Book Reviews

Binny Bewitched by Hilary McKay

| Tasha

Binny Bewitched by Hilary McKay

Binny Bewitched by Hilary McKay, illustrated by Tony Ross (9781481491020, Amazon)

Binny’s family has been concerned with money since her father died. They live in a house that is far too small for all of them, her sister has sold all of her possessions to pay for flute lessons, and her mother works extra shifts all of the time. So when Binny sees a large amount of money left behind in an ATM, she grabs it and takes it. Does that make her a thief or just lucky? Binny soon discovers though that she can’t spend the money without others asking lots of questions. So she hides it, then hides it again and again until she can’t remember where she hid it! Meanwhile, Binny’s neighbor seems to be putting curses on all of them, like Clem’s flute breaking and James losing his best friend over buried treasure. As Binny realizes she has to be honest about the money, she has to find it first and figure out just who may have taken it.

This is the third Binny book and it’s just as charming and fantastic as the first two. McKay has a gorgeous way of writing, showing her characters and families complete with messy homes, money problems, and everyday woes. She always gives her characters lots of heart and big imaginations so that even normal days turn into adventures and bad decisions turn into mysteries.

As always, McKay’s families are ones that you want to spend even more time with. Readers will want to climb behind the couch with James, explore Clem’s bare but lovely room, share the birthday cake, and explore the beaches. The love in this family overflows the pages, even when they are distracted with their own problems. In fact, a hallmark of McKay’s books are that the children do the figuring out and realizations, not the adults. It’s a refreshing look at the power of children when they are given plenty of freedom.

Another winner from McKay! If you haven’t met Binny yet, make sure to start with the first since they are all such a treat. Appropriate for ages 8-12.

Reviewed from copy received from Margaret K. McElderry Books.

 

Rodzilla by Rob Sanders

| Tasha

Rodzilla by Rob Sanders.jpg

Rodzilla by Rob Sanders, illustrated by Dan Santat (9781481457798, Amazon)

An enormous chubby monster is heading for the city! News crews are reporting on the disaster as the monster releases stink-ray farts. There are slime missiles of snot and even one big upset tummy effect. Hoses try to push him from the city, but it just ends in a belly flop. But the monster gets back up and continues his rampage. Until two brave people are willing to take on the disaster directly, by picking the terrible toddler up.

Sanders channels Japanese monster films in his text, offering just the right tone of awe and fear into the text. The book is great fun to share aloud, using an announcer voice that just makes the humor even funnier. Sanders offers just enough gross moments for children to be engaged and then moves on to other sources of humor. The switch from monster to toddler is also well handled and will not surprise readers who have been given clear hints about the end.

Santat uses his signature style here. The reactions of the people on the ground to Rodney’s gross emissions is particularly effective, as they run in fear or try to survive. Santat’s illustrations also offer clues to Rodney actually being a human toddler, ones that become more clear as the text progresses.

A funny look at the destructive nature of toddlers that will be appreciated by older siblings and parents alike. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Margaret K. McElderry Books.

Bunches of Board Books

| Tasha

Here are some of my favorite recent board books:

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Baby’s First Words by Stella Blackstone and Sunny Scribens, illustrated by Christiane Engel (9781782853251, Amazon)

This board book is also available in Spanish. A baby spends her day with her two dads exploring everything from morning to night. Things in their lives are labeled with words, including objects and actions. There are animal noises, foods, clothes, vehicles, and feelings. The entire book is merry and bright, just right for all families to enjoy.

Reviewed from copy received from Barefoot Books.

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Blanket of Love by Alyssa Satin Capucilli, illustrated by Brooke Boynton Hughes (9781481489720, Amazon)

One of the books in the New Books for Newborns series, this book uses gentle rhymes and a soft rhythm to introduce all sorts of blankets to little listeners. There are blankets of grass, snow, sand, water, stars and much more as different families explore being outside together. The book ends at bedtime, indoors and cozy under a physical blanket. Gentle and loving, this is a lovely book.

Reviewed from copy received from Little Simon.

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Getting Ready by Cocoretto (9781846438868, Amazon)

This is a novelty board book just waiting for little fingers to explore all of the surfaces. Done in a simple style, it offers a fuzzy teddy bear, a blanket to pull back, a zipper to tug, and a door to open. There are other surfaces as well like corduroy pants, t-shirts and socks. All waiting for help, so get ready to play.

Reviewed from copy received from Child’s Play.

The Very Berry Counting Book by Jerry Pallotta, illustrated by Joy Newton (9781580897846, Amazon)

Count from one to ten in this counting board book that features lots of berries. There are berries that children will recognize like strawberries and blueberries and also new ones to explore. The vintage feel of the book is very appealing and it’s a great way to explore berries and numbers all at once.

Reviewed from library copy.

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Welcome: A Mo Willems Guide for New Arrivals by Mo Willems (9781484767467, Amazon)

Just right for sharing aloud, this board book will be appreciated by parents and older siblings as they prepare for a new baby. Using signs similar to those at airports or on large machinery, the book is a wonderfully warm welcome to new babies that combines warnings of the bad things that can happen like ice cream accidents and the wonder of a new member of the family.

Reviewed from library copy.

 

My Daddy Rules the World by Hope Anita Smith

| Tasha

My Daddy Rules the World by Hope Anita Smith

My Daddy Rules the World: Poems about Dads by Hope Anita Smith (9780805091892, Amazon)

Coretta Scott King Award winner Smith returns with a new collection of poetry and illustrations that focuses on fathers. The book shows fathers who make breakfast and chat contrasted with others whose work keeps them far away but still in contact. There are fathers who cut hair, others who dance, others who wrestle or play catch. They teach their children to ride bikes or play instruments or read. Each poem is told in the voice of the child of that father and shows how very different dads can be but that they all love their children completely.

Smith writes poetry that is thoughtful and honed. She makes sure that it is appropriate for the young audience, inviting young readers to explore poetry and see themselves in it. The poems are misleadingly simple, not showing the skill that it takes to write at this level and with such apparent ease.

Smith’s illustrations are diverse and inclusive. With her torn paper illustrations, she makes sure to show families of various races and multiracial families. There is a warmth to the illustrations and a folk-art element that underlines the richness of being a father and in a family.

A strong collection of poems for young people, ideal to share with fathers. Appropriate for ages 7-10.

Reviewed from library copy.

Priscilla Gorilla by Barbara Bottner

| Tasha

Priscilla Gorilla by Barbara Bottner

Priscilla Gorilla by Barbara Bottner, illustrated by Michael Emberley (9781481458979, Amazon)

The bestselling duo behind the Miss Brooks books returns with a new book. Priscilla loves gorillas, mostly because they get to do whatever they want. She acts like them and dances like them. She loves to wear her gorilla costume all the time, particularly at school. But because she acts like a gorilla, her teacher puts her in the Thinking Corner sometimes. As Priscilla starts to be seen as a troublemaker, other children join her in the Thinking Corner in their own costumes. But perhaps it’s not being really gorilla-like to be so troublesome, since gorillas are also known for cooperating together. Can Priscilla figure out how to be true to her own inner gorilla even if it means cooperating?

Bottner has such a way with capturing the spirit of childhood on the page. Priscilla speaks for all children as she struggles to navigate the lines between being troublesome, being an individual, and cooperating with others. Bottner writes in an engaging way, allowing the story to unwind at a natural pace that keeps readers caught up in the story. The book ends with Priscilla’s class visiting the zoo and the book beautifully comes full circle as cooperation merges with gorilla dancing.

Emberley’s illustrations are superb. He depicts all of the children in their animal costumes with a wry sense of humor, plushness, bent tails and wrinkles. One wants to crawl into a costume and join the fun. The depiction of Priscilla’s parents and teacher are also cleverly done, showing parents who are allowing their daughter to figure things out but also giving a gentle gorilla nudge in the right direction.

Funny and smart, I’m bananas about this picture book. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Atheneum.

Firefighter Duckies! by Frank W. Dormer

| Tasha

Firefighter Duckies! by Frank W. Dormer

Firefighter Duckies! by Frank W. Dormer (9781481460903, Amazon)

Get ready for some brave ducks in this picture book! The firefighter duckies are called into all sorts of emergencies and have to find the solution for them all. They are brave and strong. They rescue a gorilla in a chef hat who has started a fire with his cupcake candle. They rescue whales caught in hungry, angry trees. They help dinosaurs on bicycles and stop rampaging centipedes. They even straighten out the alphabet and aid hairy monsters. It takes strength, bravery, hair cuts, kindness and being helpful. And it also takes a lot of rest afterwards!

Dormer taps into a stream of extreme weirdness in this picture book, demanding that readers just go along with it. The wild ride is definitely worth it and the result is a very fast-paced book that is hilarious. The simple but silly text works perfectly with the equally silly illustrations. Make sure not to get too caught in the speed of the book to notice the details. Just the looks on the ducks’ faces is a hoot as are the circumstances they need to figure out.

A book sure to “quack” you up, this is the perfect book to rescue a toddler story time. Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from copy received from Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Littles and How They Grow by Kelly DiPucchio

| Tasha

Littles and How They Grow by Kelly DiPucchio

Littles and How They Grow by Kelly DiPucchio, illustrated by AG Ford (9780399555268, Amazon)

This picture book celebrates the first year of a little one’s life. Told in rhyme, the book doesn’t start with the birth but instead has babies wriggling on their tummies, swaddled and warm, and being cuddled close. Baths, food and tantrums appear on the page, filled with bubbles, messes and tears. Reading books and taking walks are also part of the fun as the book then shows how quickly the littles grow big.

This simple picture book is great for new siblings to see the fun that is to come once their new babies get bigger. The book is full of the busyness of having a baby and the joy that comes with it too. DiPucchio’s rhymes are confidence and easy, never feeling forced. The rhythm is lovely as well, rollicking and joyous.

Ford’s illustrations are bright and celebratory. He shows little ones of all races and cultures with mothers and fathers all involved. There is a lovely playfulness to the illustrations that works well with the subject matter.

A bright and warm look at new babies, this one is a great gift for expectant parents or the older sibling. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Random House.

The Teacher’s Pet by Anica Mrose Rissi

| Tasha

The Teacher's Pet by Anica Mrose Rissi

The Teacher’s Pet by Anica Mrose Rissi, illustrated by Zachariah Ohora (9781484743645, Amazon)

Mr. Stricter, the teacher, has always wanted a pet. So when the class hatches tadpoles, he tells them that they can keep one. They choose Bruno who grows very quickly and unexpectedly. Soon he has left the fishbowl and entirely taken over the classroom. He farts, eats furniture, and munches school supplies. He also hasn’t turned into a frog at all! But Mr. Stricter can’t see how troublesome Bruno is until one day Bruno proves it once and for all.

Rissi uses plenty of humor in this picture book that turns the tables on teachers and their responsibility. The class of children must be the ones who see the problem and then rescue their teacher from his own blindness. This twist makes the book all the more exciting and fun to read, especially for children. Add in the humor of what Bruno actually grows into and you can expect when you share this aloud with children for them to be delighted at the huge creature and call out warnings to the oblivious Mr. Stricter.

Ohora’s illustrations are filled with bright colors that zing and zap. He plays the colors against each other with orange-yellow floors and deep red walls. This adds a lot of energy to the book and gives Bruno a dynamic background to appear against in all of his vastness.

The power of children is embraced in this picture book that will have everyone laughing along. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from ARC received from Disney-Hyperion.

The Big Bad Fox by Benjamin Renner

| Tasha

The Big Bad Fox by Benjamin Renner\

The Big Bad Fox by Benjamin Renner (9781626723313, Amazon)

Fox is always trying to sneak into the henhouse at the farm and steal a chicken. He’s so hungry, and so very tired of the turnips that the pig provides him after every defeat. No one on the farm is scared of him, particularly the chickens themselves. Fox turns to Wolf to get some tips on being more frightening and getting chickens. Wolf comes up with a plan to steal some eggs from the chickens and hatch their own meals. But Fox gets a lot more than he bargained for when three little chicks hatch from the eggs and suddenly think that Fox is their mother!

This graphic novel is exceptional. Renner uses perfect comedic timing throughout the book. He melds slapstick comedy with real heart throughout the book and gives readers a villainous but incompetent Fox that they can root for. Readers will adore the rabid little chicks who consider themselves foxes rather than chickens. It’s the Wolf that continues to be a shadowy dark force and one that will eventually have to be dealt with.

Renner’s illustrations are done in watercolor and don’t use traditional comic book framing or speech bubbles. Instead he keeps them very simple, using lines to show who is speaking and open spaces to convey a sense of framing each image. The illustrations are energetic and funny as well with the expressions on even the tiny chick’s faces easily understood.

A great pick for children’s graphic novels, this one is very special. Appropriate for ages 6-9.

Reviewed from copy received from First Second.