Review: Little Red Writing by Joan Holub

October 3, 2013 | Tasha

Little Red Writing by Joan Holub, illustrated by Melissa Sweet

This is a fresh version of Little Red Riding Hood. Here Little Red is a pencil and her assignment in school is to write a story, even though it can be quite dangerous. Her teacher gives her a basket of words to use in case of an emergency, but also warns her to stick to her basic story so that she doesn’t get lost. Little Red starts writing but soon tries to add more excitement to her story. Before she knows it, she has bounced right off of the page and into a forest. It’s a forest full of description, but that’s also something that can bog down a story. Little Red has to use a word from her basket to get free. More perils follow with sentences that run on, abandoned punctuation, and a growling voice and twirly tail that lead right to the principal’s office. It is up to Little Red to both be a hero and finish her story.

Holub has written a very engaging new version of Little Red Riding Hood. She successfully ties in tips on writing, not allowing them to force her to leave the basic story path. Her writing is entirely engaging, the format of the story writing works well and she weaves the classic elements of the tale into this one so that it is different but still recognizable.

Sweet’s illustrations are done in her signature combination of cut paper and drawings. Her bright colors add much to the liveliness of the book. She uses the cut paper to good effect throughout, allowing them to set aside important parts of the book as well as using fonts of various styles to really make the book stand out.

A great pick for writing units, this is one of the best changed-up Red Riding Hoods that I’ve seen. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Chronicle Books.

Review: Mr. Wuffles by David Wiesner

October 3, 2013 | Tasha

Mr. Wuffles by David Wiesner

The masterful Wiesner returns with another near-wordless picture book. Mr. Wuffles is a cat who disdains most of the toys his master gets him. Then one object gets his attention, a little metallic spaceship. But this is not a toy! It is filled with tiny aliens who are battered by being flung around by Mr. Wuffles. Their equipment is damaged and they have to leave their ship and head out looking for help. But Mr. Wuffles is close behind them and who can the aliens turn to for aid?

This is a magnificent picture book that turns from a normal cat picture book into something much more interesting. Wiesner has created a book that bridges genres effortlessly. He also has created a wordless picture book that never seems to be missing them. His story flows organically and is never forced. It has touches of humor throughout especially where Mr. Wuffles himself is concerned. I particularly enjoy the rows of untouched toys with price tags still attached that he walks past.

Wiesner’s art is as strong as ever. He pays attention to details both in the human home and later when the aliens arrive. The juxtaposition of the aliens with the insects of the home is particularly well done. The addition of cave paintings as communication is a delight.

Beautiful and funny this is a wordless masterpiece. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo

October 2, 2013 | Tasha

Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by K. G. Campbell

Flora is a self-proclaimed cynic who hated romance but loved comic books. It was the sound of the new vacuum cleaner that interrupted her superhero reading and she made it to the window in time to see her mother swept right off her feet by the power of the vacuum cleaner. Then the vacuum headed straight for a squirrel. The squirrel didn’t see it coming, but Flora did and she raced down to see if he could be saved. The squirrel survived, a lot more bald than he had been, and was now named Ulysses. Flora knew just what to do, since she spent a lot of time also reading the comic Terrible Things Can Happen to You! This new friendship between girl and squirrel was made even more special by the superhero powers that Ulysses developed after his accident. But life is not simple for a superhero squirrel and his human sidekick as they quickly find out.

DiCamillo has created yet another incredible read. She manages to write such very different and distinct books from one another, making each one a delight and a surprise to pick up and open. Here she manages to create a superhero book that will appeal to both fans of comics and non-fans. I personally appreciate a book that has a female protagonist who loves comics. The addition of a furry creature as a main character is also wonderful. Ulysses manages to be both a full-fledged character but also remain primarily an animal. All of this speaks to the skill of the writer and her ability to create honest characters even from absurd and hilarious situations.

