Day: March 12, 2008

Little Boy with a Big Horn

| Tasha

Little Boy with a Big Horn by Jack Bechdolt, illustrated by Dan Yaccarino.

Ollie was learning to play a enormous bass horn.  But no one wants to hear his playing of the only song he knew, “Asleep in the Deep” with its great deep notes.  He tries different places all over town to play, but every time he ends up bothering people.  Finally, he heads to the harbor to play in a little boat, and there he learns that all noises have their usefulness and place.

Yaccarino’s art is wonderful here, vibrating with his signature style and bold colors.  Bechdolt’s words are filled with sounds, music and also colors.  It is a very successful pairing.

Recommended for children age 5-7, this picture book is great fun.

Peanut

| Tasha

Peanut by Linas Alsenas.

Mildred is lonely until one day she finds a stray digging in the garbage.  She tries to give him bones, take him to the dog park, and other things you would do for a dog, but Peanut is different than other dogs.  But Mildred loves him anyway, despite his differences.  When a man from the circus comes to take his lost elephant back from Mildred, she is left alone again.  Until she finds a lost… kitten.

Alsenas’ tone in the text is perfectly pitched, allowing readers and listeners simply ride the gag of the book along to the end.  The art is equally successful, not over-the-top funny but allowing the joke of the book to really shine through. 

Preschoolers adore books where they immediately get the joke and this is one of those.  Read it deadpan and sincerely and you will add to their glee.  Recommended to share with a group of preschoolers, age 4-6.