Author: Tasha

G Is for One Gzonk

| Tasha

G Is for One Gzonk: an alpha-number-bet book by Tony DiTerlizzi.

This book, written by Tiny DiTerlooney aka Tony DiTerlizzi, is an homage to Dr. Seuss with wildly imaginative creatures named amazing names who follow in alphabetical order (kind of).  DiTerlizzi offers his own special mix of language, humor and illustration that modernize the classic format.  I enjoyed that this was an alphabet book for older children where only the creature matches the letter being featured and DiTerlizzi takes pains to point out how nothing else on the page matches.  I also appreciated how the narrator of the book is drawn in a realistic style while the other illustrations appear flat and drawn.  This changes over the course of the book, which is just charming.

This is not an alphabet book for preschoolers.  This is one to share with first graders and older.  It is very silly, full of laughs, and rather sophisticated.  It will be enjoyed as a lap book or a book to be read to one’s self rather than a read aloud for a crowd. 

Tudley Didn't Know

| Tasha

Tudley Didn’t Know by John Himmelman.

This picture book’s illustrations immediately drew me in.  The turtles basking in the sun on logs and trailing their limbs in the water captured completely the mood of a summer’s day.  But that mood doesn’t last long with Tudley around.  When a bird drops a piece of lichen into the pond, Tudley helps out by picking up the lichen and flying it back up to the nest.  Yes, flying.  Tudley doesn’t realize what he can and can’t do, so he is able to do all sorts of amazing things that turtles don’t normally try.  Finally, he is faced with having to do a turtle sort of thing in order to survive, but he has to be shown how to do it. 

I loved the message of this book.  Try to do something before you tell yourself you can’t.  I know that it will speak to children who are often told that they can’t do something even though deep inside they know that they can.  This book is a great read aloud and will be a wonderful addition to turtle storytimes as well as units on self-esteem. 

Harry Potter Mania

| Tasha

I know, I know, I’m the last blogger in the bunch to post that the Last Potter Book is to be Released July 21st. Sigh. Such is the life of a blogging library director.
Anyway, our library is planning a library sleepover where a copy of the book will be opened at midnight and read aloud from. Hurrah! This will be a huge year for Potter fans with not only the final book being released, but also the 5th movie will open on July 13th. That’s only a week before the book comes out. Think of the frenzy!
The sixth movie is scheduled for Thanksgiving 2008 release. Whew!
So what do your libraries do for Harry Potter frenzy? At the smaller library I worked at, we had a grand party one year where we created wands. I had dowels and all sorts of doo dads. Each kid created their wand out of whatever they liked and then I had assigned meanings to the different components. The kids loved it! Most of the meanings were complimentary, but some I made just plain silly to get the giggles. Even the cool older kids got caught up in the laughter.

Dimity Dumpty

| Tasha



Dimity Dumpty: the Story of Humpty’s Little Sister by Bob Graham.

The Dumpty family is part of a traveling circus. They do a high trapeze act, but Dimity is not like the rest of her family.  She is quiet and has no interest in joining the family act.  In fact, her favorite thing is to head for a still place and play music on her flute.  It isn’t until her brother Humpty takes a bad fall that she finds her voice and her place.

I enjoyed this story of a quiet child who remains true to herself.  My favorite illustrations are the ones where Dimity is playing her flute surrounded by listeners.  The language used to describe Dimity’s playing is also evocative: “soft as a snail on a cabbage leaf, quiet as the grass growing on the hill, gentle as a beetle’s breath.”  They are a joy to read aloud and really create a sense of who Dimity is by showing and not telling.  It is a lovely thing to find in a picture book. 

Use this with other take offs on nursery rhymes or for units on siblings.  Quiet children, or even noisy ones with a gentle soul will enjoy this book.

The Show and Tell Lion

| Tasha

The Show-and-Tell Lion by Barbara Abercrombie and Lynne Avril Cravath.

Under the pressure of having to come up with something for show-and-tell, Matthew blurts out that he has a pet lion at home.  Of course this is entirely made up, but before Matthew can admit he is telling a story, his classmates are quizzing him about the lion.  Matthew finally admits to his mother what is happening and she insists that he tell the truth about the lion.  In the end, Matthew finds a way to tell the truth and save face with his class. 

What a great picture book!  So many children tell stories without meaning to tell a lie and find themselves in this position.  This book demonstrates that it happens to other people and that when you tell the truth it solves the problem.  Even more importantly, the book features a child with a vivid imagination who allows it to get out of hand and then finds a solution himself.  It is a very empowering story for children.  I really enjoyed the illustrations with their soft blends of color.  I also liked the fact that as Matthew’s lie grew and grew so did the imaginary lion until finally he was so big he had to leave the house. 

This would be a great addition for preschoolers and kindergarteners learning about honesty.  It can also be added to any storytime about lions or imagination. 

Galaxies, Galaxies!

| Tasha

Galaxies, Galaxies! by Gail Gibbons.

Gibbons has once again created a winning nonfiction picture book with just the right amount of information on each page and charming illustrations.  This book focuses on galaxies from the Milky Way to other types of galaxies in the universe.  It looks at how galaxies are studied, types of telescopes, and ends with the fact that more galaxies are constantly being formed. 

Many children love astronomy and this book is ideal for units on planets and space.  The focus on galaxies themselves makes this different than solar system books and is a welcome addition to library collections.  As with most of Gibbons’ nonfiction, it can successfully be read aloud to classes from kindergarten through second grade. 

Kampung Boy

| Tasha

Kampung Boy by Lat. 

Amazing, amazing, amazing.  This is a graphic novel that reveals a lost lifestyle of small villages in Malaysia.  Mat recounts his life from birth to when he leaves the village to go to school.  It is filled with details of rural Muslim life and brims with good humor and the grace of a simple life. 

This one belongs in all graphic novel collections.  It will be enjoyed by children in elementary school, but will be most appreciated by those older than that who will see the difference in the culture and life that Mat lives. 

I can’t wait for the next volume!

The Higher Power of Lucky

| Tasha

The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron.

This winner of the Newbery Medal is a quiet book with a deep soul.  It is reminiscent of Because of Winn Dixie in many ways. 

Lucky is worried that her guardian is going to return to France.  Every time Brigitte’s mother calls on the phone, Brigitte cries.  Lucky is convinced that she is going to be left behind, so she plans to be the first to leave.  Of course, that means that she won’t be able to continue her friendship with the knot-tying Lincoln or the cookie-loving Miles.  But unlike being put into an orphanage, she will be able to keep her dog with her.

The glory of this book is in its staying power.  I am so happy that I didn’t have time to review this last week, when I read it, because this story stays with you and percolates in your brain.  It is such a quiet story but the setting is vivid and unique, the joys of a small town on the desert are wonderfully displayed, and the deep feelings of Lucky linger.  I enjoyed smiling at all of the great analogies in the story, reading a book that takes the show don’t tell philosophy and runs with it, and finding a heroine this complex in a children’s book. 

I agree with the Newbery Committee.  This one is a winner.  Even better, it has a lot of kid-appeal and I predict it will become one of the favorites in the Newbery units at school.

Not Posting Much

| Tasha

I really want to find time to talk about the great award winners that were announced this week. How thrilled I am that a graphic novel won the Printz, how much I enjoyed the Newbery and how happy I am that Flotsam won. But it has been one of those weeks at the library, from visiting legislators on Tuesday to a personnel situation that is affecting my every work hour. Perhaps tomorrow I can find a few minutes to review the books piled on my desk. Balancing love of children’s books with directing a library can be a trick. Please bear with me and know that I am busily reading books and hoping to share them with you soon!