Sunday, October 31, 2010

Bunny Days by Tao Nyeu

Weird but in a fascinating, sweet kind of way. That pretty much sums up my feelings about this book. Storytime audiences feel a little differently about it; parents are a bit doubtful about it, younger kids are intrigued, and older children feel a need to explain the oddities.

There are three stories here, each featuring the same characters and general plot. Mr. or Mrs. Goat get the bunnies in trouble. They go to Bear for help and he fixes the problem. "Everyone is happy."

Simple, right? But there's so many delicate details sprinkled throughout the story...In the first story, the bunnies get dirty and need a bath and the illustrations are predominantly blue. In the second story, the bunnies get sucked into Mrs. Goat's vacuum cleaner and the illustrations are browns and oranges. In the third story, Mr. Goat accidentally cuts off the bunnies' tails when he's trimming the hedges and the story is all greens. Bear's solutions in each story are completely logical from a young child's point of view, while an older child will relish the delicious silliness of putting the bunnies in a washing machine and hanging them out to dry.

Nervous parents will look a little askance at these stories - I've had several giggle uncomfortably or delicately hint that the stories were a little...you know...especially the bunnies getting their tails cut off. But it only seems to bother adults. Very small children giggle uncontrollably throughout while older children explain matter-of-factly to their younger siblings and friends "they're not real bunnies! It's pretend."
Exactly. Delightful, silly, logical pretend.

Verdict: Take a look at it yourself to see if it will work in your library. Not everyone will appreciate the dry humor and fairy tale logic of the stories, but if you think you have a good audience, it's a lovely book.

ISBN: 9780803733305; Published January 2010 by Dial; Borrowed from the library; Purchased for the library

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Shark vs. Train by Chris Barton, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld

How have I not reviewed this yet?! I've read it at school visits, storytimes, more school visits, and it's circulated so heavily since we got it last May that I've already had to tape the pages a couple times.

The premise of the story is simple: You have a shark. You have a train. You have a series of increasingly insane situations. Who wins? Well, it all depends...if they're underwater, falling through the air, eating pies, having a burping contest, choosing board games, bowling....you get the idea.

The story is framed spreads of two small boys playing with their toy train and shark. Older kids will quickly realize of course, that it's all in the boys' imagination. But who cares if you know it's real or not? It's FUN! A marvelous interactive book for storytime - some of the situations are obvious, some are a little tricky, so be prepared to mediate between Team Shark and Team Train when there's a reasonable doubt. If you have a smaller, older group of kids, they'll enjoy reading the speech bubbles. With a younger, bigger audience it's better to stick to the basic text and focus on the kids' interaction, as you discuss the various advantages.

Lichtenheld's art is stunningly hilarious, peppered with small jokes and effortlessly conveying the craziness of the situations with a bulging eye or wildly waving train wheels. The story and art blend seamlessly together to create a truly humorous story, perfectly in tune with the way real kids play, and enjoyable for the whole family.

Verdict: A must have for your libary. Read it at storytimes, on school visits, and to random children walking through the library. Create your own shark vs. train scenarios (Teddy Bear vs. Squirrel! Clouds vs. Airplanes! Zombies vs. Unicorns! You get the idea) or have a Shark vs. Train party with shark and train hats and various challenges for the teams.


ISBN: 9780316007627; Published April 2010 by Little, Brown; Borrowed from the library; Purchased for the library (twice)

Friday, October 29, 2010

Chicken Big by Keith Graves

As long as we're doing chicken stories...most of us know the story of foolish Chicken Little...but what about Chicken Big? When a truly enormous, gigantic, HUMONGOUS chick pops out of his massive shell, there's widespread panic among the chickens. He's too big to be a chick - so what IS he? An elephant? An umbrella? A hippopotamus? As Chicken Big helps out the foolish chickens, their guesses get wilder and wilder until finally they realize the truth and Chicken Big finds his place in the world.

The outrageous humor, silly chickens, and panel-style illustrations will make this a fun favorite for both storytimes and individual enjoyment.


Verdict: Recommended. Pair this with Chicken Little for storytime, so you make sure your audience gets all the jokes, and hand it to kids up to 1st or 2nd grade who will appreciate the raucous humor and jokes on the original story.

