Picture Books

Review: Dog Loves Drawing by Louise Yates

| Tasha

dog loves drawing

Dog Loves Drawing by Louise Yates

The charming dog from Dog Loves Books returns in this second story.  When dog receives a blank book in the mail, he’s not sure what to do with it.  Then he sees the note from his Aunt Dora that told him it was a sketchbook and wished him wonderful adventures.  The first thing that Dog drew was a door, he walked through it and then drew a stickman and a duck.  The duck drew an owl and the owl drew a crab.  Then everyone started drawing until they wondered what else to do.  Dog then drew a train and they all hopped aboard, entering into an adventure on the page that they created themselves. 

This jaunty picture book celebrates both creativity and art.  Yates embraces the flow of consciousness story creating, merrily showing us how very freeing and fun it can be.  Doodles are celebrated and there is no erasing and perfecting, just an acceptance of the art being done.  I enjoyed the addition of the monster at the end of the book, giving that little extra jolt of energy at the end of the adventure. 

The illustrations are colorful and done mostly in simple lines.  Dog himself is sketched in black and white, but others have a looser feel of being quickly drawn.  The addition of real-seeming paintbrushes and pencils adds to the feeling of being inside a sketchbook. 

A welcome sequel to the first book, this is a lovely book that will have you doodling in your own sketchbook.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Knopf Books for Young Readers.

Review: Hands around the Library by Susan L. Roth

| Tasha

hands around the library

Hands around the Library: Protecting Egypt’s Treasured Books by Susan L. Roth and Karen Leggett Abouraya

Told from the point of view of one of the protesters in modern Egypt, this is the true story of how the Alexandria Library was saved during the protests.  As the crowd moved toward the library, which was built on the same ground as the ancient Library of Alexandria, the library director came outside and spoke to them.  He pointed out that the library had no gates to lock and no way to protect the large doors made of glass.  It was up to the people to save the treasures inside.  The crowd pressed on and the shouting grew louder.  But then one young man ran up the steps of the library and joined hands with the library director.  Then more and more people  joined hands, a living barrier protecting the library. 

The writing here tells the story clearly and concisely.  There is fear of the mob mentality woven into the story, a trepidation at what could happen with that many passionate and angry people in a large group.  The energy of that mob and that mood carries the book forward.  That moment of decision by the crowd hangs jewel-like in the book, the one person who does the right thing first and then those who follow.  It’s a book and a story that pivots in a moment of bravery. 

Roth’s collages capture the press of the crowd and its passion, but also the fact that these are regular people who were creating change.  The illustrations have a flatness to them that works well much of the time.  It is particularly effective when hands are joined in a chain. 

A powerful look at the importance of libraries and the bravery of a few, this book is also a reminder that we are witnessing history being made.  Appropriate for ages 5-7.

Reviewed from copy received from Dial Books.

Review: Bully by Patricia Polacco

| Tasha

bully

Bully by Patricia Polacco

Lyla was very nervous about starting sixth grade at her new school, but she met Jamie on her first day and they immediately became friends.  Lyla found herself fascinated by the three popular girls in school, who completely ignored her.  She managed to get their attention when she got the top grade on an essay.  Lyla tried out for cheerleading and made the team.  Lyla even negotiated with her parents to get a laptop and Jamie helped her put together a Facebook page.  Suddenly the popular girls started to pay attention to her and Lyla found herself joining them for lunch, leaving Jamie behind.  But when a test is stolen and Lyla is accused of stealing it, she finds herself being bullied on Facebook and online.  The story ends with the real thief being caught, but there is still the question of how kids who are being bullied should respond.  What would you do?

Polacco grapples with many issues in this book.  There are the popular kids and the others, something that we have seen in books again and again.  But Polacco works to make this more than about mean girls by focusing on Lyla and her own reaction to bullying.  Lyla sits quietly and allows others to be picked on by the girls, unwilling to speak up.  While she does eventually disengage from the others, her own role in bullying is exposed too.  The theft of the test takes the level of bullying higher, moving it online and making it very personal.  Polacco manages to make the abuse believable but also devastating.

My one problem with the book is that the adults in the story are fairly ineffectual in stopping the bullying.  When Lyla’s brother is having real issues at his new school, their parents do not get involved.  Additionally, when the bullying against Lyla escalates, she does not turn to adults for help.  It’s an unfortunate omission.

As always Polacco’s art is a large part of the appeal of this book.  Her realistic illustrations use fine lines and bright colors to tell the story.  The emotions on her faces are particularly effective, showing exactly what they are thinking.  I also enjoyed the clothes worn by the bullies and the way that they wore similar outfits that held together as a group.

This is a great book to start bullying discussions.  It shows how bullying can come from nowhere and escalate quickly.  Appropriate for ages 8-11.

