Welcome!

Dear Book Lovers, Welcome! I am delighted that you have found The Through the Looking Glass blog. For over twenty years I reviewed children's literature titles for my online journal, which came out six times a year. Every book review written for that publication can be found on the Through the Looking Glass website (the link is below). I am now moving in a different direction, though the columns that I write are still book-centric. Instead of writing reviews, I'm offering you columns on topics that have been inspired by wonderful books that I have read. I tell you about the books in question, and describe how they have have impacted me. This may sound peculiar to some of you, but the books that I tend to choose are ones that resonate with me on some level. Therefore, when I read the last page and close the covers, I am not quite the same person that I was when first I started reading the book. The shift in my perspective might be miniscule, but it is still there. The books I am looking are both about adult and children's titles. Some of the children's titles will appeal to adults, while others will not. Some of the adult titles will appeal to younger readers, particularly those who are eager to expand their horizons.
Showing posts with label Children's book reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Children's book reviews. Show all posts

Thursday, April 1, 2021

Memories of spring and a review of: Beautiful Eggs: A journey through decorative traditions from around the world


Where I grew up, on the island of Cyprus, Easter is a very big celebration. 
Special Baked treats are made, families get together to celebrate, and they decorate eggs. Two families lived in our building, mine, and one other. We were very close to the Protopapas family and I often spent time with Yiayia, the grandmother. She did not speak any English, and in the beginning I spoke no Greek, but we always found a way to communicate. Yiayia taught me how to make flaounes, a sweet and savory bread, and she also showed me how to decorate eggs using the water from boiled onion peels. Often we would use the leaves of plants to create an image on the eggs. We would polish our decorations by rubbing wax all over them, and then Yiayia would place the eggs in a basket lined with bright green leaves,


Beautiful Eggs: A journey through decorative traditions from around the world
Illustrated by Alice Lindstrom
Nonfiction Board Book
For ages 4 to 6
Scribble, 2021, 978-1-95035-4436
When we think of egg decorating, we usually think of Easter festivities. Many people in countries around the world decorate boiled or blown eggs for this spring celebration. However, in some cultures they decorate eggs for other celebrations. In Mexico pretty eggs also appear on Cinco de Mayo and other festive days.
   People have been decorating eggs for centuries, and they have developed all kinds of ways of making eggs beautiful. A great deal of time and effort can be spent on decorating eggs, and some of these creations are so prized that they are put in museums or art galleries.
   In the Ukraine they have been creating extremely colorful eggs that are covered with fine and delicate designs for a long time. Red and green dyes are commonly used, and the designs are drawn on using beeswax.
   In the Czech Republic Easter eggs are decorated using many dye colors, and straw. When the eggs are complete, there are “Shiny kaleidoscope patterns” all over them.
   In Japan they use washi paper to decorate their eggs. The colorful printed papers, that are also use to make origami, are used to cover the eggs.
   With gorgeous collage illustrations and informative pieces of text, the illustrator of this board book introduces children to seven different eggs decorating traditions. At the back of the book young readers will find a fold out page that children can use as a stencil to make their own drawing of a decorated egg.

Easter is only a few days away. You can find more reviews of books about Easter on the TTLG Easter Books Page.








Thursday, September 12, 2019

The new issue of Through the Looking Glass Book Reviews is online

Happy September dear book loving people! The new issue of the journal is online and it contains some wonderful bookish treats for you all.

The special feature is Writers and Writing and I got to review several books about writers and the writing process. Start with a Word by Peter H. Reynolds (of Dot and Ish fame) is the perfect book to give to someone who loves to write but who needs a little help getting into the writing groove (yes there is such a thing).

For the Series Spotlight I chose The Paper Magician trilogy. These books take readers to a wonderful place where magicians are (mostly) well respected members of society, and where magic is (mostly) used for the betterment of all. The main character is utterly delightful and the touch of romance in the story is charming. Mind you, these stories are not all sweetness and light. There are some very low points that I have to confess left me feeling rather shaken. Magic must be taken seriously and it needs to be treated with respect, and of course there are always those who will use it to hurt others. Many thanks to Charlie N. Holmberg (the spotlight author in this issue) for creating these books.

Just last month the wonderful poet and anthologist, Lee Bennett Hopkins, left the stage and he will be greatly missed. He was such a dear, funny, and generous man, and it was a privilege to call him a friend. In his honor I chose to review one of his newest poetry anthologies in this issue, and I also featured a book that won the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, poetry prize that he brought into being and that carries his name.

For this issue I also chose to include some reviews of a few older, classic books. Ballet Shoes, George's Marvelous Medicine, Nurse Matilda, and The Railway Children, have all been around for a while and getting to read them again, as an adult, was a real treat.

I hope you enjoy this issue and look forward to hearing from you.





Friday, March 1, 2019

A review of I can be anything! Don't tell me I can't - Celebrating Strong Girls and Strong Women.

