Month: December 2014

Norman Bridwell Dies

| Tasha

The original, 1963 cover of Clifford the Big Red Dog. "[I] was shocked when it was accepted for publication, because I'd never written anything before," says Norman Bridwell.

The creator of the beloved Clifford series has died at age 86.  Clifford himself is over 50 years old, though one can’t see a hair of gray in his bright red fur. 

From NPR:

"Norman Bridwell’s books about Clifford, childhood’s most lovable dog, could only have been written by a gentle man with a great sense of humor," Scholastic president and CEO Dick Robinson said. "Norman personified the values that we as parents and educators hope to communicate to our children – kindness, compassion, helpfulness, gratitude."

As the AP notes, "Clifford became standard nighttime reading for countless families and a money machine for publisher Scholastic Inc. Spinoffs include cartoons with John Ritter as the voice of Clifford and future Hunger Games novelist Suzanne Collins among the script writers."

Review: Betty Goes Bananas by Steve Antony

| Tasha

betty goes bananas

Betty Goes Bananas by Steve Antony

Released December 23, 2014.

Betty is a gorilla and being a gorilla, she loves bananas.  So when she finds one on the ground, she wants to eat it so much.  But she can’t open it, even with her teeth, or her feet!  So what is a little gorilla to do?  Well, Betty throws a fit and cries and screams.  Then she calms down and Mr. Toucan tells her that there is no need to act like that, he will show her how to peel the banana.  And he does.  But Betty had wanted to peel it herself.  And she starts once again to cry and scream and kick.  Mr. Toucan stays and waits for her to calm down again, telling her that she can peel the next banana she finds.  Betty is happy and is about to finally eat the banana.  When it breaks.  And I bet you can guess what she does next!

This is a rather merry book about the strong emotions that come with being a toddler.  Betty is a jolly little gorilla until she is disappointed, something that children and adults alike will recognize immediately.  The addition of Mr. Toucan as an adult figure works well here, and I appreciate that he allows Betty to calm down before simply telling her that there is no need for her to act that way.  The entire book is filled with humor, from the splendid temper tantrums that have a rhythm and repetition all their own, to the believability of the various things that set Betty off.  It’s well paced and nicely timed with gorgeous pauses built in before the tantrums.

Antony’s art adds much to the appeal of the book.  The bulk of the book is done with sunshine yellow backgrounds, while the tantrum sections are a bright red.  Little Betty does actually throw herself on the ground, kick her feet and scream!  Her emotions are clear and young readers will enjoy seeing her throw her tantrums and recover too.

Dynamic, funny and oh so appropriate for toddlers, this picture book will be enjoyed by those who throw tantrums as well as those who don’t.  Appropriate for ages 1-3.

Reviewed from copy received from Schwartz & Wade.

Review: The King and the Magician by Jorge Bucay

| Tasha

king and the magician

The King and the Magician by Jorge Bucay, illustrated by Gusti

There once was a powerful king who asked his subjects who the most powerful man in the kingdom was, and they replied that he was, of course.  The one day, the King heard about a man who had a different power than he had, a humble magician who had the power to predict the future.  Even worse, the King discovered that the magician was well respected and beloved.  So the King called the Magician before him after devising an evil plan.  He would ask the Magician if he could really tell the future.  If the Magician answered “No” then he proved he had no power.  If he answered “Yes” then the King would ask him to predict his own death.  Either way, the King would immediately kill him.  But then a strange thing happened and the Magician declared that he could see the future and that he would die at the same time as the King.  Suddenly, the King’s plan meant nothing.  He could not kill the Magician without hurting himself.  So instead he started protecting the Magician.  Still, the Magician had much more to teach him, if the King would listen.

