Picture Books

Book Review: Follow Me by Tricia Tusa

| Tasha

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Follow Me by Tricia Tusa

A girl swings on a swing, traveling from one color to another.  As the colors change, so does her swinging speed and style, until she flies free from the swim altogether.  She gets lost in green and travels down into the brown of the forest, and then out into the blue of the sky once again.  Until she drifts back down to green.  Finally, returning back home.

If that description of the book seems loose and floaty, that’s because the book is that way too.  While it does mention colors, this is not an introductory book about colors.  Rather it is about colors in a larger sense, an emotive way.  It is a poem that dances along, inviting us all to take to the air too. 

Tusa’s illustrations are filled with gentle colors that are airy and light.  They are colors that make you take deep breaths, as they seem to be filled with fresh air.  The girl who we follow through the book and the poem has a charming quirky quality to her.  The distinction between the clarity of the air and its emptiness vs. the clutter of the girl’s home is lovely.  Both have their own appeal.

This book captures the freedom and lightness of swinging through the air and combines it with childhood imagination.  Appropriate for ages 5-7.

Reviewed from library copy.

Also reviewed by Cracking the Cover.

Book Review: Little Mouse’s Big Secret by Eric Battut

| Tasha

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Little Mouse’s Big Secret by Eric Battut

When Little Mouse discovers a juicy red apple on the ground, he decides that it will be his secret.  So he hides it in a hole in the ground.  Once it is safely hidden, his friends appear one-by-one and ask him what he’s hiding.  Little Mouse insists to each animal that he will not tell because it’s his secret.  As Mouse talks with animal after animal, his back is to the apple and the hole he hid it in.  Soon a sprout appears from the hole, then a stalk and finally a tree.  Apples appear on the tree just as Little Mouse declares that he will keep his secret forever!  Then the apples fall to the ground.  All of the animals reappear and Little Mouse discovers that some secrets are even better when shared.

Battut has created a picture book perfect for very young children.  From the simple, friendly illustrations that have plenty of whitespace to the repetition built into the animals asking what the secret is, this book has lots of child appeal.  Each double-page spread has only two lines of text on their own page, creating a book that is quite engaging and fast moving.

Children will immediately get the humor of a fast-growing apple tree that the mouse is completely oblivious to until the apples fall around him.  The book also has a high cute factor, with the animals dwarfed by the growing tree, all bright-eyed and merry.  They are on a buttery-yellow background that adds to the coziness of the title.

Add this book to your autumn and apple book lists.  The very little mouse and other animals make it more appropriate for small groups or individual sharing.   Appropriate for ages 2-3.

Reviewed from library copy.

Also reviewed by

Book Review: Vincent van Gogh and the Colors of the Wind by Chiara Lossani

| Tasha

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Vincent van Gogh and the Colors of the Wind by Chiara Lossani, illustrated by Octavia Monaco

Based on Vincent van Gogh’s letters to his brother Theo, this book explores how Van Gogh became one of the greatest painters.  Vincent is enthusiastic and always moving as a child.  When he got older, he became a preacher like his father but was fired from that job because he preached as much about art as Jesus.  Vincent then became a full-time painter, but everyone doubted this man who dressed like a scarecrow and wandered the fields.  Vincent discovers the Impressionists and finds friends among them, but his work suffers as he spends time in Paris and away from nature.  Vincent is finding his voice as an artist, creating paintings that are groundbreaking and surprising.  All with the support of Theo, his brother and best friend.

Lossani writes in prose here, but it flows like poetry.  She uses gorgeous imagery in her text, such as when she compares Gauguin and Van Gogh: “Can two volcanoes stand side by side without causing a calamity?”  Her prose has a modern feel, an artistic flow that works well with the subject matter.

Immediately upon seeing the cover of this picture book, you know it is something unique.  The illustrations have an energy to them.  Without imitating Van Gogh’s work, they somehow capture the feel, the flow, and the colors.  They are dynamic, modern and push the boundary of art being used in picture books for children.

This is a dynamic biographic picture book for children that will work well when used with elementary children in a classroom.  It is also one that would work well for families heading to an art museum.  Appropriate for ages 7-10.

Reviewed from copy received from Eerdmans Books for Young Readers.

Also reviewed by Fuse #8.