I don't know how many of you have had people tell you that you cannot not do something because of who you are. That, because you are what you are, something that you really want to do is out of your reach.

Like so many girls and women, I have experienced this kind of thing many times in my life. I was told that I could not play the saxophone in the school orchestra because girls don't play saxes. I was told that young women don't travel to India on their own because it simply isn't done. I was told that, because I was female, I could not ride a motorcycle. Some of these battles I won; I did go in India and I did ride a motorcycle. Some of them I lost; I never got to play the sax.

This month is Women's History Month in the U.S, and in honor of this event I have chosen to focus on Strong Girls, Strong Women in the new issue of TTLG, which I published this morning. Every week this month I will be posting at least one review of a book that celebrates girls and women who have chosen to pursue their dreams, even when people have tried to prevent them from doing so. They have turned away from the people who have said NO! They have held their heads high and kept on trying in spite of the barriers that have been placed in front of them.

On this first day of March I bring you a wonderful picture book that is empowering and thought-provoking. Many of us have a little voice inside us that tells us that we can't do this, or that we can't do that. For many girls this voice is reinforced by the loud voices of people in society who say the same thing. In this book a little girl fights against her little voice, choosing to say "I can" when it says "You cannot."

Diane Dillon
Picture Book
For ages 5 to 7
Scholastic, 2018, 978-1-338-16690-3
One day Zoe stretches her arms out wide and she thinks that she can be “anything I want to be.” She can even be a bird that flies “way up high.” Then that little negative voice of doubt pipes up and asks, “What if you fall?”
   Zoe does not let the annoying little voice take way her dreams. She responds by saying that she won’t fall because she will have wings, and if her wings get tired she will travel to a planet far away in a rocket ship. There she will have tea with the aliens that she meets on the planet before she heads for home. The little voice speaks up again and asks Zoe what “if you can’t get home?”
   Zoe knows better than to listen to the voice, the voice that wants to discourage her from doing things that are adventurous and interesting. In fact, she ignores the voice completely and announces that she could become an archeologist who travels around the world seeking out dinosaur bones and buries treasure.
   The voice tries to tell Zoe that she is “too little” to embark on such travels, but she refuses to accept this. “I’m bigger than you,” she tells the voice, and then goes on to talk about how she might become a scientist who discovers things or an inventor.
   Again and again the voice tries to crush Zoe’s dreams, and again and again the little girl finds an answer that affirms that she is strong and “smart,” brave and talented.
   This wonderful book shows children that they are not the only ones to have a voice of doubt whispering in their ear. In fact, we all have a version of that voice that tries to convince us that we can’t be anything we want to be. Children will appreciate the many ways that Zoe responds to her voice, and how she never loses hope in herself and her future. They will see that with knowledge, learning, skills, and courage they too can “be anything” that they want to be.
  

Friday, July 13, 2018

Poetry Friday with a review of My People

When you are a child you often think that more is better. I have learned over the years that sometimes less is more. Today's poetry book is a perfect example of this. This is not a weighty tome. It is not packed with artwork and text. Instead it is spare, and simple, and incredibly beautiful. In the book gorgeous photos are paired with lines of verse written by Langston Hughes, and the words celebrate people of all kinds.

My peopleMy people
Langston Hughes
Photographer: Charles R. Smith Jr.
Poetry Picture Book
For ages 5 and up
Simon and Schuster, 2009   ISBN: 1416935401
In 1923, Langston Hughes, the African-American poet, wrote a poem that later came to be called “My People.” The poem is only thirty-three words long, and in it Langston Hughes invites his readers to see “his people” through fresh eyes. He invites them to see how beautiful they are, comparing them to the night, the stars, and the sun. Not only are their faces and eyes beautiful, but their souls are too.
   Using stunning full page sepia photographs, Charles R. Smith Jr. captures the essence of Langston Hughes’ poem. His photos show people of all ages smiling, laughing, and being themselves. The photos are indeed beautiful, and they give Langston Hughes' poetry a new dimension that readers of all ages with admire.

Monday, July 9, 2018

Picture Book Monday with a review of Bob's Blue Period

When I was a child I went through a period when everything I drew had flowers on it. Then I drew peace doves and nothing but peace doves. Then I was 'into' doodling with gold, white, and silver pens. Every artistic fad was inspired by something that was going on in my life at the time. Today you will meet an artistic bird who, because he is sad, finds himself going through a blue period.

