Month: February 2010

2010 Notable Books for a Global Society

| Tasha

Selected by a committee of the Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group of the International Reading Association, these are 25 books that enhance student understanding of people and cultures throughout the world.  The books must have been published in the US the previous year.

Happily, some of my favorite books are on the list.

Ajmera, Maya. Faith. Written by Maya Ajmera, Magda Nakassis, and Cynthia Pon

Baskin, Nora Raleigh. Anything But Typical.

Bausum, Ann. Denied, Detained, Deported: stories from the dark side of American immigration.

Bryan, Ashley. Words to my Life’s Song. Photographs by Bill McGuinness.

Burg, Ann E. All the Broken Pieces.

Combres, Élisabeth. Broken Memory: a Novel of Rwanda. Translated by Shelley Tanaka.

Deedy, Carmen Agra. 14 Cows for America. In collaboration with Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah. Illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez.

Edwardson, Debby Dahl. Blessing’s Bead.

Griffin, Paul. The Orange Houses.

 

Hoose, Phillip. Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Freedom.

Khan, Rukhsana. Wanting Mor.

Lin, Grace. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon.

Marshall, James Vance. Stories from the Billabong. Illustrated by Francis Firebrace.

Murphy, Jim. Truce: The Day The Soldiers Stopped Fighting.

Naidoo, Beverley. Burn my Heart.

Napoli, Donna Jo. Alligator Bayou.

National Geographic. Every Human Has Rights: a Photographic Declaration for Kids.

Nelson, Marilyn.  The Sweethearts of Rhythm: The Story of the Greatest All-Girl Swing Band in the World. Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney.

Nelson, Vaunda Micheaux. Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal. Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie.

O’Brien, Anne Sibley. After Gandhi: One Hundred Years of Nonviolent Resistance. Written by Anne Sibley O’Brien and Perry Edmond O’Brien.

Partridge, Elizabeth. Marching for Freedom: Walk Together, Children, and Don’t You Grow Weary.

Perkins, Mitali. Secret Keeper.

Reynolds, Jan. Cycle of Rice, Cycle of Life: A Story of Sustainable Farming.

Russell, Ching Yeung.  Tofu Quilt.

Stork, Francisco X. Marcelo in the Real World.

 

Thanks to Mitali for the link.

Kitten’s Spring

| Tasha

Kitten’s Spring by Eugenie Fernandes

Take a walk along with Kitten as Kitten explores a farm in spring.  As Kitten goes through the farm, readers will see pairings of adult and baby animals.  These include frogs and tadpoles, birds and eggs, chickens and chicks, ducks and ducklings, a cow and calf, pig and piglet, sheep and lamb, and owl and owlet.  The book is written in rhyme that adds to the appeal.  The illustrations are eye-catching and lovely with a real dimensional feel to them that will offer young children lots to pore over.

Fernandes is a well-known Canadian author.  Her ability to create a book with a specific feel and theme shines here.  Using only a few words per page, she writes with a simplicity that is welcoming for very small children.  Her art is equally warm and friendly, filled with tiny details that make it fun to visit again and again.  It is done in clay, acrylic paint and collage.

This book would be perfect to add to a toddler story time about spring, farms or cats.  Its small size is also very inviting for lap reading and children will love to talk about the animal noises and the other things they see in each picture.  Appropriate for ages 1-4.

Reviewed from copy received from publisher.

Also reviewed by Becky at Young Readers.

Hunger Games Part III

| Tasha

Scholastic has revealed the title and cover of the final Hunger Games novel.  It is due to be released August 24, 2010.

mocking-jay_211

Thanks to EW’s Shelf Life for the info.

Chester’s Masterpiece

| Tasha

Chester’s Masterpiece with NO help from Melanie Watt

In this third Chester book, Chester has completely taken over and is writing the book all by himself.  He has taken Melanie’s art supplies and her computer mouse.  But writing a children’s book isn’t as easy as Chester thinks.  He has to come up with original ideas, select a genre, illustrate the book, and then work on a happy ending rather than a gloomy one.  Luckily Melanie is right there with helpful criticism along the way, even demonstrating her skills as an artist with just a pencil.

I know this is going to sound odd, but I love the dynamics between Melanie and Chester.  Their quibbling is such fun to watch.  Here Melanie is confined to writing post-it notes to Chester as he creates his masterpiece.  Along the way, readers learn about what goes into creating a children’s book, though they will be having far too much fun to notice that they are learning things too.  Watts’ illustrations are done with such differing styles that it is easy to forget she is also drawing Chester.  The book design is a large part of its success and that is thanks to her art.

Highly recommended, but make sure you enjoy the other two Chester books too.  All three are such fun.  Appropriate for ages 5-8.

Reviewed from copy received from publisher.

