Picture Books

Review: Anna Hibiscus’ Song by Atinuke

| Tasha

anna hibiscus song

Anna Hibiscus’ Song by Atinuke, illustrated by Lauren Tobia

Anna Hibiscus returns in a picture book!  Anna Hibiscus lives in Africa with her extended family and they are very happy.  In fact, Anna Hibiscus is so happy that she almost floats out of the mango tree she is sitting in.  She doesn’t know what to do with herself, so she asks her grandparents, aunties, uncle, cousins and parents what they do when they feel so very happy.  Though Anna Hibiscus tries their techniques, she has to figure out what her own reaction to pure happiness is. 

This jolly picture book captures the essence of the chapter books featuring Anna Hibiscus.  Though the story is by necessity less detailed and shorter, it does a good job of setting the African stage for the story and revealing the deep love and connection that this family has.  The character of Anna Hibiscus is also shown clearly and concisely, neatly packaging her in a smaller form but losing none of her charm and wit.

Tobia’s illustrations also echo the chapter books closely.  They celebrate the African setting and the warmth of this home.  They also embrace the different skin colors of members of the family.  In the entire series, I have appreciated how frankly and naturally this is handled. 

This happy, merry story would be a great addition to units on emotions or a joyful read in any story time.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Kane Miller.

Also reviewed by The Artful Parent and Jean Little Library.

Review: Naamah and the Ark at Night by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

| Tasha

naamah and the ark at night

Naamah and the Ark at Night by Susan Campbell Bartoletti, illustrated by Holly Meade

Naamah is Noah’s wife.  In this picture book, she is the woman who sings the ark to sleep at night.  She sings throughout the night, through the rain, soothing the animals as they are restless.  She sings for the night itself, for the moon and for the stars.  She sings for the earth and sky, for her family in the ark.  She sings the entire ark to sleep.

Bartoletti’s Author’s Note speaks to the origin of Naamah’s name.  It also talks about the ancient Arabic structure of the poem she used in this book.  It requires using the same ending word in each couplet, preceded by a rhyming word.  This structure does not seem limiting as it reads, but it is completely unique and immediately caught my eye and ear as something different.

Meade’s art is exquisite.  Her watercolor collages have a texture and depth to them that is delightful.  They have movement and vary from bright colored tigers pacing to silhouettes against a star-filled sky.  She is very successful in showing the vastness of the water and storm around the ark, the beauty of the night sky, and the grace of Naamah as she moves around the ark.

A lovely picture book, this book reveals a little-known Biblical figure.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from library copy.

Also reviewed by:

Review: A Zeal of Zebras by Woop Studios

| Tasha

zeal of zebras

A Zeal of Zebras: An Alphabet of Collective Nouns by Woop Studios

Follow the alphabet on a journey through the beautiful and evocative collective nouns in our language.  You will get to see a galaxy of starfish, an aurora of polar bears, and even an ostentation of peacocks.  Each animal then has a paragraph or two of information on them, small details that show the unique qualities of that creature.  This is all paired with vibrant illustrations that have the feel of vintage posters and are graphic and wild.  This is one alphabet book that is more about the wordplay and the art than the ABCs.

While the paragraphs are well-written and concise, it is really the art that makes this book special.  The printed and distressed quality of the images and the way that the posters are replayed on the pages with words make the entire work visually intriguing. 

As I finished reading this with both of my sons looking over my shoulder and commenting on the incredible collective nouns, we all agreed that whoever named collective nouns was an artist.  The same can be said for this entire book.  It was done by real artists.  Appropriate for ages 5-8.

Reviewed from library copy.

Also reviewed by:

Review: Stars by Mary Lyn Ray

| Tasha

stars

Stars by Mary Lyn Ray, illustrated by Marla Frazee

This gorgeous picture book speaks to the importance of stars in our lives.  From the points of light that brighten the night sky to the ways that they can cheer us during the day.  The book recommends carrying a star in your pocket (one cut from paper) or you could use it to make a magic wand that just might make a wish come true.  If you lose your star, you can make another or find one around you in moss, flowers and gardens.  You can even be called a star, though there will always be days when you don’t feel like you are shining.  In the end, stars are there whether we can see them or not, waiting to be noticed.