Marion Deuchars
Picture Book
For ages 5 to 7
Laurence King, 2018, 978-1-78627-070-2
Bob the bird’s best friend is Bat, and the two animals are inseparable. They play games together, dance together, have tea parties, and best of all they paint together. Then one day Bat disappears and he leaves a note for Bird saying that he has to “go away for a while.” Bird is bereft without his friend. He mopes around until he decides to paint. Everything he paints is blue. He paints a blue banana, a blue orange, and a blue tree. For Bird there is “a big blue hole where Bat used to be.”
   When Cat and Owl come to Bird to have their portraits done they are rather disappointed to see that Bird has painted them blue too. Bird’s friends decide that something has to be done to pull Bird out of his state of blueness.
   When a friend goes away our lives can really be turned upside down. Suddenly nothing feels quite right, and we don’t know what to do with ourselves when our bestie isn’t around to share everything. In this sweet picture book Marion Deuchars explores, with sensitivity and touches of humor, what it feels like to miss a friend. As the story unfolds we see how important it is to try to hold onto the good things even when we are feeling sad.

Friday, July 6, 2018

Poetry Friday with a review of Old Elm Speaks

I love trees. Whenever life gets too hard or when my heart is aching, I head up into the hills to spend some time amongst the tress. Something about their quiet presence comforts and grounds me. I was therefore delighted to come across this wonderful book of poems. What could be better than a book that celebrates trees!

Old Elm Speaks: Tree PoemsOld Elm Speaks: Tree Poems 
Kristine O'Connell George
Illustrated by Kate Kiesler
Poetry Picture Book
For ages 5 to 8
Clarion Books, 2007, 978-0618752423
All too often we take trees for granted. We walk pass them without noticing their beauty, forgetting that they witness the many mini adventures that fill our lives. In this very special book we hear their voices, we see things from their point of view. We slow down and notice the small things, the little details in their lives. We come to appreciate them anew and to realize that they are there watching over us as we play, as we work, and as we explore our world.
   For example we come to realize that there is a special magic in the way in which a tiny leaf is "rolled and folded / neatly packed" in a bud. We laugh as we read about the "major tree traffic" that is running along a tree's branches as squirrels carry out their daily chores. We smile as two plump horses find a way to share the shade that one tree gives. We watch as two children plant a baby blue spruce in their garden, a tiny tree that one day will "scratch the sky" with its branches.
   Using a variety of poetry forms including free verse, rhyme and haiku, the author of this wonderful celebratory collection infuses her poems with every possible mood and emotion. She has an obvious appreciation for the way in which language can be used to give a poem rhythm, complexity and imagery.
   This is the perfect book for all those wonderful people out there who love and appreciate trees.

Friday, June 29, 2018

Poetry Friday with a review of World Make Way

When I was growing up one of my favorite pieces of music was Pictures at an Exhibition. The composer uses music to describe what he saw when he visited an art exhibition at the Imperial Academy of Arts in Saint Petersburg in 1874. I was therefore very interested when I heard that a group of poets had written poems that were inspired by works of art in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is fascinating to 'see,' through their words, what the poets saw on the walls of the museum.
Edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins
Poetry Picture Book
For ages 7 and up
Abrams, 2018, 978-1-4197-2845-7
Every person sees a work of art differently. Some may notice the forms in the artwork, while others may be captivated by the colors. Some may only see the story that the artwork seems to be telling, and others may be drawn to examine how the artwork was created in the first place. Everyone’s reaction to the work is therefore different and unique.
   In this splendid book nineteen poets have created poems that were inspired by works of art that are on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The first of these is a portrait by Gustav Klimt. In it we see a girl in a white dress looking at us. Her hands are behind her back and there is an air of impatience about her. Certainly this emotion conveyed itself to Marilyn Singer. In her poem Paint Me we hear the voice of the girl who wants Klimt to “Hurry up and / paint me.” She has things to do and, furthermore, she is tired of the dress with its flowers. She is ready to be on the move; it is time for the world to “make way,” for her and her restless energy.
   For the painting Dancing in Columbia, Alma Flor Ada has written the poem Dancing. The narrators are the musicians in the painting, seven of them in all, who take up so much space that there is room for only two dancers. The man and women are “absorbed in our music” and their attention is such that “everything else is forgotten.”
   In Cat Watching a Spider we see an image of a cat watching a little spider scuttle across the floor. The cat is hunched, its attention fixed on the little animal. The poem that Julie Fogliano has written about this wonderful artwork perfectly captures, in just a few words, the moment that we are witnessing. We feel the pause that brings the cat to a place of stillness that is unusual in one who is often a creature of “prowl and prance / and teeth and claws.”
   Winslow Homer’s painting Boys in a Dory made the poet Charles Ghigna think of early evening when movement is slow and where the boys in the boat “float as in a dream, / soft and serene.”
   It is fascinating to see how the poets featured in this collection reacted to the artwork. Sometimes readers will see what they saw and perhaps feel what they felt, and sometimes the poet’s ‘take’ on the artwork will be a surprise. We will pause and take in their perspective and marvel at the way in which perception can be so different from person to person, and so interesting. At the back of the book the editor includes information about the poets who contributed to the book. He also tells us about the artists, whose work is featured on the pages.

