Month: January 2014

Review: A Book of Babies by Il Sung Na

| Tasha

book of babies

A Book of Babies by Il Sung Na

A duck takes readers on a tour of different sorts of animal babies.  The duck heads around the world, visiting baby lions, baby lizards, baby polar bears, and baby kangaroos among many others.   A trait of each baby is mentioned to distinguish them.  Baby zebras walk right away.  Fish are born with lots of brothers and sisters.  Seahorse fathers carry their babies in a pouch.  These small details add up to a kaleidoscope of different animals and offer lots of opportunities for parents to talk more about each animals as they share the book.

This author of The Book of Sleep always fills her books with rich illustrations.  Here her gentle poem carries the duck from one place to the next, but it is the illustrations that make this such a special gem.  Done in mixed media, they feature a variety of textured papers that become ice bergs, tree trunks and even the sky.  He manages to make colors that seem to emit light, glowing on the page. 

Perfect for toddler bedtimes, this book is radiant with baby animals.  Appropriate for ages 1-3.

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

Smart PJs – A Dumb Idea

| Tasha

This makes me want to scream, but I work in a library so I’m holding it in and only screaming here.  See if you have the same reaction:

For me it’s the idea of devices reading bedtime stories to children.  That’s what we have loving adults in our lives for.  Bedtime is a moment of connection, a way to show love and caring and compassion.  Sharing books that display our appreciation for nature, diversity, and life.

Soapbox dismounted.

Review: Henri’s Scissors by Jeanette Winter

| Tasha

henris scissors

Henri’s Scissors by Jeanette Winter

When Henri-Emile Matisse was a young boy, he longed to make art the way his mother did. So he drew as much as he could and then painted after receiving paints as a gift.  But when he was on old man, he had to remain in bed or a wheelchair and didn’t have the energy or ability to paint.  As he recovered, Matisse started to draw and then picked up a pair of scissors and started cutting paper.  Matisse started a second phase of his art career with assistants who painted pages for him to cut from, dreams of the shapes to cut out, and surrounded by the bright colors of his art.  He created a garden that he could visit right from his bed. 

Winter starts with Matisse as a boy finding art and quickly moves the book to his paper cutting phase in the latter part of his life.  For a picture book biography, the text is very simple yet conveys his great attachment and gift for creating art.  It also speaks to the creative process and trying new things that fit with life’s limitations. 

Winter fills her book with bright colors both in Matisse’s art itself but also as the backgrounds to her images.  When Matisse is without art, the book becomes dark yet star-filled.  As he returns to creating pieces, the book lightens and blossoms visually.

A very successful picture book biography, this book will be welcome in elementary and preschool art classes.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Beach Lane Books.

This Week’s Tweets, Pins and Tumbls

| Tasha

Here are the links I shared on my Twitter, Pinterest, and Tumblr accounts this week that I hope you find interesting:

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CHILDREN’S LIT

Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales Come To Life In Eerie Photography Project http://buff.ly/JFuPq0 #kidlit

CCBlogC: Authors and the Terrible, Horrible, Very Bad, No Good Review http://buff.ly/KBf6Jk #kidlit

Dan Gutman on a career that he’s glad he fell into http://buff.ly/1a0gLhl #kidlit

Like a Winter Vortex, BOB 2014 Is Gathering Force — http://ow.ly/soCee SLJ’s Battle of the Books is Back! #sljbob @SLJsBoB

Matt Renwick’s Top Ten Takeaways from The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease | Nerdy Book Club http://buff.ly/1lwZfJy #kidlit

Monica Edinger’s List of Books About Africa – The Horn Book http://buff.ly/1dOoKma #kidlit

What Makes a Good Horse Book? – The Horn Book http://buff.ly/KEuKUc #kidlit

EBOOKS

Barnes & Noble announces abysmal holiday Nook sales | Internet & Media – CNET News http://buff.ly/KJBGPP #ebooks

Will an “All-You-Can-Read” service work? – Business Circle http://buff.ly/1ikWOXP #ebooks

LIBRARIES

Corinne Hill: LJ’s 2014 Librarian of the Year http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2014/01/awards/corinne-hill-ljs-2014-librarian-of-the-year/ …

Librarians Take On New Roles in the Digital Age (INFOGRAPHIC) | Frankie Rendón http://buff.ly/1cFXrcl #libraries

Minnesota librarians push to curb NSA snooping | Star Tribune http://buff.ly/JU0mnC – Proud to be a librarian! #libraries #nsa #privacy

Tacoma Public Library’s StoryLab opens up digital world | Tacoma | The News Tribune http://buff.ly/1a0iqU7 #libraries

