Book Reviews

Review: My Dad Is Big and Strong, But… by Coralie Saudo

| Tasha

my dad is big and strong but

My Dad Is Big and Strong, But… by Coralie Saudo, illustrated by Kris Di Giacomo

Released May 8, 2012.

Translated from the French, this picture book takes the traditional bedtime story and turns it upside down.  Every night it’s the same thing, Dad does not want to go to bed.  The boy tries to get his father to bed nicely by using logic, but his dad just gets wilder and wilder.  The boy refuses to chase after him, instead offering a quiet story together.  That always works, and the two of them sit together in a chair: the father on the boy’s small lap.  Two stories later, and the boy finally has his father tucked into bed, but the process is not done yet.  The boy can’t head to his own bed yet or his father will ask to sleep with him.  And though his father may be big and strong, he’s also afraid of the dark.

This picture book has a wonderful charm about it that really works.  While there are other books that turn the parent/child relationship around, this one does it with a gentleness and honest joyfulness that is simply lovely.  A large part of this is the tone of the writing.  The sentence structure also works well, showing the skill of the translation.  The book plays with so many of the stereotypes of getting children to sleep that it is a delight to share with children.

Giacomo’s illustrations keep the size of the father and son as different as possible.  As you can see from the cover, the boy is quite small.  It is that size difference that adds so much humor to the illustrations, especially when the father is sitting on the boy’s lap for a story.  Another wonderful whimsical touch is the way the father heads to bed in hat and tie, rather than pajamas. 

Doing a pajama or bedtime story time?  This book would work very well there.  It is also a great pick for bedtime snuggles, though you might find yourself on your child’s lap just to try it out.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Enchanted Lion Books.

Review: Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

| Tasha

bitterblue

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

Released on May 1, 2012.

A sequel to Graceling, this book takes place 8 years later.  Bitterblue has been queen of Monsea for some time, struggling to undo the evil that her father wrought throughout the country.  Her duties seem to consist of mountains of paperwork, pardoning those influenced by Leck’s powers and the occasional appearance at court.  Spending days at work, indoors with only her aging advisors around her, who seem to go blank mentally when she mentions her father, wears upon her.  So she starts to sneak out and visit her city.  She visits the amazing bridges her father had created.  Underneath one, she finds a story room where there is warmth, drinks and stories are shared.  It is there that she meets Saf and his friend Teddy, two thieves who only steal what is already stolen.  As the queen learns about her city, she discovers strange things, puzzles that add to the questions she already has.  It is this that she has to solve, if she is to be the queen she needs to be.

Cashore brings back beloved characters in this book, including Po and Katsa who are continuing their love affair, their stormy fights, and their wrestling.  In Bitterblue, she has created yet another amazing female character.  Bitterblue has not only the future of her kingdom to decide, but also the terrors of her past to overcome.  She is a survivor rising from the wreckage of her childhood, the manipulation of her father, and the devastating loss of her mother.  Readers get the exquisite pleasure of watching her become a queen and a woman before their eyes.  The growth shown in this book is gradual and organic, beautifully told.

Cashore excels at writing readable books and elaborate worlds.  Her world building is done carefully and consistently, the reader secure in the knowledge that this is a vibrant, strange world, but one that they can count on.  Her characters all make sense, living their lives in the complexity of the political world that Cashore has built.  Even if their actions make no sense at first glance, be sure that Cashore knows more than she is showing at that moment and all will be revealed.  These books are layered, complex and riveting.

I fell hard for Bitterblue and her struggles.  She is the sort of heroine who speaks to me, one who is faced with overwhelming challenges but by staying true to herself and discovering who she is deep inside, manages to come through in the end.  She is immensely human, something that Cashore makes sure all of her amazing heroines are.

If you loved Graceling and Fire, you are sure to love Bitterblue as well.  This book took four years to write, and I’m happy to give Cashore all the time she needs to create her next book too.  Appropriate for ages 15-18. 

Reviewed from ARC received from Dial Books.

Review: You Are a Lion by Taeeun Yoo

| Tasha

you are a lion

You Are a Lion and Other Fun Yoga Poses by Taeeun Yoo

This is a fun and gentle way for children to learn yoga poses.  The book opens with a Namaste to the morning.  Children then learn about the lion pose, with the pose simply explained and shown.  Readers turn the page to see the child in the pose and the jungle and lion around him.  Other poses follow with the butterfly, dog, snake, frog and cat.  The book ends with the Mountain pose and a group of children hold that pose up on top of the mountain range.  Finally, the children lie down and are still, relaxing in the morning light. 

The short text in the book has quick directions and then a few lines of poem to match that pose.  The rhymes are basic, offering a little more insight into why that pose is called by the name it is.  The entire book has a playful approach that matches the subject matter well.  That playful nature is matched by a gentle spirit and a quietness that work particularly well here.

Yoo’s illustrations were done using linoleum block prints, pencil drawings and Photoshop.  They have a wonderful texture to them, great lines, and a simplicity that is necessary when offering directions.  The children are all different races, making the book all the more inviting.

