Day: August 12, 2010

Hattie the Bad

| Tasha

Hattie the Bad by Jane Devlin, illustrations by Joe Berger

Hattie was a very good little girl until she realized how dull it was.  Then she became Hattie the Bad, doing naughty but very fun things.  The other children loved her, but their parents stopped letting them play with Hattie.  So Hattie decided to be good again, perfect even.  The parents started pushing their children to be more like Hattie, but then the children stopped playing with her because she was so perfect.  Hattie was so very good that she even got an award for being the Best-Behaved Child Ever!  When in front of the cameras and asked to speak, Hattie stopped being good for good.

This book is all about being true to yourself and not trying to be what others expect you to be.  Hattie strikes a nice balance at the end of the book, being quite naughty, with “just a teensy bit of good.”  Devlin’s writing is over the top, adding to the fun and zinging energy of the book.  Berger matches that with his great illustrations.  Though the cover has a limited orangey palette, the book uses a more full spectrum of color.  Nicely, the illustrations have a bit of seventies vibe in them.  Readers should have fun watching for the frogs to appear and reappear throughout the book as well as laughing in glee when Hattie turns back into herself.

A naughty girl, perhaps, but a very nice read.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Dial.

Also reviewed by:

Side by Side/Lado a lado

| Tasha

Side by Side/Lado a lado : the story of Delores Huerta and Cesar Chavez by Monica Brown, illustrated by Joe Cepeda

Released September 1, 2010

Bright and vibrant, this book tells the true story of Delores Huerta and Cesar Chavez and their fight for the rights of migrant farm workers.  The book begins with both of them as children and their early connections to the needs of farm workers.  The real change started when the two of them met and began working together on the cause.  They traveled from town to town talking from the beds of trucks in fields.  They successfully fought to get the poisons used on California grapes stopped.  They marched for 340 miles to demand that workers get living wages.  Cesar went on a hunger strike to get people to listen.  The two worked together for 30 years and were two of the most important voices for labor change in the United States.

A bilingual book, this is a heartfelt homage to two heroes of our time.  The writing is simple and honest, reflecting the subject matter with a great respect.  For young readers, the book is fairly free of dates, leaving the heart of the story uncluttered.  In the author note, readers can learn more about the dates  and associations that were created.  The focus of the book is on advocacy, action and passion.  Things we all hope children will learn.  Cepeda’s illustrations are strong and bright.  Filled with rich colors, the illustrations underscore the normalcy of both Huerta and Chavez while capturing their energy and dedication as well.

An empowering and inspiring read, this book is appropriate for ages 6-9.

Reviewed from ARC received from HarperCollins.