Reviewed from copy received from Putnam.

Review: The Monsters’ Monster by Patrick McDonnell

| Tasha

monsters monster

The Monsters’ Monster by Patrick McDonnell

Grouch, Grump and Gloom ‘n’ Doom just knew they were the biggest monsters around.  After all, they lived in a big castle on top of a tall mountain that overlooked a little village.  And to top it off, their favorite word to use was “NO!”  When the three little monsters got into an argument about who was the biggest and baddest monster of all, they decided to settle it.  They built their own huge monster, who came to life after a jolt of electricity.  But this big, big monster may not be exactly who they were expecting.  A great pick for Halloween tales, this is a playful and silly take on monsters.

McDonnell has created three very cross little monsters who would not scare anyone.  Yes, they are loud, grumpy and constantly arguing, but they are not frightening thanks to their small size.  Then to trump that, he has also written a large monster who could be quite frightening with a personality that will surprise.  It makes for a delight of a book.  McDonnell’s writing is perfect for reading aloud, setting the right pace and tone to make it a wild rumpus of a read.

His art is equally fun, sometimes giving full-page spreads, but also intermingling smaller illustrations filled with movement and zing.  The blotches of ink on those pages add to the hustle and bustle of the tone.  The art is playful and filled with humor.  It will work best shared with smaller groups, since so much of the fun is in the illustrations.

Get your hands on this one for Halloween reads, it’s sure to be a favorite and asked for again and again.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson

| Tasha

each kindness

Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by E. B. Lewis

During a snowy winter, a new girl came to class.  Maya wore ragged clothes and a broken shoe that wouldn’t keep her foot dry in winter snow.  The new girl was put next to Chloe, who refused to even look at her, moving far away in her seat and looking out the window.  Day after day, Chloe never smiled or looked back.  Maya kept trying, offering her new jacks she got for her birthday, but the girls all refused to play.  Maya ended up playing alone.  Then Maya was gone, her seat empty.  That day, the class learned about kindness, about the way it ripples like a pebble dropped into water.  The children were each given a small stone to drop in and tell the class about a kindness they had done.  Chloe couldn’t think of any, her mind filled with the way she had treated Maya.  As the days went by, Chloe hoped that Maya would return so that she could smile back.  But then they heard that Maya had moved away.  Chloe would not be able to return that smile.

Woodson does not pull back on her message here.  She speaks directly to the sort of bullying that groups of girls are best at, ignoring and dismissing.  Readers will immediately feel for Maya, who has done nothing at all to earn the scorn of the girls, except wear the wrong clothes.  But Woodson also makes sure that we feel for Chloe too, using her as the narrator for the story.  This works particularly well in the latter part of the book, where she is hopeful she will be able to right the wrong she has done. 

Lewis’ art is realistic and quite simply amazing.  He shows us through his images Maya’s side of the story, starting with her refusal to look at the class when introduced, her hopeful smile before Chloe turns away, and her isolation as the seasons change.  After Maya leaves, Chloe is shown as the isolated one, alone on a blank white page, solitary in nature. 

The power of this book is in the ending, where it does not wrap up happily with Maya returning and being embraced by the Chloe and her friends. Instead, it ends realistically with deep regrets and hope that Chloe will respond differently next time. This is a book sure to trigger discussions when shared with a class. I can see talking about bullying, kindness and differences.

Highly recommended, this is a powerful book that is worth sharing and discussing.  Appropriate for ages 6-8.

Reviewed from copy received from Penguin.

Review: Miss Sally Ann and the Panther by Bobbi Miller

| Tasha

miss sally ann

Miss Sally Ann and the Panther retold by Bobbi Miller, illustrated by Megan Lloyd

Miss Sally Ann has had many great adventures, but one of the tallest tales about her is the story of when she met Fireeyes.  Fireeyes was a panther, huge and black.  When the two of them saw each other in the deep forest, they both wanted each other’s fur.  Miss Sally Ann thought that Fireeyes’ hide would keep her toes nice and warm.  Fireeyes wanted the bear-fur coat that she was wearing to keep his shoulders warm.  After gazing eye-to-eye, the two of them began to fight.  It was an epic battle, and I won’t spoil the ending or the middle of the book for you.  Just know that this is one wild tale about a tremendous woman and a blazing panther.

Miller’s writing here is, as she would put it, “ripsnorting fine.”  She peppers and spices her prose with words that can only be read with a twang and a great deal of swagger.  Just try saying “thunderferous” or “terrifiacious” without a big grin leaping to the your lips.  It all makes this book not only a great tall tale about an amazing woman, but also a “thunderific” book to share aloud.  The pacing is wild and wonderful, the battle is beyond epic, and the result is pure comfort too.

