Picture Books

Two Little Pirates

| Tasha

Two Little Pirates by Ruth Paul

I must preface this review by saying that this is a book from New Zealand, so it’s not available in the US.  I received it from the author and publisher, Scholastic New Zealand.  Ruth Paul’s books are available in Canada as well as Australia and New Zealand.

In rhyming couplets, this book follows two little pirates who attack the King and the Queen.  They are actually two little boys who pounce on their sleeping parents dressed as pirates.  After a brief battle, the parents prevail and the two pirates are hung over the edge of the ship to become shark bait.  When they beg to be released, the King and Queen agree on one condition: that they tidy up the mess they made.  When that is accomplished, they have a nice snack in bed and then everyone cuddles up and dozes as the bed sails off.

Paul keeps a wonderful balance between imaginary play and reality in this title.  At all times, the ship which is the bed is surrounded by water, until the children have finally given up their pirate roles and become children again.  Additionally, the parents respond with great delight to their young pirates and the attack.  The battle is merrily fought, the capture and punishment is doled out in character, and the snack and cuddles conclude.  What a great way to spend a lazy morning together!

Paul’s art is bright and friendly.  She revels in the play along with the family, enjoying the different angles that the bed can be viewed in throughout.  Done in watercolor and colored pencil, the art has a great clarity of line and depth of color.

This is one pirate bed that is definitely worth sailing on.  Children will revel in the story though parents should be braced for a morning invasion after reading it.  Parents should also be open to snacks in bed, crumbs and all.  But who could resist if it ends with cuddles and a snooze?  Appropriate for ages 2-5.

Reviewed from copy received from publisher.

Born Yesterday

| Tasha

  

Born Yesterday: The Diary of a Young Journalist by James Solheim, illustrated by Simon James

This funny book is told from the perspective of a brand new baby who just happens to be a journalist. He frets about being born naked, is amazed by everything his older sister can do, and tries to reach his mobile.  He looks forward to being talented enough to go to Kindergarten like his sister, enjoys his first lick of popsicle, throws food, bites his foot.  He spends his days like most babies, but he documents it all.  That’s why he is worried when his sister reads his diary and alarmed when she laughs at it.  Perhaps he needs to find a different family to live with?

The tone of this book is what sets it apart from many other baby books.  The diary format is cleverly done and combined with the baby’s voice, it is pure fun to read.  His voice is clever, rather adult, and often concerned with the impression he is making as a baby.  The juxtaposition of this tone with a baby’s life and activities works very well and adds to the humor of the book.

James’ art is right at home here as he does full page images along with smaller pictures in the midst of the text.  His art has a friendliness and gentle humor of its own and matches the text well.  The baby is nearly irresistible as he tries new things, even as he throws food or howls about biting his own foot.

A clever perspective on babies that many different readers will enjoy.  Appropriate for ages 4-7.

Reviewed from copy received from Penguin.

Check out this video about the book with author James Solheim.  It gives a great sense of the humor of the book:

Please Take Me for a Walk

| Tasha

Please Take Me for a Walk by Susan Gal

One look into the begging eyes of this white and black puppy, and you will eagerly agree to take him for a walk.  The puppy explains throughout the book why he needs to go for a walk.  There are cats to chase, birds to bark at, squirrels to keep in the trees.  There are people to greet, games to watch, and games to play.  Best of all, there are other dogs to meet too!

This is a simple book with a simple premise, which is a large part of its appeal.  Gal uses only a handful of words per page, stretching sentences over the course of several pages to show just what the dog has in mind for his walk.  This means lots of pictures for the number of words, making it very toddler friendly. 

It is Gal’s art that really elevates the title.  As you can see from the cover art, the dog is a winning character with shining eyes, plenty of energy, and lots of friends.  Done in charcoal on paper and digital collage, Gal’s art ranges from simple close-ups of the dog on a plain background to busy city streets with dogs and people coming and going. 

Get ready to go on a merry walk with this dog tale, which will fit easily into a toddler storytime about pets or dogs.  Appropriate for ages 2-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Random House.

Also reviewed by Young Readers.