ISBN: 9780811872379; Published August 2010 by Chronicle; Borrowed from the library; Purchased for the library

Thursday, October 28, 2010

The Chicken Thief by Beatrice Rodriguez

This is the first book in Enchanted Lion's new series, Stories Without Words. In a series of wordless panels, Rodriguez tells the story of a happy family; bear, rabbit, rooster, chickens and chicks and the shocking kidnapping of one of the chickens. The bear, rabbit and rooster pursue their kidnapped friend and the dastardly fox through the forest, over mountains and across the sea until they finally rescue her...or do they?

Once you've read the surprising ending, you'll have to go back and look at the story with new eyes, following the hidden clues and subtle plot changes to figure out what's really going on. The illustrations are light and amusing, with rounded comic lines and warm colors, perfectly suited to the simple surface story and the sneakier underlying plot. The nice rectangular shape of the book is particularly intriguing and perfect for a child's hands.

Verdict: Wordless books can be a hard sell in the library, but the unique shape and friendly pictures of this one should make it a popular choice. Also a great book to introduce children to the idea of following action and plot through comic panels. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series, a new offering from Arthur Geisert titled Ice.

ISBN: 9781592700929; Published May 2010 by Enchanted Lion; Review copy provided by publisher for
Cybils

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Cat the Cat Who is That? and Time to Sleep Sheep the Sheep! by Mo Willems

When I heard Mo Willems had a new series, it went on the order list automatically. I took a quick look when it came in...and was immediately charmed. A simple question and answer dialogue, with a strong rhythmic feel, marches through bold cartoon illustrations. With only a handful of words and lines, Willems creates a story that's full of child appeal, will tickle grownups' funnybones, and appeals to early readers. Quite a feat!

The main question about the Cat the Cat series is where to locate them in your library. They were nominated in the picturebook category for Cybils, and I've seen several libraries place them in that area.


I've read them aloud in storytime; I purchased a second copy of Cat the Cat for my backup toddler storytime. It's a perfect toddler storytime read, short, interactive, with nice bold pictures a large group can see. I've also read Time to Sleep Sheep the Sheep! aloud to a preschool audience and it takes this slightly older age to fully appreciate the humor at the end - and older kids think the repetitive names are hilarious. Giraffe the Giraffe anyone?

Then again, these books are perfectly suited for beginning readers, or "pre-readers" if you want to think of it that way; kids who are just starting to put letters together into words. The bold type and repeated simple words are perfect for this group. Most of the publicity and reviews categorize these as beginning or easy readers as well.

In my library, we ended up putting these into easy readers. They've been circulating briskly, but they're still on the new shelf so it will be a while until we know how they circulate when they're on the easy reader shelf.

Verdict: A must for your easy reader or picture book area. Hey, why not buy two copies and put them in both places?

Cat the Cat Who is that?
ISBN: 9780061728402; Published February 2010 by Balzer + Bray; Borrowed from the library

Time to sleep Sheep the Sheep!
ISBN: 9780061728471; Published June 2010 by Balzer + Bray; Borrowed from the library

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Cupcake by Charise Mericle Harper

I don't like Charise Mericle Harper. No, I am not in a grumpy mood, I'm just a woman of strong dislikes. I found her Fashion Kitty really annoying and generally consider her illustrations a poor imitation of Lauren Child.

But I was reluctantly forced to adore this oddly charming story of a plain cupcake longing for decoration and finally achieving the perfect look with the help of a rather confused candle.

Cupcake lovers everywhere rejoice!

I read this to two storytime groups, ranging from about 2 years to 6. They were only mildly interested in the opening, with the different kinds of cupcakes and candles, but they went CRAZY over the silly toppings. The second group was rolling on the floor and giggling

Verdict: Light and fluffy, the perfect cupcake. This is a fresh and sweet take on the "be yourself" cliche. You don't have anything like this in your picture book collection - add it!

ISBN: 9781423118978; Published January 2010 by Hyperion; Borrowed from the library

Monday, October 25, 2010

The cow loves cookies by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Marvellus Hall

This one I LIKE. Strong, infectious rhymes, blocky, colorful pictures with lots of strong lines and humor;, this is going to be a storytime favorite for a long time. I'm glad I ordered it for the library.

