Month: September 2010

Roslyn Rutabaga and the Biggest Hole on Earth

| Tasha

Roslyn Rutabaga and the Biggest Hole on Earth by Marie-Louise Gay

Roslyn woke up in the morning knowing just what she was going to do that day.  She was going to dig the biggest hole on earth in her backyard.  Over her breakfast of carrot flakes, she told her father about her plan and he thought it was a good one.  She just had to be back for lunch.  Roslyn careful chose the perfect spot for her hole.  But when she started digging there, a worm complained that she was digging up his front yard and should dig somewhere else.  She moved near the fence but then a grumpy mole stuck his head out and complained that she was digging up his bedroom.  She moved near the lilac bush and started digging again.  She dug until she found what she thought was a dinosaur bone!  But the dog that had buried it came and told her that she was digging up his stash of bones.  Roslyn gave up.  She lay in the bottom of the hole.  Just as she was despairing, her father arrived with carrot sandwiches to lift her spirits.

This book captures a child’s view of the world where the obstacle is not the big idea but the small hurdles on the way to fruition.  Gay has written a book about a child with plenty of ideas and energy who is supported by a loving adult.  Roslyn is told along the way by everyone except her father that the hole will never be that big, that she will never dig to the South Pole, that she should give up.  This is a lesson in perseverance that very nicely concludes before the goal is reached.

Gay’s illustrations are delightful.  Done in mixed media, they have a wonderful texture to them that is used to great effect to be the underground portion of the illustrations.  Complete with rough tears, the paper really captures the grit of the dirt.  Gay has also filled the dirt with small touches: worms, carrots, missing socks, leaves, and rocks.  It is a pleasure to pore over the illustrations to find the “treasures” underground.

A charming story that will inspire readers to follow their heart no matter what other say, this book is appropriate for ages 3-6.

Reviewed from library copy.

Elsie’s Bird: Prairie Perfection

| Tasha

Elsie’s Bird by Jane Yolen, illustrated by David Small

Elsie had lived in Boston all of her life.  She loved its curving streets, the horses hooves clopping on the roads, and she loved the birds that sing.  She even sang their songs back to them.  But after her mother died, her father decided to head west to Nebraska.  The two of them took a train out west, accompanied by Elsie’s new canary named Timmy Tune.  When they reached Nebraska with its wide open prairie and silence, Elsie was overwhelmed by the vastness around her.  She stayed in their sod house, only Timmy Tune bringing a smile to her face.  Then one day when her father was gone, she accidentally left Timmy Tune’s cage door open and he escaped outside.  Now Elsie had to decide whether to stay safe indoors or entre the overwhelming prairie to save her friend.

Yolen’s verse here is exceptional.  She captures Elsie’s feelings honestly, managing even in the format of a picture book to show Elsie’s perspective rather than tell it.  When Elsie discovers the beauty of the prairie for herself, the words descriptions of the noises she hears are crystalline and wondrous.  Yolen’s use of the lack of sound to impart the way that Elsie is overwhelmed is very well done.  Readers themselves will hear the sudden clamor of sounds as she realizes that the prairie is far from empty. 

Small’s watercolor illustrations are filled with movement, whether it is a moving train or blowing blades of grass.  He captures the wind, the vastness of the prairie and the mood in each illustration.  As Elsie enters the prairie, the images of the tall blades of grass that threaten her safe return are dark, tangled and mysterious.  Then when she realizes the beauty of the prairie, the sky opens wide and bright and the grass is bedecked in blooms.  His illustrations are truly married to the story, managing to capture in pictures what Yolen has written with sounds.

Highly recommended, this is a book that has great historical interest and a superb story line.  Appropriate for ages 5-7.

Reviewed from library copy.

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Jane Yolen’s 300th Book!

| Tasha

The amazing Jane Yolen has just had her 300th book published!  What impresses me most about that is what a high quality level she has maintained.  I have her latest, Elsie’s Bird on my too-read pile right now and am really looking forward to it.

Huffington Post has a piece by Yolen about the books she has written, whether she remembers writing them all, and the key to her writing:

The two keywords here are passion and joy. I simply have a passion for writing and I do it with joy. How any writer gets through that amount of words without passion and joy, I simply don’t know. Isaac Asimov once said, "If the doctor told me I only had six more minutes to live, I’d type faster." I understand that feeling, here, resonating under the breastbone.

Here’s to another hundred!

The Blue House Dog – A Gentle Heart-Felt Read

| Tasha

The Blue House Dog by Deborah Blumenthal, illustrated by Adam Gustavson

After Bones’ owner dies, he is left to fend for himself on the streets.  He sleeps under bushes, avoids the cars driving around, and forages for food.  Cody, a boy in the neighborhood who recently lost his own dog, notices Bones wandering around and feeds him scraps.  But Bones is very skittish and shy.  Slowly Cody begins to be able to touch Bones, then works day after day to get Bones to enter the house.  Slowly Bones begins to bond with this new human, trust and friendship blooming like the daffodils at his old house. 

Blumenthal has created a gentle story that will work its way into your heart.  It is written with a tenderness that is apparent throughout.  There are moments where the feeling of loss is very strong, others where the moments of connection are impressive.  This is a book that brings emotions up, yet never becomes too overly negative for young sensitive children.

Gustavson’s illustrations are done in oil.  They have a lovely velvety texture and rich colors.  He has nicely chosen the best moments of the text, where the emotion is highest, where the tension of the building friendship is evident.  His illustrations use changing perspectives to show us what is happening with a welcome clarity.