This is a great pick for introducing young children to some basic yoga moves.  The moves are simple, playful and presented in a fresh way.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Nancy Paulsen Books.

Review: The List by Siobhan Vivian

| Tasha

list

The List by Siobhan Vivian

At Mount Washington High School, the same thing always happens just before homecoming.  The List comes out.  It gives the names of two girls in each grade: one is named the prettiest in that grade, the other the ugliest.  Being on the list can change your life at Mount Washington, and it does for all of the eight girls on this year’s list.   Abby is ecstatic to be on the list as prettiest freshman, especially with her brainy older sister looking down at her all the time.  Danielle, the other side of the freshman pair, sees the list take a toll on her relationship with her boyfriend.  Lauren, prettiest sophomore, was previously homeschooled and finds that the list can help her make new friends.  Candace, named the ugliest sophomore, isn’t unattractive at all, instead it’s her attitude that is horrid.  Bridget, celebrated for losing so much weight, knows that she’s started something very dangerous.  Sarah is a rebel and immediately writes UGLY across her forehead in permanent ink.  And then there are the seniors, two girls who used to be best friends and who now are strangers, one whose path to homecoming queen seems clear and the other who has been on the list as ugliest all four years. 

Vivian sets the wheels of this story in motion and her characters take over.  It is a trick to create eight characters unique enough to read as individuals throughout an entire book, and Vivian does that very well.  She explores the relationship between beauty and self-esteem, beauty and popularity, and the perception of beauty and its impact.  Some of the girls are robbed of that feeling while others have never felt it.   But it’s not just about the “ugly” girls.  The perception of beauty haunts the “pretty” girls as well, creating rifts in friendships, questions about values, and eroding self-esteem in much the same way as being labeled ugly.

Vivian does not shy away from this complexity, instead she embraces it.  This is foreshadowed by the reaction of the principal to discovering the list where she warns the girls that they have all been hurt by being placed on the list. 

Here we have a book that is deep, complicated, and riveting reading.  It’s a book that takes on some “truths” of our society and turns them on their head, in a pretty beautiful way.  Appropriate for ages 14-17.

Reviewed from ARC received from Scholastic Press.

Review: Frog and Fly by Jeff Mack

| Tasha

frog and fly

Frog and Fly: Six Slurpy Stories by Jeff Mack

Six very short stories about a frog and a fly are told here.  Done in comic panels, the stories are all simple and quite funny.  In each story, the frog meets a fly and ends up not really making friends but instead making lunch.  Each story is slightly different and filled with little puns.  The frog manages to cleverly lure the fly closer by talking with it, but eventually just slurps that fly right up.  The arc of the first two stories is very similar.  The third brings in ketchup and a burger.  The fourth has different animals shooing the fly away from them, until the frog welcomes the fly closer.  The fifth story has races between the frog and fly that the fly wins over and over again, until the final one.  The sixth story has the frog get his comeuppance much to the glee of the fly.  Slurp!

Mack has tapped right into the sense of humor of preschoolers with these stories.  The running gag of eating the fly makes the final story all the more satisfying with its twist.  This is the sort of book that my two sons would have loved at that age, laughing along with delight.  It’s one that reads aloud very nicely, and even better, gives you the opportunity to work on a fly voice and a frog ribbit.

Mack’s illustrations are simple and colorful.  The lines are crisp and clean, echoing the thickness of the font used for their dialogue.  They reflect the humor of the entire book, with silly grins and a big pink slurping tongue.

Sure to get laughs at preschool story time, this makes a silly addition to any story time on frogs or flies.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Philomel Books.

Review: Mrs. Harkness and the Panda by Alicia Potter

| Tasha

mrs harkness and the panda

Mrs. Harkness and the Panda by Alicia Potter, illustrated by Melissa Sweet

In 1934, Mr. Harkness set out to China to bring the first live panda to the United States.  Unfortunately, he did not survive his journey.  So his young widow, Mrs. Harkness decided to set out and complete her husband’s dream.  Mrs. Harkness was not an adventurer; she designed tea gowns.  She knew that the journey would be hard, maybe even impossible.  But she set off for China and met up with Quentin Young, a man who had seen pandas and agreed to help her.  They packed carefully for the journey, even taking baby formula and bottles in case they found a baby panda.  They journeyed deep into China, until they finally found traces of panda activity, but no pandas.  Then they heard a small sound and followed it to a baby panda hidden in a rotten tree.  Mrs. Harkness had completed the mission!

This is a marvelous biographical picture book about an unlikely adventurer who took an amazing risk, especially after her husband’s death.  The story is told with a wonderful richness that helps bring the time period and this woman to life.  I particularly enjoyed all of the people telling her that it was a mistake and the amazing number of things she took along with her on the journey.  Potter takes the time to really create the world and this character, something that can be missing in picture book nonfiction.

Sweet’s illustrations are marvelous.  They incorporate cut paper art, maps, Chinese lettering, postcards, and lots of little touches that make them especially rich and meaningful.  At the same time, there is a sweetness to the illustrations that works particularly well with this story and the main character.  It also works well with the cuddly furry pandas too.

