Review: Animal Masquerade by Marianne Dubuc

| Tasha

animal masquerade

Animal Masquerade by Marianne Dubuc

This picture book takes one long-running gag and turns it into a very funny picture book.  As the animals get ready for the masquerade, they have to dress up in costumes.  Each animal dresses up as another animal and then that animal chooses yet another animal to dress up as.  It forms a neat chain.  Much of the humor is in the depictions of the costumes themselves and also in the occasional asides that break the rhythm of the book for even more of a punch-line effect.  Fonts are also played with as the hummingbird disguised as an ostrich has its fonts hidden half underground just like its head.  In another spot, the butterfly disguised as a bat has its font upside-down.  All of the small touches add to the giggles in this picture book.

Dubuc’s art here is wonderfully whimsical and playful.  The different animals in disguise are often absurd and completely strange.  Just wait until you get to the animals that dress up like a three-headed monster, Red Riding Hood dressed as a chocolate cake, and the hen that is too dim to understand what is happening and doesn’t dress up as anything at all.   The book is longer than most picture books in terms of number of pages, but that adds to the running gag theme here. 

This picture book will do well read aloud very straight and seriously until the first big joke hits.  Then make sure to leave plenty of time for the giggles to pass before moving on.  It will work well for Halloween too, without anything scary about it.  Appropriate for ages 4-6. 

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: Boy & Bot by Ame Dyckman

| Tasha

boy bot

Boy & Bot by Ame Dyckman, illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

One day when out collecting pinecones in the forest, a boy meets a robot.  The two of them play together and have a lot of fun.  But then when rolling down a hill, the robot’s power button gets pressed and he turns off.  The boy thinks the robot must be sick, so he takes the robot home and feeds him, reads him a book and puts him to bed.  When the boy’s parents look in at him before going to bed, they press the switch on the robot.  Now the robot notices the sleeping boy and thinks that he has malfunctioned.  Bot takes the boy to his home, gives him oil, reads him an instruction manual and is just about to replace his battery, when the Inventor arrives.  Soon all is straightened out and the two continue their grand friendship.

Dyckman’s story has a wonderful symmetry that works well.  With the two friends and their misunderstandings of one another, the story mirrors itself in a delightful way.  Both instances have their humor, as does the rest of the book.  It is this wry sense of humor that carries the story forward and makes it a pleasure to read.  The book is written in a straight-forward way, making it a great read aloud.

Yaccarino’s illustrations are very successful.  They have a wonderful sort of fifties vibe to them, while at the same time being modern.  The large robot is never frightening, thanks to his permanent smile and his care for the boy.  Yaccarino plays with bright colors throughout the book, keeping his art simple and dynamic.

Robot fans will rejoice at this fresh new take on friendship and embracing differences.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers.

Review: Summer of the Gypsy Moths by Sara Pennypacker

| Tasha

summer of the gypsy moths

Summer of the Gypsy Moths by Sara Pennypacker

Stella lives with her great-aunt Louise on Cape Cod, where the house is always tidy, and even though Louise is not very demonstrative, Stella feels right at home.  Angel, a foster child, lives with them too, but Stella and Angel don’t get along at all.  Then one day, the girls return home to find Louise dead in her chair.  The two girls know that if anyone finds out, they will be put back into the child welfare system.  So they work together to create a plan that will let them stay in the tidy little house near the sea.  It would take a lot of work, because they would have to cover for Louise at her job of caring for four cottages on the property, and they would have to take care of the dead body too!  It’s a challenge for two girls who never got along in the first place and are headed in different directions when the summer is done.  This hope-filled book starts with a death and strangers and ends with hope and family. 

Pennypacker writes the sort of book that Stella would like to read.  It’s filled with all of the between-times, the moments of cleaning up afterwards, the small details, the real parts of life.  And it is through those moments that we get to know both girls, and Louise too.  The two girls are very different, and yet not so different after all, as readers get to know them.  They are both suffering from disappointments and loss, from being left behind, from not having families.  Stella holds onto her Hints from Heloise, determined to have a life of order and neatness that makes sense.  Angel listens to the music her mother played, hiding behind her earbuds and blocking everything out. 