Interspersed throughout the book are comic panels that tell some of the story. The book begins with one of these introducing the vacuum cleaner and Flora’s parents. Done in black and white, the comic panels are very funny and add just the right tribute to comics.

A great read-aloud, this unlikely superhero pair are sure to fly off the shelves. Appropriate for ages 8-12.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: The Beginner’s Guide to Running Away from Home by Jennifer Larue Huget

October 2, 2013 | Tasha

The Beginner’s Guide to Running Away from Home by Jennifer Larue Huget, illustrated by Red Nose Studio

This book is a humorous look at running away from home done in the format of an instructional booklet on how exactly to run away. First you have to find a reason for running away, perhaps a new baby, or your older brother can stay up later than you, or your mother threw away your candy wrapper collection. Then you have to pack, make sure to take plenty of snacks including gum, that way you won’t need a toothbrush. Then comes the farewell note. Make it sad enough that your parents will cry when they find it. Now you need to figure out where to live. Keep walking until you can’t see your house anymore, then stop for a snack. And think about living in the park forever, or if living with a friend would be better than at home. But don’t think about what you like about your family at all or you might find yourself running back home.

Huget’s tone is perfect in her text. She manages to be humorous about the situation but also not dismissive of the feelings that the child has. Her wording works very nicely aloud, making this a book that is best shared and giggled at together.

Red Nose Studio, the illustrators of Here Comes the Garbage Barge, continue with their signature 3-D figures. They use perspective very cleverly here, offering different levels of focus that show speed and point the eye to where they want you to look first. The result are illustrations that are unique and dynamic.

Thanks to the humor and the illustrations, this is a book about running away that is worth seeking out. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Random House Children’s Books.

Review: Is It Big or Is It Little? by Claudia Rueda

October 1, 2013 | Tasha

Is It Big or Is It Little? by Claudia Rueda

Explore opposites and perspective in this little book. It is the story of a mouse and a cat, who chase across the pages, changing the perspective the reader sees from on each page. Is the ball of yarn big as seen by the mouse? Or is it little when seen by the cat? Deep water for the mouse becomes shallow when the cat heads in. Light objects for the mouse are heavy for ants. And even the most scary creature can also be scared themselves.

Rueda’s text is done in simple questions that show the opposite concepts clearly. The real draw of this book are the illustrations which have a minimalism that is very appealing. Done entirely in grays, black and orange, the illustrations have a pop edge to them that is both graphically pleasing and has great touches of humor.

Bright and bold, this book approaches opposites and perspective with a clever storyline and elegant illustrations. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.

Review: Where Do We Go When We Disappear? by Isabel Minhos Martins

October 1, 2013 | Tasha

Where Do We Go When We Disappear? by Isabel Minhos Martins and Madalena Matoso

I recently reviewed My Neighbor Is a Dog, another new book by this author and illustrator duo. In this book, the question of where people and things go when they disappear is explored thoroughly. The result is a book that asks big questions and attempts to answer them or at least provide a framework to answer them. The book begins with people disappearing and the idea that you must be missed in order to disappear, so disappearing takes two. Then it moves on to other things that disappear like sunshine and clouds, socks and puddles, snow and noise. It ends with the fact that everything disappears, even the most solid things like rocks over time will disappear.

Translated from the Portuguese original, this book is thought provoking and fascinating. Martins manages to right a book about big questions that answers them in a way that is exploratory and insightful and doesn’t turn quickly to a religious answer. Instead she stays in the questioning place, allowing different ideas to surface and be discussed. She does not provide any easy answers, meeting children right where they want the discussion to stay, where it leads to more and more questions.

Matoso’s illustrations are vibrantly colored and filled with strong shapes. They appear to be block printed which adds to the organic feel. She uses negative space brilliantly. One example is her snow image with the background white and the flakes cut out circles that merge directly into the white and stand out against the other bright objects.

Challenging, thought-provoking and a book that will inspire discussion and help children find their own answers. Appropriate for ages 5-7.

Reviewed from library copy.