Month: April 2013

Review: Ten Things I Love about You by Daniel Kirk

| Tasha

ten things i love about you

Ten Things I Love about You by Daniel Kirk

Rabbit and Pig are great friends.  So Rabbit decides to make a list of ten things that he loves about Pig.  Rabbit comes up with the first one all on his own: Number 1 – I love Pig because he is very pink.  Then he turns to Pig for help, but Pig is busy doing something else.  Rabbit figures out Number 2, I love Pig because he knows how to keep busy.  As time goes by, Rabbit continues to fill his list as Pig reacts to Rabbit’s visits and questions.  But Pig is getting more and more frustrated with the interruptions.  Finally, Rabbit’s list is complete and Pig has a surprise in turn for Rabbit.

Told entirely in dialogue, this is a picture book that begs to be read aloud.  Because of the way it’s written, the humor is highlighted clearly for young readers.  The pacing too is impacted by the format with a dashing briskness that is very refreshing.  Kirk’s illustrations are very modern.  They were made by scanning ink drawings and painted plywood panels into the computer and then texture and color were added with Photoshop.  They have a wonderful rustic edge to both the images themselves and also the edges of the plywood.  It adds an organic warmth to the story.

Add this one to your friendship story times, Rabbit and Pig are sure to get along well with Frog and Toad as well as Elephant and Piggie.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Nancy Paulsen Books.

2013 Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Shortlist

| Tasha

CBCA

The CBCA Book of the Year Awards Shortlist has six titles in each of the categories except for the Information Books which has five.  Award winners will be announced on August 16, 2013.  Each category also has a list of Notables which can be seen here.

 

PICTURE BOOK SHORT LIST

The Coat A Day to Remember Herman and Rosie

The Coat by Julie Hunt, illustrated by Ron Brooks

A Day to Remember by Jackie French, illustrated by Mark Wilson

Herman and Rosie by Gus Gordon

Lightning Jack  Sophie Scott Goes South Tanglewood

Lightning Jack by Glenda Millard, illustrated by Patricia Mullins

Sophie Scott Goes South by Alison Lester

Tanglewood by Margaret Wild, illustrated by Vivienne Goodman

 

EARLY CHILDHOOD SHORT LIST

It's a miroocool! Peggy

It’s a Miroocool! by Christine Harris, illustrated by Ann James

Peggy by Anna Walker

Pros and Cons of Being a Frog The terrible suitcase

The Pros and Cons of Being a Frog by Sue DeGennaro

The Terrible Suitcase by Emma Allen, illustrated by Freya Blackwood

Too Many Elephants in this House With Nan

Too Many Elephants in This House by Ursula Dubosarsky, illustrated by Andrew Joyner

With Nan by Tania Cox, illustrated by Karen Blair

 

YOUNGER READERS SHORT LIST

After (Once, #4) The Children of the King Other Brother

After by Morris Gleitzman

Children of the King by Sonya Hartnett

Other Brother by Simon French

Pennies for Hitler Pookie Aleera is not my Boyfriend The Tender Moments of Saffron Silk

Pennies for Hitler by Jackie French

Pookie Aleera Is Not My Boyfriend by Steven Herrick

The Tender Moments of Saffron Silk by Glenda Millard, illustrated by Stephen Michael King

 

OLDER READERS SHORT LIST

Creepy and Maud Friday Brown The Ink Bridge

Creepy & Maud by Dianne Touchell

Friday Brown by Vikki Wakefield

The Ink Bridge by Neil Grant

Sea Hearts The Shiny Guys The Wrong Boy

Sea Hearts by Margo Lanagan (published as Brides of Rollrock Island in the US)

The Shiny Guys by Doug MacLeod

The Wrong Boy by Suzy Zail

 

EVE POWNALL AWARD FOR INFORMATION BOOKS SHORT LIST

Lyrebird! A true story Portrait of Spain for Kids Python

Lyrebird! A True Story by Jackie Kerin, illustrated by Peter Gouldthorpe

Portrait of Spain for Kids by Queensland Art Gallery

Python by Chistopher Cheng and Mark Jackson

Tom the Outback Mailman Topsy-turvy World : How Australian Animals Puzzled Early Explorers

