Happy Spring!

Happy Spring!

Enjoy spring with books about this lovely season.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration - Book Seventy-Nine

If you have not yet met Farmer Brown and his precocious farm animals, then you are in for a treat today. Allow me to introduce Farmer Brown, Duck, and the rest of the animals on the farm. Farmer Brown no doubt wishes that his animals would behave like normal farm animals, but they don't. In fact they are very unusual indeed.

Thump, Quack, Moo

Doreen Cronin

Illustrated by Betsy Lewin

Picture Book

Ages 4 to 6

Simon and Schuster, 2008, 978-1-4169-1630-7

   Farmer Brown is very excited because soon it will be time for the annual Corn Maze Festival, and he has big plans for his corn maze. The chickens are helping Farmer Brown by putting up a fence around the field, and the cows are helping to paint the barn. Duck doesn’t want to have anything to do with the project, but when Farmer Brown threatens not to get any more “special-order organic duck feed,” Duck has no choice. He too starts to help Farmer Brown by building the ticket booth for the hot-air balloon ride. The chickens and cows are excited about the project, but Duck is not.

   Every day Farmer Brown works on the maze, sketching, measuring, counting, and cutting. Every night Duck makes his own little adjustments to the maze. He too sketches, measures, counts, and cuts. Of course, Duck uses a glow-in-the-dark ruler, and night-vision goggles. It is clear that Duck is up to something, and Farmer Brown has no clue as to what is going on.

   Once again, Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin bring us a hilarious farmyard tale that has a delicious ending. We almost feel sorry for Farmer Brown. Clearly is doesn’t pay to cross a group of creative farm animals. 

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration - Book Seventy-Eight

Some years ago a book came out called The Gruffalo. In the story, there is a monster who has charmed thousands of young readers and their families. Now the Gruffalo is back, and he has his little daughter with him. In today's picture book young readers will see how the Gruffalo's child makes a very important discovery.

The Gruffalo’s Child

Julia Donaldson

Illustrated by Axel Scheffler

Picture Book

Ages 5 to 7

Penguin, 2005, 0-8037-3009-8

   On a cold wintery day, the Gruffalo tells his child that no gruffalo should ever set foot “in the deep dark wood.” The child, of course, is curious to know why the deep dark wood is dangerous for gruffalos, and her father explains that the Big Bad Mouse lives there. This terrible creature has strong muscles, a “terribly long” tail, eyes that are like “pools of terrible fire,” and wire like whiskers.

   One snowy night, while her father is snoring away in their cave, the Gruffalo’s child sneaks off and she goes into the woods. She soon sees a trail in the snow and she wonders if this is the trail of the Big Bad Mouse. When she gets to the end of the trail, she discovers that the trail was made by a snake. Next the Gruffalo’s child sees glowing eyes looking down at her from a tree, but the eyes do not belong to the Big Bad Mouse either. They belong to an owl.

   After finding a number of animals who are not the Big Bad Mouse, the Gruffalo’s child finds a mouse that is small and certainly not bad. In fact, the mouse would make a tasty “midnight feast” for the Gruffalo’s child. The mouse then tells the Gruffalo’s child that he has a friend that the little gruffalo “ought to meet.”

   In this delightful picture book, the Graffalo’s child discovers that it wise to listen to her father’s warning. Readers who enjoyed the first book about the Gruffalo will love this new tale with its engaging rhyming text and its 

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration - Book Seventy-Seven

In today's picture book you are going to meet a dog who is rather unique. Not only does he wanted to be adopted, but he has particular person in mind, and he does everything he can to make sure that she notices him.

Doggie in the window

Elaine Arsenault

Pictures by Fanny

Picture Book

Ages 3 to 5

Groundwood, 2003, 0-88899-619-5

   Doggie is the kind of dog who does not give up without a fight. More than anything he would like Mademoiselle Madeleine from the costume shop next door to adopt him, but he cannot get the lady to even notice him sitting in the pet shop window. He does every cute trick he can think of, but Mademoiselle Madeleine just doesn’t see him, so eager is she to get to her shop and to work.  