One might think this would be a macabre book, and it does have those moments.  But it is much more a book about people and life, not death.  It is a book that celebrates summer, the days that stretch and lengthen, days shortened by working hard at times.  It is a story about secrets, opening up and revealing things.  It is a story about truth and lies, enemies and friendship.  Throughout the entire book, the story works naturally.  Things happen in their own good time, friendships blossom in a believable way.

This book does have a very neat ending with all of the storylines nicely fitting together.  I can only believe that Stella would approve of that being the way her story ended.  Appropriate for ages 9-12.

Reviewed from library copy.

This Week’s Tweets and Pins

| Tasha

Here are the links I shared on my Twitter and Pinterest accounts that you might find interesting:

You can also see my tweets and pins about libraries, ebooks and censorship on my Sites & Soundbytes blog.

Children’s Galleys to Grab: BEA 2012 http://j.mp/K7yskq #kidlit

Cybils: Two Cybils judges get a promotion to the Newbery and Caldecott committees!http://j.mp/KPg1jO #kidlit #blogging

EL James has written a ya paranormal romance http://bit.ly/JhTnjA

Giving the Gift of Reading, Children’s Librarians Feed Young Imaginations – Vineyard Gazette Online http://j.mp/K7wRuF #libraries

How Picture Books Play a Role in a Child’s Development : The Childrens Book Review http://j.mp/KKYWVv #kidlit #reading

Maurice Sendak, Children’s Author, Dies at 83 – the loss of a legend http://j.mp/IVCUPu #kidlit

The Return of ‘Rocket’ http://prsm.tc/nH61CR#kidlit

Sendak’s Legacy: Helping Kids ‘Survive Childhood’ : NPR – a lovely tribute http://j.mp/KKPhOW

Spring YA fantasy covers take wing! An utterly gorgeous display of what’s new and upcoming. Which cover is your fav? http://bit.ly/LvDwBg

Stacked: So You Want to Read YA?: Guest Post from Lee Wind http://j.mp/KKZxqd #yalit

Studies show 91% of kids are more likely to finish a book they choose themselves. We’ve got a FAB selection for summer@ http://bit.ly/2012SSC

Tara Brings Fresh International Perspectives to Picture Books http://prsm.tc/kffkt9 #kidlit

Walter Dean Myers’ lesson to children: Read –http://j.mp/K7wQqQ #kidlit #reading

Yer A Kindle, Harry! Amazon/Pottermore Offer All Seven HP Books In Kindle Lending Library http://prsm.tc/BbNPO9 #kidlit

Children’s Choice Book Award Winners

| Tasha

The winners of the Children’s Choice Book Awards were announced on May 7th.  Here are the winners in each category:

  

K-2 Book of the Year – Three Hens and a Peacock by Lester L. Laminack

3-4 Book of the Year – Bad Kitty Meets the Baby by Nick Bruel

5-6 Book of the Year – Okay for Now by Gary D. Schmidt

  

Teen Book of the Year – Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Author of the Year – Jeff Kinney for Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever

Illustrator of the Year – Brian Selznick for Wonderstruck

Happy Children’s Book Week!

| Tasha

Happy Children’s Book Week!  I adore this poster by David Wiesner that features many beloved characters from children’s books.  Lovely!

Review: The Cloud Spinner by Michael Catchpool

| Tasha

cloud spinner

The Cloud Spinner by Michael Catchpool, illustrated by Alison Jay

This is the story of a boy who could weave cloth out of clouds.  The color of the thread would change throughout the day, as the clouds’ colors shifted with the changing light.  There was gold in the morning, white in the afternoon, and crimson in the evening.  The boy had learned from his mother to only use as much as he needed, nothing more.  But when the boy’s amazing scarf caught the eye of the king as he rode through town, the boy was ordered to create a scarf for the king.  The king was pleased with the scarf and immediately ordered the boy to create a cloak and also dresses for the Queen and the Princess.  The boy spun and spun, pulling the clouds from the sky until there were no clouds left at all.  Then the rain stopped falling and a terrible drought hit the country.  It will take two children to figure out how to fix it.

