Day: July 26, 2010

Doodlebug

| Tasha

Doodlebug by Karen Romano Young

Dodo has been expelled from her last school because she tried to sell her Ritalin to other students in her class.  Now her family is moving from LA to San Francisco.  Her parents are hoping for a fresh start for their careers and for Dodo.  Her younger sister Momo is angry about the move, and Dodo is unsure that it will make any difference at all.  On the trip, Dodo discovers that she loves to draw, that doodling makes her calmer and better able to deal with the drive and the move.  Dodo starts a new school, changing her nickname to Doodlebug.  Her doodling is accepted in some classes and forbidden in others.  Momo is desperate to join the school’s choir, so she tries several stunts, like singing into the PA system of the school.  Both girls may have pushed it a bit too far in their new school.  Will Dodo be expelled again?

A fabulous combination of journal, graphic novel and story, this book allows readers to really understand what it is to be a visual learner and to have ADD.  Dodo is a great character, fully developed and complex.  Just as wonderfully drawn are her family members, even the new cat, Sven.  They are all complicated and interesting, portraying a real, multicultural family dealing with change and opportunity. 

Young’s creativity is fully on display here with pages filled with a variety of lettering, lots of drawings and plenty of forward momentum.  Several touches will resonate with young artists who will find the names of the pens used to make the black and white illustrations.  They will get plenty of inspiration to create their own journals, capture their own lives and adventures. 

Highly recommended, this book will be enjoyed by readers who enjoyed the Joey Pigza series, Amelia’s Notebook, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid.  Appropriate for ages 9-13.

Reviewed from copy received from Feiwel and Friends.

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Check out Karen Romano Young’s website.

One Pup’s Up

| Tasha

One Pup’s Up by Marsha Wilson Chall, illustrated by Henry Cole

Count along to ten with adorable puppies in this picture book.  It all starts when one puppy wakes up, then more puppies join in on the fun.  They tumble, roll, drink, piddle, chase, and much more.  Another puppy joins in the fray with each new activity until dinner time.  Then they slowly head to sleep, one at a time, counting down until they are all asleep.  Of course, then it starts again the second one pup is up.

A very simple premise and simply told story, this book is filled with toddler appeal.  The ease of the story along with its galloping rhyme and rhythm make it irresistible.  Chall’s grace with so few words is evident on each page, allowing the images to tell the story.  Cole’s puppies are playful balls of fun, that young readers will be drawn to and relate to.  The illustrations are wonderfully large and bright with plenty of white space, making them ideal for use with a group.

Get those toddlers counting with these puppies and be ready for giggles when the piddle line appears.  A delightful, light-hearted counting book appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from copy received from McElderry Books.