As the farmer feeds each animal, children learn what the horse, chickens, geese, pigs, and the dog love to eat. But, the cow has a special love and in a sweet and funny surprise ending, we find out she's not the only one! The building and repetition of the swinging rhymes crys out for music - someone get a tune for this so we can have a rousing chorus in storytime!

Hall's illustrations show a rather old-fashioned family farm, but there's nothing wrong with that. His animals have strong curves and swooping necks and the background is filled with comfortable, familiar farm images and pleasant vistas. His Santa-ish farmer exuberantly moves from chore to chore, always followed by the long and clever tongued brown cow. The type and design are very readable and easy to follow along for beginning readers. I did think the final joke on the last page was a little unnecessary, but that's a minor quibble.

This book probably won't ever win huge awards (and I'm not saying anything about the Cybils, etc. etc.) but it's the type of book that parents and children will delight in and remember long after their childhood is over. The kind of book that librarians 20 years from now will be getting regular stumpers for from young adults and parents eager to recapture a childhood memory or introduce their own children to a beloved book.

Verdict: A must-have for your library and storytime collection.

ISBN: 9781416942061; Published July 2010 by Margaret K. McElderry Books; Review copy provided by the publisher for Cybils

Sunday, October 24, 2010

My father knows the names of things by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Stephane Jorisch

There aren't that many good dad picturebooks for older kids. Toddlers, yes there's quite a few of the "I love my daddy" variety (including Sebastien Braun's gorgeously tender books) but for older kids? Nope. Now, we have an excellent one. Jane Yolen's rhythmic text accompanies Jorisch's sparkling colors and energetic art to extol all the many things a child's dad knows, from the names of clouds to "which dinosaurs are meanest." Don't just pull this out on Father's Day, bring it out all year to enjoy. I'm looking forward to having the kids guess at the names of things in the illustrations....how many will they know? And how many can they make up?


Verdict: Recommended for storytimes with preschool and kindergarteners and also for addition to your holiday books. And just for happies!

ISBN: 9781416948957; April 2010 by Simon & Schuster; Review copy provided by publisher through Raab Associates

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Mr. Putney's Quacking Dog by Jon Agee

I can't really explain the plot of this story, because there isn't one. It's a series of riddles - with hilarious answers. "Who wakes Mr. Putney up in the morning? An alarmadillo". Heh heh heh. I read this to my friend Sara-the-librarian and we both cracked up. The wordplay is funny enough on its own, but matched with Jon Agee's straight-faced illustrations....laugh fest!

Younger children probably aren't going to get this one, even though there's minimal text and the illustrations aren't too complex. The ones who are really going to crack up over this are the 1st and 2nd graders. Pair it with Mac Barnett's Guess Again! and be prepared for riotous laughter!

Verdict: Recommended for school visits and casual dipping into with colleaugues during breaks. Teachers will also find the wordplay fun to use in class and maybe as a tongue twister game.


ISBN: 978-0545162036; Published August 2010 by Michael di Capua; Borrowed from the library

Friday, October 22, 2010

Spork by Kyo Maclear, illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault

Spork doesn't fit anywhere. Most cutlery don't mix - and they're not interested in finding a place for Spork, even though his parents think he's special. Spork tries to fit in. He tries to be more round for the spoons, more pointy for the forks...but it doesn't work and he finds himself back in the lonely world of unmatching utensils. Until, suddenly, a new creature arrives and Spork discovers he can be useful after all and find a place at the table.

I like this book for several reasons. It deals with sensitive issues in a thoughtful way, but isn't heavy-handed. It's funny and light and the illustrations are intriguing and amusing. I especially liked that the Spork didn't just decide he was special and having his parents think he was perfect was not enough - he found his place when he became useful and contributed. While this would be a good book to read with a biracial child who's dealing with bullying or emotional issues, it's also a fun book to read to kids anytime. Sporks are just inherently funny, you know?
Verdict: Recommended for fun and educational purposes! I've read this with preschoolers - the text is a little lengthy for younger ones, but easily abridged and they got a big kick out of it. Older kids appreciate the subtle humor more though.


