Kirkus has posted their Best Children’s books of 2011. We will have to wait until November 28 to see their best Teen Books. You can browse the book list in its entirety or nicely, they have also broken the list into themes. So if you just want to look at nonfiction, you can.
I see many of my favorites of the year. Then there are others that I read but didn’t adore. And happily, there are others that I’ll add to my list to read.
What favorites do you see on the list?
Inspired by Eric Carle’s The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse, artists and celebrities across the country are creating and auctioning off art. The paintings are from luminaries of the children’s book world and celebrities. The NEA Foundation will receive all proceeds from the auctions and will use the funds to support arts education in schools.
This is a worthy cause that could get you an original Ed Young, Tomie DePaola, David Ezra Stein, or Emily Arnold McCully for your home or office. You know you want one!
In the Guardian today, Lucy Mangan takes a look at what makes some children’s books classics.
Ultimately, the books have to be read, and re-read, by children. Blyton, most of us discover, is a phase. A warm, joyful and, in its own way, valuable phase, but a phase nevertheless. But what unites both old, modern and future classics is their ability to deal with larger themes, involving eternal truths rather than just taking Timmy the dog out for a run.
Hurrah!
And don’t miss her list of her favorite children’s books, which include many of my own personal favorites. What about yours?
Yesterday I posted about an amazing similarity between two covers. Today, I am pleased to follow up with the news that the cover art for Bewitching by Alex Flinn is going to be changed.
The entire thing has been handled with a grace and style that is laudable. Well done!
It’s the 8th anniversary of this blog!
This year its name changed from Kids Lit to Waking Brain Cells, as I changed jobs. Happily, I am able to continue blogging at my new job as well, even though I’ve left children’s work behind years ago. But I never stopped reading children’s books or supporting children’s programs.
I am also very happy to have readers like you, who continue to read my reviews and other content year after year (after year)… Thank you for your comments, your support, for being a community of readers that I love being a part of. You all make it a joy to blog, read and share.
So thank you! New readers and vintage readers (tried to avoid that “old” word) you make my day over and over again throughout the year.
Piggies in the Kitchen by Michelle Meadows, illustrated by Ard Hoyt
This romp of a book features a wild family of pigs who want to make a special surprise for their mother. Told in rollicking rhyme, the pace is fast and fun. The mess of batter, eggs, flour and more adds to the visual appeal and appeal. As vehicles come down the road, the piglets must scurry to try to hide what they are baking in case it is Mara returning. This adds another layer of frantic dashing to the busy story. Happily, Papa steps in to save the day and help with the oven and everyone lends a hand to tidy up. When Mama returns it is to a lovely birthday surprise.
Meadows has expertly paced this book with a frantic, wild pace that suits it to a tee. The rhyming is enjoyable and really begs to be read quickly to match the pace of the story. Meadows has also mixed in noises like engines and baking sounds to further add to the appeal of the book.
Hoyt’s illustrations add a merry mess of baking fun into the book. They are active, dripping, goopy and just great fun. Keep an eye on the littlest of the piglets as she tries to keep up with the bigger ones, often getting glopped on in the process.
An very enjoyable book to add to a story time about pigs, baking or birthdays. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
Reviewed from copy received from Simon & Schuster.
Check out the book trailer:
The new special set of stamps from the Royal Mail feature some of the most famous witches and wizards from literature. The stamps are beautifully designed. So much so that I think I’d write many more letters and cards if I only had these to affix to the front. Wowza!
Via /Film
Chicks Run Wild by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen, illustrated by Ward Jenkins
Mama Hen tucks each of her five little chicks into bed with fluffed up pillows and kisses. But when she leaves the room, the chicks run wild! They jump, play, dance. Even though they try to hide what they are doing from their mama, she figures it out. Again, she tries to tuck them into bed, but again they run wild when she leaves. Finally, she catches them in a wild pillow fight and that is when her response surprises the chicks. She offers to play with them! Now all of them go wild with dancing. The chicks get tired and beg to return to bed, so now is mama’s turn to continue the wild evening in her own way.
Bardhan has written the book in a rollicking rhyme that is ideal for reading aloud. At times the rhythm of the verse can be clunky and the rhymes may be a stretch, but the attitude of the book more than makes up for these small issues. Her ultimately flexible parenting model in the book reminds all of us that sometimes rules are meant to be bent and broken.
Jenkins’ illustrations are large and vibrant. They will work well with groups of children who will also enjoy their frenetic energy. The illustrations, done in pencil and painted digitally, have a great modern and cartoon feel that will appeal to young readers.
This book will wake up bedtime stories or it can be used to enliven spring story times. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
Reviewed from copy received from Simon & Schuster.
Also reviewed by:
The second How to Train Your Dragon film will expand to a larger world, allowing this sequel to be the bridge to at least one more film after it. The book series has 8 volumes, so there is plenty in the stories to pull from. There are promises of new dragons, new characters, and yet a focus on the beloved Hiccup and Toothless.
Thanks to /Film for the news.
Waking Brain Cells 