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The Inside Tree

| Tasha

The Inside Tree by Linda Smith, illustrated by David Parkins

Mr. Potter’s life was just right.  His house was just the right size for him and his teapot.  His yard had a single tree where birds swooped and under which his dog slept.  But then he looked out his window and noticed that the dog would be more comfortable inside by the fire.  So he brought the dog in.  However, now the tree was alone outside in the dark.  There was only one thing to do: bring the tree inside!  So Mr. Potter dug up the tree, wrestled it inside, and dug a hole through his floorboards for the tree roots.  All was fine until the tree needed more room.  Mr. Potter cut a hole in the ceiling and in came birds and the rain.  His home was very little cozy inside and mostly outside.  So Mr. Potter moved to the barn with his teapot, fireplace and dog.  That is, until he saw a lonely cow outside in the dark…

For all of us who fill our homes with plants, this book takes it to the extreme.  Smith’s writing offers the lilt of a storyteller, filled with just the right amount of rhythm.  She enjoys breaking sentences over a page turn, increasing the tension just that tiny bit.  It works very well in this humorous tale.  Parkins’ art is filled with great contrasts.  We have the perfect image of the small house in an idyllic setting.  Then there is the yellow and orange warmth of Mr. Potter’s clothing next to the fireside contrasted against the cool evening colors of the lonely dog and tree outside the window.  His use of small details adds to the warm feel of the home. This is used again in the barn where Mr. Potter eventually moves.

A unique book about trees and people, this is ideal for Arbor Day and Earth Day and will lend a hearty laugh to any collection of tree stories.  This is one to bark about, make sure not to leaf it too long.  Appropriate for ages 4-7.

Reviewed from library copy.

Instructions

| Tasha

Instructions by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Charles Vess

Making this poem into a picture book was pure genius, especially with illustrations by Vess.  Gaiman takes one fairy tale and folk tale image after another and offers them up as instructions for your journey (in life, reading and magic).  The book follows the journey of a cat-like creature who travels through a door into a strange world of myth and whimsy.  Readers, young and old, will be charmed by beloved motifs, surprised by familiar yet strange moments, and ultimately completely satisfied as the journey comes full circle.

Gaiman’s poem reveals why he is such a beloved storyteller as he weaves together giants, dragons, wolves, toads and gems into a book that is about story, myth and our lives as well.  Vess’s art adds greatly to the child-appeal of the poem, offering a vintage, classic fairy tale feel. 

Highly recommended, this book will be best appreciated by readers who know about story and tales, because page after page they will be visiting beloved moments from books and stories.  Get this into the hands of middle school kids who love to read, they will understand it, appreciate it, and let it guide them forward. 

Appropriate for a very wide range of ages.

Check out this online version of the book read by Neil Gaiman from HarperKids:

Reviewed from library copy.

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The Weaver

| Tasha

The Weaver by Thacher Hurd, illustrated by Elisa Kleven

At sunrise, the weaver watches the whole world from above, her hands already at work.  Her thread is formed from “trails of shooting stars, white clouds, and spiderwebs hung with dew.”  She dyes the thread with morning colors from the world and then she begins to weave with her loom.  She captures in her weaving, images from the day: kisses, laughter and love.  As evening falls, her work is done and she dances across the earth spreading her tapestry over the world where it enters our dreams.

This mystical, beautiful picture book is filled with colorful and joyful imagery.  Hurd writes with a confidence and gentleness that suit this book well.  His writing is in poem form but without rhymes.  Rather it is the gentle rhythm of the loom that is part of his text and weaves it seamlessly together. 

Kleven’s artistic style pairs beautifully with this subject matter.  Her softness and details play out beautifully in the vistas that we see.  The tapestry itself is gloriously depicted, filled with colors and floating effortlessly in the air.  It is weightless, semi-transparent, yet all important.

A perfect bedtime book, this is one to curl up with together and simply enjoy.  I guarantee sweet dreams when tucked in with this blanket.  Appropriate for ages 3-7.

Reviewed from copy received from Farrar Straus Giroux.

