Book Reviews

A Beach Tail

| Tasha

A Beach Tail by Karen Lynn Williams, illustrated by Floyd Cooper

When Gregory drew a Sandy Lion in the sand on the beach, his father suggested that Sandy needs a tail.  He also told Gregory not to go in the water and not to leave Sandy.  Gregory drew a tail with his drawing stick.  When he came to a jellyfish on shore, he draw a loop around it.  He went up and over an old sandcastle.  He zigzagged around a horseshoe crab.  He swirled around the hole of a ghost crab.  He wrote his name.  Then he turned around and realized how far he was from his father!  How could be find him on the huge beach?  Gregory followed Sandy’s tail back to the beginning all on his own.

This is a story of a beautiful day at the beach combined with a boy’s imagination.  The words use some repetition of the father’s instructions not to go into the water or leave Sandy.  I also appreciate a book where a child moves some distance away from a parent with no fear and uses his own ingenuity to return safely. 

It is the pastel illustrations by Cooper that really bring this book to life and raise it to another level.  The entire book is done with the detail you see on the cover image above.  Gregory’s face reflects his moods, his intentness, his creativity so clearly.  The use of a fairly limited tan and brown palette really works here, uniting the boy and the beach without losing either one of them.  The soft grainy illustrations capture the gritty feel of a sandy beach.

You will almost be able to smell the salt air with these illustrations.  A vacation in a book, it is appropriate for ages 3-6.

Reviewed from library copy.

Check out Karen Lynn Williams’ blog and Floyd Cooper’s website.

The Night Fairy

| Tasha

The Night Fairy by Laura Amy Schlitz, illustrated by Angela Barrett

Newbery winner Schlitz returns with a celebration of fairies that will have any child entranced.  Flory, a night fairy, was only the size of an acorn when she was out flying and was crunched on by a bat who mistook her for a luna moth.  After her wings were crushed, she fell down into a cherry tree in a giant’s garden.  There she found a birdhouse just the right size for a fairy’s home.  Because she couldn’t move around easily on her own without wings, Flory befriended a very hungry squirrel who let her ride him in exchange for food.  But Flory wanted a grander animal to ride and when she saw the hummingbirds she knew just what she wanted.  But the hummingbirds were aloof and distant, too busy to talk with her about her needs.  It wasn’t until one bird was trapped in a spider web in the garden that Flory could bargain with her.  That bargain would take her on an even greater adventure that teaches Flory what friendship and being a fairy is really about.

Schlitz’s writing is laced with magic.  This deceptively slim volume holds so much story that it could have been much longer.  Instead, Schlitz has written a tightly woven story gilded with wonderful language.  The language invites readers deeply into the story, lets them know that something special has been written here, and then sails them off on adventure. 

I greatly appreciate that Flory is a fairy with plenty of chutzpah and guts.  She is prickly, brave and wonderfully independent.  At the same time, she dresses in flower petals, is a tiny size, and is undeniably feminine.  Bravo for a heroine who wields a dagger while dressed in petals!

Highly recommended, this book should be handed to any youngster who enjoys a good fairy tale.  This book has plenty of action and adventure married with magic and beauty.  Appropriate for ages 8-11.

Reviewed from Advanced Reader Copy received from Candlewick Press.

Extensively reviewed across the Kidslitosphere.

Mirror

| Tasha

Mirror by Suzy Lee

The author of Wave returns with another wordless book that captures emotion through images alone.  Her use of simple lines, white space and minimal color sets a unique tone in this book.  It is the story of a girl who is sad and alone before she discovers a mirror.  As she interacts with her reflection, she becomes exuberant as do the illustrations.  She begins to dance with her reflection and then something odd happens and her reflection does different things than she does.  This makes her angry so she shoves the reflection, bringing the book to a crashing end.

Lee excels at creating wordless stories that have depth and grace.  Here her thick black lines come together to make a story that is interesting and universal.  Her skill with white space is really at its best here.  She offers an entire two page spread of only blank pages that really create a vital moment in the book.  On other pages, she is unafraid to keep large parts of the page bare and allow readers to really focus on the figures themselves.