ISBN: 9781553377368; Published September 2010 by Kids Can Press; Review copy provided by publisher through Raab Associates.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

In front of my house by Marianne Dubuc

Simple, colorful drawings expand a child's imagination in sequential form.

Doesn't that make you want to read this book? No? How about this?

An imaginative journey from the comforts of home, through hysterical silliness and back to the reassuring warmth of a child's house.

This is a simple but lovely little book. It's sized a little differently than most picturebooks, being about six inches square and has about twice as many pages as the average picturebook. But it's still a great read-aloud selection. Each page has one item - a house, a room, a princess, a dragon, a planet, etc. There are two lines of text; one naming the item, the second introducing the next page. So, you see "a book of fairy tales" and under the illustration of the book, the text reads "In the book of fairy tales..."

You'll have to turn the page to find out what's in there! Some of the items are easy to guess, like a forest around a hunter or a rocket ship in outer space. Others aren't so easy. What's under the bed? What's behind the pirate? What's behind the ducklings?

We're very fond of guessing books in my library, especially during school visits (I had kids rolling on the floor and screaming when we debuted Mac Barnett's Guess Again!). I can see a wide variety of uses for this story, from a simple read-aloud to toddlers and preschoolers, interactive guessing game with 1st and 2nd graders, writing prompts for elementary-age children, or a game for long drives in the car!

Verdict: Recommended for a wide variety of ages and uses.

ISBN: 9781554536412; Published September 2010 by Kids Can Press; Review copy provided by the publisher through Raab Associates.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Quiet Book by Deborah Underwood, illustrated by Renata Liwska

A group of softly drawn little animals in shades of brown and gray illustrate different kinds of quiet, from scary and sad moments, to peaceful and happy experiences.

This one just didn't grab me. I'm not generally up for "concept" books at the best of times and the limited colors and subdued mini stories in each picture didn't attract me. I can see where it's supposed to be humorous, but it didn't tickle my funny bone. It might make a nice bedtime book or possibly a good interactive discussion book for storytime. One odd note - why didn't they put the author or illustrator on the cover? Very confusing.


Verdict: Not recommended by me, but everyone else under the sun likes it. I'm not sure why. I'm more interested in seeing the upcoming Loud Book she's doing.



ISBN: 9780547215679; Published April 2010 by Houghton Mifflin; Review copy provided by the publisher for Cybils

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Butterfly Birthday by Harriet Ziefert, illustrated by Mark Jones

Caterpillars and other bugs gather to celebrate the vernal equinox in an explosion of color and light. I love the vibrant, gorgeous colors and elaborate decorations and details of the bugs' celebrations. The art is definitely the high point of this book.

I was disappointed by the text. It's too scattered and has no strong narrative thread. The odd juxtaposition of fact - how bugs hibernate for the winter, metamorphosis, and the vernal equinox - contrast oddly with the anthropomorphic bugs and their party. The addition of a "lesson" is also confusing; a small ant is upset that the caterpillars aren't helping with the party, but then learns that they are doing their own work, changing into butterflies. The story ends on an odd note with an unanswered question from the small ant.

I tried reading this in storytime and although the kids liked looking at the pictures, they really, really didn't care for the story. Preschoolers are too young to understand the concept of the vernal equinox and don't understand metamorphosis as presented in the book. But I don't think the anthropomorphic bugs will appeal to older children.


Verdict: Reluctantly not recommended for library purchase, because I really, really do love the artwork, but the text just doesn't work.



ISBN: 9781609050153; Published March 2010 by Blue Apple Books; Review copy provided by publisher for Cybils

Monday, October 18, 2010

Bridget's Beret by Tom Lichtenheld

I generally am not in favor of "arty" picturebooks. I would rather see picturebooks about kitties and doggies and penguins than about artistic expression and the creative urge.

And in case you're seeing a trend, yes I do generally approach each new book I read with suspicion. I'm that kind of person.

Anyhow, I will make an exception to my no-artsy-picturebooks rule for Tom Lichtenheld. Bridget, proudly topped off by her genuine artist's beret, loves drawing. Her exuberant, colorful pictures dominate the warm greens and yellows as she paints and draws her way through the landscape....until her precious beret is lost. Will she ever discover the joy of art again?

This colorful and funny picturebook is full of hints for getting the creative juices flowing, gentle nudges about artists' inspiration, and plenty of sly and silly humor.