Lloyd’s illustrations really bring the larger-than-life characters full to realization.  From the huge size of Fireeyes to the great joy and fun that Miss Sally Ann has about life, the two of them shine on these pages.  Their battle is captured, full of motion and stunning action.

This is one great read to share with children learning about tall tales.  Not only does it feature a woman, but it’s also a treat to read aloud.  I’d also sneak it into any story time about cats just to get some big energy in there.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Holiday House.

Review: The Lonely Book by Kate Bernheimer

| Tasha

lonely book

The Lonely Book by Kate Bernheimer, illustrated by Chris Sheban

When the book first arrived at the library, it was shiny and new.  It was placed on display and a long list of children waited to read it.  Then the book was moved to the regular children’s shelves with other books that were not so new too.  It was still happy, since it got checked out often.  But as the book grew older, it got checked out less and less.  It had a tear and was missing its last page.  Then one day, a girl found the book, read it and loved it.  She took it home, carried it to school with her, and even shared it at show and tell.  The book felt loved again.  But the next story time, the girl chose a different book and forgot the special book.  She remembered when she got home, but the library was already closed.  Then when she got to the library a week later, the book was gone, withdrawn and meant for the book sale.  This is a sentimental but gorgeous book that every person who has ever loved a book will enjoy.

When I started this book, I was not a fan.  I worried that it would tip into the saccharine and overly sweet.  It is sentimental, as I mentioned above, but it never tips too far into that mode.  Instead I found myself reading a book that brought me back to the joy of discovering books as a child and finding myself closely attached to them.  I still can’t have a logical discussion of the Little House on the Prairie series, since I read them to tatters as a little girl.  I love this book for bringing me back to that.

Sheban’s art is soft and dreamy.  There are often books that glow with the wonder inside of them, something that book lovers will really appreciate.  This is a quiet book, and the art supports that, depicting quiet time reading and bonding with a story.

A great gift for any book-loving child, I think this book will speak most to adults who look fondly back on the books of their childhood.  Perhaps a holiday gift for your favorite librarian or reading teacher.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Schwartz & Wade.

Review: Squeak, Rumble, Whomp! Whomp! Whomp! by Wynton Marsalis

| Tasha

squeak rumble whomp

Squeak, Rumble, Whomp! Whomp! Whomp! by Wynton Marsalis, illustrated by Paul Rogers

Released October 9, 2012.

This very jazzy picture book will have your toes tapping along in no time.  It’s the story of a young boy who sees the noise, music and rhythm in everything around him.  From the squeak of the back door to the rumble of trucks on the highway, it all makes the music that surrounds him.  Throughout the book, real musical instruments are also woven into the loose storyline.  There are bass drums, his sister’s saxophone, violins, a trombone, tubas, and even a full band or two.  Coming from Marsalis, readers will not be surprised that the final instrument in the book is a trumpet, right before all of the noises and music come together at the end. 

So many musical books don’t quite work right, but this one really grooves.  The rhythms of the writing are catchy and great fun.  Incorporating the sounds of the world into the musical beat adds to the fun, showing rather than telling children that music can be found everywhere around them.  The writing is simple and effective, and I promise that your head will bob along to this song.

Rogers’ art is completely joyful.  He has incorporated the various noises into his illustrations, popping the lettering in orange color and wild large fonts.  Everyone in the book seems to be moving to the beat, inviting you to join the dance.

This is a dynamite book about music and sound that will have everyone moving along to the beat.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from ARC received from Candlewick Press.

Review: Just Say Boo! by Susan Hood

| Tasha

just say boo

Just Say Boo! by Susan Hood, illustrated by Jed Henry

If you are going to get just one Halloween book this season, this is the one!  Head out trick-or-treating with three siblings dressed up as a witch, a bat and a shark.  The neighborhood is filled with others out on Halloween, but there are still moments when you can be scared.  So what happens when you get a wobble in your knees from ghosts in the trees?  Or a wolf howls nearby?  Or the wind whips and whines through the trees?  You say BOO! 

Told in a rollicking rhyme, this book begs for audience participation.  The book follows a rhythm and pattern nicely, giving listeners the perfect cue to shout BOO! along with the story.  Hood nicely changes it up towards the end, reminding children to thank people for candy with a playful nod. 

Henry’s illustrations have a wonderful playfulness to them but also turn to the dark and shivery nicely too.  Once out on the streets, the colors turn to pure Halloween with oranges, purples and blacks adding to the atmosphere.  Back inside, there is lots of yellow, eliminating all of the creepy shadows nicely.

A perfect book for Halloween where you want audience participation and not to scare anyone.  This book is much more about the small shivers of Halloween than the big frights.  Appropriate for ages 3-6.

Reviewed from copy received from HarperCollins.