Alfie Runs Away

| Tasha

Alfie Runs Away by Kenneth M. Cadow, illustrated by Lauren Castillo

Alfie’s mother has gone too far!  She wants to give away his favorite shoes and get him new ones.  So Alfie decides to run away.  As he packs his things, his mother makes helpful suggestions, like taking a water bottle, snacks and a flashlight.  She gets him a bag to help carry his items, suggests he take his teddy bear and some books too.  With all that to carry, Alfie can’t go far.  But he does make it all the way deep into the backyard, still wearing his too-small beloved shoes.  When he gets there, he has a drink, a snack, and takes his shoes off and puts his aching feet in the cool grass.  When he takes them off, he puts them on his bear where they fit perfectly.  Now the only thing missing was the hug he refused earlier.  Luckily, his mother is headed out to see him with her arms open wide.

The tone in this book is spot on.  Cadow both respects Alfie’s perspective on the situation and yet shows a loving, warm mother who allows Alfie to learn his own lessons.  There are lovely moments in the book where Alfie’s mother gently suggests he not wear those shoes and when she offers to put his rejected hug in his bag to carry along with him.  Cadow manages to show Alfie’s frustration and his mothers calmness side by side without either overshadowing the other.

Castillo’s illustrations feature the shoes in bright red as a focal point.  She too balances the relationship of mother and son visually.  Her illustrations have soft edges and feel cozy and warm.  They ensure that children will not be alarmed at this boy running away.  Alfie’s facial expressions really project his moods clearly, moving from his initial anger to contentment at the end.

I packed my bags and ran away as a little girl.  All the way down the driveway and over to a bush in the neighbors yard.  I had no idea my mother could still see me out the window.  I was sure I had gone far, far away.  This book captures the situation with simplicity and honesty.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Farrar Straus Giroux.

Farm

| Tasha

Farm by Elisha Cooper

An  inviting mix of vistas across flat farmland and isolated bits of the farm on white backgrounds, Cooper has created a book that really captures the seasons on a farm.  From the family, animals, buildings and equipment to the everyday world of chores and work, this book is honest and accurate about farm life.  Children will delight in the small moments of the farm, especially those involving the tractors and the animals.  The book is laid out as a cycle, moving from spring through fall, encapsulating the growing season.  This is a great introduction to farm life for children, both rural and urban.

Cooper’s text gives small details constantly, seeding the book with facts large and small about farming in general and about this family farm in particular.  Simply telling the names of the different cats is time well spent and interesting.  Cooper’s art is done with simple lines and earthy colors.  His mix of landscape vistas with small images is dynamic and keeps the book fresh and interesting.  Because of the small size of many of the illustrations, this book will be best used by one child at a time who will take the time to wonder along with Cooper about what animals are thinking and whether they are deep in thought when not eating.

This is a book to linger with, turn the pages back and forth, breathe in the country air, and also take your time thinking deep thoughts.  Appropriate for ages 4-7.

Reviewed from copy received from Scholastic.

Also reviewed by Young Readers, Back to Books, and A Year of Reading.

Oh, Daddy!

| Tasha

Oh, Daddy! by Bob Shea

Told from the point of view of a very busy little boy, this book highlights the antics his father with undergo to get his son moving along.  In order to get him dressed, his father puts underwear on his head and asks if that is right.  Climbing in the car window, gets him to get into the car quickly.  Juggling carrots leads to the boy eating them eagerly.  This is inspiration for parents, especially fathers, to get silly to get things done.

This positive and silly parenting style is a pleasure to read about.  It got me thinking about the antics we would undergo when my sons were in preschool and Kindergarten.  Laughter is a great way to speed getting dressed along.  I always ended up with rabbit ears made out of sweatpants and my toes peeking out of tiny sleeves. 

It is also nice to see a father depicted as this involved with his child and the mother making appearances but not as a featured character.  There is no instance where the dad is not the one dealing confidently and positively with his son. Very refreshing to see. 

Shea is the author of several successful picture books.  His writing is filled with great short sentences that are simple but also filled with humor and a sense of fun.  His illustrations are bright colored, simple and modern.  This round blue family is sure to be a hit with preschoolers.

A perfect Father’s Day read, this is also a great book to read aloud just for laughs.  Guaranteed to get you and your audience giggling.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from HarperCollins.