Verdict: Highly recommended! A great story to read before you do crafts or art projects in the library, or just for fun!

ISBN: 9780805087758; Published April 2010 by Henry Holt; Borrowed from the library

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Brand-New Baby Blues by Kathi Appelt, illustrated by Kelly Murphy

A little girl sings the Brand-New Baby Blues, lamenting all the ways her life has gotten worse since she gained a baby brother. As she complains, she gradually realizes the baby is kind of cute and then decides that it might be fun to have a baby brother after all.

The number of new sibling books is legion and while this story is cute and sweet and the pictures are appealing, it just doesn't stand out. The girl's change in perspective is rather abrupt with no reason given except that she notices the baby is cute and her parents reassure her that she is special also.


Verdict: Recommended if your library is in need of more new baby/sibling books.



ISBN: 9780060532338; Published December 2009 by HarperCollins; Borrowed from the library

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Balloon for Isabel by Deborah Underwood, illustrated by Laura Rankin

Isabel and her friend Walter desperately want a balloon at their class graduation. But the porcupines aren't allowed to have balloons - if they pop, someone might get scared or hurt! After many plans, Isabel finally comes up one that works!

The bright, simple pictures were attractive, and Isabel's solution was humorous, but I kept doing double-takes. I can't imagine a school keeping one set of children out of part of their celebration for whatever reason. Even if they're porcupines. Isabel's solution was ingenious and her teacher's delight at finally getting her own balloon infectious, but I just can't believe the premise.

Does this sound realistic to teachers out there? I have no real school experience, so I wouldn't know. Label me intrigued but doubtful.

Verdict: Recommended if you need more school stories in your collection. Kids will enjoy the descriptions of all the fun things you can do with balloons and Isabel's sugary solution.

ISBN: 9780061779879; Published April 2010 by Greenwillow; Borrowed from the library

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Swim! Swim! by Lerch (James Proimos)

I discovered this book right before I sent my order list and hastily squished it on! I've looked at a couple other books by James Proimos, including Todd's TV, that didn't quite work for me. This one does! Very much so. When I opened it up, I just had to start reading it out loud and I can't wait to perform it with a storytime group!

Lerch, a little fish with a big mouth, wants a friend. He swim, swim, swims up and down, looking for one. The pebbles? No. The diving figure? No. The bubbles? Oh no! The cat? The cat! Why not? And if the cat wants to call him "Lunch" instead of Lerch, well...

There's not really a logical storyline here, but who cares? We just want to read it with funny faces and make all the kids yell "Swim Swim" in unison!

Postscript: We read this in storytime and made swimmy fish motions with our hands - up or down according to Lerch's direction. Hilarious! Delightful!

Verdict: Highly recommended. Buy it for your library, read it in storytime, read it to your staff (with appropriate funny faces) and perform it for bored 5th grade classes. Snicker.




ISBN: 978-0545094191; Published July 2010 by Scholastic; Borrowed from the library; Purchased for the library

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Even monsters need haircuts by Matthew McElligott

This is a perfect Halloween book. Not too scary, not too silly, but the just right mixture of funny and scary! A little boy likes to watch his dad at work in his barbershop. Once a month, he's a barber too! He sneaks out at night, down to the barbershop and sets up his tools....and in come the monsters, ready for haircuts!

There's plenty of spooky, with a mysterious knocking at the door, gruesome monsters and lots of dark shadows. There's also plenty of funny, with an elaborate hairdo for Medusa, silly names for the little boy's equipment, and the different monsters' requirements. There's even an element of sweet, the little boy's admiration and emulation of his dad. The illustrations alternate between cameo insets of a few characters and full spread scenes, often with swirling shadows and layered colors.

This is just right for storytimes around Halloween or reading aloud to preschool and kindergarten classes at any time!

Verdict: Recommended for holiday collections specifically, but good for general picture book collections as well.

ISBN: 978-0802788191; Published July 2010 by Walker; Borrowed from the library; Purchased for the library

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Grandma's Gloves by Cecil Castellucci, illustrated by Julia Denos

Julia Denos is my new most favorite illustrator. When I laid eyes on this exquisite book, I immediately rearranged my order lists so I could buy it for us. It's soooooo beautiful.