Book Review: What’s Special about Me, Mama? by Kristina Evans

| Tasha

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What’s Special about Me, Mama? by Kristina Evans, illustrated by Javaka Steptoe

A child asks his mother what makes him unique.  She responds, “So many things, Love.”  He asks for examples.  She tells him that his eyes are unique, because they tell stories without words.  He dismisses that answer because he has always been told he has her eyes, so that’s not unique.  His mother goes on to talk about his skin color, which is just like his father’s.  Then his freckles, which are like Auntie Jade’s.  His hair is like his grandmother.  She starts to talk about the things he does, his special behaviors.  He continues to ask for more, until she explains that there is nothing little about love and that he is loved more than anyone in the world. 

The beautiful words by Evans have a rhythmic quality to them, a to and fro that works especially well here.  The conversation has its own ebb and flow, and then the mother speaks in a poetic and joyous way about her son.  It is a book that really speaks to the worth and special qualities of all children, but also of this specific one. 

Steptoe’s illustrations are done in collage and feature many different shades of skin the the same family.  The illustrations have bold colors and strong lines.  Done in crinkled paper, they have a texture and heft to them that is gorgeous.  I should also mention that the illustrations do not make it clear if the child is a boy or girl, making the book even more adaptable and interesting.

A joyous look at what makes someone special and unique, this book will have you smiling with its bright colors and embracing message.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from library copy.

Book Review: RRRalph by Lois Ehlert

| Tasha

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RRRalph by Lois Ehlert

Ehlert returns with another cleverly illustrated book, this time featuring a dynamic dog.  Ralph is a dog who is able to talk.  No, really!  When they brought him home and asked him his name, he replied with “RRRalph Ralph.”  He can tell you where he is when he climbs up on his doghouse: “Roof roof.”  Just ask him what is on the outside of a tree, and he knows that it’s BARK.  The book continues with more questions for Ralph and him answering them with a variety of barks, until at the end, he only replies with a snore since he’s fallen asleep.

The book has a great sense of humor and after the first couple of examples of how Ralph replies to questions, children will be trying to guess the next answers that Ralph will give.  The dynamic color combinations of the backgrounds with the pop of black-and-white dog on them add to the fun.  Ehlert excels at her illustrations done using collage and found objects.  The can tab nose gives Ralph a jaunty friendly feel, as does the colorful collar and heart-shaped tag. 

A dog book that is barking up just the right tree for young children, this book belong on every library’s shelves and adds to the incredible body of Ehlert’s work.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from library copy.

Book Review: The Queen of France by Tim Wadham

| Tasha

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The Queen of France by Tim Wadham, illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton

When Rose woke up in the morning, she was feeling royal.  So on went the crown, jewelry and skirt that turned her the Queen of France.  The Queen of France walked up to Rose’s mother in the garden and asked if she had seen Rose.  Rose’s mother explained that she hadn’t but that she hoped that Rose would remember to clean up her room.  The Queen of France was also interested in the ugly rose bushes that Rose’s mother was planting, but the queen’s finger was pricked by a thorn, so she had to find the Royal Physician.  The queen found Rose’s father, but not the Royal Physician.  The queen then took off her crown, and became Rose again.  She bandaged her finger and cleaned her room.  She then dressed as the queen again and headed to Rose’s mother.  The queen asked if Rose’s mother would be fine with the queen switching places with Rose.  Rose’s mother considered the idea, but explained that she would miss Rose very much if she left.  The queen left and Rose returned to herself for dinner.  Until that evening, when Rose felt scary…

Debut author, Wadham has created a picture book that celebrates imaginative play in a very charming way.  Rose is supported by her parents in her play, both of them happily participating as Rose changes characters.  The parents remain supportive and kind throughout, never questioning that Rose is playing rather than cleaning her room, just giving broad hints that it should be done. 

The illustrations add to the charm of the book, with their soft palette of pinks and blues and a lovely mix of modern and old fashioned feel.  Yes, this is a pink book with glitter on the cover, but it is a book that both boys and girls will enjoy thanks to its quality.  Rose’s body language changes as she becomes the queen, her nose high in the air and her feet prancing high.  I particularly enjoy the small clutter in the rooms: toys on the ground, bowls on the counter. 

Highly recommended, let’s hope Tim Wadham continues to create books like this with their deep understanding of childhood.  Appropriate for ages 4-7.

Reviewed from library copy.

