Month: July 2011

Book Review: Hourglass by Myra McEntire

| Tasha

hourglass

Hourglass by Myra McEntire

Emerson wants to be cured more than anything!  That way she can stop seeing the ghosts around her and start being normal.  The visions have plagued her since before her parents’ death but now they seem to be getting larger and one, who calls himself Jack, even talks directly to her.  So when her brother hires another consultant to try to cure her, Emerson agrees.  She didn’t expect to find a consultant who is not only completely hot, but who also understands her situation so completely.  As Emerson finds herself electrically drawn to the dark, mysterious Michael, she also wonders about the mysterious Hourglass organization he works for.  This mysterious, romantic and paranormal read mixes science fiction and fantasy into our modern world.

The cover on this book captured me immediately.  Happily, the gorgeous cover and its unusual feel work very well for the book.  The book has the same sort of modern but off-kilter beauty about it.  Though this is McIntire’s debut novel, it never feels that way.  She has created a book that has a maturity about it, especially in its world building and its characters.

Emerson is a very strong protagonist who is petite, powerful and gifted.  Her sarcasm elevates the book with its humor, keeping it modern and fresh.   Emerson is flawed too, very aware of her own fragility after her parents’ death, and never willing to share more than she has to with people.  Readers will relate to her effortlessly.

The world McEntire has created is our own but features people with unusual gifts.  While some of the gifts are only hinted at, others come only to full fruition when shared with others.  It creates a world of power but only when people work together.  In this way, it pushes Emerson personally to see if she will be willing to be that open.  The tension this creates is inherent to the success of the novel.

In a market filled with paranormal novels, this is one that you should definitely find time for.  It’s a gripping, mysterious read filled with plenty of romance.  Appropriate for ages 14-17.

Reviewed from copy received from Egmont.

Also reviewed by many other blogs.

New Movie Trailers

| Tasha

Discovered two trailers for upcoming movies that I’m very excited to see!

The first is a trailer for Hugo, the Martin Scorsese film based on The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick.

 

 

The second is a trailer for Arrietty, a film by the amazing Japanese animation studio, Studio Ghibli, that did Totoro, Ponyo and many others.  It is based on The Borrowers by Mary Norton.

 

Book Review: All the Water in the World by George Ella Lyon

| Tasha

All the Water

All the Water in the World by George Ella Lyon and Katherine Tillotson

“All the water in the world is all the water in the world” is the sentence that starts this picture book.  It tells the story of water through a poem, explaining where water comes from, the water cycle, and the importance of water for life on earth.  This is a celebration of water, from the puddles on the ground, to the grand storms, to the rivers and the clouds. 

Lyon’s words match the subject matter, which is delightful.  They drip from faucets steady and slow, they clump as clouds and fall as rain, they flow and dance.  Throughout the poem, the reader is referred to as “honey” which gives the poem a personal and homey feel where it could have been cool and remote.

Tillotson’s illustrations are done digitally and have the feel of watercolor mixed with collage.  Natural splashes of color mix winningly with straight edges.  The illustrations of the desert are also very successful, offering a clear contrast from the blues of water with the yellows of sand. 

Celebrate water and the environment with this refreshing book that explains the science clearly and also lifts it into poetic beauty.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Atheneum Books.

Also reviewed by

Book Review: Hopper and Wilson by Maria van Lieshout

| Tasha

hopper and wilson

Hopper and Wilson by Maria van Lieshout

Hopper and Wilson try to imagine what is on the other side of the big sea.  Wilson, the mouse, thinks there will be lots of lemonade there.  Hopper, the elephant, imagines a staircase to the moon!  So they decide to head out in their boat and see what actually is on the other side of the sea.  They bring their red balloon with them too.  They sail through the day and night, until they are awoken by rain and wind.  Soon the waves are huge and dangerous.  When the sea calms, Wilson is alone in the boat.  As he sails on alone, he asks animals if they have seen Hopper, but neither the turtles, nor the penguins, nor the whale had seen him.  Finally, Wilson sees a bird with a familiar red thread and discovers Hopper afloat on the balloon.  Happily after that they reach the other side of the sea.  And there they find they are home, what luck that home is at both the end and the beginning of the world.

This is a warm and lovely book about friendship and the meaning of home.  It has a great adventure at its center too.  Van Lieshout’s writing is friendly and welcoming.  There are small, sweet touches like the two characters saying farewell to their pet cactus before heading out, the reaction when the friends are reunited, and the moment they discover they are back home again.  This all adds up to a story that has a genuine heart.

A large part of the appeal of the book are the illustrations.  They are done in a mix of watercolors, ink, collage, colored pencil, crayon and acrylics “with some technology to pull it all together.”  They have the appealing liquidity of watercolors, the texture of pencil and crayon, and the deep black edges of ink. 

Highly recommended, this book has a radiant, timeless appeal.  Share it with your small adventurer who will also be happy to come back home at the end.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Philomel Books.

Also reviewed by On My Bookshelf… and You Know, For Kids.

Book Review: Itsy Mitsy Runs Away by Elanna Allen

| Tasha

itsy mitsy runs away

Itsy Mitsy Runs Away by Elanna Allen

Itsy Mitsy is a little girl who hates bedtime.  So much that she decides to run away.  Her Dad reminds her that she will need to pack, starting with a friend to make sure she’s not alone.  Mitsy packs her toy dinosaur, Mister Roar.  Then Dad reminds Mitsy that she will need food for her dinosaur.  So she packs a snack for him.  Dad remarks that Mister Roar is not the only one who likes bananas, in fact they could attract the Bedtime Beasties!  So Mitsy packs Puptart, her ferocious toy dog.  She packs a lamp for light on her way, but can’t get the outlet out of the wall for power.  So she does the only thing she can…She packs the entire house.  Now what to do with her Dad?