A little girl loves everything about Grandma, their games, the little things she says, and especially Grandma's garden. But Grandma gets older and finally she has to go the hospital. She doesn't smell like Grandma and she has forgotten her daughter and granddaughter. But she remembers to water her plants. And then she dies. Family and friends remember the special things about Grandma and tell stories - but no one seems to remember Grandma's plants, except her granddaughter. After everyone has left, she asks her mother if she can keep Grandma's gloves - and grow a garden of their own.

There are so many lovely things about this book, even though I cry every time I read it. I love the portrayal of Grandma and her special relationship with the little girl. I love how Castellucci shows it's the little, everyday things people remember and appreciate. I love the warmth between the three generations, Grandma, Mama, and the little girl. I love the natural, simple way death is handled in the story.

Mostly, I love Denos' illustrations. Grandma's garden blooms with life and color. Her characters laugh and enjoy life, suffer pain and loss, and heal, all vividly expressed through her artwork. Plants bloom in every landscape, mixed with shadows that express both sorrow and hope. And it's all so....beautiful. Not pretty-pretty, like many of the princess/pink stories you see today are, but truly beautiful artwork with depth and vision that's still accessible to children who like a little lovely in their lives.

Verdict: A must-have. You need this one for every parent or child who has lost a beloved grandparent. You need this one to celebrate the beauty of gardens and the warmth of families. You need this one to add a little lovely to your life.

ISBN: 978-0763631680; Published August 2010 by Candlewick; Borrowed from the library; Purchased for the library

Monday, October 11, 2010

The Very Fairy Princess by Julie Andrews & Emma Walton Hamilton, illustrated by Christine Davenier

While I am not personally a fan of Julie Andrews' novels, Mandy and The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles, they have many and varied fans and are definitely on the classic list as far as middle grade fiction is concerned.

So it is with pleasurable anticipation, rather than slack-mouthed horror that I greet the discovery of a new Julie Andrews' picturebook (co-written with her daughter) - and I am not disappointed!

Geraldine is a fairy princess - no matter what anyone believes. She proceeds to prove her magical qualities as she does fairy princess things, from putting on her crown and practicing her flying skills, to dancing and rescuing frogs. The story is sweet and exuberant without being sickly sentimental or didactic. Geraldine is a very human little girl, but her firm belief in her fairy powers buoys her spirits throughout what would otherwise be a very ordinary day.

Christine Davenier's illustrations are strong on pink hues, with a little glitter on the cover for sparkle. But this isn't a one-color palette, like certain books I love to hate and I hardly need mention them....Geraldine's vibrant pinkness swirls through a landscape of pastels as she spreads her fairy princess spirit, shown in magical explosions of pink streamers and stars.

Verdict: A definite must for all fairy princesses and the libraries where they sparkle

ISBN: 9780316040501; Published May 2010 by Little, Brown; Borrowed from the library; Purchased for the library

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Flora's Very Windy Day by Jeanne Birdsall, illustrated by Matt Phelan

I admit I was not a fan of Phelan's Storm in the Barn as a whole. But I've always loved his art and this collaboration with Jeanne Birdsall is pure genius.

Finally, finally a really good wind story! I do at least one wind storytime in October or November and would love to do more if I could just find some better books. Pat Hutchins' The Wind Blew just doesn't work for storytime, and I've never been a fan of Hutchins anyways. Iva Dunnit and the Big Wind by Carol Purdy and Whoosh went the wind by Sally Derby are too long and the kids get restless. Sometimes they like McMillan's How the ladies stopped the wind and sometimes they don't. So basically it's just me and Ehlert's Leaf Man.

Until now. Flora is mad at her little brother Crispin. He makes a mess and then SHE gets blamed! Her mom sends them both outside, despite Flora's worry that the wind will blow them away. Flora puts on her "super-special heavy-duty red boots" and knows she'll be fine. But Crispin just has regular old purple boots. It won't be Flora's fault if he blows away...and he does! As Flora chases Crispin through the sky, she meets a series of creatures and elements that have a use for Crispin - but in the end, she decides she wants him most of all, thank you very much.