   One night Doggie manages to get out of his cage and he finds that there is a hole in the wall between the pet shop and the costume shop next door. Once Mademoiselle Madeleine has gone home, Doggie gets to work with the fabric, sewing machine and other bits and pieces that he finds lying around the shop.

   The next morning, Doggie is dressed up in the outfit he made for himself during the night, and what an outfit it is. He now looks like a cat, complete with a long cat-like tail, pointy ears, and whiskers. It would appear that Doggie is a master costume maker, and he hopes that he will impress Mademoiselle Madeleine enough that she will at last notice him.

   The deliciously funny antics of this loveable dog who wants to be adopted by a seamstress (and who indeed wants to be a seamstress himself) are sure to bring smiles to the face of anyone who reads this book. The illustrator has created flat image paintings in bright colors and she has taken great care to give Doggie, our hero, great personality and vivacity. There is no doubt that this is a dog in a million.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration - Book Seventy-Six

Losing something precious can be a very painful experience for a child, but it can also be a very painful experience for the thing that gets lost. In today's picture book you are going to meet a teddy bear who gets lost, but who decides that he is not going to take his situation lying down.

Red Ted and the Lost Things

Michael Rosen

Illustrated by Joel Stewart

Picture Book

Ages 5 to 7

Candlewick Press, 2009, 978-0-7636-4537-3

   One day, Red Ted’s little girl, Stevie, leaves Red Ted on the train by accident. Red Ted ends up in a huge room that is full of things that people have left on trains. He is put on a shelf next to a toy crocodile, and the crocodile explains that they are in the “Place for Lost Things.” The crocodile has been there so long that he no longer remembers the child he once belonged to.

   For a short while, Red Ted cries. What a terrible situation he is in. Then Red Ted decides that he is not going to wait to be found. Instead, he is going to find Stevie for himself. The brave little bear, with the crocodile in tow, makes his way out of the train station. The toys have no idea where to go next, but luckily a friendly cat thinks she may know where Stevie lives. The cat loves cheese, and Red Ted has a cheesy aroma on his fluffy person that smells familiar.

   This heartwarming picture book will surely charm anyone who has been lost, or who has lost something precious. Being lost can be very upsetting, and Michael Rosen captures Red Ted’s feelings and his courage to perfection. Joel Stewart’s mixed media illustrations with their graphic novel format are delightfully unique, perfectly complimenting the text throughout the tale. 

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day everyone!

If you are looking for a few St. Patrick's Day books to share with your children take a look at the TTLG St. Patrick's Day Feature. I hope you have a wonderful day.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration - Book Seventy-Five

Today's book is a must for readers of all ages who like dogs. The pictures are delightful, and the ending is surprising and wonderfully amusing.

Dogs

Emily Gravett

Picture Book

Ages 5 to 7

Simon and Schuster, 2010, 978-1-4169-8703-1

   Have you noticed that there are dozens of different kinds of dogs? There are really big ones, and teeny tiny ones. There are dogs that are tough, and others that are total pushovers. There are dogs that bark up a storm, and dogs that are very quiet. There are good dogs who fetch slippers, and there are bad ones that chew slippers to bits. All of these dogs are loved by the narrator of this story, but there is one kind in particular that the narrator likes the best.

    Dog loving readers of all ages are sure to enjoy this amusing and clever picture book. There is a dog for everyone on the pages, and readers will enjoy trying to decide which of all the pooches is their favorite. Just in case readers get too complacent, there is an  unexpected ending that is deliciously funny. 

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration - Book Seventy-Four

Some years ago I started reading the books in the Bartimaeus trilogy by Jonathan Stroud. They are such fascinating books that I was delighted to see that Hyperion has published a graphic novel of the first book in the trilogy.

The Amulet of Samarkand: A Bartimaeus Graphic Novel
Jonathan Stroud and Andrew Donkin

Illustrated by Lee Sullivan and Nicolas Chapuis
Graphic Novel
Ages 12 and up
Hyperion, 2010, 978-142311146-7
  Nathaniel, a magician’s apprentice, is furious, and he is determined to have his revenge on Simon Lovelace. Lovelace, a powerful magician who works for the government, has humiliated Nathaniel in the most mortifying way and Nathaniel’s master, Arthur Underwood, did nothing to help his apprentice during the ordeal.

