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.
Friday, April 29, 2016
Poetry Friday with a review of Jumping off the library shelves: A book of Poems
I love libraries! When I was a child I would go to the local British Council library to spend an hour or so browsing the shelves. I would leave weighted down with a huge stack of books. I read about everything and anything. Except subjects that required me to do any kind of maths!
Today's picture book celebrates libraries and the joy of reading, and it is a delight.
Jumping off the library shelves: A book of Poems
Selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins
Illustrated by Jane Manning
Poetry Picture Book
For ages 5 to 7
Boyds Mills Press, 2015, 978-1-59078-924-7
A library is a special place. Some people think it is ‘just’ a repository for books, a storage place perhaps, but they are wrong. Thanks to the books in a library, people can find information, they can travel to distant lands, and have grand adventures. They can take a break from the world, and spend some quiet time immersed in wonderful words.
For this marvelous salute to libraries, Lee Bennet Hopkins has brought together poems written by a wonderful selection of poets. On the pages of this book we will meet children for whom their library is a special place. With their library cards in hand - the card that is “more powerful” than a cell phone, a TV remote, or a hundred apps - children find treasures that invite them “to explore” and “to dream.”
To help young readers in their search for a good read, there is the librarian who, by some magical ability, is always able to help a child find “the perfect book.” Somehow the librarian is able to read a child, like words on a page, and know what he or she needs.
The library is also a place where you will find storytellers who are able to make “words / leap from pages,” as they read out loud. With the storyteller for company, children make friends with frog and toad and they “walk / down a / yellow brick road.” During their storytimes they are able to believe in “once-upon-a-time” and “happily ever after.”
There is something for everyone in a library. On the shelves there are dictionaries, books of poetry, fairy tales and so much more. And when night falls and all the people have left the library, other little beings come out to partake of the library’s treasures.
This wonderful collection of poems take us into the world of libraries. We enter the library as “Morning pours spoons of sun” onto the shelves, and then leave when “night falls / outside / a / window.” As we close the book we are left with a comfortable feeling, and a yearning to visit our local library where book wonders await us.
Labels:
Children's book reviews,
Poetry books,
Poetry Friday
Monday, April 25, 2016
Picture Book Monday with a review of Beekle The Unimaginary Friend
Many children have imaginary friends, and sometimes we encounter such children in stories or films. We smile as they communicate with their invisible companions, who are often blamed when something untoward happens. In today's picture book story the focus, for a change, is on the imaginary friend instead of the child. On the pages meet an imaginary friend who needs one thing to make his life complete.
Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend
Picture Book
For ages 4 to 6
Little Brown, 2014, 978-0-316-19998-8
Beekle was born on an island where all the world’s
imaginary friends come into being. The imaginary friends wait and look forward
to the day when a child somewhere will imagine them, and then pick them to be
their own. Beekle waits and waits, but no one imagines him and “his turn” never
comes.
Eventually, Beekle feels that he has waited long enough,
and so he decides to seek out his friend rather than waiting to be imagined.
The journey is a
long one and it is full of “many scary things,” but the hope of finding his
friend gives Beekle courage and finally he comes to the real world, which is a
very strange place. Then, while he is standing on a sidewalk in a big city,
surrounded by the legs of big people, Beekle sees an imaginary friend go by
whom he follows. Soon he is a playground full of children and their imaginary
friends, a wonderful place where surely he will find his friend. Or maybe not.
It is hard not
to fall in love with the main character in this story. His persistence and
courage is inspiring, and one cannot help feeling a deep connection with the
little, white imaginary friend who dares to do “the unimaginable.”Friday, April 22, 2016
Poetry Friday with a review of Mother Goose’s Pajama Party
For many parents the Mother Goose nursery rhymes are the first poems that they explore with their children. Over time Little Miss Muffet, the cow that jumped over the moon, and Wee Willie Winkie all become members of the family. In today's poetry title these characters and others from the Mother Goose rhymes come together to attend a special event hosted by none other than Mother Goose herself!
Mother Goose’s Pajama Party
Mother Goose’s Pajama Party
Danna Smith
Illustrated by Virginia Allyn
Poetry Picture Book
For ages 4 to 6
Random House, 2015, 978-0-553-49756-4
One night Mother Goose flies out into the night sky on
the back of her goose companion. In sparkles she leaves a message in the
starlit sky inviting her friends to come to her house at half past eight for a
story time.