This very funny picture book does not take the expected story line at all.  Children will be amazed when Mitzi just keeps on packing, all the way to packing her house.  The sudden change to a book that is fantasy not reality, makes for a great twist that will take readers by complete surprise.  The writing is witty and gracefully written.  It reads aloud beautifully.

Allen’s art is a large part of the success of the book.  Mitzi is depicted in her shiny green alligator/monster suit with orange goggles.  The home around them done in blues and greys fades nicely to the background, but offers details.  Then the fantastic parts of the story are done in wild yellows and greens, adding to the twist of the tale.

A very funny, successful bedtime romp that takes readers on an unexpected journey.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Also reviewed by 5 Minutes for Books and Through the Looking Glass.

Book Review: At This Very Moment by Jim Arnosky

| Tasha

atthisverymoment

At This Very Moment by Jim Arnosky

Every moment that a child is doing something during their day, animals are doing things too.  This book reminds us to think about the entire world, even when doing something as normal as taking a drink.  A deer might be sipping from a stream at just the same moment.  When children are eating, animals are eating too, after catching their meals or gathering them.  As evening comes and children head to bed, animals are getting tired too and sleeping in their own ways and beds.  This is a gentle, reassuring book that celebrates our connections to nature, the environment, and the world at large.

Arnosky uses a gentle verse that is rhyming but also free to create the connections between children and the natural world.  The book begins by reminding readers that every single day there are amazing things happening, then it goes on to show that we are all part of those amazing moments.  It is a book that will have readers mindful of what they are doing and what that means in the larger world, without ever becoming didactic about it.  The endpaper of the book has Notes on Animals, explaining Arnosky’s connection with the animals he has depicted in the book.

Arnosky’s paintings are rich and deep, the colors ranging from yellows to deep blues and purples.  They all capture the natural world with a beauty and accuracy. 

This is a celebration of the connectivity of our world, one that children will relate to easily.  Appropriate for ages 5-8.

Reviewed from copy received from Dutton Children’s Books.

Book Review: Apples and Pumpkins by Anne Rockwell

| Tasha

applespumpkins

Apples and Pumpkins by Anne Rockwell, illustrated by Lizzy Rockwell

If the heat of summer is getting to you, you can always look ahead to the crispness of fall.  This new edition of the Rockwell classic keeps the same feel as the original.  It is the story of a little girl who heads off into the country to a farm to pick apples and pumpkins.  There they meet the geese, chickens and turkey who live on the farm.  They pick apples and the little girl carefully selects her pumpkin which she later carves into a jack-o-lantern.  The book ends with apples being given away on Halloween.

There is a timelessness to this story that adds to its broad appeal.  Rockwell’s words are simple and friendly, just as they were in the 1988 edition.  Her daughter’s art, done in watercolor, has the same timeless simplicity.  She celebrates the colors of autumn, but keeps the story at the center of the images.

A winning pick for an autumnal story time, you can’t miss with either edition.  Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from copy received from Simon & Schuster.

Book Review: The Little Little Girl with the Big Big Voice by Kristen Balouch

| Tasha

littlegirlbigvoice

The Little Little Girl with the Big Big Voice by Kristen Balouch

A little, little girl has a very loud voice.  She heads out looking for a friend to play with.  She searches the jungle, but her big voice scares the animals away.  First, an elephant run, then a snake, then a crocodile!  It’s not until she meets a very loud and very large lion and isn’t scared by his roar, that she makes a friend. 

Balouch has created a book that is bright, funny and loud.  Her text is simple and easily read aloud, loudly.  It has a rhythm that is natural and easy as well as a strong structure of repetition.  As the little girl meets each animal, there is the happy greeting and then the little girl opens her mouth.  Words in each encounter are bright colored and larger, so readers will know where the punch of sound belongs.

The illustrations are just as loud as the little girl.  Just like the cover, they are filled with hot pinks, oranges, zingy greens, and bright blues.  The noise waves, whenever the little girl talks, are depicted in circles of color emanating from her.  This adds to the color, motion and zip of the book.

A winning book about being different and finding acceptance without changing, this book is a readaloud win for any child who is loud themselves.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Simon & Schuster.

Book Review: Bee & Bird by Craig Frazier

| Tasha

beebird

Bee & Bird by Craig Frazier

A simple wordless story is made remarkable by bright, graphic illustrations.  This is the story of a bee and a bird and their journey, but what journey are they on?  They are in a tree, the tree is on a truck, and then could the truck be driving on the back of a cow?  Then there’s a boat on an ocean, that is actually a toy boat.  As perspectives shift, the epic adventure becomes more of a neighborhood jaunt.  It’s a trip that readers will happily make with the pair, finding surprises at almost every page turn.

Frazier, author of the wonderful Lots of Dots, has created another great book for children.  His vibrant illustrations use bold colors, strong shapes, and inventive perspectives to turn a normal day into a series of surprising twists.

Art teachers will embrace this book for its clear depiction of perspective.  At the same time, it is also a rocking picture book that young readers will equally enjoy.  Appropriate for ages 3-6, older when used to discuss perspective.

Reviewed from copy received from Roaring Brook Press.

Also reviewed by

Check out the book trailer for some of those perspective shifts: