Book Reviews

Review: Rainbow Stew by Cathryn Falwell

| Tasha

rainbow stew

Rainbow Stew by Cathryn Falwell

Released on June 15, 2013.

Three children scramble out of bed at their grandpa’s house to a rainy day.  But they don’t want to stay inside, so Grandpa sends them outside to find colors to add to his Rainbow Stew.  They splash their way into the garden and look under the wet green leaves to find what colors are hidden beneath.  They find all sorts of green vegetables like beans, spinach, and cucumbers, some rosy radishes, some purple cabbage, yellow peppers, red tomatoes and brown potatoes.  Soon their basket is full and the three children are muddy and happy.  They all head inside to cook the stew together, each child helping in their own way.  Then there is quiet time inside as the stew cooks, until finally they can all enjoy Rainbow Stew!

Falwell merrily combines a love of gardening and a willingness to get muddy in this book.  She uses quick rhymes that add a bouncy feel to the book, maintaining that sense of joy that is everywhere in this book.  I am particularly pleased to see a book with a grandfather taking expert care of grandchildren in this book. 

The illustrations are filled with falling rain, but also small faces turned up into it and knees plunked down into the mud.  The completely African-American family is also great to see in a picture book that easily integrates into rain or gardening or color units and story times. 

Ripe and ready to be picked, this is a great choice for sharing aloud in spring or fall.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from digital galley received from Lee & Low Books via NetGalley.

Review: A Special Gift for Grammy by Jean Craighead George

| Tasha

special gift for grammy

A Special Gift for Grammy by Jean Craighead George, illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher

Hunter collected a big pile of stones and put them on his grandmother’s porch.  When his father and grandmother ask him what she is meant to do with them, Hunter replied, “What everyone does with a pile of stones.”  Hunter turned out to be right.  Everyone who saw the stack of stones knew just how to use one or more of them.  The postal carrier used one to weigh down the mail on a breezy day.  Workmen used them as hammers or weights.  They are used to stop wheels from rolling and show people what way to turn.  When Hunter returned only six little stones were left.  But this time it’s Grammy who knows just what to do with them.

I have one big issue with this book: the title.  It does very little to convey the charm that is inside this book.  I love the idea of a pile of stones that everyone borrows from and uses.  Then the end of the book is intensely satisfying.  I must admit though that with the uninteresting title, I almost passed on this book, expecting it to be a book about the death of a grandparent or a saccharine poem about familial love.  Instead it is a well-designed look at community, family and connections.  I’d much rather have had the title reference the stone pile or stones or rocks. 

The illustrations are done in collage, acrylic and pencil.  They have gorgeous deep colors, combined with lots of texture from the collage.  The collage is done in such a subtle way that it is almost invisible, just adding a level of texture and pattern to the paintings. 

This book truly is a special gift, but one that could use a new title.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from HarperCollins Publishers.

Review: Steam Train, Dream Train by Sherri Duskey Rinker

| Tasha

steam train dream train

Steam Train, Dream Train by Sherri Duskey Rinker, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld

The author/illustrator team that brought you the bestselling Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site returns with another gorgeous transportation-themed bedtime book.  The cheerful rhyme invites children to explore the different types of train cars and what sorts of items are stowed in each one.  This is done by a monkey crew who move monkey bars into the boxcars with tumbling moves and lots of bananas.  The hopper car is filled with bouncy balls by kangaroos and a helpful giraffe.  Elephants squirt paints into tankers with their trunks, each train car a different color.  The cold reefer car holds ice cream treats as well as polar bears and penguins.  Gondolas are filled with sand, beach balls and toys.  The autorack has lots of fast racecars.  The well cars have dinosaurs and their lunches.  Finally there are the flatbeds made into beds and the red caboose, the train heads off to a new day. 

First let me comment on the endpages which are done in train engineer cloth pattern and really invite young train enthusiasts to read on.  The book has that wonderful rhyme that is playful and youthful, dancing along merrily to the beat.  That sense of play is evident throughout the book, as the different animals load the train with things that will interest very young readers.  All of it has a silly tone that makes it great fun to read.