The longer text of this story is balanced by the brisk, swirling illustrations and Flora's changeable expressions, showing just how her mind works as she deals with the wind's demands. Crispin's blank bewilderment and joyful acceptance of his unexpected outing is hilarious. The lovely colors and fanciful language will hold kids' attention, even if they're not close enough to see the nuances of the art and both older and younger siblings will sympathize with Flora's frustration.

Verdict: Highly recommended. Now I just need a couple more wind stories and I'll have the best wind storytime ever...


ISBN: 9780618986767; Published August 2010 by Clarion; Review copy provided by publisher for Cybils

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Bogbrush the Barbarian by Howard Whitehouse, illustrated by Bill Slavin

I'm a very happy fan of Whitehouse's Strictest School in the World and series. It's an odd one to booktalk - no matter how much I extol its virtues (a girl who wants to fly but is squared of heights! A boy who is indestructible! Pterodactyls!) children back away giving me odd looks. But regularly, about once a month, I will see a kid meandering about, clutching a copy under his arm. "I love that book!" says I. Kid then gives me terrified look and backs away. Obviously, loving Emmaline and Rubberbones is a guilty secret.

Anyways, I am sorry to say I was rather disappointed in this story. Bogbrush the Barbarian is encouraged by his village to go forth on a quest - mainly to get him out of the way, since he's extremely large, powerful, and stupid. After a trip to the Temple of the Great Belch, to confirm his status as a barbarian warrior, Bogbrush sets out to travel on a great quest.

The text is sprinkled with tongue-in-cheek educational lessons; "word of the day," "saying of the day" and more. Slavin's line drawings are humorous and fit into the quirky humor and over the top adventures of Bogbrush.

I was personally disappointed, because I had hoped for more of the delightfully quirky Victorian adventures of Emmaline and Rubberbones. They're rather in the flavor of Reeves' Larklight, another series of which I am a fan. Bogbrush was more in the gross humor category and it just didn't grab me. The plot felt a bit weak and cobbled together as well. I'm doubtful about audience for this - the smaller print, large sections of text, and some of the vocabulary make it more appropriate for older audiences, but by the time most kids will be comfortable reading this, they will probably have outgrown the potty humor.

Verdict: Not essential. If you have really strident fans of Layton's Mammoth Academy they might enjoy it, but it will probably be too difficult for Captain Underpants and Time Warp Trio readers.

ISBN: 9781553377016; Published September 2010 by Kids Can Press; Review copy provided by publisher through Raab Associates

Friday, October 8, 2010

The Ugly Duckling, retold and illustrated by Sebastien Braun

I've loved all the Sebastien Braun books I've read so far...until this one.

I still love his illustrations - thick outlines, strong greens and yellows, gently humorous eyes, sparkling drops of water.

I just can't take his retelling. In Braun's retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's classic story, Mother Duck is surprised when she sees her giant, ugly chick, but says "I shall love this one just the same." She repeats this refrain as the ugly duckling is tormented by all the other poultry. Then the ugly duckling gets lost, spends a cold winter, meets the swans and realizes he is beautiful. The end.

Apparently his mother's unconditional love didn't inspire him to return to her. Is she upset he's still missing? Does she care? We don't know. In the original story, his mother originally defends him a little, "It is a drake, and therefore not of so much consequence. I think he will grow up strong, and able to take care of himself." But as the other fowl in the poultry yard torment him, including his siblings, his mother eventually comes to dislike him as well "his mother said she wished he had never been born."

Obviously, Braun retold this story for much younger children and didn't want to include the ugly duckling's rejection by his family. But in the process, he has removed the main point of this story - sometimes everyone thinks you're useless and ugly. Some kids are unwanted by their families. But you can still become a swan. Is The Ugly Duckling a good story for young children? Depends on the child. I've seen several requests over the past few months for adoption stories for young children that didn't feature a loving birth mother. Some young children have painful lives. They need stories that celebrate resilience and offer them hope that they can prove wrong all the people who have told them they're not wanted. Children whose parents do offer unconditional love need to know that not all children have the same. They need to be able to empathize with others.

There are plenty of cute stories about parents loving their children which are suitable for bedtime. Trying to soften the story of the Ugly Duckling into this mold was unnecessary.