Monday, June 4, 2018

Picture Book Monday with a review of The Koala who could

Stepping out of our comfort zone is something that many of us are very reluctant to do. We like to stick with things that are familiar and that feel safe. The problem with doing this is that a life without adventures can be rather dull. You also learn less about yourself and the world when you restrict yourself. In today's picture book you will meet a koala who is too scared to venture down from the tree that he calls home, and as a result his life is both lonely and predictable.

The Koala Who CouldThe Koala who could
Rachel Bright
Illustrated by Jim Field
Picture Book
For ages 4 to 6
Scholastic, 2017, 978-1-338-13908-2
Kevin the koala has simple needs. He likes to have a tree to sit and nap in, and leaves to eat. He likes a quiet life, which is why he likes to stay in his tree and avoid change. From his vantage point the ground beneath him seems “a frightening place,” and so he stays well away from it. Trying new things just isn’t something he is interested in doing.
   One day Wombat invites Kevin to “come down here and play,” but Kevin stays put. Even after the roos tell him that there is nothing to be afraid of on the ground, Kevin declines to join them; he firmly clings to his tree.
   Day after day Kevin sits in his tree, living his life the way he has always done. Then one morning Kevin wakes up and something is very wrong. A bird is pecking on his tree. In fact the birds is pecking the tree so vigorously that the tree starts to list and lean. Closer and closer to the ground it gets, with Kevin holding on for dear life. The other animals gather below, offering to catch him if he will just jump, but Kevin is too scared to do something so dangerous.
   All too often we are prone to holding on to things that are familiar and safe. We avoid trying new things because they are unfamiliar and scary; we cannot be sure how things will work out if we try these new things. In this amusing picture book, we meet a koala who resists change at every turn, until something happens that turns his life upside down. Children will be fascinated to see how things work out for Kevin. and they will delighted to discover that his story has a surprising ending.
  


Friday, June 1, 2018

Poetry Friday with a review of Emma's Poem

When I was ten years old I was lucky enough to cross the Atlantic in an ocean liner. Soon after dawn one summer morning we sailed past the Statue of Liberty and I have never forgotten that moment. Many years later I was able to see the Statue of Liberty up close, and I also visited Ellis Island. I have read the poem that is inscribed on the statue and that is now part of this country's history, and I feel great pride to live in a place that has provided sanctuary to so many refugees over the years. Today I bring you the story of the poem and I hope the narrative lifts you up and inspires you. 

Emma’s Poem: The voice of the Statue of Liberty
Linda Glaser
Illustrator:  Clair A. Nivola
Nonfiction Poetry Picture Book
For ages 5 to 7
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013, 978-0544105089
When Emma was little she had a very comfortable life living in a lovely, large home with her mother, father, and siblings. She lacked for nothing, and was able to indulge in her love of books. She had the time to read, and spent many hours writing stories and poems. The people she spent time with came from similarly comfortable backgrounds, and the world of New York’s well-to- do people was the only one she knew.
   Then one day Emma visited Ward’s Island in New York Harbor and there she met immigrants who had traveled across the Atlantic as steerage passengers. They were poor and hungry, and many of them were sick. They had so little and had suffered so much. Like Emma, they were Jews, but unlike her they had been persecuted and driven from their homes. Friends and family members had died, and now here they were in a strange land with no one to assist them.
   Emma was so moved by the plight of the immigrants that she did her best to help them. She taught them English, helped them to get training so that they could get jobs, and she wrote about the problems that such immigrants faced. Women from her background did not spend time with the poor and they certainly did not write about them in newspapers, but Emma did.
   Then Emma was invited to write a poem that would be part of a poetry collection. The hope was that the sale of the collection would pay for the pedestal that would one day serve as the base for a new statue that France was giving to America as a gift. The statue was going to be placed in New York Harbor and Emma knew that immigrants, thousands of them, would see the statue of the lady when their ships sailed into the horbor. What would the statue say to the immigrants if she was a real woman? What would she feel if she could see them “arriving hungry and in rags?” In her poem, Emma gave the statue a voice, a voice that welcomed all immigrants to America’s shores.
   In this wonderfully written nonfiction picture book the author uses free verse to tell the story of Emma Lazarus and the poem that she wrote. The poem was inscribed on a bronze plaque that is on the wall in the entryway to the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal. It has been memorized by thousands of people over the years, and has come to represent something that many Americans hold dear.
   At the back of the book readers will find further information about Emma Lazarus and her work. A copy of her famous poem can also be found there.

Monday, May 28, 2018

Picture Book Monday with a review of Elmore

Soon after I started reviewing books I read the Poppy and Rye series written by Avi. In some of the books we meet Ereth, a foulmouthed, grumpy, and incredibly lovable porcupine. I adored Ereth and think of him every time I see a picture or a video of a porcupine. I was therefore naturally drawn to today's picture book. In the story we meet Elmore, a porcupine who has a very big and troubling problem.