Lichtenheld’s illustrations add to that silliness with small touches that are such fun to discover.  Done in a soft yet rich style, the illustrations invite you to dream along with the book.  Their deep color captures the nighttime setting while the softness will have little heads snuggling in close. 

A worthy companion to the first book, get this into the hands of little engineers and fans of Thomas the Tank Engine.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Chronicle Books.

Review: Renegade Magic by Stephanie Burgis

| Tasha

renegade magic

Renegade Magic by Stephanie Burgis

Somehow I lost track of this wonderful magical series, so I’m a little late in reading the last two books.  This is the second in the series, following Kat, Incorrigible.  Kat’s oldest sister is wed at the beginning of this book, but not before her wedding is disrupted by the angry mother of another sister’s suitor.  Once again Kat’s feud with Lady Fotherington has caused catastrophe.  When Kat confronts Lady Fotherington about what she has done, she goes too far and loses her right to learn how to use her Guardian magic.  Soon after the wedding, the suitor has reluctantly left and the family heads to Bath to escape the scandal for a time.  Little do they know, but they are heading directly into a huge magical situation where Kat will be unable to avoid the Guardians.

Burgis weaves actual history into her story of Bath which adds a fine solid foundation to a story that is frothy with fun and sparkling with magic.  Perhaps the best part of this book is the frumpery and finery of the upper class, making sure they are seen in the proper way and fretting about the smallest things.  Through it all, Kat is a fierce heroine, determined to regain her right to learn Guardian magic and do what is best for her family. 

A strong second book in a delight of a series, this book has a strong ending that sets readers up nicely for the final book in the series.  Appropriate for ages 9-12.

Reviewed from copy received from Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Review: Peace, Baby! by Linda Ashman

| Tasha

peace baby

Peace, Baby! by Linda Ashman, illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff

So many children’s books about strong emotions come off as mini-lectures about proper behavior.  This one has a stirring call for people to not react with violence or anger, but instead with peace and understanding while continuing to be understanding about those negative emotions that can overwhelm.  The rhyme helps make the book fun and jaunty while offering the idea of just saying “Peace, Baby!” when you get upset.  This is the most basic of conflict resolution, yet it is also the start of something bigger, taking responsibility for your own reactions and controlling them.  This cheery book invites others to be happy and peaceful.

Ashman’s rhyme is at the heart of this book, carrying the entire idea of being peaceful and calm forward with a jolly rhyme.  Thanks to the playful nature of the rhymes and the “Peace, Baby!” the book does not lecture but instead recommends hugs, conversations and compromise. 

Lew-Vriethoff’s illustrations add a lovely softness to the book.  With their pastel shades, the book continues to feel playful but also has a lightness to it that keeps the message from feeling heavy handed at all. 

A strong addition to library collections, this will be a great way to talk about emotions as a group and also the proper responses to when you feel angry.  Peace out!  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Chronicle Books.

Review: Red Hat by Lita Judge

| Tasha

red hat

Red Hat by Lita Judge

This picture book is a companion to Red Sled.  It features that same red hat that was in the first book, but here it is no longer winter and the hat is washed and hung up to dry on the line.  That’s when it is spotted by an eager bear, who snatches it off the line and runs off with it.  But he is not alone, as he dashes, other animals pull and tug, freeing the white pompom and unraveling the bright red yarn as they play.  They leave the mass of yarn hung on the line in place of the hat!  But don’t worry, a happy ending can be knit from the most tangled yarn.

Told almost entirely in sounds rather than words, this book is filled with a wonderful silliness that makes it hard not to giggle from the first longing glance of the bear to the final pages where the animals are pretending innocence at what happened.  The center of the book is a wild chase scene as the hat unravels, adding a great rush of fast pacing into the story.

A great book, even better when read with the first one too.  Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote by Duncan Tonatiuh

| Tasha

pancho rabbit and the coyote

Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant’s Tale by Duncan Tonatiuh

Released May 7, 2013.

