Book Reviews

The Imaginary Garden

| Tasha

The Imaginary Garden by Andrew Larsen and Irene Luxbacher

When Poppa moves into an apartment, he leaves behind his big glorious garden.  But Theo comes up with the idea of them having an imaginary garden instead of a real one.  That way it will fit on his small balcony with ease.  Poppa purchases a large canvas for them to paint on and a pair of matching gardening hats too. The two build the imaginary garden in the same way gardeners really do.  They start with a wall, the blue sky and the rich earth.  From there, they follow the seasons with crocuses and scilla starting out in spring.  But Poppa must leave on holiday just when it is time to paint the newly blooming tulips and daffodils. Will Theo be able to handle the imaginary garden on her own?

This book works on so many levels.  The writing and art are clever and inviting.  Theo and Poppa’s relationship is genuine and winning with no saccharine contrivances.  The use of art to dream, immerse one’s self, and create connections is done with a skillful hand and never becomes didactic. 

Perfection for young art students, grandparents, and for a spring story time.   This one is appropriate for ages 3-5 and grandmas and grandpas too.

Every Human Has Rights

| Tasha

Every Human Has Rights by National Geographic.

In classic National Geographic style, this book is filled with incredible photographs of people from around the world.  Each photo tells a story, which brings the text of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights to life.  Powerful and gripping, this book gives readers glimpses of the horrors around the world but also the strength and resilience of its peoples. Each line of the Declaration is accompanied by photographs with captions as well as a poem or statement by a young person that goes with that part of the Declaration.  Readers can modify it depending on their age.  Teens will enjoy the poems and statements while younger children may find them too intense.

Each line of the Declaration is simple and strong.  The accompanying photographs are fascinating and one lingers over them, looking into the eyes and faces and finding kinship there.  When I shared this book with my 7-year-old and 12-year-old we got to talk at length about tough issues like torture, the Holocaust and human rights in general.  Any book that offers me that opportunity is worth reading and sharing.

Appropriate for a wide range of ages depending on how it is used: 7-14.

Vanishing Cultures

| Tasha

 

Vanishing Cultures series by Jan Reynolds

This is a series that will have children thinking, questioning and seeing beyond their personal lives.  Each book in the series focuses on a culture that is quickly disappearing.  The culture is seen through the eyes of one specific child who shows readers around their home, family and life in general.  Information is offered matter-of-factly and contains fascinating tidbits that underline the differences between cultures.  Nothing is overly dramatic, nothing pointed out as strange.  Just a real look at a culture with permission to stare, linger and think.

 

The photographs in the books are just as lovely as the covers above.  Done in a variety of layouts and sizes, the photos really help create a bridge to the reader.  The text is filled with unknown words, but that is part of the fun of reading them.  Children and adults alike will find the About the Journey section at the back interesting and can refer to the map in the back cover to get their bearings. 

Highly recommended, this series is eye-opening and lots of fun.  The text is just the right level for 7-9 year olds to read independently, but the series is also perfect for teachers to share in the classroom with even younger children.

Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell in Love

| Tasha

Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell in Love by Lauren Tarshis

If you were as charmed by the first Emma-Jean Lazarus book as I was, then you want to make sure to pick up this second novel.  Remembering what went wrong when she tried to help Colleen before, Emma-Jean is amazed when Colleen comes to her and asks for help again.  Emma-Jean now has a little group of friends in her 7th-grade class but she is much more comfortable observing them from afar than being in their midst.  When shown the unsigned love note that Colleen found in her locker, Emma-Jean is immediately drawn into solving the mystery.  But Emma-Jean is distracted by this strange fluttery feeling whenever Will Keeler walks by.  What could be wrong with her?  And will she be able to concentrate long enough to figure out this puzzle?

I adore Emma-Jean.  She is quirky, wildly intelligent, and entirely herself.  Even better, she doesn’t really understand or care that others find her odd.  She does know that she isn’t like the other girls who smell of daisies and bubble gum.  But at the same time, she is not filled with a yearning to be anything but true to herself.  Very refreshing in a heroine this age! 

Tarshis’ writing is filled with sensory touches.  We know what things smell like, sound like, feel like.  This draws readers deeper into the story and offers surprising insight into characters and situations.  The writing is deft, interesting and never dull. 

An ideal novel for those who enjoyed the first, this book is strong enough to stand on its own.  Tweens ages 10-13 will enjoy both novels and both are ideal for classroom readalouds and ripe with things to discuss.

The Vast Fields of Ordinary

| Tasha

The Vast Fields of Ordinary by Nick Burd

Dade just graduated from high school and his entire life has reached a breaking point.  He has a horrible job at Food World, his parents should be divorced but are hanging on until he leaves for college, and his “boyfriend” Pablo is so far in the closet that he has a girlfriend and won’t acknowledge Dade in public.  Dade drifts through his summer in a haze of marijuana and booze, living in that strange world between high school and college.  On the way he finds both a first true friend, a real boyfriend, and his own voice. 

This book is about making connections and the amazing moments in life that come from making that first leap into fear.  Burd’s writing is a wonderful mix of straight-forward prose and then buttons on the ends of the chapters that rise to another level.  He writes emotional scenes without reveling in the drama but also without denying the emotions that young men feel. 