Elmore
Holly Hobbie
Picture Book
For ages 5 to 7
Random House, 2018, 978-1-5247-1863-3
Elmore is a porcupine and he lives in a big, old maple tree. He lives in the tree by himself, which is what porcupines do. One would think that he would be used to the solitary life by now, but the truth of the matter is that Elmore cannot help feeling a little lonely. 
   One day Elmore decides that he will try to get some friends. He puts up a sign that reads: “Friends Wanted.” He soon discovers that the other animals in the forest are reluctant to become his friends because he is just “too prickly.” If they come to close they are likely to get “needled, nettled, prickled,” which, not surprisingly, they are not too keen on.
   Elmore’s quills are proving to be a problem but they are there for a reason. They protect him, and his uncle reminds him that Elmore “wouldn’t be a porcupine without quills.” His quills are beautiful and he should value them.
   Elmore’s uncle’s kind words warm him, and they also give him an idea.
   So many people find it hard to fit in because they are different in some way. How do you get people to accept you when they won’t even give you a chance? What do you do when they write you off from the get go? This wonderful book explores how one determined porcupine finds a way to show the animals in his world what he is like on the inside. After all, that is the part of an animal, or a person, that really matters. Being prickly on the outside does not mean you are prickly all the way through.
   Readers who enjoyed the Puddle and Toot books are going to love this beautiful new title from Holly Hobbie.

Friday, May 25, 2018

Poetry Friday with a review of The Adventures of Piratess Tilly: Easter Island

When I first started reviewing poetry titles I was sent a book full of haiku poems. I fell in love with this poetry form and have made a point of seeking out haiku poetry books ever since. Today I bring you a review of a book that tells a delightful story using a series of haiku poems. The story describes an adventure that a girl and her friends take, and there are also natural history and environmental themes woven into the narrative.

The Adventures of Piratess Tilly: Easter Island
The Adventures of Piratess Tilly: Easter IslandElizabeth Lorayne
Illustrated by Karen Watson
Poetry Picture Book
For ages 5 to 7
White Wave Press, 2017, 978-0-997-90980-7
Piratess Tilly and her friends are setting sail on their beautiful ship, the Foster. This time they are going to Easter Island, and Tilly is hoping to continue to study nature so that she can become a “True Naturalist.”
   As they sail, Tilly and her koala friend Yuki make use of the books that line the walls of Tilly’s stateroom. They read, study, and sketch, following in the footsteps of Katherine Routledge, who also sailed to Easter Island in 1913.
   Eventually they arrive at their destination; Easter Island is in front of them with its majestic rocky shore and its stone statues. The travelers go ashore where they start to explore. Donning diving gear Tilly and Yuki enter an ocean wonderland where fish, sea turtles, and other creatures live.
   Next Tilly and her friends visit some ruins where horses “roam freely.” They have a picnic, enjoying being in such a beautiful place. Then they look out to sea from the highest place on the island and they discover that a pirate ship is headed their way. Tilly knows all too well that pirates cannot be trusted, and sure enough when the pirates come on land they steal the eggs that the sooty terns have laid on the ground. The birds can do nothing to rescue their precious eggs from the greedy poachers, but Tilly can.
   This delightful book takes young readers of a wonderful journey of exploration across the ocean to Easter Island. The tale is told using haiku poems, and it is accompanied by lovely artwork. At the back of the book readers will find further information about Tilly’s heroes: Charles Darwin, and Katherine Routledge.


Monday, May 7, 2018

Picture Book Monday with a review of The Word Collector

There are certain authors and illustrators whom I follow with great interest. I review all their books, and I keep my copies close at hand so that I can look at them again and again. One of these author illustrators is Peter R. Reynolds. He creates books that explore big issues and that celebrate things like creativity, compassion, diversity, and now the power of words. Not surprisingly, considering what I do for a living, this book delighted me. Is explores the idea that words are powerful, beautiful things when used in the right way.

The word collector
Peter R. Reynolds
Picture Book
For ages 5 and up
Scholastic, 2018, 978-0-545-86502-9
All over the world there are people who collect things. They collect stamps, art, rocks, coins, baseball cards, and all kinds of objects. Jerome like to collects things too; he collects words. Every time he hears or reads a word that intrigues or delights him he writes it down on a piece of yellow paper. He collects words that are “Short and sweet,” and he also collects words that are longer. Some have so many syllables that they sound “like little songs.”
   Happily Jerome glues all the words he has collected into scrapbooks, and over time his collection grows so large that he starts to categorize the words.
   One day Jerome is carrying a huge pile of his scrapbooks when he slips and the books tumble to the floor. Pieces of paper covered with words go flying. Jerome begins to pick up the words, which are now all “jumbled” up. Big words are next to little words, and words that one would normally never put next to each other are side by side. Jerome begins to explore his words in a new way, stringing them together to create poems and songs, and to create sentences that are strong and “powerful.” One might think that doing this would be enough for any collector, but Jerome has a word idea that he wants to share with the world.
   Peter H. Reynolds has a gift for creating books that make you think. The ideas he shares with his readers are so meaningful that they persist in our minds and hearts long after the book has been closed.
   Like his stories Ish and Dot, The Word Collector, makes us pause in our busy day to consider the world around us. We are reminded of the fact that words have power; that they can make our world a richer and better place when they are used thoughtfully. Both children and adults alike will love this title, and they will appreciate the message that the author is sharing with us: love words and use them to make your life and the lives of others richer.
  

