Picture Books

The Imaginary Garden

| Tasha

The Imaginary Garden by Andrew Larsen and Irene Luxbacher

When Poppa moves into an apartment, he leaves behind his big glorious garden.  But Theo comes up with the idea of them having an imaginary garden instead of a real one.  That way it will fit on his small balcony with ease.  Poppa purchases a large canvas for them to paint on and a pair of matching gardening hats too. The two build the imaginary garden in the same way gardeners really do.  They start with a wall, the blue sky and the rich earth.  From there, they follow the seasons with crocuses and scilla starting out in spring.  But Poppa must leave on holiday just when it is time to paint the newly blooming tulips and daffodils. Will Theo be able to handle the imaginary garden on her own?

This book works on so many levels.  The writing and art are clever and inviting.  Theo and Poppa’s relationship is genuine and winning with no saccharine contrivances.  The use of art to dream, immerse one’s self, and create connections is done with a skillful hand and never becomes didactic. 

Perfection for young art students, grandparents, and for a spring story time.   This one is appropriate for ages 3-5 and grandmas and grandpas too.

Panda and Polar Bear

| Tasha

Panda & Polar Bear by Matthew J. Baek

Due out in June, 2009.

Two kinds of bears lived on either side of a cliff.  The snowy landscape at the top of the cliff housed polar bears and down below in the green of bamboo lived pandas.  One day, a very curious young polar bear leaned too far over the cliff and fell.  Luckily he landed in a deep puddle of mud which colored his limbs deep brown.  When he rubbed his eyes, he looked just like a panda.  It was then that a young panda found him.  The two played merrily together, until the polar bear swam after some fish in a pool and the mud washed off.  Would the panda accept him as he really was?

Baek’s illustrations are bundles of color surrounded by white, the watercolor offering distinctive differences between the two environments.  The bears are done with simple, strong lines that are perfect for children.  The writing is nicely simple and clear, offering what happens and not commentary on it, which is very pleasant.   Teachers and parents will appreciate this book about our differences and similarities and how both are to be celebrated. 

This simple, straight-forward book will find a niche in classrooms as a source of discussion about our different qualities.  It is also a nice read-aloud on bears and can be taken lightly by younger children.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

NOTE:  This book was sent to me via email in the form of a pdf.  Though I am still reluctant to review longer books online, I am happy to say that picture books work well for me in this format.

Quiet Bunny

| Tasha

Quiet Bunny by Lisa McCue

Quiet Bunny loves the many sounds of his forest home: the morning birds, the wind rustling the leaves.  His favorite time of day is in the evening when the meadow is filled with the night song of so many animals.  Quiet Bunny wishes that he could join the night song, so he wishes upon a star that he will get his own sound to make. The next morning, Quiet Bunny tries to sing like a bird, croak like a frog, hiss like a snake, and make other noises, but he still can’t make any noise.  An Owl seeing Quiet Bunny trying so hard, tells him to just be himself and he will find a sound. 

McCue’s illustrations are filled with the bounty of the forest and all of its inhabitants.  They are busy, friendly and beaming with warmth.  Quiet Bunny himself is very fluffy and shows his emotions clearly.  I see in McCue’s dedication that the book “targets sounds that are instrumental for early speech development and pre-reading/reading skills.”  I just know that children of all sorts will enjoy making the noises of the animals together and following the story of Quiet Bunny.  It is a gentle story that will speak to children with differing abilities.

A great read-aloud for spring and one to add to your pile of preschool read-alouds about rabbits.  Appropriate for ages 2-4.

I Need My Monster

| Tasha

I Need My Monster by Amanda Noll, illustrated by Howard McWilliam

When Ethan checks under his bed, he finds a note from his monster:

Gone Fishing.  Back in a week. –Gabe

Ethan needed a monster under his bed to sleep.  He missed the ragged breathing, the sound of claws on the floor, and the green ooze.  So Ethan taps on the floor and waits.  A series of monsters appears, each one missing one of the important qualities Ethan needs.  Finally, after rejecting his fourth monster, Gabe returns to fill Ethan’s sleep with his own special scariness.

This clever book could have been trite and contrived, but instead is filled with good humor and vivid monster characters.  As one monster after another appears, they stay distinct and unique from one another.  Each is visually different, but they also have different speech patterns, making them a treat to read aloud.

McWilliam’s illustrations done in pencil with digital acrylic paint are vivid and will appeal to fans of Pixar films since they have a similar quality.  McWilliam uses interesting perspectives and demonstrates a lot of humor in his work.  A perfect pairing with the text.

