Picture Book Monday with a review of A Warm Winter

I love seasonal picture books, because I love the way they connect us with what is going on outside at this particular moment. They connect us to a rhythm that is bigger than the one that many of humans seem to follow. Today's picture book takes us into a snowy, wintry landscape that is beautiful and stark. On the pages we meet a determined little mouse who is trying to collect firewood so that he can keep his family warm.

A warm winter

Feridun Oral

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 6

Minedition, 2015, 978-988-8341-29-0

One cold winter’s day Little Mouse leaves the comfort of his nest to go out into the snow to find some firewood. Trailing his red scarf, which is very long indeed for such a small animal, Little Mouse finds twigs, pinecones and sticks until he has a huge pile.

   Little Mouse ties up the pile with his scarf, rests a little and then he tries to pull his load across the snow. There is no way the pile is going to budge. Little Mouse is just too small to pull so much weight.

   Little Mouse asks his friend Rabbit for her help. Even when they “join forces” they cannot move the massive pile of firewood. The animals then ask Fox if they can borrow his sled, which he is quite happy to lend them. The firewood is piled on the sled and they all start pulling, but “the pile simply would not budge.”

   There is only one thing left to do; the animals are going to have to wake up Bear to ask for his help. The weather is getting bad and if they don’t get indoors soon everything will soon be buried.

   Bear, being a good fellow, is happy to help his friends, even though they woke him up. Together the four animals pull and pull until something very unexpected happens.

   This wonderful snowy picture book celebrates friendship, and shows to great effect how wonderful it is when people (or animals) work together to help one another.

Picture Book Monday with a review of The Wish Tree

This is the time of year when children all over the world hold their wishes close, hoping that Santa, Father Christmas, or St. Nicholas will be able to read the wishes in their hearts and make them a reality. In today's picture book you will meet a little boy who wants more than anything to find a wish tree, which he is convinced is a real thing. Rather than waiting for someone to find such a tree for him, the little boy sets out to find the wish tree himself, and in the process he makes a lot of wishes come true for others.

The Wish Tree

Kyo Maclear

Illustrated by Chris Turnham

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Chronicle, 2016, 978-1-4521-5065-9

One day Charles decides that he wants to find a wish tree. His older sister and brother say that “There is no such thing” as a wish tree, but Charles, and his friend Boggan, are convinced otherwise and so the next morning the boy and his toboggan set off.

   Together the friends climb a hill and sledded down to a “frost meadow” on the other side. Though they do not find a wish tree they do find a squirrel who needs help getting his haul of hazelnuts back to his home in a tree. Boggan and Charles are happy to help out.

   Later the friends help a beaver get a load of birch wood back to his lodge, and help a fox get some berries back to her burrow. Again and again Charles and Boggan assist the woodland animals who need help getting food and other materials back to their homes.

   The day begins to wind down and poor Charles and Boggan are no closer to finding a wish tree. They have seen so much during the day, except the one thing that they are looking for. Charles is so tired that he decides that he cannot search any longer. In fact he falls asleep on Boggan, which is when something magical happens.

   This wonderful wintery picture book will appeal to readers of all ages and backgrounds. Though it is certainly about a little boy’s quest, it is also about friendships that bloom during that quest. With delight we see how gifts are returned to someone who gives of himself so easily and freely. 

Picture Book Monday with a review of Sleep Tight Farm

This morning I woke up to find that it had snowed in the night. The trees and shrubs in our garden, and the grape vines in the vineyard looked as if they had been tucked up under a cozy, fluffy eiderdown. I was grateful that I had managed to get everything ready for the colder months in time, though the baby olive trees in their pots still need to be put under cover so that they don't freeze.

Getting a farm ready for the winter is not an easy task, and in today's picture book you will get to spend some time with a family who spend many busy days putting their farm to bed for the cold season.


Sleep tight farm: A farm prepares for winter

Eugenie Doyle

Illustrated by Becca Stadtlander

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Chronicle Books, 2016, 978-1-4521-2901-3

It is December and the days are getting shorter and darker. The big hay and corn fields are empty, the trees are bare, and all is quiet, but at the farm the people are busy; it is time to put the farm “to bed” for the winter.

   Out into the cold morning they go to cover the strawberry plants with hay so that they will be protected from “winter’s frosty bite.”  Raspberry plants are also prepared for the winter, their canes cut back so they cannot be cracked by wind and snow.

   The last of the fall vegetable crops, kale, carrots, beets and potatoes, are harvested and stored in the barn. The hay was brought in weeks ago and now Dad goes out into the field to plant a cover crop so that the fields are replenished before the next season.

   Wood is chopped so that the house will be kept warm through the winter months, and the chicken coop and bee hives are winterized so that the chickens and bees will be warm and safe. This is much to do before the farm and it people can take a well-earned rest.