Bucay has created a picture book that has depths to it.  It is a fairy tale of a king and a magician but it is also about creating one’s fate, listening to wisdom and being willing to change.  It is a book that continues even after some may have ended it with the Magician ensconced in luxury and being protected by the King.  Happily, it doesn’t end there, because the more profound part of the story follows when the relationship between the two men burgeons into friendship and deep caring for one another.  It is a story of how enemies become friends, how power can be used for good.  In a word, it’s exceptional.

Gusti’s illustrations add to that feeling of a very rich and amazing read.  Using paint and collage, the illustrations have a still regal bearing.  There is a strength and solidity to them that grounds this story, making it more realistic.  There are also touches of whimsy, like the teddy bear that accompanies the powerful king everywhere. 

Strong, enchanting and profound, this picture book will start discussions about power, enemies and truth.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: The Swallow by Charis Cotter

| Tasha

swallow

The Swallow: A Ghost Story by Charis Cotter

Set in Toronto in the sixties, this book is about two lonely girls living in homes that attach to one another.  Polly has a huge family with foster siblings too.  She feels ignored by all of them, though she can’t get away from her twin brothers and their noise.  That’s how she finds her way into the attic as a safe place away from the bustle of her family.  Polly has always wanted to meet a ghost, which is why she thinks that Rose is a ghost the first time she hears her singing in her neighboring attic.  But Rose turns out to be a real girl, who just happens to look very ghostlike too.  Rose has always been able to see ghosts, and she hates it since they never leave her alone.  Rose spends a lot of her days alone, no one at school talks to her, her parents are very busy business people, and the housekeeper ignores her.  So the two girls quickly form a close friendship, made even closer by the frightening ghost that looks just like Rose and who threatens Polly’s life.  Can the two girls figure out who this ghost is and what she wants?

I seem to be on a roll with Canadian children’s book authors lately, and this is another wonderful Canadian read.  Cotter creates a mystery inside a ghost story that twists and turns delightfully along the way.  Readers will think they have it all figured out and then the story will change.  Yet somehow Cotter makes it all work and in the end the entire novel makes great sense, enough that readers will want to start again to see the clues they may have missed.

The writing here is exceptional.  Cotter writes with a confident voice, one that allows each of these girls to be entire unique.  The two of them are quite different from one another, each clearly resulting from their very divergent upbringings.  The friendship also reads as real with small arguments happening regularly and the two girls having to repair these small issues.  Through the entire book there is a wonderful ghostly presence, a feeling of being in a real place but one unseen by others.  It’s a place that is a delight to visit.

Perfect for reading under the covers with a flashlight, this strong ghost story is both entertaining and riveting.  Appropriate for ages 9-12.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: Blue on Blue by Dianne White

| Tasha

blue on blue

Blue on Blue by Dianne White, illustrated by Beth Krommes

On a family farm, the day starts out with bright sunshine and laundry drying on the line.  Soon though, clouds move in and the weather changes, becoming colder.  The rain starts to fall and it falls for a long time, combined with thunder and lightning.  When the rain slows, the dogs and the little girl head outside, discovering along with the pigs the joy of muddy play in the sunshine.  Sun sets and baths are given.  The night ends with the sparkle of stars in the night sky and everyone tucked into bed except for the whales jumping in the moonlight.

Told in very simple poetry, this picture book shines and shimmers on the page.  White’s poem captures the wildness of a summer storm, the feeling of the endlessness of the rain, and then the slow return to sunshine and warmth.  In particular, she creates that sense of impending storm beforehand as well as the slow pitter patter of the drops as they slow and then end.  Her poetry is complete accessible for even the smallest of children who will enjoy the repetition and the farm setting with all of the animals.

Krommes is a Caldecott-award winning illustrator.  Her scatchboard and watercolor illustrations are incredibly detailed and marvelously textured.  She creates a sense of place so clearly here, with the little house perched on the edge of the water, the whales jumping, and the farm.  Her detailed art plays homage to the simple things in the life, the cat on the other side of the screen door, a jumprope over a bedpost, abandoned umbrellas, and mud. 

