Anthony Browne is the new British Children’s Laureate. He is taking over from Michael Rosen and is the 6th person to hold the position. Known for his gorillas, Browne has published nearly 40 titles. In 2000, Browne was the first British children’s author to win the Hans Christian Andersen Medal. Browne will be laureate for 2 years.
What a wonderful choice! You can check out some of his work in an online gallery. I look forward to seeing what he brings to this unique role.
Grizzly Dad by Joanna Harrison
Dad wakes up in a bad mood, so he returns to bed to sleep some more. When Mom and his little siblings head out, a little boy goes to wake his father. He discovers that his Dad has turned into an enormous grizzly bear! The little boy gets the bear all ready for the day and feeds him breakfast too. But when the bear makes a horrible mess of the kitchen, the little boy scolds him soundly. So the two of them head out and have adventures through the day. They see a movie together, climb trees in the park, do nothing at all, and then return home for a lunch of honey sandwiches. Dad is a bear the whole day, until the little boy thanks him for a grand time and suddenly when they hug, he returns to normal, just as Mom is returning home.
We all have grizzly, grumpy days and this book captures that nicely without ever showing real anger toward a child. It is nicely handled throughout the book. Harrison’s text is wonderful, offering just enough information to keep the story moving and never remarking on the wonder of the dad turned bear. Her illustrations are equally nice, with hints towards the transformation ahead of time, and the nice touch of the bear wearing glasses. There is also a nice twist at the end.
This is a great dad book that will brighten even the more grumpy days, especially if your children or class are getting grizzly on you. Add this to a story time on bears, but also any story time on emotions. Appropriate for ages 3-6.
Also reviewed by Young Readers.
Tacky Goes to Camp by Helen Lester, illustrated by Lynn Munsinger.
Another great entry in the Tacky series, this time Tacky and his fellow penguins are headed to summer camp. It is a rather frozen and snowy, summer camp, but most of the activities are the same. There is swimming, sleeping in tents, archery, canoeing, and arts and crafts. Tacky does things in his own unique way, especially compared to the other penguins who follow the rules, march in line, and don’t ever color outside the lines. At the campfire, there are smores and stories. Tacky eats as many smores as possible and tells a very scary story, Beware the bear, that ends with a joke. The other penguins are unimpressed until a bear enters their camp that night. Tacky is asleep in a smore-induced stupor but still manages to save the day.
Tacky is great humor for kids. They will relate to his messiness, his inattention to details, and his amazing hunger for sweets. They will laugh along with the story, happily knowing that Tacky will save the day. Lester manages to create a story with humor and drama but no real fear for children. Munsinger’s art sings along with the storyline, carrying some of the more visual humor.
This light-hearted winner is a perfect for hot summer days or cold wintry ones. It is a book that I would read aloud to slightly older children who will enjoy the humor and the setting. Appropriate for ages 4-6, though children as old as 8 will love the story read aloud.
Waking Brain Cells 