Also reviewed by:

Book Review: Ladder to the Moon by Maya Soetoro-Ng

| Tasha

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Ladder to the Moon by Maya Soetoro-Ng, illustrated by Yuyi Morales

One evening Suhaila asked her mother what her Grandma Annie was like.  Her mother replied that her grandmother was like the moon, “full, soft and curious.”  She also told Suhaila that she had her grandmother’s hands.  At bedtime that night, Suhaila wondered what other ways she was like her grandmother.  Later that same night, a golden ladder appeared at her window and on the lowest rung her grandmother was waiting for her.  Together the two of them climbed the ladder to the moon.  The two sat on the moon together, listening.  Below on earth, they heard voices calling.  When they looked, they found children trapped by a flood and invited them to come to the moon to safety.  They rescued two young women from an earthquake.  They continued to help people to the moon, filling it with people who needed healing, needed love.  Until it was time for Suhaila to head back home to her own bed and tell her mother that she had gotten to meet Grandma Annie.

Soetoro-Ng was inspired by her own mother, Ann Dunham, also the mother of President Obama.  This book sings with admiration for the power of love and healing.  It’s a magical book that shows the power of one person and the impact they can have.  The book dances to its own beat, sometimes taking an unusual step here or there, but creating as a whole, something beautiful.

Morales’ illustrations are glorious.  From the very first image of the daughter and mother together under an immense moon where the brush strokes form the breeze in the air, the reader knows this is something special.  Morales skillfully blends all types of people into the story, different ages, different colors.  Most impressive is the illustration where different peoples share their stories, each with a glowing phrase in different languages around their heads.  The light is warm firelight, candles and also the clear white of the moon. 

A beautiful book that will work as a way to talk about shared beliefs across nationalities and faiths, it is also a testament to the power of grandparents in the child’s life.  Appropriate for ages 4-7.

Reviewed from copy received from Candlewick Press.

Also reviewed by:

Book Review: Running with the Horses by Alison Lester

| Tasha

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Running with the Horses by Alison Lester

Follow the harrowing rescue of the Lipizzaner horses during World War II in this picture book.  The book is nonfiction woven with fiction, seen through the eyes of a fictional character, Nina, the daughter of the stablemaster at the famous Spanish Riding School in Vienna.  As the war came closer to Vienna, Nina’s school was closed and people were fleeing the city.  To save the last four stallions, Nina would have to ride over the Alps with her father.  But she could not leave her favorite old cab horse, Zelda, behind in the deserted city.  So Nina rode Zelda, following her father and the horses, not knowing the dangers that she and Zelda would face together as they crossed the Alps to safety.

Lester has created a picture book that successfully marries fiction with history, giving young readers a glimpse of the dangers of the War as well as the bravery that it created.  Nina is a ten-year-old whose care for her horse and courage during the adventure will inspire.  The book does have more text than many picture books, making it more appropriate for a slightly older audience, one which is more likely to understand the historical aspect of the book better as well.

The illustrations are a very attractive mix of photographs and pencil drawings.  The characters are shown in black and white throughout, contrasted with the colored backgrounds.  This creates a unique look that has the people in clear relief from their surroundings.

A look at a moment in history that has the appeal of horses and a young heroine as well.  Appropriate for ages 6-9.

Reviewed from copy received from NorthSouth.

Also reviewed by:

Book Review: The Watcher by Jeanette Winter

| Tasha

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The Watcher: Jane Goodall’s Life with the Chimps by Jeanette Winter

Follow Jane Goodall’s life in this vivid picture book.  The book follows Jane from her childhood where she spent a lot of time watching the animals around her, including having a robin nest built on her bookcase in her room.  Jane left home soon after graduating from school, heading to Kenya.  There she met Louis Leakey who was looking for someone to observe chimpanzees.  Jane headed into the jungle to watch the chimpanzees, spending time out near them just quietly viewing them.  She learned all sorts of things that no one had ever discovered before.  Jane spent many years with the chimpanzees learning, but then people began to threaten the chimpanzee habitat, so Jane had to leave them and become their voice, speaking out to assure their survival. 

Winter has created a book that speaks to the heart of what Goodall has done, all of her accomplishments and discoveries pale in the book and in life to her dedication to the animals themselves.  Goodall is a perfect subject for a picture book.  She is a brave woman who braved living alone in the wilderness to do what she felt she was meant to do with her life.  Winter captures all of this in few words, allowing Goodall’s life to speak for itself.

Winter’s illustrations are done in acrylic paint and pen.  They have strong forms, deep colors, and a childlike quality that make the book even more approachable for children.  I especially enjoy the cover image with the reflection of the chimpanzees in the lenses of her binoculars.  It sums up the book delightfully.

There is something special about a book that tells children to follow their hearts, but this one is even more special because it also shows children the value of watching and learning too.  Appropriate for ages 5-8.

Reviewed from copy received from Random House Children’s Books.