Book Reviews

Review: Rain! by Linda Ashman

| Tasha

rain

Rain! by Linda Ashman, illustrated by Christian Robinson

The perfect book to lift your spirits on a soggy spring day!  When an older man wakes up and sees the rain, he is not happy.  But when a little boy looks out at the same rain, he’s delighted.  The older man grumbles through his preparations to go outside, while the little boy puts on his green boots, green coat and frog hat still happy with the gloomy weather.  The old man grumbles about puddles, while you can see the joy of the child.  They end up in the same café, the old man still grumpy with his day and the young boy happy with cocoa and cookies.  When the two bump into each other, it seems like the grumpiness rubs off on the little boy.  But then he notices that the older man left his hat behind, and with a little joke and a shared cookie, a day is brightened.

Ashman has written this book very simply, just in snatches of dialogue.  Despite the simplicity, the mood of each character is clear in their words.  It is made even more clear by the cut-paper illustrations that display each person’s mood with just a few lines.  Readers will notice that the pages with the older man have others with grumpy faces while the pages with the the child have others with smiles. 

A book that is sure to have readers jumping merrily in puddles and dancing in the rain, this is an inspiration to look on the bright side of things and share your happiness.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: The Beatles Were Fab by Kathleen Krull

| Tasha

beatles were fab

The Beatles Were Fab (And They Were Funny) by Kathleen Krull and Paul Brewer, illustrated by Stacy Innerst

This is a picture book biography of The Beatles that captures their humor and the way that they used it in their music and lifestyle.  The book begins with the formation of the band and the fun they had naming themselves.  The book talks about their use of silliness and jokes to keep their spirits up as they struggled to make it, looking for a record deal.  When success came, it came quickly and with success came fame and fans.  Then there was the Beatlesmania craze that swept the United States, nothing like it had been seen before or since.  Krull includes some small details like American fans throwing jellybeans on stage because the band said they liked jellybabies, but jellybabies are soft where jellybeans are certainly not.  She then has a section on each Beatle and some of the interesting responses they gave during interviews.  This is a merry and fast-moving look at one of the greatest bands of all time.

Krull injects her nonfiction work with humor and zest.  She tells specific stories that offer insight into the Beatles nature.  It is a treat to hear their own words but it is also wonderful to read about moments in history that are revealing about their character.  Krull and Brewer skillfully end the book before drug use became an issue for the band.  Instead they focus on the early Beatles and their humor rather than the complexity of the later Beatles music and attitudes.

Innerst’s illustrations are just as humorous and playful as the stories that Krull and Brewer tell.  The characters have a feel of bobble-heads and a strong modern vibe.  He she uses bright colors that match the energy of the text.  I have to say, I am particularly partial to Ringo’s nose in the illustrations.

This strong picture book biography is not made for research, but instead fans of the Beatles can share part of their story with children and everyone is sure to end up humming some of the songs.  Appropriate for ages 6-9.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: Everyone Can Learn to Ride a Bicycle by Chris Raschka

| Tasha

everyone can learn to ride a bicycle

Everyone Can Learn to Ride a Bicycle by Chris Raschka

The two-time Caldecott Medalist returns with another exceptional picture book.  In this book, a little girl learns to ride a bike.  She first picks out the bike she wants to try, then watches other people ride their bikes.  The training wheels are very helpful, keeping her upright and they steadily are moved upward so that she can start to balance on her own.  Training wheels off, she tries riding in the grass but when she heads down a small hill, she tips over.  It takes a lot of courage to get back on again and again and again after tumbling off.  But then, suddenly and incredibly, she learns to ride a bicycle on her own!

Written in second-person, the book really allows readers to see themselves as the one riding the bicycle.  Raschka’s text is simple and effective, encouraging readers to give it a try.  When the tumbling begins, Raschka starts talking about courage, sure to inspire young readers to see that quality in themselves both in learning to ride a bicycle and in other endeavors too.  As always, the art is the key with Raschka’s picture books.  His style is loose and flowing, capturing movement and wobbles with easy watercolor strokes. 