This book is a joy and is a perfect springtime or summertime read when the big storms are blowing through.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Beach Lane Books.

Insurgent Trailer

| Tasha

Insurgent comes to theaters on March 20, 2015.  Here’s the trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suZcGoRLXkU

So what do you think?

This Week’s Tweets, Pins & Tumbls

| Tasha

Here are the links I shared on my Twitter, Pinterest, and Tumblr accounts this week that I think are cool:

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

Characters in children’s books are almost always white, and it’s a big problem – The Washington Post http://buff.ly/1AbfjpD #yalit

‘Harriet the Spy’ Park Hangout Honored as a Literary Landmark http://buff.ly/1646g0W #kidlit

How our children’s book about a gay superhero avoided the straightwash | The Guardian http://buff.ly/1smpHH0 #lgbt #kidlit

Jacqueline Woodson On Growing Up, Coming Out And Saying Hi To Strangers : Code Switch : NPR http://buff.ly/1sgtX0l #kidlit

What are the best children’s books on the true spirit of Christmas? | Children’s books | The Guardian http://buff.ly/1D3RI04 #kidlit

Why Amelia Bedelia Is Literally The Most Terrifying Character Ever – Dorkly Post http://buff.ly/1IGf10f #kidlit #humor

TEEN READS

Rainbow Rowell’s Next Is CARRY ON – EarlyWord – http://buff.ly/1z7YCwi #yalit

ReedPOP & We Need Diverse Books Team Up For BookCon – GalleyCat http://buff.ly/1IFvrWy #yalit

Stacked: "Best of 2014" in YA Fiction List Break Down http://buff.ly/1Abfp0C #yalit

YA Trilogies That Ended in 2014 (That You Should Read in 2015)| EricSmith | http://buff.ly/1zYDLL6 #yalit

More Best Book Lists

| Tasha

books-466083_1280

This time of year is filled with best book lists.  Here are some more that I haven’t mentioned yet:

Chicago Public Library’s librarians have published their list of the best books of 2014.  They offer lists of picture books, fiction for younger readers, informational books for younger readers, fiction for older readers, informational books for older readers, teen fiction, teen nonfiction and graphic novels.  There’s plenty to explore here!

The American Association for the Advancement of Science has announced the finalists for the 2015 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Children’s Science Books and the 2015 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Young Adults.  There are twelve finalists on the children’s list which includes both traditional science books and ones with a hands-on focus.  The young adult finalist list includes four titles.

NPR’s Book Concierge has their guide to 2014’s Great Reads.  You can browse categories like Kids’ Books and Young Adult among others.  I do enjoy that you can combine categories, so you can see books for teens that are fantasy or science fiction. 

Review: Supertruck by Stephen Savage

| Tasha

supertruck

Supertruck by Stephen Savage

There are many brave and hard-working trucks in the city.  There are trucks that help put out fires.  There are trucks that tow.  There are trucks that fix power lines.  And then there is the quiet little garbage truck that just picks up garbage.  Then one day a snow storm hits the city.  All of the trucks are stranded in the snow and unable to move.  All but one little truck, who takes off his glasses and trades in a snowplow.  The little garbage truck heads off to save the day! 

This very simple picture book has a radiant appeal to it.  It combines very cleverly the appeal of trucks and superheroes without it feeling forced at all.  With just the right amount of text for toddlers, even the youngest of children will find lots to love here. 

A lot of the appeal of this picture book is in the illustrations which are bold and colorful.  The boxy trucks are shown against silhouettes of the city, allowing them to really shine.  Perhaps the best touch are the large glasses on the garbage truck before he transforms into Supertruck.  Fans of Superman will find that little touch completely endearing.  And am I the only one who can see a line of toys coming straight out of these illustrations?

Clever, dynamic and heroic, this picture book will please little truck and superhero fans alike.  Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from copy received from Roaring Brook Press.