The Purple Kangaroo

| Tasha

The Purple Kangaroo by Michael Ian Black, illustrated by Peter Brown

Join in a silly romp of a book because you are invited by a mind-reading monkey.  He can read YOUR mind.  Close your eyes and think of something.  Then say it out loud and look into the monkey’s eyes.  Did you think of a purple kangaroo?  No?  Well monkey bets he can figure out what you’re thinking about next!

This book is pure fun.   Black’s writing is done in text bubbles, carrying the story forward at a fast pace.  The monkey is funny, irreverent and the story he tells about the purple kangaroo is so off-the-wall.  Brown’s illustrations add to the fun.  Who could ever forget the picture of the purple kangaroo blowing an enormous rainbow bubble-gum bubble out of his nose?  The humor will work for slightly older children than most picture books, making this the ideal book to take on a school visit to second and third graders.

Guaranteed to get classes laughing, this is one to share that is sure to delight.  Appropriate for ages 5-9.

Reviewed from copy received from publisher.

Also reviewed by Where the Best Books Are.

Check out this video of Michael Ian Black reading the book:

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Heist Society – The Movie

| Tasha

 

/Film has the news that the film rights for Ally Carter’s Heist Society have been purchased by Warner Brothers.  The book is due out next week, and I have to say the cover is rocking.  Unfortunately, the teen novel’s characters will be aged to their 20s instead of remaining teen characters.  Sad, because I would think it would make a better movie with teen protagonists rather than college-aged ones.

I look forward to reading the book which has been called a teen-aged Thomas Crown Affair.

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Boom Bah!

| Tasha

Boom Bah! by Phil Cummings, illustrated by Nina Rycroft

Break out the noise makers, drums, and kazoos and start your own band after you share this one. 

It all starts with a mouse tinging a spoon against a teacup.  Then the cat gets involved by banging a spoon on a can.  Pig grabs two pot lids to bash together as cymbals.  And soon a line of animals are marching and dancing to the beat.  What could that be coming over the hill?  A real  marching band with real drums, a tuba, trombones and more.  Everyone starts to play music together with a happy “Hey ho!”  A jolly book filled with rhythm, music and merriment, this is a winner of a book for toddlers. 

Cummings text is kept to a minimum, just carrying the noises and the beat along with it.  The words are simple and great fun to read aloud because they are so jaunty.  Rycroft’s art is silly and warm toned.  I love that she included diving insects on most of the pages.  If you look closely you can even see beetles in the grass who also get caught up in the music.  Her attention to the small but delightful details is clever and adds to the fun. 

Highly recommended when you want a story time about music and you don’t mind the kids getting loud with their own marching band.  Appropriate for very small children through preschool, this book will work for ages 1-4.

Reviewed from copy received from publisher.

Brownie & Pearl Step Out

| Tasha

Brownie & Pearl Step Out by Cynthia Rylant, illustrations by Brian Biggs

In this simple, charming story, Rylant explores shyness.  Brownie, the little girl, and Pearl, her cat, are going to a birthday party that cats are invited to too.  Once they are at the door to the party, Brownie starts to feel shy about knocking.  Pearl, though, is not shy at all and enters the house by the cat door, forcing Brownie to have to knock and join the party.  By the end of the party, full of cake and ice cream and having played lots of games, Brownie is very happy to have come. 

Rylant has created the first in another charming pairing.  This book is for even younger readers than Henry and Mudge or Mr. Potter and Tabby.  The vocabulary is kept limited and there are at most two short sentences on each page, usually as short as four words.  Despite these limitations, Rylant has created a charming protagonist.  Biggs’ illustrations are done digitally and have a nice warmth to them.  The illustrations are simple and friendly for young readers. 

Highly recommended, every library needs a copy of this first in Rylant’s new series.  I can’t wait to see what adventures Brownie and Pearl head on next.  Appropriate for new readers of any age, approximately ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from publisher.

Passing By

| Tasha

Passing By by Yona Tepper, illustrated by Gil-Ly Alon Curiel

Yael likes to watch the street outside her house from her balcony.  She can see dogs walk by, a cat hiding in the flowerbed, a car driving past and honking its horn, a man riding a bike, a tractor with a trailer filled with brush, and a bird.  Best of all, she sees her father coming! 

The book has a nice rhythm and repetition both before each thing on the street appears and after it leaves Yael’s sight.  Tepper’s prose has a quiet feel that really allows readers to feel a sense of ease and leisure that is inherent in the book.  The art depicts life in Israel which is both similar to a street in America and yet has quite a different feel.  Curiel’s art is simple and very child-friendly.  The book has a nice mix of close-up images and panoramas of the area of Yael’s home. 

Ideal for toddlers who will enjoy the repetition of the book and identifying the sounds and animals.  Appropriate for ages 2-5.

Reviewed from copy received from publisher.