Ray’s poem of a book is enchanting.  What could have become trite and dull instead is a book filled with its own shining glitter.  Her words dance on the page, evoking the beauty of star-lit night, the connection we have with others, and most importantly how vital it is that we believe in ourselves.  All in a poem about stars!

Frazee’s art is always divine.  She creates characters who are instantly relatable and understandable.  They are all a little quirky and complete individuals.  Here in this book, they are all stars.

Highly recommended, this is a dazzling, radiant picture book that is simple, light-filled and deep.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: Grace at Christmas by Mary Hoffman

| Tasha

grace at christmas

Grace at Christmas by Mary Hoffman, illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright & Ying-Hwa Hu

On the 20th Anniversary of Amazing Grace, Hoffman has written a holiday addition to the series.  Grace loved Christmas even more than her birthday.  She loved acting out the Christmas story and spending time with her family.  This year, they were going to be joined by some new people for their holiday.  The granddaughter of a family friend and her daughter were going to come and stay for a bit.  The daughter was just Grace’s age, but Grace was worried about having them stay.  It didn’t get any better once they arrived and the girl seemed so quiet and shy.  Slowly the two girls become more friendly, and Grace learns that sometimes it’s the unplanned parts of Christmas that bring the most magic.

Hoffman writes with such confidence here.  She knows Grace and her family so well that the stories are sure footed and adept.  The characters too have a sense of reality and place that is the hallmark of a well-written series.  The growth that Grace shows throughout the book is equally well written and the story arc is clear and makes sense both for the sake of the story and the characters.

The art in the book follows the same style as the rest of the series.  It is realistic, colorful, and warm: an inviting mix.  The book celebrates Christmas but the color palette is definitely not limited at all to holiday hues. 

A great holiday addition to a beloved series, this book belongs in all public library collections.  Appropriate for ages 4-7.

Reviewed from copy received from Dial Books for Young Readers.

Review: I Will Come Back for You by Marisabina Russo

| Tasha

i will come back for you

I Will Come Back for You: A Family Hiding During World War II by Marisabina Russo

Based on real life stories from the author’s family, this is a story of survival during the years of the Holocaust.  A little girl tells the story of her family in Italy during World War II.  The book shows the transition from seeing soldiers around to the growing restrictions and imprisonment of Jewish families.  The story starts in Rome where the family has been living, but then their father is sent away into the mountains with the other Jewish men.  The family would travel into the mountains to see her father on the weekends.  Even this did not last long, because soon there was talk of concentration camps coming, so her father ran away to hide.  The Nazis then tried to take her mother, but through a series of skillful tricks, she was able to prevent being sent to a concentration camp.  This book takes a very challenging time in history and makes it accessible and understandable for children.

Russo successfully uses the lens of a small girl to explain the situations during World War II for Jewish people.   Focusing on the breaking apart of families rather than the atrocities of the Nazis, makes this book powerful on a different level.  The horrors of the Holocaust are evident in the story, but do not take center stage.  It is very skillfully written and conceived.

Russo’s art has a gentle simplicity to it.  The paintings have a flatness that works well and the images are clearly set in the past.  The story is compelling and fascinating, yet is definitely suitable for younger readers.

This picture book speaks to the horrors of World War II in a way that children can understand.  Appropriate for ages 6-8.

Reviewed from copy received from Schwartz & Wade.

Review: Dream Something Big by Dianna Hutts Aston

| Tasha

dream something big

Dream Something Big: The Story of the Watts Towers by Dianna Hutts Aston, illustrated by Susan L. Roth

Told through the voice of a fictional child, this is a look at the building of the Watts Towers, a huge art piece that is outsider art and has been named a National Landmark.  Simon Rodia, called Uncle Simon in the book, built the towers from glass, pottery shards, seashells and a vision.  Each piece on the towers was selected by hand.  The book shows the careful selection and then the transformation from garbage to art.  This is about the artistic dream and the process more than the man himself.  Because the building of the towers took decades, the story shows the girl grown into a woman with her own children.  It is a story of an artist, his skill, and the strength and vision it took to make it happen.