   In this wonderful picture book we see how the members of a family work together to get their farm ready for winter. There is a lot of work to be done, and at the same time there is a lot of gratitude to offer up for all that the farm has given the family in the spring, summer, and fall. The farm has been good to them and they have not forgotten this.

  

                                              

Ducks on ice

Every morning I take my dog Pinot for a walk. On our way down the hill back into the center of town we walk past the duck pond in the park. Most days we stop to look at the ducks and I smile when I see the solitary large white Pekin duck swimming among all the wild ducks. I don't know where he came from, but he appears to be happy and holding his own.

This morning the pond was almost completely frozen over, and the ducks were sitting on the ice looking cold and confused. There isn't much water for them to swim in any more, and to say that the look ridiculous sitting on the ice is an understatement. I was reminded of a little picture book that I reviewed a few years ago. Here is my review:

Duck Skates
Lynne Berry
Illustrated by Hiroe Nakata
Picture book
Ages 2 to 4
Henry Holt, 2005, 0-8050-7219-5
Five ducks wake up one winter day to discover that it is snowing outside. There is no time to waste and soon all five are outside in their “bright new boots” and their snowsuits. Down to the pond they go and, after putting on their skates, the little ducks go out onto the ice. They “wiggle,” “topple” and “giggle” as they all fall down and get up again.
Then two of the little ducks see a sign and they get a wonderful idea. They lead the way across the ice and straight into an enormous snow bank. Then a snowball fight ensues. What a wonderful time they all have on this snow filled day.
With charming, delicate and often amusing watercolor paintings and a simple rhyming text, this picture book celebration of a day spent playing in the snow will give young readers lots of pleasure. Surely there is nothing quite like spending a day outdoors on a snowy day with lots of companions to play with.

It's a pity the pond ducks here in Ashland aren't able to bundle up in snow clothes so that they can enjoy a good skate.

Waiting for winter - A Review

Here in Oregon we sweltered our way through most of September until this week. Now fall is here, all of a sudden. Indeed it landed on us with a thump! There even was frost on the hills above town yesterday, and some places at higher elevations got their first snow. Hearing about the snow I was reminded of a book that I reviewed a week or so ago. It is called Waiting for Winter. I know I am jumping ahead a little, season wise, but this book charmed me so much that I just have to tell you about it. Here is my review.

Waiting for Winter

Sebastian Meschenmoser

Picture Book

Ages 5 to 7

Kane Miller, 2009, 1935279041

Winter is on its way and Deer tells Squirrel that it will soon snow. Squirrel, who usually sleeps through winter, has no idea what snow is. This year he is determined that he will get to see snow. There is a problem though, the snow does not arrive straight away, and squirrel waits and waits. What if he falls asleep and misses the snow?

Squirrel decides that he should run around to get some fresh air and exercise. That should keep him awake. All the noise he makes running to and fro wakes up Hedgehog. Hedgehog decides that he too will stay awake to see the snow. To keep awake, Hedgehog and Squirrel sing sea shanties. There is nothing like a good song to keep one awake. Unfortunately, Bear is trying to have a nap nearby and he cannot possibly sleep when Squirrel and Hedgehog are singing. Bear decides that he might as well stay awake to see the snow too.

This hilarious picture book will have readers of all ages laughing out loud. The wonderful pencil illustrations are vibrant and beautifully expressive, and the mistakes the animals make as they try to find snow are deliciously silly and funny. This is a book that cannot fail to entertain and delight.

Be warned, this book will really make you laugh!!

The New Issue of Through the Looking Glass Book Review

Hello everyone. The new issue of Through the Looking Glass Book Review is now online. I hope you enjoy looking through it. It was a challenge to put out because I was trying to juggle moving house, preparing for the holidays, and one hundred and one other things. Still, I managed. Here is a sample of what is in this new issue:

This month's special feature: Penguins - If you like black and white birds that waddle then this is the book collection for you.

This month's seasonal features: Winter Days and Snowy Days. The latter includes an large collection of books that will allow you to enjoy some of the pleasures of snow without leaving your home.

This month's Editor's Choice: How to get rich in the California Gold Rush by Todd Olson. This excellent title will help young readers get a sense of what it was like to go to California seeking gold there during the gold rush. The book is packed with period illustrations and it's narrative brings this historic event to life.

In the Bookish Calender we look at, among other things, the birthdays of Benedict Arnold and Alexander Hamilton; Appreciate a Dragon Day, and Chinese (lunar) New Year.

Some of you will enjoy reading my review of Brian Jacques' book Doomwhyte on the 12+ Fiction Page. Give a Goat is a very meaningful title that is reviewed on the Picture Book Page. For little children there is How big is a pig and several other board books on the Board Book and Novelty Books Page.

I hope you enjoy this new issue. If you have any questions or comments please drop me a line.