Friday, May 4, 2018

Poetry Friday with a review of Hidden City: Poems of Urban Wildlife

I cannot remember a time when I wasn't interested in animals. I can recall lying on my stomach and watching ants for hours while a garden party was going on around me. I had pet snails and beetles, tadpoles, and worms. I was over the moon when my aunt gave me a pet turtle, and devastated when the poor little thing had an unfortunate accident. The wonderful thing about animals is that they can be found just about anywhere, no matter where you live. Today's wonderful poetry title introduces us to some of the creatures found in cities and towns.

Hidden City: Poems of Urban Wildlife

Sarah Grace Tuttle
Illustrated by Amy Schimler-Safford
Poetry Picture Book
For ages 5 to 7
Eerdmans, 2018, 978-0-8028-5459-9
If you live in a city or town you may think that your environment is devoid of nature but you would be wrong. There are animals and plants of all kinds living around you, and all you have to do to see them is a stop and look; listen, watch, and wait.
  In our homes there are busy little mice. If you are up late at night when all is quiet you might see a mother mouse running to and fro as she rips paper and scurries to her home only to return to get some more. She is building a nest for the babies that will probably soon be born.
   Outside, on a rainy day, you might spy sparrows huddled together. There they “chitter-cheep softly” while they wait for the rain to slow down and eventually cease altogether. The rain brings forth wonderful surprises too. Under a tree you might see a fairy ring of mushrooms grow. They appear seemingly overnight, a circle of delicate little pale cream umbrellas among the grass.
   By a fountain you might see some pigeons dipping, strutting, and cooing. The males flaunt their courtship dance, hoping that their performance will impress the watching female. In the park pond, ducks tip up, their tails in their air, their bills eagerly seeking food under the water. Busily they search until up they pop happily eating.
   On a warm summer night, beneath the glow of a street lamp, moths congregate. They flitter this way and that and then, out of nowhere, a bat swoops in and snatches one of the insects out of the air.
   In this wonderful book, multimedia illustrations are paired with delightful poems to show young readers that urban environments are full of wild plants and animals. The author and illustrator take us through the seasons so that we get a full and rich picture of nature’s annual cycle, and we get to meet all kinds of wonderful living things on the pages.
  



Monday, April 30, 2018

Picture Book Monday with a review of Love

When you are young love is this invisible thing that no one can really explain or define. It is this power that makes you miss your family when you are away from them, and that makes you delight in being with them again. It is the feeling that you have when you cuddle your pet and when it cuddles you back. Trying to understand what love is is hard, and yet in today's picture book Matt de la Pena and Loren Long have found the perfect way to explore the nature of love. Their book is timeless and powerful, beautiful and thought-provoking.

Love
Matt de la Pena
Illustrated by Loren Long
Picture Book
For ages 5 and up
Penguin, 2018, 978-1-5247-4091-7
You may think that love comes in only one form, but this is not the case. Love surrounds us and it comes in many forms, more than we can count or imagine.
   Love can be seen in the eyes of our parents when they look down at us as we lie in a crib or a cradle. It is in the movements of a father and daughter as they dance together on the roof of a trailer. They may not have a fancy home or car, but these two share a tie that is boundless and strong.
   On a hot summer day, when children play in sprinklers on the street, the echo of their laughter is the sound of love. Love can be found in the wrinkles on a grandfather’s face as he sits on a bucket so that he can fish with his grandchild. It is in the notes of music that the ragged busker makes as he sings outside the subway station.
   Love is also that thing that sustains you when hard times come. When fires flare, and relationships fail it is there. When tragedies happen love is that thing that your people wrap around you so that you can feel safe. Is the thing that fills the arms that hold you, and it can be heard in the voices that comforts you.
   Sometimes love can be found in places that you have to look hard to see, but when you do see it there you are lifted up.
   This beautiful book celebrates love in a stunning and powerful way.


Picture Book Monday with a review of The Mole Sisters and the Moonlit Night

I have always had a soft spot for moles. Yes I know they mess up my garden and lawn with their earth mounds, but I really don't mind. I love the idea that the cunning little creatures are borrowing away under my feet, seeking out food and working on their subterranean passages. I therefore love books that feature moles, and two of my favorite mole characters are the Mole Sisters. Today I bring you a wonderful little story in which the sisters have a little nighttime adventure.