Tom the Outback Mailman by Kristin Widenbach, illustrated by Timothy Ide

Topsy-turvy World: How Australian Animals Puzzled Early Explorers by Kirsty Murray

Review: All My Noble Dreams and Then What Happens by Gloria Whelan

| Tasha

all my noble dreams

All My Noble Dreams and Then What Happens by Gloria Whelan

This sequel to Small Acts of Amazing Courage continues Rosalind’s story.  Rosalind lives in British-controlled India.  She is the only daughter in a well-off family, though she avoids the Club and all of the other British girls there.  Instead she runs a small school for the village boys, one that is not government sanctioned and so can continue to run.  She is a follower of Gandhi, something her father certainly does not approve of.  He wouldn’t approve of the school either, but he doesn’t know about it.  The book also tells of what happened to Hari, the infant that Rosalind rescued in the first book and how her aunts are now doing living in India.  As Rosalind gets drawn further into British life, she finds her two worlds colliding and the question is how she will remain true to herself and the cause she believes in so fiercely.

I simply adored the first book in this series and am so happy to say that the second is just as wonderful.  Whelan captures the period of British rule in India very clearly, never flinching from the harsh realities of the period, including the injustices of the British, the selling of child brides for money, and the severe poverty brought on by the caste system.  It is a book that is filled with the dust and clamor of the streets, the laughter of close trusted friends, and the grandeur of a prince’s visit. 

Rosalind shows a lot of growth from one book to the next.  In the first book, she would rush headlong into trouble.  Here the trouble she gets into is still there, but much of it she walks into with her eyes open and understanding what she is doing.  She is a radiant character, filling the pages with her passion for change and her love of India.  It is Rosalind who carries the story, because one never knows quite what will happen to her next.

A worthy sequel to the first gem of a book, fans of the first will welcome this second story of Rosalind and India.  Appropriate for ages 12-16.

Reviewed from copy received from Simon & Schuster.

2013 Little Rebels Shortlist

| Tasha

The Alliance of Radical Booksellers has announced the four books shortlisted for the first annual Little Rebels Children’s Book Award.  The winner will be announced on May 11th, 2013.  I must say that I love a bit of radical children’s list and I haven’t read a single one on the list!

Here is the shortlist:

Azzi in Between Matilda and Hans

Azzi in Between by Sarah Garland

Hans and Matilda by Yokococo

The Terrible Thing That Happened to Barnaby Brocket Wild Child

The Terrible Thing That Happened to Barnaby Brocket by John Boyne, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers

Wild Child by Jeanne Willis, illustrated by Lorna Freytag

Review: Tiger in My Soup by Kashmira Sheth

| Tasha

tiger in my soup

Tiger in My Soup by Kashmira Sheth, illustrated by Jeffery Ebbeler

When a boy is left in the care of his big sister, all he wants her to do is read his book to him.  But she’s too busy reading her own book.  He tries to read his book on his own, but it isn’t the same.  She just keeps ignoring him until he asks for lunch.  Then she heats up some soup and gives him a bowl.  That’s when the action starts and a tiger comes out of the soup.  The boy battles him, stabbing him with a spoon and chasing him around the kitchen.  His sister continues to read, ignoring all of the ruckus.  It isn’t until the tiger is chased back into the soup that she agrees to read the book to him.  But wait, this book has a final toothy surprise.

Sheth has created a loving older sister who is just too caught up in her own book to have any time to spend with her younger brother.  It makes me very happy to see two siblings arguing over which book to read right then.  I also enjoyed the boy trying to read to himself, turning the book this way and that and even trying with his eyes closed.  Throughout the book there is a wonderful sense of playfulness.

Ebbeler’s illustrations are just as playful.  He plays with perspective especially in the outdoor scenes.  Then when the tiger arrives, he is wonderfully real, his fur stands on end, his claws threaten and his teeth gleam.  The action scenes are rivetingly fun, the escapades daring. 