Catchpool has written a very enjoyable tale with a strong environmental heart.  The story is structured as a traditional folktale, rather than a modern one.  It has lines that repeat, a medieval setting, and the play of rich and powerful against poor subjects.  The book reads aloud well, thanks not only to the structure, but also to the writing being clear yet filled with lovely little details such as the colors of the thread from the clouds.

Jay’s illustrations are done in her signature crackle glazed style.  That lends a sense of history and time to the entire work.  Her pictures are filled with light and color.  Keep an eye out for the smiling hills that dot the countryside, a jaunty little touch.

A timely picture book about conservation, the environment and using just what you need and no more, this picture book would make a great addition to Earth Day or green programming.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Alfred A. Knopf.

Review: Falcon by Tim Jessell

| Tasha

falcon

Falcon by Tim Jessell

Told in lush illustrations and verse, this picture book follows the daydreams of a young boy.  A boy in a summer field dreams of being a falcon.  He would fly high in the mountains, along the coast, and roost in the cliffs where he could hear the crashing waves.  He would journey to the city, where he could perch far above the noise and bustle and watch the city from above.  Then he would dive down, faster and faster, towards the sidewalks and the people.  At the very last moment, he would spread his wings and fly above their heads.  The fun he could have, if only he were a falcon.

Told in verse that is spare and lovely, this poetry will work well for a young audience.   The imagery in the poem is directed at that audience.  For example, towards the beginning of the book, this symbolism is used:

With the sound

of tearing paper,

my wings would

slice through

the air.

Immediately, children will hear the sound and realize just how fast that falcon is flying.  It is beautifully, clearly written to great effect.

Combined with this poetry are incredible illustrations that are deep colored and striking.  They range from close-ups of the falcon to long-distance images of the coastline at night.  They are immensely beautiful and captivating as they capture this imaginary life of a falcon.

A radiant picture book about imagination and flight, this book will have young readers dreaming their own daydreams of gliding high above the earth.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Random House.

Review: Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

| Tasha

grave mercy

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Hated by her father since the day she was born, Ismae had survived her parents’ attempt at abortion and was left permanently scarred.  Sold into the brutality of an arranged marriage, she manages to escape into the hands of the convent of St. Mortain.  There she is offered the chance to become what she has always wanted to be: a woman with choices and power.  In the case of Mortain, it is the power to kill.  Ismae discovers that she is tolerant of poisons, allowing her to work closely with them and learn all of their secrets.  She is sent to the court of Brittany to do the work of Mortain, killing those she is instructed to and reporting her political findings back to the convent.  She must pose as the mistress of Duval, bastard son of the dead Duke.  Ismae quickly becomes embroiled in the politics and betrayals of the court: the many men vying for the promised hand of the young Duchess, and the French pressuring for capitulation or war.  And of course, there is also a romance blooming.  This adventure in 15th century Brittany will be sure to please historical fiction and fantasy fans alike.

First, I have to take a moment to mention this cover.  Even better, it is a cover that is not only beautiful but wonderfully in sync with the storyline.  This is Ismae, an incredibly strong and vibrant heroine.  She has little interest in the more womanly pursuit of needlecraft and even less in flirtation.  Instead she turns into a disturbingly eager assassin, ready to dole out damage where required.  That is until things are not quite so clear as she had thought.  Then the book turns and becomes deeper and even more magnetic.  LaFevers allows her young heroine to guide this book, telling her own strange, amazing story.

The characterizations here are compelling and original.  The setting is just as much so.  And the setting here is a large part of the storyline itself.  The high court of Brittany is a place of dangers and yet wonders.  The political pressures add organically to the dynamic storyline.  The use of the old gods and ancient religion as a backbone to the story also works very well.  It adds yet another dimension to the story, creating great depth.

Highly recommended, this book is a luminous gem of a book.  Get this into the hands of older teens who will wait breathlessly for the next in the His Fair Assassin series.  Appropriate for ages 15-17.

Reviewed from library copy.