The Top 10 Library Stories of 2013 http://buff.ly/1lwMbnt #libraries

SOCIAL MEDIA

Drinking from the Twitter firehose: I love the stream, but I need more filters and bridges — Tech News and Analysis http://buff.ly/KJVaUH

YA LIT

10 YA Releases We Can’t Wait to Read in 2014 http://buff.ly/1dVgvon #yalit

2014 YA Fiction Preview: 60 Titles for Your January – June Radar | BOOK RIOT – http://buff.ly/1ad6Bxl #yalit

BBC – Newsbeat – Five books being turned into films in 2014 http://buff.ly/1lwOOFO #yalit

The Compulsive Reader: Laurie Halse Anderson Talks About The Impossible Knife of Memory http://buff.ly/1aI8heP #yalit

Disney is giving the Star Wars comics license to Marvel in 2015 http://buff.ly/1cNS23U

‘I don’t want smut on the page’: Divergent author Veronica Roth on sex and teen fiction – The Independent http://buff.ly/1lwP5IM #yalit

Page to Screen: A Year’s Worth of New Adaptations | School Library Journal http://buff.ly/1lwZYKG #yalit

Review: 1000 Things about Holland by Jesse Goossens

| Tasha

holland 1000 things about holland 

Holland and 1000 Things about Holland by Jesse Goossens and Charlotte Dematons

Breathtakingly lovely, this is a unique way to approach explaining a country to children.  There are two volumes in this set and they must be read together but how you do that is up to you.  One volume, Holland, is all images of Holland showing different scenes and parts of the nation and culture.  The illustrations are large, two-page spreads filled with small details.  In the second volume, the details in the illustrations are explained.  Pulling out various elements of the images, many things are revealed from favorite foods to festivals to children’s book characters.  There are paragraphs on each element so that readers truly start to understand Holland. 

This book would not work in the same way without this format.  Taking the time to linger on images makes for almost a journey to Holland as if you are gazing out a window and taking it all in.  Then when you begin to wonder about something, you can turn to your guidebook and see what it is with wonderful details.  But it is that first immersion visually that makes the entire set work so well and be so compelling. 

A wondrous visit to Holland, this book set demonstrates why innovation in children’s book making is so important.  Appropriate for ages 8-12.

Reviewed from copies received from Myrick Marketing & Media.

Review: Come Back, Moon by David Kherdian

| Tasha

come back moon

Come Back, Moon by David Kherdian, illustrated by Nonny Hogrogian

In this quiet book, Bear blames the moon for not being able to fall asleep.  So he pulls it out of the sky.  Fox notices that the moon is gone and so do Skunk, Opossum and Raccoon.  Crow asks Fox why he doesn’t know where the moon is, since he’s so clever.  So Fox takes them all to talk to Owl who is wise.  Owl knows where the moon is, since he saw Bear take it.  So they head off to retrieve the moon from Bear.  But how will they get it away from him?

This book has a wonderfully clear and simple story line that makes it ideal to use with toddlers.  It also has a deep quiet to it that will work for good bedtime or naptime reading.  Kherdian uses repetition throughout the story, having the different animals share ideas and echo back decisions. 

Hogrogian’s art also has that simple style.  She has wonderful images like the one on the cover that speak to the darkness and loss of the moon.  Her animals are realistically depicted and appear against white or tan backgrounds with few details. 

There is a place for quiet books for small children and this one has just enough activity to keep it moving too.  It would make a great board book.  Appropriate for ages 1-3.

Reviewed from copy received from Beach Lane Books.

2013 Best Teen Books

| Tasha

Here are my picks for the top books for teens in 2013.  Share yours in the comments!  Scroll down to the end to see my pick for book of the year too.

all the truth thats in me bird king black helicopters

All the Truth That’s in Me by Julie Berry

A great pick to book talk for teens, the premise of this historical novel should be more than enough to get teens to pick it up.  The writing and the mystery will keep them reading.

The Bird King: An Artist’s Notebook by Shaun Tan

This is a book to get in the hands of teens who enjoy art and writing, for it is a look at the unformed and the just formed.  It is a book of pure creativity and the creative process.  Beautiful.  Haunting.  Inspiring.

Black Helicopters by Blythe Woolston

Well written and carefully paced, this book is tantalizingly taut and thrilling.  In the end though, it is about a girl caught in a web of lies that she cannot see past.

boxers saints dark triumph

Boxers and Saints by Gene Luen Yang

Highly recommended, this graphic novel duo has a place in every library collection.  Its violence and questions about faith, duty and responsibility make it a good choice for teens and tweens.

Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers

A killer book, this is a strong sophomore book in a riveting series.  Not for the faint of heart, this book has abuse, murder and true tragedies in its pages.

eleanor and park engines of the broken world fangirl

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Her book is just like first love.  It is stunning, honest and raw.  It is unforgettable.