The Mole Sisters and Moonlit NightThe Mole Sisters and Moonlit Night 
Roslyn Schwartz
Picture Book  Series
For ages 4 to 6
Annick Press, 2001, 978-1550377026
It is a perfectly beautiful moonlit night, and the Mole Sisters go boating on a pond in a little leaf boat. As they lie in the bottom of the boat looking up at the full moon, they see a brilliant shooting star flash across the sky. Quickly the two little moles make a wish, and before you know it their wish has come true; they are on the moon!
   It isn't long before the two moles start feeling homesick. After all, they say as they look at a distant Earth, "the world really is a wonderful place." How are they going to get back to the planet that they call home?
   In this delightful little picture book, young readers will find themselves being transported to a beautiful, soft moonlit night in the company of two charming little creatures. What is special about the Mole Sisters is that they appreciate the beauty of their world, and they are also clearly devoted to one another.
   In this book a minimal text and lovely colored pencil drawings breathe life into the simple world of two little moles. Their enchanting adventures have charmed young children and their families for years.

Friday, April 20, 2018

Poetry Friday with a review of Swing Around the Sun

Many people covet the idea of going to live in the tropics. They dream of the warm temperatures, tropical flowers, and blues seas. One of my favorite places on the planet is Hawaii, but I know that I would not like to live there year round because I love experiencing summer, fall, winter, and spring. I look forward to the gifts of the coming seasons. Right now summer peaches are on my mind, and I am eager to spend time sitting by the lake, watching the eagles soaring on the thermals.

In this delightful poetry book we take a journey through the year, experiencing the wonderful things that the seasons bring us as the Earth travels around the sun.

Swing Around the SunSwing Around the Sun
Barbara Juster Esbensen
Illustrated by Stephen Gammell  , Janice Lee Porter , Cheng-Khee Chee , and Mary GrandPre
Poetry
For ages 4 to 8
Carolrhoda Books, 2002, 978-0876141434
We are going to take a journey through a year, exploring the natural wonders of the seasons and the ways in which these ancient rhythms affect the human world. We are going to look at a beach in the spring when "a gull hangs like an icy flake" between the sea and the sky. We are going to listen to a summer storm as "thunder snaps/With a splitting crack!" In the fall we can imagine "Goblins prowl the streets" on Halloween. And, in the winter we can feel the cold as we skate across the pond leaving a "frosty trail" behind us.
   Using both rhyming and non-rhyming poetry, the author of this poetry collection paints a stunning portrait of a year in words, a portrait that is rich in imagery. Readers will find that all their senses are engaged as they go from season to season and from poem to poem.
   The visual impact of this book is especially noticeable because a different illustrator has created the art for each of the seasons. Thus each season has a distinct feel and appearance. Each piece of artwork provides the perfect backdrop for the poem that accompanies it.

Monday, April 16, 2018

Picture Book Monday with a review of Make the Earth your companion

On April 22 we Americans celebrate Earth Day Back when I was working in the environmental movement in Washington, D.C. it was a day full of festivals, conferences, speeches, and other events. These days I don't get involved in a lot of hoopla, but instead I tend to go out into nature to remind myself what the hoopla is all in aid of. All year round I do as much as I can to tend to our precious planet, and on Earth Day, I celebrate the marvelous place that it is.

Today I bring you a picture book that ties into this sense of celebration. The words in this book will remind readers that our planet is beautiful place, and it is also a great teacher.

J. Patrick Lewis
Illustrated by Anna and Elena Balbusso
Picture Book
For ages 5 and up
Creative Editions, 2017, 978-1-56846-269-1
For the most part we humans do not have a healthy relationship with the Earth. We like to dominate it. We use and abuse it. We do not listen and learn from it, even though we should. The Earth has much to teach us and if we make it our “companion,” and if we “we walk lightly on it, as other creatures do,” it has so much wisdom to share with us.
   One of the things we will learn, if we try, is that the sky will always be there above watching over us, and the sea will teach us how to face adversity with courage. A river will show us that nothing stays the same, and that hard times will drift away in time. A lake will teach us how to be still and quiet, and a mountain will show us what true “grandeur” is. A woodland will offer us peace, and a rainforest will be our “canopy of hope.”
   In this book J. Patrick Lewis’ words, and the art created by Balbusso sisters, show us to great effect what a remarkable teacher the Earth is. The message this book’s creators share with us is a rich and powerful one, and it will resonate with readers of all ages. This is a book to treasure, savor, and share.



Friday, March 30, 2018

Poetry Friday with a review of Songs and Verse by Roald Dahl.

There is no doubt that Roald Dahl is one of the master craftsmen in the children's book world. He wrote wonderful stories like Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and The BFG, and he also wrote dozens and dozens of wonderful poems. Today I bring you a poetry title that contains poems from his story books and also poems from his poetry collections. Beautifully illustrated throughout, this is a wonderful book to share with children.