A great pick for spring when children are sure to be longing to be out playing in the warmer weather, this book is a quietly inspiring read.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: Slated by Teri Terry

| Tasha

slated

Slated by Teri Terry

Kyla is just about ready to be released from the hospital after being Slated, her memory erased after she committed a crime.  She is sent to live with a new family and in a new life, unable to find out about who she had been and what caused her to be Slated.  But Kyla is different.  She has horrible nightmares that may or may not be flashbacks to her past.  She can draw, with both hands, something that she realizes could cause problems if discovered.  She has a voice in her head, cautioning her about things and not revealing too much.  But because Kyla is different, she may also be in more danger than anyone else.  Can she continue to follow the rules and pretend to be just another happy Slated teen?  Or will the truth she discovers be too much to maintain the façade?

In her debut novel, Terry has created a dystopian science fiction future that is dangerously possible.  The setting is the United Kingdom, but one that has changed entirely to a police state where ideas that are dangerous to those in power are worthy of getting Slated.  Against that already tense background, the drama of Slated teens plays out, struggling to learn to live, to think for themselves, and to find their way.  Teens will see their own struggles here, relating quickly to the premise.

Kyla is an intriguing heroine, she realizes she is different, but has no perception as to why.  Terry allows Kyla to be a true enigma to herself and to the reader.  This makes for a compelling read, but the reveal is placed so close to the end of the book that it feels hurried.  I would have liked to see either another chapter after the final one to help with that feel or for more hints to have been given ahead of time and along the way.  But that is a minor quibble and I was happy to see that this is the first in a series.

This fascinating and dark look into a possible future is filled with foreboding and lifted by strong writing.  Fans of Hunger Games will enjoy this new heroine facing different challenges in an equally ferocious world.  Appropriate for ages 14-16.

Reviewed from copy received from Penguin.

Review: Ten Things I Love about You by Daniel Kirk

| Tasha

ten things i love about you

Ten Things I Love about You by Daniel Kirk

Rabbit and Pig are great friends.  So Rabbit decides to make a list of ten things that he loves about Pig.  Rabbit comes up with the first one all on his own: Number 1 – I love Pig because he is very pink.  Then he turns to Pig for help, but Pig is busy doing something else.  Rabbit figures out Number 2, I love Pig because he knows how to keep busy.  As time goes by, Rabbit continues to fill his list as Pig reacts to Rabbit’s visits and questions.  But Pig is getting more and more frustrated with the interruptions.  Finally, Rabbit’s list is complete and Pig has a surprise in turn for Rabbit.

Told entirely in dialogue, this is a picture book that begs to be read aloud.  Because of the way it’s written, the humor is highlighted clearly for young readers.  The pacing too is impacted by the format with a dashing briskness that is very refreshing.  Kirk’s illustrations are very modern.  They were made by scanning ink drawings and painted plywood panels into the computer and then texture and color were added with Photoshop.  They have a wonderful rustic edge to both the images themselves and also the edges of the plywood.  It adds an organic warmth to the story.

Add this one to your friendship story times, Rabbit and Pig are sure to get along well with Frog and Toad as well as Elephant and Piggie.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Nancy Paulsen Books.

Review: All My Noble Dreams and Then What Happens by Gloria Whelan

| Tasha

all my noble dreams

All My Noble Dreams and Then What Happens by Gloria Whelan

This sequel to Small Acts of Amazing Courage continues Rosalind’s story.  Rosalind lives in British-controlled India.  She is the only daughter in a well-off family, though she avoids the Club and all of the other British girls there.  Instead she runs a small school for the village boys, one that is not government sanctioned and so can continue to run.  She is a follower of Gandhi, something her father certainly does not approve of.  He wouldn’t approve of the school either, but he doesn’t know about it.  The book also tells of what happened to Hari, the infant that Rosalind rescued in the first book and how her aunts are now doing living in India.  As Rosalind gets drawn further into British life, she finds her two worlds colliding and the question is how she will remain true to herself and the cause she believes in so fiercely.

I simply adored the first book in this series and am so happy to say that the second is just as wonderful.  Whelan captures the period of British rule in India very clearly, never flinching from the harsh realities of the period, including the injustices of the British, the selling of child brides for money, and the severe poverty brought on by the caste system.  It is a book that is filled with the dust and clamor of the streets, the laughter of close trusted friends, and the grandeur of a prince’s visit. 

