Book Reviews

Walden Then & Now – Slow Down and Enjoy

| Tasha

Walden

Walden Then & Now: An Alphabetical Tour of Henry Thoreau’s Pond by Michael McCurdy

McCurdy has outdone himself in this latest book featuring his woodcut illustrations.  This book is an alphabet book that is not for preschoolers but perfect for elementary children wanting to learn more about Thoreau and his time at Walden Pond.  Each letter of the alphabet is matched with a word from Thoreau’s book that illustrates some of the most important and basic tenets of his time in the woods.  Many of the letters stand for different creatures in the forest, but others are less tangible like J for joy and Q for quiet.  After each letter and the object it stands for, McCurdy summarizes why that object was important to Thoreau.  It is here that the philosophy and point of view become very clear even to young readers.

What can one say about a master illustrator like McCurdy?  His illustrations feel so right paired with Thoreau as a subject matter.  It may be the timeless nature of the woodcut but it is also the simplicity of the illustrations that work so very well.  Many of the illustrations stopped me for a time and I lingered just with the image for a bit.  They so capture moments and bring one directly back to Walden Pond.

The text of the book is successful as well as it hearkens back directly to Thoreau as well.  Thoreau’s own journey is written clearly and thoughtfully.  By lingering on the things that he lived with during his time in the woods, readers will discover how universal his journey was for all of us.

This is a thoughtful book that resonates with a love of solitude and nature.  Appropriate for ages 7-9.

Reviewed from copy received from Charlesbridge.

The book trailer captures the spirit of Thoreau and this book very nicely:

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The Good Garden – Informative and Radiant

| Tasha

The Good Garden by Katie Smith Milway, illustrated by Sylvie Daigneault

The author of One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference continues to explore the impact of education and funding on poor communities.  Here, she has written a book about a farming family in Honduras who learn techniques that allow them to grow enough food to feed themselves and earn enough money to secure a positive future for the family.  Maria Luz and her family have run out of food so her father must head out of town to find enough work to pay for the seed to plant next year because they will have to consume what they would have saved.  He leaves Maria Luz in charge of the garden while he is gone.  At school, she learns about compost, terrace gardening, and other ways to keep the soil fertile.  When her father returns, he is surprised by her success.  He and Maria Luz work with her teacher to avoid selling their produce to the local coyote and instead sell it themselves at a market and purchase seeds themselves.  Through one man’s efforts to educate, an entire village is transformed.

The author here has taken her subject very seriously, as is appropriate.  The text is lengthy for a picture book, but helps explain the impact of food insecurity around the world.  While this is not a picture book to add to a story time, it will be of value for elementary children who are learning about the world, gardening and food.  It is a book that teaches and informs.  Smith Milway’s text does not shy away from the control of the coyote, the fear of starvation, or the loss of families who leave to live elsewhere.  Her words convey it all with a seriousness and gentleness that is lovely to read.

Daigneault’s illustrations seem to glow with an inner sun.  Her use of colors is dynamic at times and subtle at others.  In all of her pictures, there are flowing lines that help depict the beauty of the Honduran landscape.  The illustrations help bring the text to life, making the book even more appealing.

An important book for children to better understand the world they live in, this book is informative and radiant.  Appropriate for ages 6-9.

Reviewed from copy received from Kids Can Press.

You can visit The Good Garden website at: http://www.thegoodgarden.org/ where you can learn, play or help make a difference.

And check out the book trailer:

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Paranormalcy – A Fresh Lush Paranormal Romance

| Tasha

Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

I thought I’d had my fill of paranormal books for teens.  The last few I had tried were duds, given up only part way through.  Then I started hearing a buzz about Paranormalcy and I took one look at that divine cover and just had to read it.  Am I ever glad I did!

Evie has worked for the IPCA (International Paranormal Containment Agency) since she was eight.  She has a unique talent that no one has ever seen before, she can see through the glamours that paranormals put up to hide themselves from view.  When she looks at a gorgeous vampire, she sees the dead person beneath.  When she looks at a werewolf in human form, she sees the wolf eyes.  So she works as a paranormal hunter, tracking down rogue paranormals and containing them.  But now something is killing the paranormals and Evie has begun to have strange dreams that seem connected.  Plus her ex-boyfriend, a faerie named Reth, is trying to kidnap her and no one is taking him seriously.  Evie’s dull life of monster hunting is about to change, and it just may be all her fault!

White writes with a wonderful bite of sarcasm, a gift for description, and an ability to show emotion without telling it.  She has managed to take an over-extended genre and make it feel new and fresh.  A large part of that is the unique perspective of Evie herself, a character who is awed by the normal from being surrounded by the paranormal.  She is an innocent in our world, taking her own amazing world for granted.  She’s a great character to view the paranormal through.  Evie is a very strong female character.  She’s a monster hunter, a rule breaker, and someone who can use her brains to get out of a lot of scrapes.  She’s one tough girl.

