Picture Books

Book Review: A Good Knight’s Rest by Shelley Moore Thomas

| Tasha

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A Good Knight’s Rest by Shelley Moore Thomas, illustrated by Jennifer Plecas

The Good Knight has had a very busy day of saving princesses and even rescuing a cat from a tree.  He is worn out and weary and decides to go on vacation.  When he goes to say goodbye to the dragons, they ask if they can come with him.  Being the good knight he is, the Good Knight agrees to bring them along.  As they travel, the dragons have them stop again and again to stretch and use the bushes.  Each time, the knight does not want to stop but ends up finding a peaceful spot.  Just when he starts to relax, the dragons want to leave again.  So it goes again and again until finally the dragons realize that the knight really needs some rest and they solve the problem perfectly.

I have long enjoyed the Good Knight series with its gracious and patient Good Knight and the three rambunctious dragons.  This book works particularly well with its strong structure, repetition and the ending that will have everyone smiling.  Thomas writes with a great touch for pacing and an ear for repetition so that it adds to the humor and the tone of the book.

Plecas’ art is bright, colorful and engaging.  Readers will be able to visually see the Good Knight getting more and more tired as they continue their travels.  The wide-eyed dragons are never frightening, rather they are child-like and goofy.

A great book to take on your own summer vacation or to share at naptime or bedtime.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Dutton Children’s Books.

Book Review: Jack and the Beanstalk by Nina Crews

| Tasha

jackandthebeanstalk

Jack and the Beanstalk by Nina Crews

A fresh, modern take on the traditional tale, here Jack lives in a city and is paid the beans for a job he has done.  When he plants the beans, they grow into the huge beanstalk.  He climbs the beanstalk to discover giants living in the clouds.  Giants who have a hen who lays golden eggs and plenty of jobs for Jack to do for them.  But Jack escapes down the beanstalk with the hen.  The giants chase after him, and then the ending takes a pleasant twist from the traditional story.  A new look at an old story, this book will be most enjoyed by children who are familiar with the traditional tale and can spot the differences.

Crews is known for her innovative illustrations that use collages of photographs to create modern, vibrant stories.  Here she uses the technique to great effect with beanstalk in particular.  She also captures the feel of an urban setting very nicely and subtly.  The entire book feels modern and interesting.

The story does have surprising twists and turns from the original.  This too adds the feeling of freshness.  The story moves along faster than the original and reads aloud very nicely.  The bellows of the giants, the rhythm of the writing, and the bright illustrations make for a book that is perfect for sharing.

Ideal for comparing and contrasting with more traditional versions of the story, this book also reads aloud well on its own.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Henry Holt and Company.

Book Review: You’re Finally Here! by Melanie Watt

| Tasha

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You’re Finally Here by Melanie Watt

A very excited bunny greets readers on the first page with “Hooray!  You’re here!  You’re here!  You’re finally here!”  But then he starts asking questions, “Where were you?”  Do you realize how long he has been waiting for you?  Do you know how bored he was?  Then he realizes that he’s being rude and greets the reader happily again.  But he changes moods once again and starts talking about how rude it was to make him wait.  He is very eager to have you stay with him and starts to talk about it when his mobile phone rings.  Now it’s the bunny that has no time for the reader.

The author of the Scaredy Squirrel and Chester series has created another very unique and funny character.  This little bunny who is unable to stay positive and embracing of the reader rings true completely.  It is exactly the sort of conversation you have with a child who has had to wait.  Watt’s illustrations are bright, bouncy and great fun.  The facial expressions of the rabbit are very successful as well, capturing his shifting moods perfectly thanks to his very expressive eyebrows that make an appearance when he gets negative.

Funny and silly, you won’t want to wait to read this one!  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from library copy.

Book Review: I’m a Shark by Bob Shea

| Tasha

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I’m a Shark by Bob Shea

Shark knows that he is completely awesome.  He’s very brave!  He never cries when he gets a shark (sort of).  He can watch scary movies without closing his eyes, mostly.  He’s not scared of dinosaurs at all, in fact they should be afraid of him.  But even brave shark is scared of something.  Not bears.  Not a giant squid.  Not the dark.  You might be surprised what has Shark so scared!