The book itself is wonderfully designed with a tall, thin cover than evokes the shape of a mirror.  The endpages feature the colors and inky shapes found inside the book.  Beautifully and caringly done.

A wordless book that offers emotion, surprises and delight, this book will be enjoyed by many different readers.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Seven Footer Press.

Also reviewed by The Well-Read Child and Pink Me.

Sweet Dreams Lullaby

| Tasha

Sweet Dreams Lullaby by Betsy Snyder

In rhyming couplets, a young bunny prepares for bed in this peaceful book.  Young listeners will cuddle down just like the bunny as they move through a landscape of jewel tones and sensory imagery.  The illustrations move from late afternoon through the moon rising and stars twinkling in the sky.  Different animals make their way to bed following some of the same steps as children.  Hummingbirds get drinks of water.  Ducks wash themselves in puddles.  A daddy frog sings to his children.  Beautifully written and illustrated, this book is a small gem of a book.

Snyder excels at both writing and illustrating.  Some of the images in her poem are so lovely, gentle and perfect that they will stop you for a moment in delight.  The clever use of parallels between the animal bedtimes and children’s routines are done with a subtle hand.  Snyder’s illustrations are filled with deep colors that change throughout the book as the evening deepens.  There is a sense of continuity throughout the illustrations and the book that is soothing and gentle.

A great bedtime book for toddlers, one can’t read this book without feeling calm, warm and snuggly.  Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from copy received from Random House.

Visit Betsy Snyder’s blog for information on her work.  You can also read an interview with her at Picture Book Junkies Blog.

Willow’s Whispers

| Tasha

Willow’s Whispers by Lana Button, illustrated by Tania Howells

Willow’s voice was never any louder than a whisper.  She wished it were louder because no one in her class could hear her speak.  She got the wrong juice at snack, couldn’t tell others that she was playing with the toys, and never got picked as line leader because she couldn’t speak up.  Her father knew that her voice was inside her and would find its way out.  The next morning, Willow got up and made a magic microphone.  When she spoke into it, her voice was strong and loud.  She could speak to her classmates and ask for what she wanted.  But disaster struck at the end of the day when the microphone was crushed.  Could Willow find her her voice in time to be line leader?

Written with an understanding of being shy and the effort it takes to overcome, Button has captured the shy, quiet child perfectly here.  The loving relationship between Willow and her father is also worth noting.  He does not pressure her to change, rather it is her own decision and creativity that bring it about.  Howell’s illustrations make great use of white space.  They have a simple design and child-like feel to them that really works well.

This book will really speak loudly to those who are quiet.  It also offers a window of understanding to those who aren’t.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Kids Can Press.

Also reviewed by Kiss the Book and BookDragon.

The Can Man

| Tasha

The Can Man by Laura E. Williams, illustrated by Craig Orback

Tim wants a skateboard for his birthday but his family can’t afford to buy him one right now.  So when Tim sees the Can Man collecting cans to earn money, Tim realizes that he can do that to earn money for his skateboard.  Tim gathers cans with great energy, finally getting seven bags which should be more than enough for his skateboard.  On the final day he can collect cans, it is pouring rain.  The Can Man is out with his grocery cart collecting too, though he admits to Tim that he hasn’t found many cans lately.  Time explains that he is going to use the can money for a skateboard.  When he asks the Can Man what he’s collecting for, he learns that he needs the money for a warm coat.  The Can Man helps Tim bring the bags of cans to the redemption center.  After redeeming the cans for money though, Tim sees the Can Man walking away and knows just what he should do.  He runs outside and gives the Can Man all of the money he made.  On his birthday, Tim finds a package outside his door.  Inside is a skateboard.  Not a brand new one, but one that will work just fine and even has a fresh coat of paint, thanks to the Can Man.