Dade is a great character who is confused, lost and entirely himself.  He is a person that straight and gay people will relate to easily.  Burd writes beautifully of first love and how tentative it is.  Readers will finally get to read a book where gay teen sexuality is embraced.  Beautifully written, the sexual passages read just like any straight sex scene in a teen novel.  Thank goodness!

Highly recommended, this book offers a gloriously normal but profound look at a gay teen.  Appropriate for ages 16-18.

Panda and Polar Bear

| Tasha

Panda & Polar Bear by Matthew J. Baek

Due out in June, 2009.

Two kinds of bears lived on either side of a cliff.  The snowy landscape at the top of the cliff housed polar bears and down below in the green of bamboo lived pandas.  One day, a very curious young polar bear leaned too far over the cliff and fell.  Luckily he landed in a deep puddle of mud which colored his limbs deep brown.  When he rubbed his eyes, he looked just like a panda.  It was then that a young panda found him.  The two played merrily together, until the polar bear swam after some fish in a pool and the mud washed off.  Would the panda accept him as he really was?

Baek’s illustrations are bundles of color surrounded by white, the watercolor offering distinctive differences between the two environments.  The bears are done with simple, strong lines that are perfect for children.  The writing is nicely simple and clear, offering what happens and not commentary on it, which is very pleasant.   Teachers and parents will appreciate this book about our differences and similarities and how both are to be celebrated. 

This simple, straight-forward book will find a niche in classrooms as a source of discussion about our different qualities.  It is also a nice read-aloud on bears and can be taken lightly by younger children.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

NOTE:  This book was sent to me via email in the form of a pdf.  Though I am still reluctant to review longer books online, I am happy to say that picture books work well for me in this format.

Quiet Bunny

| Tasha

Quiet Bunny by Lisa McCue

Quiet Bunny loves the many sounds of his forest home: the morning birds, the wind rustling the leaves.  His favorite time of day is in the evening when the meadow is filled with the night song of so many animals.  Quiet Bunny wishes that he could join the night song, so he wishes upon a star that he will get his own sound to make. The next morning, Quiet Bunny tries to sing like a bird, croak like a frog, hiss like a snake, and make other noises, but he still can’t make any noise.  An Owl seeing Quiet Bunny trying so hard, tells him to just be himself and he will find a sound. 

McCue’s illustrations are filled with the bounty of the forest and all of its inhabitants.  They are busy, friendly and beaming with warmth.  Quiet Bunny himself is very fluffy and shows his emotions clearly.  I see in McCue’s dedication that the book “targets sounds that are instrumental for early speech development and pre-reading/reading skills.”  I just know that children of all sorts will enjoy making the noises of the animals together and following the story of Quiet Bunny.  It is a gentle story that will speak to children with differing abilities.

A great read-aloud for spring and one to add to your pile of preschool read-alouds about rabbits.  Appropriate for ages 2-4.

I Need My Monster

| Tasha

I Need My Monster by Amanda Noll, illustrated by Howard McWilliam

When Ethan checks under his bed, he finds a note from his monster:

Gone Fishing.  Back in a week. –Gabe

Ethan needed a monster under his bed to sleep.  He missed the ragged breathing, the sound of claws on the floor, and the green ooze.  So Ethan taps on the floor and waits.  A series of monsters appears, each one missing one of the important qualities Ethan needs.  Finally, after rejecting his fourth monster, Gabe returns to fill Ethan’s sleep with his own special scariness.

This clever book could have been trite and contrived, but instead is filled with good humor and vivid monster characters.  As one monster after another appears, they stay distinct and unique from one another.  Each is visually different, but they also have different speech patterns, making them a treat to read aloud.

McWilliam’s illustrations done in pencil with digital acrylic paint are vivid and will appeal to fans of Pixar films since they have a similar quality.  McWilliam uses interesting perspectives and demonstrates a lot of humor in his work.  A perfect pairing with the text.

This book is ideal for pajama story times because the monsters are frightening but great fun.  It reads aloud well and offers readers a great range of voices and sound effects.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Twenty Heartbeats

| Tasha

 

Twenty Heartbeats by Dennis Haseley, illustrated by Ed Young.

A very wealthy man wanted a painting of his favorite horse so he commissioned a portrait by Homan, known as a great painter of horses.  Homan observed the horse for only a short while and then told the wealthy man that he would call him when it was ready.  The wealthy man returned home and waited a day, a week, a month, several years, then several more years.  Finally, he stormed to Homan’s home and demanded to know what was going on.  Homan took a paintbrush and painted the picture right then and there.  The wealthy man was insulted and very angry, assuming that Homan had never worked on the piece.  Until he glimpsed the extent of Homan’s work.

Haseley’s text takes a difficult piece and makes it very accessible and gripping even though much of the book is spent awaiting the painting.  Young’s illustrations are done in collage and are very successful.  They range from intricate portraits of people and horses to landscapes that evoke awe.  He manages with pieces of paper to create a world where readers will happily immerse themselves.

A beautiful collaboration of art and story, this book will have elementary-age children discussing what the wealthy man learned in the end.  Appropriate for ages 6-9.