Day: July 21, 2009

Joe and Sparky Get New Wheels

| Tasha

Joe and Sparky Get New Wheels by Jamie Michalak, illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz

When Joe the Giraffe thinks he has won the grand prize in a contest he entered, he takes Sparky the turtle on a joyride in his brand new and very yellow car.  The fruit-covered hat in the front seat is seen as another prize, one definitely worth donning while driving.  The two have a series of great adventures from shopping at the mall to grabbing lunch at Tasty Burger.  Sparky would much rather just be home and safe in his pond while Joe is thrilled to be out and about on an adventure.  By the end of the story, the two are fast friends and both appreciate their differences.

Easy readers can be challenging.  Not the reading level, but the content.  It can so often fall flat.  This one, however, manages to set just the right tone of manic silliness and easy content.  The illustrations add to the zany fun, as the two animals careen around town merrily.  The bright colors will make the book very approachable for new readers.

Just the right mix of fun for young elementary readers, this is a good choice for easy reader shelves in both school and public libraries.

Reviewed from library copy.

Also reviewed by PlanetEsme and Young Readers.

Mama Says

| Tasha

Mama Says: a Book of Love for Mothers and Sons by Rob D. Walker, illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon.

Move from one culture to the next with a brief stanza of the poem shared in both English and the language of the people being represented.

Mama says

Be good

Mama says

Be kind

Mama says

The rain will come

But still the sun will shine

That is the opening of the book, with the poem also written in Cherokee alongside.  The poem then moves through subjects like faith, hard work, dedication, endurance, inner peace, and courage.  All are universal and delivered in a way that children will understand.

The Dillon’s art is exquisite, representing the wide range of people on earth with boys who turn into men at the end.  It is a message that resonates deeply with all mothers who want their boys to turn into such men of composure and strength of purpose.  Walker’s poem is so simple but so powerful.  It is a perfect match to the strength of the illustrations.

Highly recommended for mothers and their young sons, this could also make a great gift for a graduate heading off to college.    This is a book that boys can draw strength from, learn from and see a path in.

Reviewed from library copy.

Also reviewed by PlanetEsme, A Year of Reading, and The Brown Bookshelf.