Book Reviews

Kitten’s Spring

| Tasha

Kitten’s Spring by Eugenie Fernandes

Take a walk along with Kitten as Kitten explores a farm in spring.  As Kitten goes through the farm, readers will see pairings of adult and baby animals.  These include frogs and tadpoles, birds and eggs, chickens and chicks, ducks and ducklings, a cow and calf, pig and piglet, sheep and lamb, and owl and owlet.  The book is written in rhyme that adds to the appeal.  The illustrations are eye-catching and lovely with a real dimensional feel to them that will offer young children lots to pore over.

Fernandes is a well-known Canadian author.  Her ability to create a book with a specific feel and theme shines here.  Using only a few words per page, she writes with a simplicity that is welcoming for very small children.  Her art is equally warm and friendly, filled with tiny details that make it fun to visit again and again.  It is done in clay, acrylic paint and collage.

This book would be perfect to add to a toddler story time about spring, farms or cats.  Its small size is also very inviting for lap reading and children will love to talk about the animal noises and the other things they see in each picture.  Appropriate for ages 1-4.

Reviewed from copy received from publisher.

Also reviewed by Becky at Young Readers.

Chester’s Masterpiece

| Tasha

Chester’s Masterpiece with NO help from Melanie Watt

In this third Chester book, Chester has completely taken over and is writing the book all by himself.  He has taken Melanie’s art supplies and her computer mouse.  But writing a children’s book isn’t as easy as Chester thinks.  He has to come up with original ideas, select a genre, illustrate the book, and then work on a happy ending rather than a gloomy one.  Luckily Melanie is right there with helpful criticism along the way, even demonstrating her skills as an artist with just a pencil.

I know this is going to sound odd, but I love the dynamics between Melanie and Chester.  Their quibbling is such fun to watch.  Here Melanie is confined to writing post-it notes to Chester as he creates his masterpiece.  Along the way, readers learn about what goes into creating a children’s book, though they will be having far too much fun to notice that they are learning things too.  Watts’ illustrations are done with such differing styles that it is easy to forget she is also drawing Chester.  The book design is a large part of its success and that is thanks to her art.

Highly recommended, but make sure you enjoy the other two Chester books too.  All three are such fun.  Appropriate for ages 5-8.

Reviewed from copy received from publisher.

The Purple Kangaroo

| Tasha

The Purple Kangaroo by Michael Ian Black, illustrated by Peter Brown

Join in a silly romp of a book because you are invited by a mind-reading monkey.  He can read YOUR mind.  Close your eyes and think of something.  Then say it out loud and look into the monkey’s eyes.  Did you think of a purple kangaroo?  No?  Well monkey bets he can figure out what you’re thinking about next!

This book is pure fun.   Black’s writing is done in text bubbles, carrying the story forward at a fast pace.  The monkey is funny, irreverent and the story he tells about the purple kangaroo is so off-the-wall.  Brown’s illustrations add to the fun.  Who could ever forget the picture of the purple kangaroo blowing an enormous rainbow bubble-gum bubble out of his nose?  The humor will work for slightly older children than most picture books, making this the ideal book to take on a school visit to second and third graders.

Guaranteed to get classes laughing, this is one to share that is sure to delight.  Appropriate for ages 5-9.

Reviewed from copy received from publisher.

Also reviewed by Where the Best Books Are.

Check out this video of Michael Ian Black reading the book:

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Boom Bah!

| Tasha

Boom Bah! by Phil Cummings, illustrated by Nina Rycroft

Break out the noise makers, drums, and kazoos and start your own band after you share this one. 

It all starts with a mouse tinging a spoon against a teacup.  Then the cat gets involved by banging a spoon on a can.  Pig grabs two pot lids to bash together as cymbals.  And soon a line of animals are marching and dancing to the beat.  What could that be coming over the hill?  A real  marching band with real drums, a tuba, trombones and more.  Everyone starts to play music together with a happy “Hey ho!”  A jolly book filled with rhythm, music and merriment, this is a winner of a book for toddlers. 

Cummings text is kept to a minimum, just carrying the noises and the beat along with it.  The words are simple and great fun to read aloud because they are so jaunty.  Rycroft’s art is silly and warm toned.  I love that she included diving insects on most of the pages.  If you look closely you can even see beetles in the grass who also get caught up in the music.  Her attention to the small but delightful details is clever and adds to the fun. 

Highly recommended when you want a story time about music and you don’t mind the kids getting loud with their own marching band.  Appropriate for very small children through preschool, this book will work for ages 1-4.

Reviewed from copy received from publisher.

Brownie & Pearl Step Out

| Tasha

Brownie & Pearl Step Out by Cynthia Rylant, illustrations by Brian Biggs

In this simple, charming story, Rylant explores shyness.  Brownie, the little girl, and Pearl, her cat, are going to a birthday party that cats are invited to too.  Once they are at the door to the party, Brownie starts to feel shy about knocking.  Pearl, though, is not shy at all and enters the house by the cat door, forcing Brownie to have to knock and join the party.  By the end of the party, full of cake and ice cream and having played lots of games, Brownie is very happy to have come. 