Engines of the Broken World by Jason Vanhee

A horror book for teens, this is also something much more.  It is a beautifully written apocalypse that is harrowing, striking and powerful.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

Rowell does it again with this second book for teens.  Her writing voice is uniquely hers, so that her books could only be written by her.

fat angie forgive me leonard peacock freakboy

Fat Angie by E. E. Charlton-Trujillo

Beautifully written, dark and wildly funny, this book will have you crying, raging and cheering.

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

Harrowing, frightening and astonishingly hopeful, this book is a strong and passionate look at a boy willing to destroy everything, especially himself.

Freakboy by Kristin Elizabeth Clark

A powerful blazing novel that gives insight into teens struggling with gender variance and also offers a book where those teens can see themselves and a way forward.

Farizan_IfYouCouldBeMine_REV.indd just one day ketchup clouds

If You Could Be Mine by Sara Farizan

This book depicts in life in Iran but also offers a diverse look at GLBTQ issues in the Middle East.  With a piercingly strong heroine, it is a powerful pick for public library collections.

Just One Day by Gayle Forman

This exceptional teen novel is a whirlwind romantic trip to Europe that will have you wrapped up in its arms much faster than just one day.

Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher

This is a book that is burning and compelling.  It is a book that is beautifully honest, vibrantly written.  This is Zoe’s heart on a page in all of its wounds and glory.

little fish love in the time of global warming maggot moon

Little Fish by Ramsey Beyer

This is a very strong, dynamic look at the first year of college.  Teens will enjoy looking into their own future plans with a little laughter and lots of optimism.

Love in the Time of Global Warming by Francesca Lia Block

Block has created another amazing read in this book.  Her fans will rejoice at a new book from her, but this is also one that will create new fans.

Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner

This book defies description by genre and really is impossible to summarize well.  Let me just say that it is powerful, brutal and set in bleakness but never far from hope.

midwinterblood more than this openly straight

Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick

This compelling novel is amazing teen literature.  It has enough depth to be used in a classroom where the symbolism and incredible writing can be celebrated.  It is also a riveting combination of romance and horror that will thrill discriminating teen readers.

More Than This by Patrick Ness

Complex, gritty and profoundly beautiful, this book is a wonder of writing.  It is beyond inventive, taking readers to a place they never expected to find.  You are in the hands of a master storyteller here in one of his best books yet.

Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg

Beautifully written with wit and style, this book takes a new look at being gay and out.

picture me gone reality boy relish

Picture Me Gone by Meg Rosoff

A virtuoso book that is rather quiet, very thoughtful and filled with insights just like Mila herself.

Reality Boy by A. S. King

Gerald is a magnificent character, and the book is compelling and harrowing.

Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley

Funny and delicious, this book is sure to whet the appetite for more books by Knisley.  Get it into the hands of teens who enjoyed the books by Telgemeier.

sorrows knot two boys kissing

Sorrow’s Knot by Erin Bow

Unique and amazing, this book offers a fresh take on horror and an incredible teen heroine who faces death in many ways.

Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan

Beautifully written with strong characters and a brilliant concept, this book is breathtaking, just like a great kiss should be.  It is also easily my pick for book of the year.

2013 Costa Award Winner

| Tasha

Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse

The 2013 Costa Award category winners have been announced.  The winner for the children’s book category is Chris Riddell for Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse.  All category winners now go on to compete for the overall prize.

Review: Wild by Emily Hughes

| Tasha

wild

Wild by Emily Hughes

When the baby girl was found in the woods by the animals, the entire woods took her in.  Bird taught her to talk.  Bear taught her to fish.  Fox taught her how to play.  Everything was good, until she met some people in the woods.  They took her home with them.  A famous psychiatrist took her in and tried to make her civilized.  They combed her hair, tried to teach her to speak, frowned at her table manners and didn’t appreciate the way she played.  Everything they did was wrong.  The girl was not happy at all.  But then one day, she found her wild once more. 

Told only in brief sentences, Hughes lets her art tell much of the story here.  And what a glorious story it is.  It’s the story of a child perfectly at home in the wild and with the animals.  She doesn’t long for society or civilization in any way.  She’s the opposite of many classic book characters like Curious George.  She rejects the rules and substitutes her own.

The art has a wonderful wild quality as well.  It is lush and filled with details.  The woods have a flowing green that is mesmerizing.  Once the humans enter the story, things become more angular and rigid.  The return to the woods is beautiful and completely satisfying. 

Hughes has tapped into what every child dreams of, living in the woods with the animals and thriving.  Everyone who reads this will want to be wild themselves.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from library copy.