There is plenty of romance in the story too.  The romance scenes in the book are sensual and tender without going too far.  White has created an amazing boyfriend for Evie combined with a very interesting ex-boyfriend.  Add this sizzling romance to the adventure and action and you have a book that is impossible to put down.

The cover of this book will sell it right off of your shelves, but if Twilight fans are looking for the next great fantasy read, get this in their hands.  Thanks to the strong female lead, I’d also hand it to Hunger Games readers.  Appropriate for ages 13-15.

Reviewed from library copy.

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Heads – Pull the Tab, Watch It Move, Laugh Along

| Tasha

Heads by Matthew Van Fleet

I am a huge fan of Van Fleet and his mix of clever tabs with very humorous touches.  Perfect for small hands, his books withstand a lot of play from the smallest children.  This book follows his Tails book.  Here the rollicking rhyme takes readers from one type of head to another.  It features heads to touch, like the woolly and hairy heads.  It also takes a funny look at necks, ears, mouths, tongues, noses and eyes.  A great introduction to the various body parts, what sets this book apart are the pull tabs that bring the illustrations to life.  The terrific part is that even the most jaded adults will be surprised at the artistry and humor here.

Van Fleet excels at writing words that flow and dance in a jaunty jig.  His text can be read aloud effortlessly.  His art is cartoony, silly and even the parts that don’t move have small humorous touches to watch for. 

Ideal for a birthday or holiday present for any toddler, this book is a treat.  The only problem is figuring out which child gets to pull the next pull tab!  Appropriate for ages 1-3.

Reviewed from copy received from Simon & Schuster.

Up We Grow! – Glorious Farm Life

| Tasha

Up We Grow! A Year in the Life of a Small, Local Farm by Deborah Hodge, photographs by Brian Harris

This book shows the beauty and work of running a small farm.  The book moves from season to season, highlighting the work being done at that time.  In spring, seeds are sown, plants are transplanted, compost is spread.  In summer the animals and plants are growing bigger.  The flowers are blooming, bees are buzzing, crops are being harvested, and they have a farm celebration.  In fall, it’s harvest time for crops and for honey.  The farmers markets are active and the farmers are saving seeds to use next year.  In winter, it is slower.  The farmers repair their equipment, feed their animals, and grow plants in the greenhouse.  This book offers lots of information in friendly green boxes that specifically talk about sustainable practices.  It is a gentle way to introduce organic farming to young readers.

Hodge’s text is refreshingly light in tone, often asking readers to talk about their own experiences.  Her use of text in boxes for the more dense, factual portions works very well, making the book flexible for different ages and audiences.  Harris’ photographs really capture the fresh air and sunshine of a farm.  From friendly animals to deep rich soil, his photos are interesting and vibrant.

A book that will have everyone wanting to munch some farm-fresh veggies and visit a friendly goat or two, it is a warm invitation to investigate small farms in your area or at least spend some time at a farmer’s market this fall.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Kids Can Press.

Clever Jack Takes the Cake

| Tasha

Clever Jack Takes the Cake by Candace Fleming, illustrated by G. Brian Karas

The creators of Muncha! Muncha! Muncha! return with a delightful fairy tale.  Jack is invited to the princess’ tenth birthday but has nothing to fine enough for a present.  But then Jack has a great idea, he will bake her a birthday cake.  He didn’t have enough money to buy ingredients, so he had to trade for them, work for them, or make them on his own.  Finally it was finished.  Two cake layers, frosting, ten candles, walnuts and a big strawberry.  Jack sets off to the party, but his way is not easy.  Blackbirds fly at him and steal the walnuts from the top of the cake.  To cross a bridge he has to give a troll half of the cake.  The candles are used up escaping a dark, frightening wood.  A bear eats the last of the cake, but not the strawberry.  So all Jack has to give the princess is the big, juicy berry.  But he still has to get into the castle and all the way to the princess.

When I opened this book, it was like returning back to a beloved tale.  Fleming and Karas have created a new tale with the soul of a classic.  From the premise of the poor boy taking a present to the series of disasters, readers will find themselves happily on familiar ground.  That is not to say that there are not surprises, there are and they are great fun!

Fleming’s writing is adroit, offer just the right amount of text per page, just the right amount of detail, and pacing the book perfectly for young listeners.  Her prose is a joy to read aloud, the phrasing fitting perfectly in the mouth.  This is quite simply a book that must be shared aloud.