Jaunty and devoted to reading, this book is a compelling mix of stories and action.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Peachtree Publishers.

Review: How to Be a Cat by Nikki McClure

| Tasha

how to be a cat

How to Be a Cat by Nikki McClure

Small Kitten follows the lead of Big Cat as they go through their day in this very simple picture book.  With just one word per page, the story is told more in the images than in the words.  The little kitten practices how to clean himself, how to hunt bugs and butterflies, and how to listen.  As the two of them explore the house and garden, the book shows a day filled with exploration and learning. 

Told through dynamic cut-paper art, this simple book has a powerful sense of style.  The images are black and white, cut from a single piece of paper with just a touch of blue at times.  Thanks to this, the images pop and would work well for sharing with groups of children.

Ideal for toddlers, this is a clear and beautiful look at feline fun.  Appropriate for ages 1-3.

Reviewed from library copy.

2013 Indies Book of the Year–Young Adult

| Tasha

The American Booksellers Association has announced the finalists for their awards.  Their awards celebrate the books that make indie booksellers great.  Winners will be announced on April 18th. 

FINALISTS FOR BOOK OF THE YEAR – YOUNG ADULT

Cinder (Lunar Chronicles, #1) Colin Fischer Every Day

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Colin Fischer by Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz

Every Day by David Levithan

The Fault in Our Stars Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassin, #1) Seraphina (Seraphina, #1)

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

2013 Indies Choice–Picture Book Hall of Fame

| Tasha

The American Booksellers Association has announced the finalists for their awards.  Their awards celebrate the books that make indie booksellers great as well as the great read aloud books.  Winners will be announced on April 18th.  There will be one winner in each category except the Picture Book Hall of Fame below where three books will be inducted.

PICTURE BOOK HALL OF FAME FINALISTS

Bread and Jam for Frances Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? Caps for Sale

Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban, illustrated by Lillian Hoban

Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr. and Eric Carle

Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobokina

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Good Night, Gorilla

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault, illustrated by Lois Ehlert

Goodnight Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann

Harold and the Purple Crayon If You Give a Mouse a Cookie Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse

Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff

Lily’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes

815234 Stellaluna

The Napping House by Audrey Wood

Stellaluna by Janelle Cannon

Strega Nona The True Story of the Three Little Pigs

Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Lane Smith

Review: The Garden of My Imaan by Farhana Zia

| Tasha

garden of my imaan

The Garden of My Imaan by Farhana Zia

Aliya is different than the other kids in her class because she’s Muslim.  She does all she can to fit in, but that means she doesn’t stand up to the kids who pick on her or even talk to the cute boy she likes.  Then Marwa moves to their town and she is in the same grade as Aliya.  Marwa is also Muslim and wears the hijab or head scarf.  Marwa also does not just put up with the teasing of others and appears to Aliya to be much more confident than Aliya personally feels.  Aliya starts to write letters to Allah which start out as just complaints at first and then lead to something more: action.  As Aliya begins to deal with her own insecurities, she discovers that the world is much more accepting of differences if they are handled with confidence.

Zia has created a universal story with a Muslim heroine.  Children of all faiths will recognize themselves in these pages.  They will have struggled with teasing and bullying, they will have tried too hard to fit in, they will have not liked someone at first and then learned to like them.  Zia incorporates details about Zia’s Indian culture, her faith, and her family traditions with great skill, handily defining things with skill and ease.

It is wonderful to see a young heroine whose life includes cute boys but is not driven by it.  Faith, family and friendship are really at the heart of this novel, but Aliya is definitely a young girl too.  She struggles with issues in a way that shows definite growth in a natural way.  Zia writes with a wonderful lightness that makes this book an effortless read. 

Filled with giggles between girlfriends, this book reveals the warmth of family and faith in a completely approachable and joyful way.  Appropriate for ages 9-12.

Reviewed from copy received from Peachtree Publishers.