Rylant has created the first in another charming pairing.  This book is for even younger readers than Henry and Mudge or Mr. Potter and Tabby.  The vocabulary is kept limited and there are at most two short sentences on each page, usually as short as four words.  Despite these limitations, Rylant has created a charming protagonist.  Biggs’ illustrations are done digitally and have a nice warmth to them.  The illustrations are simple and friendly for young readers. 

Highly recommended, every library needs a copy of this first in Rylant’s new series.  I can’t wait to see what adventures Brownie and Pearl head on next.  Appropriate for new readers of any age, approximately ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from publisher.

Passing By

| Tasha

Passing By by Yona Tepper, illustrated by Gil-Ly Alon Curiel

Yael likes to watch the street outside her house from her balcony.  She can see dogs walk by, a cat hiding in the flowerbed, a car driving past and honking its horn, a man riding a bike, a tractor with a trailer filled with brush, and a bird.  Best of all, she sees her father coming! 

The book has a nice rhythm and repetition both before each thing on the street appears and after it leaves Yael’s sight.  Tepper’s prose has a quiet feel that really allows readers to feel a sense of ease and leisure that is inherent in the book.  The art depicts life in Israel which is both similar to a street in America and yet has quite a different feel.  Curiel’s art is simple and very child-friendly.  The book has a nice mix of close-up images and panoramas of the area of Yael’s home. 

Ideal for toddlers who will enjoy the repetition of the book and identifying the sounds and animals.  Appropriate for ages 2-5.

Reviewed from copy received from publisher.

Bunny Days

| Tasha

Bunny Days by Tao Nyeu

The author of the marvelous Wonder Bear returns with a picture book that once again features the big white Bear.  This book however takes a different approach than the loosely plotted first book. 

The book is in three chapters, each featuring an scrape the bunnies get into which is resolved by Bear.  In the first story, Mr. Goat is driving past the bunnies on his tractor and splashes them all with mud.  They head to Bear for help and he fixes everything by putting them all in the washing machine.  On delicate cycle of course.  Then they are hung to dry.  In the second story, Mrs. Goat is vacuuming and accidentally sucks the bunnies right out of their burrow.  Mrs. Goat takes her broken vacuum to Bear who discovers the bunnies inside.  He blows the dust off of the bunnies and repairs the vacuum too.  The final story has the bunnies playing hide-and-seek in a white flowered hedge while Mr. Goat is pruning it.  He accidentally cuts the tails off of the bunnies.  But no worries, Bear once again rescues the situation by carefully sewing the tails back on.

These stories are entirely silly and whimsical.  The solutions are sure to generate giggles as children will immediately realize how nonsensical they are.  Nyeu’s art has a strength and simplicity that adds to the appeal here.  His use of thick lines and a limited color palette work very well, especially the use of one dominant color for each story.

Ideal for toddlers, this book will have plenty of appeal with its fresh-feeling art and simple story lines.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from publisher.

Ferocious Wild Beasts!

| Tasha

Ferocious Wild Beasts by Chris Wormell

Jack’s mother told him never to go into the forest because there are ferocious wild beasts in there!  But Jack didn’t listen and now found himself lost in the woods.  When a bear walked up to Jack and asked what was wrong, Jack told him about the ferocious wild beasts of the forest and how they gobble up both people and bears.  The bear was worried and the two of them walked on together.  They met an elephant who was told about the wild beasts and was also terrified, so the three walked on together.  They next met a lion who when hearing about the beasts also traveled with them.  With the sinking of the sun, they had even more animals grouped with them and on the outlook for the wild beasts.  They heard a stomping.  They saw a huge glowing eye.  They heard a loud roar.  What could it be?

This is a great picture book.  It has wonderful pacing that draws readers in and captivates them.  The humor is broad and children will immediately understand that the very animals accompanying Jack on his travels are the ones his mother warned him about.  Wormell’s use of realistic animals makes the book even more successful as it heightens the tension and adds to the humor too.  The watercolor illustrations here will work well with a group as will the text which has a rhythm and flow that reads aloud nicely.

Highly recommended, this is a book where children will get the joke and enjoy playing along with it.  A perfect addition to story times on elephants, bears or lions.  Appropriate for ages 3-6.

Reviewed from copy received from publisher.

Also reviewed at BooksForKidsBlog, Kiss the Book, and A Patchwork of Books.

Lights on Broadway

| Tasha

Lights on Broadway: A Theatrical Tour from A to Z by Harriet Ziefert, illustrated by Elliot Kreloff, with Brian Stokes Mitchell

This A to Z book takes readers into the world of the theater, teaching the words that go with the shows.  From grip to marquee, readers will find plenty of words they don’t know.  But this book is much more than vocabulary because alongside each definition, there are quotes from Broadway actors, directors, choreographers, composers, writers and more.  This book is pure inspiration for those who have the acting bug and who long to be on stage. 

Ziefert and Kreloff have created a book that captures the excitement, glitz and joy of the stage.  Ziefert offers definitions that convey an excitement about the subject, always avoiding being dry.  Kreloff’s art is loud, bright and nicely stylized, suiting the subject matter perfectly. 

Give this to young actors and class clowns. It could also be used when doing a production in class to give a sense of what the larger picture of performing is.  A joyful riot of a picture book, this book will serve as the basis for many big dreams.  Appropriate for ages 5-8.

Reviewed from library copy.

Also reviewed by Sommer Reading and Read Along with Biblio.