This book is ideal for pajama story times because the monsters are frightening but great fun.  It reads aloud well and offers readers a great range of voices and sound effects.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Twenty Heartbeats

| Tasha

 

Twenty Heartbeats by Dennis Haseley, illustrated by Ed Young.

A very wealthy man wanted a painting of his favorite horse so he commissioned a portrait by Homan, known as a great painter of horses.  Homan observed the horse for only a short while and then told the wealthy man that he would call him when it was ready.  The wealthy man returned home and waited a day, a week, a month, several years, then several more years.  Finally, he stormed to Homan’s home and demanded to know what was going on.  Homan took a paintbrush and painted the picture right then and there.  The wealthy man was insulted and very angry, assuming that Homan had never worked on the piece.  Until he glimpsed the extent of Homan’s work.

Haseley’s text takes a difficult piece and makes it very accessible and gripping even though much of the book is spent awaiting the painting.  Young’s illustrations are done in collage and are very successful.  They range from intricate portraits of people and horses to landscapes that evoke awe.  He manages with pieces of paper to create a world where readers will happily immerse themselves.

A beautiful collaboration of art and story, this book will have elementary-age children discussing what the wealthy man learned in the end.  Appropriate for ages 6-9.

A Garden of Opposites

| Tasha

A Garden of Opposites by Nancy Davis

This bright, graphically-interesting and fun book offers pairs of opposites in a garden setting.  The opposites are very basic such as open/closed, long/short, and asleep/awake.  Davis’ illustrations are big and bold, filled with bright colors that will shout out to a group easily.  Equally likeable is the font and text size which will work well for reading aloud but also for new readers just figuring things out.

Recommended as a cheery spring opposite book, this one is perfect for toddlers ages 1-3.

Sir Ryan’s Quest

| Tasha

Sir Ryan’s Quest by Jason Deeble

Inspired by his toy knights and castle, Ryan creates armor out of a pot and heads out on his quest which leads him up the mountain, through a jungle, into the castle and down to a deep, dark cave.  On his way, he finds different creatures who give him items to help him.  All of this takes place in Ryan’s imagination as he moves through his house.  Young readers will immediately understand that he is playing pretend and will eagerly wait to see what he pretends about next.

I love books where children are using their imagination and this one is straight-forward in its approach but allows children to see what is happening in a young boy’s mind.  It made me want to pull on a cloak and find a sword to swing, and I am sure young listeners will feel the same.  Deeble’s text is filled with wonderful medieval phrases and yet remains child-friendly.  His illustrations are much the same way with their simple style that offers hints as to the imaginary world that lives within them.

This book will work well as a read aloud, but I would have plans for playing pretend afterwards and be ready with a shield to deflect sword swings.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Bubble Trouble

| Tasha

Bubble Trouble by Margaret Mahy and Polly Dunbar

Little Mabel blew a bubble, and it caused a lot of trouble…

Such a lot of bubble trouble in a bibble-bobble way.

What an opening!  And if your tongue tripped on those two lines, you will find yourself tripping along throughout the book.  When Mabel blows the bubble, her little brother is caught inside it and drifts off into the air.  As he drifts along more and more people follow behind and try to get him down.  Only naughty Abel is able to find a solution (which involves a slingshot and a long fall). 

Mahy has created a tongue-twister of a picture book that is a great delight to read aloud (with a little practice).  The rhymes and rhythm create a galloping effect and a fast pace.  Dunbar’s illustrations are great fun too with strange bright-colored birds and whimsical houses that contrast nicely with the watercolor and cut paper characters. 

Get your tongue loosened up and enjoy!  Children as young as two will enjoy the rhythm and wildness here.

Redwoods

| Tasha

Redwoods by Jason Chin

A boy waiting for the subway finds a book on redwood trees on the bench next to him.  As he becomes immersed in the information, the world around him changes until he finds himself in the middle of a redwood forest.  Through the boy’s eyes readers will get to repel to the top of the redwood crowns, stand on enormous stumps, and view the redwoods compared to a city skyline.  This book is the epitome of an informational book made accessible and fun.  Though the text is primarily factual, the illustrations take it to a different level of wonder and interest.

Chin’s text culls the most fascinating facts about the great redwood trees while combining them with illustrations that are fantastical and fun.  The book reads aloud well thanks to the charm of the illustrations and Chin’s talent at writing facts with readability and interest in mind.

This book will have your spirit soaring to the tops of these gargantuan trees and my is the view fine.  Appropriate for ages 5-8.