The moon is the
first to see the message and she shows it to the cow, who then goes on to tell
Dish who passes on what she has been told to Spoon. Spoon then tells Cats about
the invitation and Cat, being the musician that he is, “fiddled a tune.”
Mother Goose’s
invitation is passed on from character to character, from Jack-a-Dandy to Wee
Willie Winkie, and from Georgie Porgie to Little Bo-Peep. Finally Nimble Jack,
with his candlestick, leads the way to Mother Goose’s house with all the other
nursery rhyme characters following him. Along the way they collect the crooked
man and the cooked mouse and they walk along “the final crooked mile,” until
they come to Mother Goose’s door promptly at eight o’clock.
What follows is
a wonderful evening that is full of treats that the guests and the hostess
alike enjoy.
Written in
wonderful rhyming verse, this picture book brings together some of the most
well-known nursery rhyme characters, who take little children on a memorable
bookish adventure that is full of joy, warmth, and finally comfort.
At the back of
the book children will find the fifteen nursery rhymes that feature the
characters that they met in the book. Monday, April 18, 2016
Picture Book Monday with a review of the Night Gardener
Many people think that 'art' has to fit into one of three categories. It has to be a piece of music, a painting or a drawing, or a sculpture. However, there are other forms of art that might not fit into one of these pigeon holes. What about a piece of furniture or a quilt? What about a basket or a glass vase? What about a wrought iron gate or a musical instrument? What about a tree or shrub that has been clipped and clipped until it looks like an animal or some lovely shape? All of these things are also works of art, and all of them can, and do, enrich out lives.
In this picture book we see how a topiary artist manages, one topiary at a time, to bring beauty to the lives of people who so desperately need something in their world that will uplift them.
In this picture book we see how a topiary artist manages, one topiary at a time, to bring beauty to the lives of people who so desperately need something in their world that will uplift them.
Terry and Eric Fan
Picture Book
For ages 6 and up
Simon and Schuster, 2016, 978-1-4814-3978-7
Grimloch Lane is a rather sad place. The homes are
ramshackle, weeds grow up through cracks in the sidewalk, and the people who
live there don’t really connect with one another. One night, while everyone in
the lane is asleep, a man gets to work on one of the trees that stands outside
the Grimloch Orphanage.
When William
looks out his window in the morning he sees that something is going on outside
so he goes to investigate. What he discovers is that someone has clipped a tree
next to the orphanage so that it looks like a beautiful owl. William is entranced
by the topiary owl and he gazes at it all day long. When he goes to sleep that
night he does so “with a sense of excitement.”
The following
morning another tree on Grimoloch Lane has been turned into a work of art. This
time the topiary makes the tree look like a cat at rest.
Each day a new topiary appears, and now the
people living in Grimloch Lane have something to look forward to. They gather
to admire their beautiful topiaries and “Something good” starts to happen to
everyone who sees the special trees.
We tend to think
that real change can only happen when something really big happens, but
sometimes change can come about when a little piece of magic is added to our
lives. As the story in this book unfolds, we see how the introduction of beauty
affects the people who live in a place that has so little beauty and happiness
to offer. Best of all, the instrument of change is not someone who is rich and
powerful, instead he is a humble person who just happens to have a gift for
turning already lovely trees into gorgeous works of art.Friday, April 15, 2016
Poetry Friday with a review of Cats Vanish Slowly
Cats are singular creatures. They are not as easy to understand as dogs, but once you develop a relationship with a cat you will soon see how much that relationship enriches your life. Today's poetry book introduces you to some colorful cat characters, and the poems also explore the ways in which those cats enhance the lives of the humans that they share their lives with.
Cats Vanish Slowly
Ruth Tiller
Illustrated by Laura Seeley
Poetry Picture Book
For ages 6 and up
Peachtree Publishers, 1995, 978-1561451067
Many cats live on Grandmother’s farm and she knows each
and every one of them. Grandmother does not care if her cats are beautiful or
“scrawny.” She does not care if they have too many toes, or if they are tailless.
All the cats are welcome in her home and all of them are loved.
