Day: August 13, 2015

Review: I Yam a Donkey! by Cece Bell

| Tasha

I Yam a Donkey by Cece Bell

I Yam a Donkey! by Cece Bell (InfoSoup)

This silly little book is a read-aloud gem. A donkey declares on the cover “I yam a donkey!” But unfortunately, he’s speaking to a yam and a rather persnickety one at that. The yam can’t leave the donkey’s odd grammar alone, and tries to correct him, but that quickly devolves into a “Who’s on first” type of exchange where misunderstandings pile up and the silliness does too. When the yam finally manages to explain that he is not a donkey (as the donkey has been misunderstanding) but actually a yam and all of the other characters are also vegetables, the ending takes a deliciously dark turn.

Bell uses impeccable comedic timing to make this picture book work so well. The vaudeville like comedy works perfectly here, playing up the stodgy yam and the enthusiastically confused donkey. The two are divergent personalities and make for a book that is such a strong read aloud that you really can’t read it silently. It begs to be shared and done with exquisitely different and wild voices since it’s written entirely in dialogue.

Bell’s illustrations are large and funny. Again, the two characters are shown as very different and the donkey mistaken the rather wrinkly and orange yam as a donkey is made all the funnier thanks to the illustrations. The final twist is wonderful and will have children who are a little older than preschool enjoying the grammar jokes and the ending together.

Funny, wildly silly and completely satisfying, this picture book will work best with elementary aged children who will get the dark humor as well as the grammar jokes. Appropriate for ages 5-8.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: The Day Everything Went Wrong by Moritz Petz

| Tasha

Day Everything Went Wrong by Moritz Petz

The Day Everything Went Wrong by Moritz Petz, illustrated by Amelie Jackowski

When Badger wakes up one morning, he decides that he is only going to do things that he enjoys that day. But as he tries to get out of bed, he knocks over his lamp. Still in a good mood, he sits down to breakfast and his cup falls off the table and breaks. After breakfast, he can’t find his colored pencils. When he tries to spend time in his yard, he trips on a shovel and falls down, hurting his knee. He decides that the day is really rotten and heads off to see his friends. As he visits them, each one is having a bad day. Badger manages to help each of them feel better about their day, fixing what he can. But he still isn’t having a great day himself when he heads back home to find all of his friends there to make his day better in return.

This Swiss import has a gentleness that permeates the entire picture book. Though Badger is having a very bad day, readers will know that it’s all going to be alright just from the tone of the book. Young readers will recognize things that frustrate them in their own days, toys not working right, being unable to find things, and breaking things accidentally. Badger does not react in anger at any of this, feeling more sad and disappointed as his great day changes to a rotten one. The example that helping others will help your own day improve is definitely something worth reading about.

Jackowski’s illustrations add to the gentle nature of the book. Badger’s home is filled with touches that make it warm and comfortable. The tea kettle is steaming, toast is right within reach, a garden is right outside the door, and there’s a ladder to reach a high branch. Heading out to see the other animals, they all have homes that are personalized but have that same sense of small details.

A book about bad moods and bad days but also how to brighten your day back up again. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from library copy.