   Far more knowledgeable in the art of magic than he should be for a boy of his age, Nathaniel summons up a powerful 5,000-year-old djinni called Bartimaeus to help him in his quest for revenge. Bartimaeus is not at all pleased to be forced to work for a twelve-year-old boy, but since Nathaniel has cast his spell properly and with care, there is nothing that Bartimaeus can do. Instead, when Nathaniel tells Bartimaeus to steal the Amulet of Samarkand from Lovelace, Bartimaeus reluctantly does as he is told.
  What neither Nathaniel nor Bartimaeus know at this point is that the Lovelace only has the Amulet because he stole it from the British government. Bartimeus – at the behest of his young master – finds out that Lovelace has plans of his own, plans that involve overthrowing the current administration so that he can seize power. When the Amulet is stolen from him, Lovelace puts his considerable powers to work to retrieve the precious magical artifact.
  Set in a modern-day London that is ruled by magicians, this highly entertaining story is told from the point of view of both Bartimaeus and Nathaniel. Bartimaeus’s often sarcastic and scornful observations about the magicians and their world are highly amusing, and the longstanding conflict between the “demons” and the magicians adds a great deal of interest to the story.
  Wonderfully written and packed with full-color art, this is a book that graphic novel fans of all ages will greatly enjoy.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration - Book Seventy-Three

Being a knitter myself, I am drawn to books about knitting. I have reviewed many nonfiction titles that show young people how to knit. Today's picture book is about an owl who gets the knitting bug in a big way. Her passion for the craft is such that she creates some very unusual knitted items.

Annie Hoot and the Knitting Extravaganza

Holly Clifton-Brown

Picture Book

Ages 5 to 8

Andersen Press USA, 2010, 978-0-7613-6444-3

   Annie Hoot is a little owl who has a new craze: knitting. Annie knits colorful sweaters, hats, scarves, socks, and other garments. In fact, her knitted creations are so colorful that the other owls refuse to wear them because they “don’t want to look different from the other owls.”

   Poor Annie decides to leave her home to see if she can find some animals who will want to wear her “nifty knitwear.” She knits herself a hot air balloon and sails across the skies to a rainforest. Quickly Annie sets about knitting umbrellas and boots for the local tropical birds so that they can remain dry during the frequent rain showers. Unfortunately, her creations are not waterproof, and they sag dreadfully. The birds suggest that Annie should go to the African plains. The animals in this part of the world “get chilly at night,” they tell the little owl. So off Annie goes, sailing away in a little wooden boat. Perhaps Africa is the right place for her.

   In this charming picture book, Holly Clifton-Brown tells the story of a little owl whose creative genius is not appreciated. Thankfully, there are some animals who treasure her creations, and when Annie finally goes home, she gets a wonderful surprise.

   With delightful illustrations throughout, this picture book is a tribute to all artists who dare to be true to their muse. 

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration - Book Seventy-Two

When my daughter was little, I must have read this book to her at least a thousand times. It is such a unique and funny story, and the main character is so appealing, that I am not at all surprised that she was so fond of it.

The little mouse, the ripe strawberry, and the big hungry bear

Don and Audrey Wood

Illustrated by Don Wood

Picture Book

For infants to age 4

Child’s Play, 1984, 978-0859531825

   Little Mouse is very busy. He has a ladder and he is going into the garden. What is he up to? “Oh I see,” Mouse is going to pick a big ripe strawberry. What a wonderful treat that is going to be.

   But, this is a problem. Out there, somewhere, there is a big hungry bear who loves freshly picked ripe strawberries. In not time at all, he will “tromp through the forest on his big, hairy feet” and he will find that strawberry.  Mouse can hide the strawberry, lock it up, and disguise it, but the bear will know it is there. What should Mouse do?

   Children will love this deliciously funny story. The authors present their tale in a unique way, with an unseen narrator having a conversation with the mouse (though the mouse does not actually say anything). We think that the narrator is trying to be helpful, until we get to the end of the story, when we are able to see that the narrator has an ulterior motive. Bears are not the only ones who like ripe strawberries!