A gentle and profound story of a boy finding his dog.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Peachtree.

Kindergarten Cat

| Tasha

Kindergarten Cat by J. Patrick Lewis, illustrated by Ailie Busby

When a kitten is found outside by the jungle gym, she is taken into the Kindergarten classroom.  They name her Tinker Toy and welcome her to the class.  She joins right in with the Kindergarten activities.  She even answers questions with a loud Me-ow.  When the children head out for recess, she makes a nice napping spot in the paintbrush drawer.  And when they go home in the afternoon, she stays in the classroom, tries to tidy up the markers, and then falls asleep on the capital C on a carpet square.  The entire book is a very friendly and charming way to show children what happens in a Kindergarten classroom.

This book is such an appeal package.  Lewis’ verse is kept very simple, making it ideal for sharing with young children.  The rhymes and rhythm keep the book moving along at a brisk pace that will keep young ears listening. 

Busby’s bright illustrations are equally engaging with their sunny palette.  The illustrations are done in collage allowing for interesting textures and patterns that add depth.  The round-faced people are from a variety of races, making for a modern classroom feel.

Although some will quibble about a pet being allowed in a school, the device really works well here.  Get this in the hands of hesitant Kindergarteners and Kindergarten teachers too.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Schwartz & Wade.

Also reviewed by:

Walden Then & Now – Slow Down and Enjoy

| Tasha

Walden

Walden Then & Now: An Alphabetical Tour of Henry Thoreau’s Pond by Michael McCurdy

McCurdy has outdone himself in this latest book featuring his woodcut illustrations.  This book is an alphabet book that is not for preschoolers but perfect for elementary children wanting to learn more about Thoreau and his time at Walden Pond.  Each letter of the alphabet is matched with a word from Thoreau’s book that illustrates some of the most important and basic tenets of his time in the woods.  Many of the letters stand for different creatures in the forest, but others are less tangible like J for joy and Q for quiet.  After each letter and the object it stands for, McCurdy summarizes why that object was important to Thoreau.  It is here that the philosophy and point of view become very clear even to young readers.

What can one say about a master illustrator like McCurdy?  His illustrations feel so right paired with Thoreau as a subject matter.  It may be the timeless nature of the woodcut but it is also the simplicity of the illustrations that work so very well.  Many of the illustrations stopped me for a time and I lingered just with the image for a bit.  They so capture moments and bring one directly back to Walden Pond.

The text of the book is successful as well as it hearkens back directly to Thoreau as well.  Thoreau’s own journey is written clearly and thoughtfully.  By lingering on the things that he lived with during his time in the woods, readers will discover how universal his journey was for all of us.

This is a thoughtful book that resonates with a love of solitude and nature.  Appropriate for ages 7-9.

Reviewed from copy received from Charlesbridge.

The book trailer captures the spirit of Thoreau and this book very nicely:

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Obama’s Children’s Book

| Tasha

President Obama will be releasing a children’s book on November 16th.  The book features 13 inspirational Americans including George Washington and Jackie Robinson.  Alfred A. Knopf will have a first printing of 500,000.  Any profits from the book for the President will be donated to a scholarship fund for children of fallen or disabled soldiers.

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Legend of the Guardians – Clip

| Tasha

I seem to be a sucker for flying moments set to lovely music.  I had tears streaming down my face in the flying portion of How to Train Your Dragon.   I know, I’m a sap.  Anyway, the latest clip from Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole has that same sort of flying + music moment.

So what do you think?  Will it do the very popular series proud?  I think it just might!

Thanks to Cinematical for the link.

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The Good Garden – Informative and Radiant

| Tasha

The Good Garden by Katie Smith Milway, illustrated by Sylvie Daigneault

The author of One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference continues to explore the impact of education and funding on poor communities.  Here, she has written a book about a farming family in Honduras who learn techniques that allow them to grow enough food to feed themselves and earn enough money to secure a positive future for the family.  Maria Luz and her family have run out of food so her father must head out of town to find enough work to pay for the seed to plant next year because they will have to consume what they would have saved.  He leaves Maria Luz in charge of the garden while he is gone.  At school, she learns about compost, terrace gardening, and other ways to keep the soil fertile.  When her father returns, he is surprised by her success.  He and Maria Luz work with her teacher to avoid selling their produce to the local coyote and instead sell it themselves at a market and purchase seeds themselves.  Through one man’s efforts to educate, an entire village is transformed.

The author here has taken her subject very seriously, as is appropriate.  The text is lengthy for a picture book, but helps explain the impact of food insecurity around the world.  While this is not a picture book to add to a story time, it will be of value for elementary children who are learning about the world, gardening and food.  It is a book that teaches and informs.  Smith Milway’s text does not shy away from the control of the coyote, the fear of starvation, or the loss of families who leave to live elsewhere.  Her words convey it all with a seriousness and gentleness that is lovely to read.

Daigneault’s illustrations seem to glow with an inner sun.  Her use of colors is dynamic at times and subtle at others.  In all of her pictures, there are flowing lines that help depict the beauty of the Honduran landscape.  The illustrations help bring the text to life, making the book even more appealing.

An important book for children to better understand the world they live in, this book is informative and radiant.  Appropriate for ages 6-9.

Reviewed from copy received from Kids Can Press.

You can visit The Good Garden website at: http://www.thegoodgarden.org/ where you can learn, play or help make a difference.

And check out the book trailer:

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