Verdict: Not recommended. Add some of Sebastien Braun's other picture books if you want sweet bedtime stories of love and cuddles, but pick out some more faithful retellings if you're looking for Ugly Duckling books.



ISBN: 9781907152047; Published April 2010 by Boxer Books; Reviewed from library copy.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Young Wizard's Handbook: How to trap a zombie, track a vampire and other hands-on activities for monster hunters by A. R. Rotruck

This is a fun, fun book. If you have any serious Harry Potter fans at your library (and of course you do) they are definitely going to be in need of the handy crafts in this book.

Interspersed with advice on tracking, capturing, and studying monsters are straight-faced craft instructions on creating a "monster-hunting pouch" (out of old jeans), "revitalizing draught" (mint tea), drawing a map, marking a trail, and most fun of all, creating and battling with slime! I totally want to have a slime battle on the library lawn now....come on, you want to too!

The crafts and information in this book are going to be most enjoyed by the 8-10 group, but if you do happen to find any teens in your area who aren't too stuffy, or even some Dungeons and Dragons fans, the activities would make a great all-ages program. Pull out some of the other Wizards of the Coast guides (Practical Guide to Dragons, etc.) for background information and get ready to hunt monsters!

Verdict: Highly recommended for library programs and for handing out to tweens. Might also be a fun teen program if you have the right patrons.

ISBN: 9780786955480; Published September 2010 by Wizards of the Coast; Review copy provided by the publisher through Raab Associates.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Lila & Ecco's Do-It-Yourself Comics Club by Willow Dawson

Serious comic fans will be delighted by this step-by-step guide to drawing, writing, and creating your own comic book. Instruction, tips, ideas, and tricks are mixed into the narrative of two friends living their daily lives and enjoying art and writing together.

While visiting a comics convention, Lila & Ecco chase Lila's little sister into a presentation on making comics. Inspired, they decide to make their own. The rest of the story is a detailed guide to creating your first comic, interspersed with Lila & Ecco's everyday life, dealing with annoying siblings, hanging around with friends and just having fun.

The black and white art is easy to follow and while there's a lot of text it's spread out and mixed in with the kids joking around, so it's not too much of an infodump. Kids who are only casually interested in creating their own art and comics are probably going not going to be interested - this book makes it clear that creating a comic is a LOT of work! But kids who are seriously interested in creating a comic, writing, or art will find this a great resource. A glossary of terms and further resources for writing, drawing, and lettering are included. Like all KCP graphic novels, it has a great binding and is well-designed.

Verdict: Recommended if you have patrons (kids, teens, or adults) seriously interested in creating comics or if you're thinking of trying to start a comics club for middle grade kids or teens.



ISBN: 9781554534388; Published September 2010 by Kids Can Press; Review copy provided by publisher through Raab Associates.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Nonfiction Monday: Case Closed? Nine mysteries unlocked by modern science by Susan Hughes, illustrated by Michael Wandelmaier

What really happened to Russian princess Anastasia? Where was Queen Hatshepsut buried? What happened to the missing plane, Star Dust? These and more mysteries from history are answered in this combination of archaeology, history, science, and investigation.

Each chapter begins with a brief teaser to interest readers in the case, then supplies background and information on the mystery. Hughes describes how scientists, archeologists, and others worked together to find clues and solve the mystery, including opinions from experts in the field, photographs and maps. More information is supplied through Wandelmaier's illustrations and artists' renderings of historical buildings and reconstructions. The final heading, "Mystery Solved?" or "The Investigation Continues" recaps the investigation and its conclusions, then finishes with suggestions for related mysteries that still remain or aspects of the mystery that remain unsolved.

There's a nice mix of subjects; missing explorers, historical mysteries, vanished cities, or missing people. Some of the cases, like Princess Anastasia, are well-known. Others, like the missing submarine INS Dakar, are more obscure. I would have liked to see more photographs and fewer illustrations and artist's renderings of the mysteries, but I like the design of the book. It's a great introduction for middle grades to the way different disciplines can work together, as well as a fun introduction to historical mysteries.

Verdict: Recommended, especially if you have students or patrons interested in historical mysteries, science, or history.

ISBN: 9781554533626; Published August 2010 by Kids Can Press; Review copy provided by publisher through Raab Associates.