaded all kinds of goodies related to the book to their site.  A book trailer animated by Fucile shows one of the spreads from the book.  You can also read a Q & A with Fucile.

Review excerpt:  “Fucile renders his characters against a blue-washed bedroom background, the imaginary sequences in full color with each boy visible as a set of eyes (in Frankie’s case, glasses) staring at the reader out of statue, tree trunk or building. His background in animation makes itself felt in the dialogue-based text and exquisite sense of pacing and visual humor. Sal and Frankie’s conclusion-that doing nothing is a lot harder than it looks-will ring true with readers young and old.” –Kirkus Reviews

Plot Summary:
A father, mother, and their two young children decide to adopt a rambunctious puppy that they name Marley.  As he grows, Marley begins to cause trouble by destroying household items and making huge messes.  It seems that everything Marley does – even with good intentions – wreaks havoc on the family home.  After tolerating as much as they could, the family decides to give Marley away by placing an ad in the paper.  Unfortunately, nobody who comes to see the dog wants to take him, but that gives Marley the opportunity to prove his worth by saving the baby, Louie.  The family is finally able to praise their lovable canine and decide to keep him.

Critical Analysis:
Author John Grogan adapted his New York Times Bestselling memoir Marley & Me into a lively picture book for ages 3-8.  The writing is not particularly unique or stylistic, but it’s simplicity makes it appropriate for sharing one-on-one or with a group of young children.  Illustrator Richard Cowdrey added rich, vibrant pictures to depict the events realistically and provide some depth to an otherwise typical dog story.

Review Excerpts:
Publisher’s Weekly: “Youngsters familiar with mischievous canines may most appreciate this playful portrait.” – Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information

From the publisher: “Marley is a hit with families and dog lovers everywhere. And Richard Cowdrey’s warmly rendered illustrations bring the story of this rambunctious dog to a whole new audience.”

Plot summary: This book begins with the story of Leonardo da Vinci and his lifelong mission to complete a bronze horse statue.  The famous artist became busy completing other masterpieces for which he is well-known, but he continued to work on his idea for the statue until a clay model was destroyed in a French invasion of Italy in 1499.  According to this story, Leonardo died with regret for having never seen his bronze horse statue completed.

Several centuries later, a man named Charles Dent discovered the story about Leonardo’s plans for the horse.  Dent decided to attempt to complete the vision by using modern technology and industry to construct the statue in honor of da Vinci.  Unfortunately, Dent, too, died before completion of the horse, but his friends and family sought the help of a renowned sculptor to work on fine-tuning the models until it was finally ready to be cast in bronze.  Five hundred years after Leonardo da Vinci’s original vision, the finished pieces of the statue were sent to Milan and affixed permanently near the racetrack.

Critical Analysis: The factual information in this picture book gives it substance and uniqueness.  The author found out about the story when she read about the statue being sent to Italy in 1999, so she researched the story and decided to share it in picture book format.  The story itself focuses more on the horse than its creators, which separates this book from the typical biography.  Fritz aspired to fulfill the legend of da Vinci by honoring his lesser-known masterpiece in this text.  The illustrator, Hudson Talbott had his own interest Italian art and culture and was able to examine the modern horse statue in order to better illustrate the story.  The illustrations are a mix of simple line drawings and full color images created with watercolors, pencils and collage.  The shape of the hardcover book – curved at the top – also makes this text unique.

Review Excerpts:
Publisher’s Weekly: “An inventive introduction to the Renaissance and one of its masters.” – Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
School Library Journal: “A title that is sure to create a lot of interest among young art, history, and horse lovers.” – Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

The students in room 204 are told by their teacher, Mrs. Salvador, that they must keep tidy, refrain from name-calling, and should not steal from their peers.  One of the students, Regina, not only follows Mrs. Salvador’s rules, but seems to appreciate the tight structure of the classroom.  Mrs. Salvador notices Regina’s quiet, withdrawn nature and attempts to ask both Regina and her mother if everything is okay.  After Mrs. Salvador teaches the students about stranger danger and their right to not be touched inappropriately, Regina decides to open up to her teacher and ask for help with a tragic and disturbing issue.

Shannon Riggs included a note at the beginning of this picture book addressing the epidemic of sexual abuse toward children.  The story treats the societal problem with as much dignity and respect as possible, without going into unnecessary details or making the reader feel too uncomfortable.  Riggs points out in her author’s note that she believes that fighting the epidemic starts with adults who care about children, and we can empower and support them.  In the story, Mrs. Salvador doesn’t pressure Regina to talk, but she lets the child know that she will find help and support if she wants it.

The illustrations by Jaime Zollars adds to the depth of the story.  Simple, yet detailed color illustrations show additional context such as facial expressions and convey a sense of seriousness in the situation.  A reader will understand the heaviness of the topic by seeing how the mood is set by the illustrations.

Review Excerpts:
School Library Journal: “The audience for this picture book may well be adults, who will be reassured and hopefully inspired by Mrs. Salvador’s example of firm boundaries lovingly enforced. In the right hands, this story could open discussion with children about sexual abuse or let a child know that there are adults who will listen.” - Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Booklist: “The characters, especially Regina, dominate the illustrations, which are notable for their clear lines and interesting and varied textures and colors. This helpful picture book will raise children’s awareness of sexual abuse without raising anxiety.” – Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved.

Plot summary: Petite Rouge lives near the swamp with her mother, who sends the young duck to her ailing Grand-mere with a basket of gumbo and boudin.  As she heads out across the swamp, she comes across a hungry and persistent alligator who decides to trick Petite Rouge by posing as her Grand-mere.  The young duck and her orange cat TeJean inspect the imposter and turn the tables by feeding the gator the boudin he craved, which causes him to jump back to the swamp to cool his burning mouth.

Critical Analysis:
The Cajun spin on this folk-tale adds spice and flavor, but it can be difficult to read.  The style of writing is heavily saturated with traditional Louisiana Cajun jargon, and those not familiar with the language style might have a hard time following the story.  The author provides a glossary and a brief history of Cajun people at the beginning of the book, but the story begs to be read by someone who can easily identify with the culture.

The illustrations by Jim Harris are detailed and rich, and add depth to an otherwise difficult interpretation of a classic folk-tale.

Review Excerpts:
School Library Journal: “A wonderful, sly, and humorous story told in rhyme and illustrated with verve.” – Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Publisher’s Weekly: “Even those who don’t favor the dialect will laugh at Harris’s (Ten Little Dinosaurs) abundantly witty watercolor and pencil illustrations.” – Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.