Shea seems to write effortlessly for toddlers and preschoolers.  His books have a simplicity that is evident in both their illustrations and their words.  Here the book is written in the form of a conversation between Shark and his fish and crab friends.  Shea has used fonts, colors and placement to make the book work beautifully.  Shark is written with such a big personality that his voice is strong and sure.

The illustrations are thick-lined and bold.  They will work very well with a group of children because they will project so well from afar.  Great humorous touches are included in the book, like the scary movie the fish are watching.

Highly recommended, this book about even the most brave having fears will be a welcome treat.  Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from library copy.

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Book Review: Prudence Wants a Pet by Cathleen Daly

| Tasha

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Prudence Wants a Pet by Cathleen Daly, illustrated by Stephen Michael King

Prudence wants a pet badly, but her parents tell her that pets cost too much and make too much noise.  So Prudence gets a pet: a branch.  She drags it to school with her so it gets plenty of exercise.  Branch doesn’t eat or drink much at all.  But when her Dad trips on Branch for the eighth time, he breaks branch into smaller bits and throws them on the woodpile.  Now Prudence has a new pet, Twig.  Twig is pocket-sized and doesn’t have to live out on the porch and trip people.  But Twig got lost in the wash and no one responded to Prudence’s lost pet sign.  Prudence gets a new pet, an old shoe named Formal Footwear because that’s what it says on its tag.  Formal Footwear can do tricks and goes for walks, but eventually Prudence gets tired of dragging him around and frees him back into the wild.  Prudence then tries keeping her baby brother as a pet, but he gets ill eating leaves.  The car tire doesn’t work either, too heavy and too unpopular with the neighbors.  As her parents watch her, they start to reconsider.  But just what pet will Prudence get?

Prudence is a young lady who will not give up on her dream.  In fact, she tries to create options again and again.  She’s creative and inventive, making for a book that is wry and funny.  There are lovely small touches throughout the book: the lost pet poster for Twig, the name of her pet shoe, the pink bow on her baby brother’s head, and the “pulp” that are the sea buddies. 

King’s art adds a lot to the picture book with his cartoon-like characters that have a modern feel.  Prudence’s hair alone tells part of the story, drooping in despair, perky with hope, curled in contentment.  King isn’t afraid to push a little, giving one big eye, showing little brother Milo a putrid shade of green after eating the grass.  The humor of the art matches the humor of the story well, complementing each other without one overpowering the other.

The elements here add up to a very wonderful read.  The quirky illustrations, the creative protagonist, the silly humor: all create a marvelous book that I’d be happy to read again and again to any young pet lover.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Roaring Brook Press.

Also reviewed by Jen Robinson’s Book Page.

Book Review: Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker

| Tasha

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Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker & Tom Lichtenheld

This is an ideal bedtime book for all those truck-loving toddlers and preschoolers!  The book starts with the trucks all working hard during the day, then it’s sunset and time for the trucks to end their work days.  Each truck has its work explained and then its bedtime ritual too.  Crane Truck folds his boom in, holds his teddy, and dangles a nightlight.  Cement Mixer takes a bath then falls asleep under a blanket dreaming of twirling again.  Bulldozer curls into his soft dirt bed.  The book ends with a drowsy, quiet tone that is perfect for getting children’s wheels to stop turning.

Told in rhyming verse, the book has two tones that work well together.  There is the daytime activity part for each truck that bustles along.  Then that changes as they ready for bed to a quieter, slower tone.  The rhymes and rhythm are done skillfully so they read aloud really well.

The illustrations have a great friendliness to them and a humor that adds a great touch to the book.  Often the small touches are not mentioned in the text, like Crane’s teddy bear.  But these are the moments that will draw children even further into the story, softening the harshness of trucks into a bedtime story.

If there’s a truck fan in your family, this is a great pick for a bedtime story.  Drive it to the top of your pile of story time truck reads as well.  Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from library copy.