Aston has written so simply here that her format speaks also to the simplicity yet complexity too of the art itself.  She writes in the first person, inviting people into the story.  As she explores the process of the art, it is broken into parts and becomes jewel like too.  These are small moments and decisions that contribute to the whole.  The moments of creation are exceptionally important to the feel of the entire book.  They are moments that are celebrated and savored.

Roth’s incredible collage illustrations also elevate this book.  They are bright, filled with motion, and there is a constant feel of confetti and celebration on the page.  The shards and small treasures slowly coalesce into the towers and the gates around them.  The art is so close to reality that when the final page is turned and one sees a photograph of the towers, there is no jilt to reality.  Roth captured the spirit of the art so completely that it just feels right to see the real work at that point.

This is a powerful picture book about the process and importance of art and the act of creation.  Appropriate for ages 5-8.

Reviewed from copy received from Dial Books for Young Readers.

Also reviewed by:

Review: The Gingerbread Girl Goes Animal Crackers by Lisa Campbell Ernst

| Tasha

gingerbread girl goes animal crackers

The Gingerbread Girl Goes Animal Crackers by Lisa Campbell Ernst

This second Gingerbread Girl book continues the story of the sister of the Gingerbread Boy who is much more clever than her poor brother.  She survived the fox and now has gotten a box of animal cracker pets for her birthday.  But before she can warn them about the dangers out in the world, they run off chanting: “We’re wild Animal Crackers, hear our fierce roar.  You can’t catch us, we’re off to explore!”  Soon enough, the animal crackers have attracted a parade of people and animals chasing after them.  Waiting near the river is the fox, who is eager to offer all of the crackers a ride across.  Luckily, the Gingerbread Girl is still clever and figures out a way for them to save the day.

Ernst’s story is a rousing success with clever rhymes, fast moving prose, and plenty of action and suspense.  The Gingerbread Girl is a sweet heroine who is creative and smart.  The update to the story is in keeping with the traditional tale, but fractures it just enough to be modern and fresh. 

Ernst’s art has a timeless feel to it.  With the gingham backgrounds to the textual pages, there is a country feel to the entire book that works well with its rural setting. 

A pleasing update to a traditional tale, this book calls for sharing animal crackers while reading.  But don’t save any for the fox!  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Dutton Children’s Books.

Review: A Christmas Tree for Pyn by Olivier Dunrea

| Tasha

christmas tree for pyn

A Christmas Tree for Pyn by Olivier Dunrea

Little Pyn dreams of having a Christmas tree of their own, but her gruff Papa (who insists that she call him Oother) refuses to have one.  While her father works outside in the woods all day, Pyn tidies up the house.  Through it all, she thinks about a Christmas tree.  When Oother continues to say no to a tree, Pyn decides to handle matters herself.  She waits until her father heads out to work and then dresses herself in warm clothes and takes a small hatchet along with her.  But before she gets far at all, she is up to her waist in snow with more tumbled down and burying her.  Oother rescues her at once, sweeping her up onto his shoulders.  Together the two of them find the perfect tree and bring it home, where Pyn decorates it with all sorts of natural treasures she has saved.  Oother too has something to add to the tree, that speaks to the memory of Pyn’s mother.

Dunrea has managed to create a gruff bear of a father who has trouble expressing his love for his tiny daughter, but that children will understand easily.  There is a palpable love between the two characters though both have trouble voicing it.  It is the warmth in the story, the glue of their small family.  Towards the end of the book, the sorrow of the loss of Pyn’s mother is tangible too.  It is almost achingly there, a physical presence that explains the strained relationship and the reason a Christmas tree is vitally important to them both.

Dunrea’s art is beautifully done with his signature white backgrounds upon which his characters build their lives.  The book is filled with small touches that show the snugness and warmth of their home.  The huge stone fireplace, the cozy slippers, and the steam rising from pots and bowls.  It all creates a family and home.

This book speaks to the heart of the Christmas season, where families grow closer, memories are shared, and a tree becomes more than it could ever seem to be.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Penguin Young Readers Group.