Papa Rabbit had traveled north to find work when the rains didn’t come one year.  Finally, after two years, he was returning home to his family.  A party was planned with food and music, but Papa Rabbit didn’t come back.  When the other rabbits went to sleep, Pancho Rabbit set out to find his father.  He took with him his father’s favorite meal of mole, rice and beans, tortillas, and a jug of aguamiel.  As he traveled, Pancho met a coyote, who offered to help him reach his father.  The coyote demanded payment of the mole up front, then taking Pancho to the train tracks where they jumped a train.  As the journey continued, the coyote demanded food after each part of the journey until Pancho was out of food.  Then Pancho himself was the only food for the coyote to demand.  This allegorical tale of migrant workers coming to the United States is a powerful look at the dangers they face and the love that drives them.

Tonatiuh writes with a strength here, each word seemingly chosen for its impact and power.  The importance of this sort of story for young children cannot be ignored.  This book carefully dresses the horrors of the story in folktales, but the purpose is still clear.  Those folktale devices are particularly effective in a story such as this, allowing the reader to see the dangers but not be overwhelmed by them.  The use of the different pieces of food as payment is particularly clever as is the character of the coyote being that animal.

The illustrations convey the folktale structure as well.  Done in a flattened style, they have strong lines and shapes.  Tonatiuh makes clever use of textures like jean material, tires, fur and textured paper.  This added touch ensures that readers recognize the modern nature of the tale.

This book belongs in every library since it deals with a current issue that affects many in our communities directly.  Teachers will find this book especially useful when discussion immigration as well.  Appropriate for ages 6-9.

Reviewed from copy received from Abrams.

Review: Stripes of All Types by Susan Stockdale

| Tasha

stripes of all types

Stripes of All Types by Susan Stockdale

Visit this gallery of animals who bear stripes of all sorts.  There are animals that live in the ocean, ones that slither in grass, large cats, amphibians, insects, mammals and more.  Drawn in crisp illustrations that show the stripe detail as well as pieces of their habitat.  The book reads quickly, carried forward by the rhyming text.  Children looking for more information on the intriguing animals can turn to the back of the book. 

Thanks to the rollicking rhyme and the short sentences in the body of the book, even toddlers will enjoy this nonfiction book.  Older children will enjoy talking about the different animals and reading more details. 

Entertaining and informative, this is a very flexible title that a wide range of ages will find interesting.  Appropriate for ages 3-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Peachtree Publishers.

Review: The Flame in the Mist by Kit Grindstaff

| Tasha

flame in the mist

The Flame in the Mist by Kit Grindstaff

Jemma thinks she is the youngest daughter of the Agromond family, readying herself for the day her Powers will finally reveal themselves fully.  But before that can happen, her true past is revealed and Jemma understands why she has never been able to do the black magic that her family does so easily.  Now she has to escape their castle and enter the dangerous mist that can read a person’s intentions.  She only has the help of her two golden rats, a decrepit old servant, and a trusted friend, Digby.  Lost and wandering in the mist, Jemma has to battle monsters, flee from those sent to find her, and convince the mist itself that she is not a threat.  As she travels, ghostly children try to seek her help, crying for their brothers and sisters in the castle.  Jemma has to learn the truth of not only her own past but of the castle and the horrors that are hidden there.

This is such a compelling read!  Grindstaff’s slow reveal of the truth is very deftly done in this carefully plotted novel.  She does not flinch away from true horrors here, never hiding from what it would truly take to create a force like the mist and have such dark powers.  The plotting during the time that Jemma is lost in the mist does meander a bit, but happily that is not made up by speeding up the ending. 

Jemma is a compelling heroine with her self-doubt and fear.  Yet she is an incredibly brave heroine, risking herself for others.  I particularly enjoyed the part towards the end when she had to continually revise her plans based on what was happening at the time.  It made for a very complex and exceptional read.  It also took away from the reader the ability to predict what would happen, making the ending a much more immediate experience.

This is a strong debut novel that reads like a stand alone.  While I wouldn’t mind more adventures from Jemma, I look forward to seeing what Grindstaff has to offer us next.  Appropriate for ages 12-14.

Reviewed from copy received from Delacorte Press.