Karas’ art is winningly done.  Jack’s mop of messy hair, his skinny frame, the dramatic moments of the birds, the troll, and the bear that have great perspectives.  He also plays with the background, washing the illustration of Jack’s home with a dull overlay, gradually blending from white to a warm pink when the princess enters the book.  All of the small details add up to a richness and charm that really add so much to this book.

A delight, this book must be shared to be fully enjoyed.  This is one that must be added to any story time or unit on birthdays, cake, or fairy tales.  But it should also become one of those books that you use any old time when you need a winner.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Schwartz & Wade.

Anna Hibiscus – Brilliant New Series

| Tasha

Anna Hibiscus by Atinuke

Hooray for Anna Hibiscus! by Atinuke

Anna Hibiscus lives in Africa in a great big house filled with relatives, including her parents, her little twin brothers, her grandparents, her many aunts, her many uncles, and all of her cousins.  She is never lonely because there is always someone to play with, share stories with, and have fun with.  In the first book in the series, Anna Hibiscus discovers that it’s not so easy to have a family vacation with just your small family.  She meets her Aunt Comfort who lives on the other side of the ocean, though she frets that Aunt Comfort will have forgotten how to be African.  Anna Hibiscus also learns about hard work and dreams of seeing snow for the first time.  In the second book in the series, Anna Hibiscus sings before a crowd, refuses to get her hair braided,  loves the quiet of nights without electricity, and travels to the other side of the city. 

Obviously written by a storyteller, these books are unique and offer American children a fascinating glimpse of life in Africa that is guaranteed to break stereotypes.  The stories are all set definitively in Africa and all of the stories have a focus on things that make Africa special.  Another positive for the books is how the simple pleasures of life are the best, something that so many children in America need to learn. 

Anna Hibiscus is a great protagonist.  She is still learning herself about the differences between her own life and that of the poor children she sees around her.  She learns about this in very concrete and tangible ways that children in any country can relate to.  Nicely, Atinuke has created books for children that instead of shying away from difficult subjects like poverty embrace them and focus attention about them.

Atinuke’s use of rhythm and repetition in her stories adds to the feeling of them being written by a storyteller.  There is also a powerful tie to the oral traditions of Africa thanks to these storytelling phrases.  Beautifully written and wonderfully simple and straight forward, these books are something very special.

Highly recommended, these books belong in all public and school libraries.  They are a wonderful modern look at Africa and the people who love her.  Appropriate for ages 5-7.

Reviewed from copies received from Kane Miller.

Also reviewed by Fuse #8.

Subway

| Tasha

Subway by Christoph Niemann

Take a trip through the tunnels with two children and a father on a rainy day.  Wait for the train to come, feel the breeze and the rumble.  Take the A train to all 44 stations.  Then the F train filled with interesting people.  You can take the 1 or 2 trains depending on whether you need the express.  7 heads to Times Square and you get a wonderful view on Q.  F and G run together, then apart, and then return together again.  When the day is done, you will still want to be riding the rails underground. 

Told in happy rhyme, this book plays with rhythm and internal rhyme.  It has the pace of trains, pauses at stations, rushes forward at times.  The illustrations are done in thick lines with bright colors on black backgrounds.  They evoke a feeling of looking at signs rather than illustrations.  At the same time, they have a jaunty sense of humor that works really well.

I’d grab this one in a New York minute to use in a transportation unit or storytime.  Children from New York will immediately recognize the places, while folks from around the country will enjoy this uniquely NY title.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from library copy.

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Mockingjay

| Tasha

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

The wonder of what this series has become is fabulous not only for the book industry itself but for the readers.  I am thinking not of the many adult women who I know that have read it and love it, but the teens who adore it, talk about it, and relate to it.  What a joy to have a book that we can all share on such a level.  Perfection for the after-Harry-Potter time.

But what to say about it?  Dark, disturbing, violent, wondrous, strong, memorable, striking, passionate, and dazzling.

Yes, I had issues with some of the deaths.  Yes, I had to take time after reading it to recover and see it from a different perspective because I was too wrapped up in it.  Which is a great thing.  It is a book about the corruption of power, the horrors of war, the pain of betrayal and the richness of love.  It is about so much more than I had expected. 

That said, being the very finicky and picky reader that I am, I do have some issues with the world building.  Issues that the other books strode past and I was able to ignore.  But here they became even more evident.  I know, they are quibbles, but they are also how I saw the book going.  I was so very certain that I knew where it was heading.  I didn’t.  And part of my great pleasure in the reading of the book was that I was wrong.  Isn’t it great to be surprised by books?

So that’s my disjointed view of Mockingjay without giving anything away.  It was a book I loved, a series I adored from the very start, and I can’t wait to see what the creator of Gregor and Katniss brings us next!

Reviewed from purchased copy because I couldn’t wait, but also received copy from Scholastic.

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