An inspirational story of adventure with an unlikely heroine at its center.  Appropriate for ages 5-7.

Reviewed from copy received from Alfred A. Knopf.

Review: Beach Feet by Kiyomi Konagaya

| Tasha

beach feet

Beach Feet by Kiyomi Konagaya, illustrated by Masamitsu Saito

Released June 12, 2012.

This picture book is a trip to the beach along with a very exuberant little boy.  There are salty breezes, hot sand, cool water, and plenty of sun.  The little boy races to get to the water, surprised by the heat captured in the hot sand.  That quickly turns to relief upon reaching the cool, wet sand.  Then the waves come in, cold and big, tickling around toes as the water recedes again.  It leaves behind a revealed shell, something for the boy’s toes to find.  Then there are more waves, floating in the ocean, and even more sun. 

Konagaya’s very short text is a delight.  The translation from the Japanese is successful, keeping the quiet yet excited mood of exploring a beach.  It offers just enough context to share the pleasures of the ocean without getting in the way at all, making it ideal for very young listeners.

The illustrations by Saito are rich and deep.  They move from playful exuberance to quieter moments.  The bright yellow of the sunshine, the cool grey of wet sand, the blue of the waves.  This art captures the beach perfectly.  It has a wonderful fluidity to it, captured most effectively in the skin of the child that flows from oranges and pinks. 

A successful look at a day at the beach that is perfect to share with toddlers, this book should come along with a shovel and pail.  Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from copy received from Enchanted Lion Books.

Review–Life in the Ocean: The Story of Oceanographer Sylvia Earle

| Tasha

life in the ocean

Life in the Ocean: The Story of Oceanographer Sylvia Earle by Claire A. Nivola

This picture book biography of biologist and oceanographer Sylvia Earle pays homage not only to her life’s work but to the incredible ecosystem of the oceans as well.  Sylvia was a biologist even as a child, sitting by the pond at their rural home in New Jersey and observing.  When Sylvia was 12, her family moved to Florida where their home was right near the Gulf of Mexico.  Sylvia started going to swims with her goggles on and watching these new creatures so different from the pond life in New Jersey.  As Sylvia grew older she ventured deeper and deeper into the ocean, meeting whales, spending 2 weeks in a deep-sea station, and walking the ocean floor in a Jim suit.  Sylvia Earle through her life and actions asks us to venture into the ocean too, spend time underwater, and explore beyond the 5% of the ocean humans have so far discovered.

Nivola’s text in this picture book can seem dense at first glance, but it is necessary to paint the picture of this ground-breaking (or ocean-breaking) woman.  The text reads aloud beautifully, flowing forward as it gives the small details that build to a life’s work.  It is a life spent outdoors, often alone, learning.  If you are looking for a picture book to inspire more exploration outside, this is definitely one. 

The illustrations in the book have a fine line to them, the pages filled with different blue hues as the water changes depth.  The ballet moves of the whales, the dazzle of bioluminescent creatures, and the colorful coral reefs all add to the range of the pictures.  Plenty of blue space is given to just water, allowing us to hold our collective breaths with hers and visit the depths too.

A brilliant picture book biography, this book is a winning nonfiction title for elementary students.  Appropriate for ages 7-9.

For more information on Sylvia Earle, you can watch her TEDPrize winning talk or visit Mission Blue, a gorgeous website for the Sylvia Earle Alliance.

Reviewed from copy received from Farrar Straus Giroux.

Review – Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip by Jordan Sonnenblick

| Tasha

curveball

Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip by Jordan Sonnenblick

Peter has always loved baseball and excelled at it.  About to start high school, he looks forward to being a pitching star and playing alongside his best friend AJ.  But when he ignores the pain in his arm and continues to pitch, disaster happens and he is told he can no longer pitch, ever.  Peter’s mother talks him into taking a photography class in school, inspired by his grandfather who is a well-known photographer in their community and whom Peter loves to spend time with.  Peter reluctantly agrees, but the class is too easy and he is moved to an advanced photography class along with another freshman, a beguiling girl, Angelika.  As their relationship starts thanks to photography, Peter notices that his grandfather is starting to forget things.  Peter keeps the truth about his grandfather from his parents, just as he doesn’t tell the whole truth about his arm to his best friend.  How long can he balance the lies he’s been spinning before they all fall?

Sonnenblick has created a book that is smart and charming.  He effortlessly blends the worlds of sports and photography, plus a dash of strong romance too.  Peter is a great character: a jock who is bright, funny and endearingly unsure.  A great sense of humor runs through the book as well, making the book a fast read despite the heavier issues at its heart.  The book grapples mightily with truth telling and relationships.  Readers get to see just enough of the grandfather before he starts to lose his memory to understand just how strong the relationship between the two of them is.  Though there are many issues at hand in the book, they are all balanced on strong storytelling and vivid characters.

With its blend of topics this book should appeal to many readers, get it in the hands of teens who enjoy John Green and are looking for more smart, funny books.  Appropriate for ages 14-16.

Reviewed from ARC received from Scholastic Press.