One of the best
things about visiting Grandmother’s house is that there is always a cat there
that is happy to be cuddled. If you have had a bad day, one dotted with
scoldings and breakages, dullness or loneliness, then all you need to do is to visit
Grandmother and hold an “affable cat.” With every purr and soft snuggle you
will find “every bliss.”
One day a
little, grey tabby cat arrived on the farm and she “graciously offered to
stay.” The cat is loved by everyone and is soon very much at home. It is
decided that the cat will be called Cougar, even though she is about as un-cougar-like
as a cat can get. She is loving and sweet, playful and gentle. There are times
though, when she is fast asleep, when perhaps, for a moment, she seems to live
up to her name.
B.P is nothing
like sweet, easy-going Cougar. He is a troublemaker, “a criminal cat,” who
steals food, climbs the porch screen, and pulls clean washing off the line.
When someone asks Grandmother if she has any cats available for adoption she offers
up B.P. Six times the cat is taken to a new home, and six times he comes back
to the farm. Like a “Bad Penny” the cat always “rolls back home.”
Grandmother
lives with her sister and the two old ladies are as “different as sugar and
salt.” One likes to grow flowers, while the other likes to plant vegetables.
One loves to write poetry, while the other prefers to make pies or to cut back
weeds. Though they are as “different as ribbon and string,” both ladies have a
soft spot for cats. One stormy night the two of them together gather up three
“half-wild” kittens and bring them into the warmth and shelter of their home.
This wonderful
book serves as a tribute both to cats, and to the people who take them in and
care for them. We meet a variety of cat personalities on the pages, and we also
come to appreciate how special Grandmother is and how much of a haven she has
created on her farm for felines, and for children who love felines.
Throughout this
book the author’s poems are paired with beautiful paintings that perfectly
capture the cats described in the text.
Labels:
Children's book reviews,
Poetry books,
Poetry Friday
Friday, April 8, 2016
Poetry Friday with a review of Boris
I used to be more of a dog person than a cat person, but then I adopted Katie, a tiny black and white kitten, who had been literally thrown away. Katie, who never weighed more than five pounds, taught me to appreciate the true nature of cats. Despite her rough start in life, she was loyal, strong-willed, sensitive, and loving, and I am grateful that she was part of my life for more than a decade. Though she was very small and not very strong, Katie never let anything get her down. She was an inspiration.
Today's poetry title explore one woman's relationship with her cat Boris, and through her narrative we get see how Boris shaped her life and how he helped her understand herself better.
Boris
Cynthia Rylant
For ages 14 and up
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2006, 0-15-205809-5
Not that long ago her last cat died, and she decided that
she would not be getting any more cats. She would be a dog person from here on
out and spare herself all the trials and tribulations that come with cat
ownership. No more hairballs, no more worrying that the cat has been eaten by a
coyote, and no more “howling, spitting fights.” No, cats will no longer be a
part of her life.
Then the local
shelter puts a storefront in town and she has to walk past that storefront
every day; she has to see the cats sitting in the window, all of whom so badly
want a home. She holds out for two months and then she goes into the store. She
says that she will get one female cat “and no more.”
Not long after,
she walks out of the store with two cats, a male and female. The cats are
siblings and she could not bear to separate them. The male is Boris, a
beautiful grey fellow who in his own quiet way promises that he will “be good.”
It isn’t long
before Boris is a member of the family. The dogs accept him and when they go
too far they get a swat across the nose to keep them in line. Of course it also
isn’t long before she is worrying that the eagles might try to harm Boris. She
asks him to never “stand on a beach / beneath them,” for surely if he does they
will be measuring and assessing him to determine if he is too big and heavy
from them to carry him off.
Boris is full of
surprises. She knows that his former name was Hunter and imagines at first that
it is a “designer-label sort of / name.” It turns out that Hunter was not some
preppy name at all. The name describes what Boris is. He is a hunter and soon
he is bringing her all kinds of furry and feathered gifts.
When a new cat
moves in next door she is sure that Boris is going to take grave exception to
the cat using the next-door deck that he has claimed as his own. She full
expects to see fur flying, and yet this is not what happens at all. Boris takes
the newcomer in hand, adopting him and treating him like a little brother who
needs someone to show him what is what.