Also reviewed by

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Book Review: Mine by Shutta Crum

| Tasha

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Mine! by Shutta Crum, illustrated by Patrice Barton

One of only two words used in this picture book about sharing is “mine” and it is said again and again.   A toddler is visited by a baby, and carefully gathers up his toys before the littler one can get her hands on them.  With each grab, he announces “mine.”  His arms fill up with toys, so the baby grabs the last toy on the floor, forcing the toddler to drop all of the others.  Now the puppy gets in on the game, grabbing and chewing on a ball that bounces his way.  While the toddler tries to get the ball away from the dog, the baby tosses her toy into the dog’s water dish.  Just when the story seems poised for a tantrum, the joy of playing in water together saves the day.

This adorable little book has a great sense of playfulness.  Even when the little boy is gathering his toys up, there is no sense of malice in his actions.  I appreciated that the story does have parents hovering at the edge of the story, but they are uninvolved in the action and the sharing in the end.  Instead, this is a resolution entirely reached by the children themselves.

Baron’s art has a soft color palette that adds warmth and ease to the story.  She captures facial expressions particularly well, on both the children and the puppy.  There is a sense of absolute joy at times, often juxtaposed with amazement on the face of another character.  She also renders toddlers and babies well, with their rounded features and limbs looking particularly plump and adorable.  The action is readily followed with the dotted lines that show the motion of toys from one person or place to the next.

A charming book about sharing that doesn’t have any lecture built in at all, this one is a winner for toddlers.  Appropriate for ages 1-3.

Reviewed from library copy.

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Book Review: The Loopycoop Hens by Janet Morgan Stoeke

| Tasha

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The Loopycoop Hens by Janet Morgan Stoeke

The author of the Minerva Louise series returns with another chicken book.  In this book, three hens named Midge, Pip and Dot watch Rooster Sam with both love and envy.  While they love their Rooster Sam, they wish that they could fly the way he does up onto the roof of the barn.  They try and try and try again, but they just can’t fly.  Even moths can fly, but despite their big wings, the hens can’t fly.  So the hens come up with a plan to spy on Rooster Sam to see how he flies in the hopes that they can copy his flying technique.  But when they spy on Rooster Sam, they discover something they were not expecting!

Stoeke has a knack for creating simple picture books that read aloud well and even though they are simple, tell a complete story.  This makes for a very satisfying read.  Add Stoeke’s humor to the mix and you have a charming picture book filled with giggles.

Stoeke’s illustrations are just as successful as her text.  They have great lines, bold colors, and a friendly feel.  Somehow even with beaks, her chickens smile, show emotions, and relate to one another.  The cocky Rooster Sam with his flopping comb falling over one eye is handsome in a bird kind of way.  The various attempts at flying are very funny.

A fun, simple book that will be a welcome addition to story times about farms and chickens.  Plus, unlike the hens, it’s sure to fly off your shelves.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Dutton Children’s Books.

Book Review: This Plus That by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

| Tasha

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This Plus That: Life’s Little Equations by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illustrated by Jen Corace

This book starts with 1 + 1 but it doesn’t equal 2.  Instead the answer is “us”.  Start with that charming beginning and you then enter a book filled with a variety of equations that surprise, delight and cause laughter.  There are equations for colors that result in a rainbow.  There are equations for city and country.  Very different things add up to equal school vs. birthday, as one might expect.  This is a book that celebrates the little things in life all through equations that reveal the small pieces of what make up the special things. 

My favorite equation in the book is “cozy + smell of pancakes – alarm clock = weekend” which shows just how simple yet profound these little equations can be.  Can’t you smell the pancakes?  A big key to the success of the book is the clever nature of the equations.  They are different and interesting enough to keep the reader enjoying them throughout the book.  Even better, they inspire you to start thinking about your life in equations too.

Corace’s illustrations add to the charm of the book with their bright colors and modern lines.  Her round-faced, merry children add a zest to the book.  Happily, the illustrations have a vintage feel as well, especially when adults are depicted. 

This book inspires thinking in equations, so a great activity might be for children to write their own life equations.  Maybe even about their class or the library?  Appropriate for ages 5-8.

Reviewed from library copy.

Also reviewed by A Reading Year.