Songs and VerseSongs and Verse 
Roald Dahl
Illustrated by Quentin Blake and other illustrators
Poetry
For ages 6 to 8
Puffin UK, 2016, 978-0141369235
Roald Dahl has been delighting children with his unique stories since his first books came out in the early sixties. Many of his tales include hilarious songs and sections of poetry that appeal to young readers enormously because of their outrageous content and clever use of language. Dahl also wrote three poetry collections in the 1980’s: Revolting Rhymes, Dirty Beasts, and Rhyme Stew.
   In this superb collection many of the wonderful songs and snatches of verse from the story books, as well as excerpts from the poetry books, have been brought together. Better still, renowned illustrators from all over the world have illustrated the poems and songs. Readers will get to see the art of Chris Wormell, Chris Riddell, Joel Stewart, Babette Cole, Axel Scheffler, Lauren Child, Alexis Deacon, and others. Quentin Blake, who illustrated so many of Roald Dahl’s books, has created some charming drawings for this book as well.
   Divided into sections by subject matter - “Unlikely Creatures,” “Poisonous Possibilities,” and so on – this is a collection that Roald Dahl fans will love to dip into. Within its pages they will find the songs of the Oompa-Loompas, and the Centipede’s song from James and the Giant Peach. At the other end of the spectrum they will find the terrifying words from “Down With Children” from the book The Witches.
   All in all this is a marvelous book, which truly celebrates Roald Dahl’s gift for creating poetry that children enjoy and want to read.

Friday, March 23, 2018

Poetry Friday with a review of Spring Blossoms

We are experiencing the contrary kind of weather that is the norm around here in spring. Snow showers on the mountains, cool temperatures in the valley, then warm temperatures, then heavy rain, then cool temperatures again. Throughout all this meteorological chaos the trees flower. The blossoms of showy cherries, demur pears, and delicate almonds all delight the eye. Today I bring you a book that celebrates these trees and more.

Spring Blossoms
Carole Gerber
Illustrator:  Leslie Evans
Picture Book
For ages 5 to 7
Charlesbridge, 2013, 978-1580894128
Spring is here and the trees are “dressed up for their yearly show.” Blossoms cover branches that not long ago were bare. Here is the dogwood wearing its “frosty crown” of white blossoms. The crab apple has white blossoms that are white too, but they are smaller and smell sweet. Magnolia trees produce flowers that are large and tulip shaped, which are quite different from those that you find on cherry trees that  are small and “grow in bundles” so that they look like “small bouquets.”
   Some trees are less showy and yet they too are beautiful in their own understated way. These include the white oak with its green male flowers and its small red female flowers. White pines have small yellow male flowers. Later in the year the female flowers, “tinged with red, like slender lips” appear.
   Throughout this special book, beautiful illustrations are paired with rhyming verse to take young readers into a spring day that is full of beautiful blossoming trees. They will ‘meet’ ten different tree species, and at the back of the book there is further information about spring and the changes that come about in this lovely season.

Monday, March 19, 2018

Picture Book Monday with a review of It's Springtime, Mr. Squirrel

Here in southern Oregon signs of spring are everywhere, even though there is still a chilly nip in the air in the mornings and evenings. The official first day of spring is tomorrow, and so I bring you this review of a book that is sweet and deliciously funny!

It’s Springtime, Mr. Squirrel
Sebastian Meschenmoser
Picture Book
For ages 5 to 7
North South, 2018, 978-0-7358-4310-3
One morning Mr. Squirrel wakes up to see that the world outside his home has been transformed. He has no idea what has happened. Where did all the bright green grass and colorful flowers come from? Bear explains that spring has arrived that it is time to “lie in the sun, stroll through the meadows, and fill our tummies with fine food!”
   Happily Mr. Squirrel scampers this way and that. He finds delicious things to eat, gorges himself, and then naps in the sun. However, Hedgehog has no appetite for food or frolics. He has been to the pond where he espied a lovely lady hedgehog. Unfortunately, he was so terrified of the gorgeous creature that he fled.
   Luckily Mr. Squirrel is there to help Hedgehog. He tells Hedgehog that he needs to “gain fame and glory” to earn the lady hedgehog’s esteem, and the best way to do that is to show off how brave and strong he is and to win lots of fights. The thing is that to win fights you have to look suitably dangerous and intimidating.
   Mr. Squirrel quickly gets to work. He measures Hedgehog and then runs off to gather supplies. He is going to make his friend look tough and masterful. It takes a while to come up with the right costume but in the end he succeeds. Not only that, but he too dons a similar costume so that he can help Hedghog win a “dangerous fight.” Now all they have to do is find an opponent who will make them look good.
   Children are going to laugh out loud as the follow the adventures of Mr. Squirrel and his friends. Who knew that winning the heart of a lady hedgehog could be so hard? Who knew that spring could be so full of surprises?
   With its delightful animal characters and its surprising ending, this is a wonderful book to share with children. Adults will find it hard not to fall for Mr. Squirrel, who is such a good friend.

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