Rosalind shows a lot of growth from one book to the next.  In the first book, she would rush headlong into trouble.  Here the trouble she gets into is still there, but much of it she walks into with her eyes open and understanding what she is doing.  She is a radiant character, filling the pages with her passion for change and her love of India.  It is Rosalind who carries the story, because one never knows quite what will happen to her next.

A worthy sequel to the first gem of a book, fans of the first will welcome this second story of Rosalind and India.  Appropriate for ages 12-16.

Reviewed from copy received from Simon & Schuster.

Review: Tiger in My Soup by Kashmira Sheth

| Tasha

tiger in my soup

Tiger in My Soup by Kashmira Sheth, illustrated by Jeffery Ebbeler

When a boy is left in the care of his big sister, all he wants her to do is read his book to him.  But she’s too busy reading her own book.  He tries to read his book on his own, but it isn’t the same.  She just keeps ignoring him until he asks for lunch.  Then she heats up some soup and gives him a bowl.  That’s when the action starts and a tiger comes out of the soup.  The boy battles him, stabbing him with a spoon and chasing him around the kitchen.  His sister continues to read, ignoring all of the ruckus.  It isn’t until the tiger is chased back into the soup that she agrees to read the book to him.  But wait, this book has a final toothy surprise.

Sheth has created a loving older sister who is just too caught up in her own book to have any time to spend with her younger brother.  It makes me very happy to see two siblings arguing over which book to read right then.  I also enjoyed the boy trying to read to himself, turning the book this way and that and even trying with his eyes closed.  Throughout the book there is a wonderful sense of playfulness.

Ebbeler’s illustrations are just as playful.  He plays with perspective especially in the outdoor scenes.  Then when the tiger arrives, he is wonderfully real, his fur stands on end, his claws threaten and his teeth gleam.  The action scenes are rivetingly fun, the escapades daring. 

Jaunty and devoted to reading, this book is a compelling mix of stories and action.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Peachtree Publishers.

Review: How to Be a Cat by Nikki McClure

| Tasha

how to be a cat

How to Be a Cat by Nikki McClure

Small Kitten follows the lead of Big Cat as they go through their day in this very simple picture book.  With just one word per page, the story is told more in the images than in the words.  The little kitten practices how to clean himself, how to hunt bugs and butterflies, and how to listen.  As the two of them explore the house and garden, the book shows a day filled with exploration and learning. 

Told through dynamic cut-paper art, this simple book has a powerful sense of style.  The images are black and white, cut from a single piece of paper with just a touch of blue at times.  Thanks to this, the images pop and would work well for sharing with groups of children.

Ideal for toddlers, this is a clear and beautiful look at feline fun.  Appropriate for ages 1-3.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: The Garden of My Imaan by Farhana Zia

| Tasha

garden of my imaan

The Garden of My Imaan by Farhana Zia

Aliya is different than the other kids in her class because she’s Muslim.  She does all she can to fit in, but that means she doesn’t stand up to the kids who pick on her or even talk to the cute boy she likes.  Then Marwa moves to their town and she is in the same grade as Aliya.  Marwa is also Muslim and wears the hijab or head scarf.  Marwa also does not just put up with the teasing of others and appears to Aliya to be much more confident than Aliya personally feels.  Aliya starts to write letters to Allah which start out as just complaints at first and then lead to something more: action.  As Aliya begins to deal with her own insecurities, she discovers that the world is much more accepting of differences if they are handled with confidence.

Zia has created a universal story with a Muslim heroine.  Children of all faiths will recognize themselves in these pages.  They will have struggled with teasing and bullying, they will have tried too hard to fit in, they will have not liked someone at first and then learned to like them.  Zia incorporates details about Zia’s Indian culture, her faith, and her family traditions with great skill, handily defining things with skill and ease.

It is wonderful to see a young heroine whose life includes cute boys but is not driven by it.  Faith, family and friendship are really at the heart of this novel, but Aliya is definitely a young girl too.  She struggles with issues in a way that shows definite growth in a natural way.  Zia writes with a wonderful lightness that makes this book an effortless read. 

Filled with giggles between girlfriends, this book reveals the warmth of family and faith in a completely approachable and joyful way.  Appropriate for ages 9-12.

Reviewed from copy received from Peachtree Publishers.