Williams has taken what could have been a didactic moral tale and turned it instead into a fresh story about kindness and community.  Her text has a warmth to it that makes the story relatable, bringing the issue of homelessness and poverty directly into a child-eye view.  Orback’s illustrations reflect the same honesty as the words.  His paintings glow with a warm light and offer a realistic view of the neighborhood the story is set in. 

Bravo for a book that brings social concerns to children without lecturing!  Appropriate for ages 4-8.

Reviewed from copy received from Lee & Low Books.

Also reviewed by A Psych Mommy and  BookDragon.

Back to Bed, Ed!

| Tasha

Back to Bed, Ed! by Sebastien Braun

Ed enjoys all that leads up to going to bed: playing with Dad, taking a bath, story with Mom, and getting tucked in.  But once he was alone in the dark, he didn’t like it any more.  So he would tiptoe out to his parents’ bedroom and climb in their bed to sleep.  The problem was that his parents weren’t getting much sleep at all with him in there.  Finally after sleeping through the alarm and getting up much too late, his parents decided that he could not sleep with them any more.  Dad tucked him back into bed and made sure his nightlight was on.  But still Ed could not stay in bed – that is, he couldn’t stay in bed until all of his stuffed animals joined him.

Braun’s book design is a joy to read.  His round headed mice are charming as are the humorous touches he puts in the illustrations.  From the baby dumping out its food unnoticed in the background to the favorite stuffed rabbit with the alarmed look on its face at all times, Braun has created a complete world here.  His writing is a great length for young listeners who may also be dealing with being scared at bedtime.  The writing too has a sense of humor and place.

Recommended for any family transitioning out of a family bed (planned or unplanned), all children will enjoy entering this world of friendly mice.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Peachtree Publishers.

Mama’s Bayou

| Tasha

Mama’s Bayou by Dianne de Las Casas, illustrated by Holly Stone-Barker

Take a sound-filled tour through the bayou as the animals that live there prepare to sleep.  Using the repeated phrase of “Mama’s by you on the bayou” the book moves from animal to animal offering the sounds they make.  Crickets chirp, frogs slurp, snakes hiss, mosquitoes (skeeters) buzz, and more.  Every few pages, there is a double-spread given over just to the accumulated noises of the animals.  These small breaks in the pattern of the book keep it from being too rhythmic and also give readers a place to pause and consider the noises of the night.

De Las Casas has written a book that is a lullaby directly from the bayou to you.  Her use of repetition is nicely done.  Also the cumulative nature of the animal noises makes for a fun read.  Stone-Barker’s illustrations are done in cut paper collages.  The papers have dimension and texture, offering a depth that is exciting.  She also uses deep colors of night very successfully.

A lovely way to celebrate the sounds of the night whether listening to the mosquitoes in the bayou or all the way north in Wisconsin.  We do have fewer crocodiles though.  Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from copy received from Pelican Publishers.

Frankie Works the Night Shift

| Tasha

Frankie Works the Night Shift by Lisa Westberg Peters, illustrated by Jennifer Taylor

Frankie the cat, works during the night at the hardware store.  Counting from one to ten, he cleans counters, waters plans, climbs ladders, and then spots a mouse!  Dashing headlong through the store, he wakes up the entire family who are trying to sleep.  By the time he has chased the mouse off the premises, it is almost morning.  He may work the night shift, but he naps during the day.  So the book ends with ten huge yawns.

Peters writing is straightforward and easy to read aloud.  She has created a counting book with plenty of action which is unusual.  Additionally, her writing keeps the book from becoming sing-songy because each counting page is phrased differently.  Nicely done.

Taylor’s illustrations really take this book to another level.  The first pages of the city street had me hunkered over the page and delighting in the small details.  Then I had to know what medium she used to create the photographically clear but whimsically created images.  Her use of digital photography has created an intriguing look and feel that is never disjointed.  Beautifully rendered, I hope to see more from this debut book illustrator.

A counting book filled with gorgeous images and friendly text, this book with its furry and busy main character will delight young readers.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from library copy.