This magnanimity
is not offered to an elderly cat that Boris and his owner meet when they are
out one day. This time the hunter in Boris comes to the fore and he bowls over
the poor old fellow without a thought. She is embarrassed, and the encounter
gets her thinking about aging and what waits for them both in the future. Will
they two be like the old cat who dared to walk on Boris’ path? Will they two
stand against younger whippersnappers who try to bully them?
In this
remarkable book, nineteen free verse poems take us into the world of the
narrator and her cat. Through her interaction with Boris we find out about her
own fears, worries and insecurities. We laugh with her as Boris watches, and
bats at, birds that he sees on the TV screen. We laugh too when she describes
how much she enjoys playing “spinnies” with her cat companion. Her pain is
tangible as she tells us what it was like when Boris went missing for ten days,
and we understand why she worries about moving to a new house that Boris might
not approve of. Being owned by a cat is not for the faint of heart, but the
experience teaches us a lot about ourselves, and through our cats we learn a
great deal about love, patience, and compassion.
Labels:
Children's book reviews,
Poetry books,
Poetry Friday
Monday, April 4, 2016
Picture Book Monday with a review of Over-scheduled Andrew
I think it is fair to say that these days many people have lives that are perhaps a little too full. They feel as if they are running on a treadmill, desperately trying to keep up, and to do all the things that are written on their to do lists. Adults are not the only ones who have this problem. Sometimes children find themselves struggling with a schedule that asks just too much of them.
Over-scheduled Andrew
Ashley Spires
Picture Book
For ages 5 to 7
Tundra Press, 2016, 978-177049-484-8
Andrew loves to perform in plays, and so he decides to join the school drama club so that he can “wear costumes and perform on a real stage.” Andrew’s best friend, Edie, helps him learn his lines as they walk home from school together. Sometimes they end up climbing a tree or playing a game along the way and that’s always fun.
Though Andrew is a natural when it comes to acting, his drama teacher suggests that he try public speaking so that he can learn how to project his voice more. Andrew joins the debating team so that he can work on making his voice stronger. It turns out that Andrew is so good at debating that his friend Calvin suggests that he join the chess club.
When Andrew has a hard time keeping up during the dance routines when he is rehearsing, he decides that what he needs to do is to “improve his coordination,” so he attends ballet and karate classes.
Somehow Andrew then finds himself joining the tennis team, working on the school paper, and learning how to play the bagpipes. He joins the French film club, takes singing lessons, and signs up for Spanish lessons because knowing another language is “just plain useful.” Up until now Andrew has been able to manage his extremely full schedule, but now he hits a wall. Andrew is just doing too many things.
Many people over-schedule their lives. They fill every spare minute with an activity of some kind until they barely have time to eat or sleep. They cannot have a social life and are constantly running from activity to activity.
With humor and sensitivity Ashley Spires (who brought us the graphic novels about Binky the cat) shows us how a young owl’s life turns into a nightmare when he takes on too many activities. Everything Andrew does is important and interesting, but together they are just too much. Children, and their grownups, will enjoy seeing how Andrew solves his problem and how he finds a schedule that works for him.
Over-scheduled Andrew
Ashley Spires
Picture Book
For ages 5 to 7
Tundra Press, 2016, 978-177049-484-8
Andrew loves to perform in plays, and so he decides to join the school drama club so that he can “wear costumes and perform on a real stage.” Andrew’s best friend, Edie, helps him learn his lines as they walk home from school together. Sometimes they end up climbing a tree or playing a game along the way and that’s always fun.
Though Andrew is a natural when it comes to acting, his drama teacher suggests that he try public speaking so that he can learn how to project his voice more. Andrew joins the debating team so that he can work on making his voice stronger. It turns out that Andrew is so good at debating that his friend Calvin suggests that he join the chess club.
When Andrew has a hard time keeping up during the dance routines when he is rehearsing, he decides that what he needs to do is to “improve his coordination,” so he attends ballet and karate classes.
Somehow Andrew then finds himself joining the tennis team, working on the school paper, and learning how to play the bagpipes. He joins the French film club, takes singing lessons, and signs up for Spanish lessons because knowing another language is “just plain useful.” Up until now Andrew has been able to manage his extremely full schedule, but now he hits a wall. Andrew is just doing too many things.
Many people over-schedule their lives. They fill every spare minute with an activity of some kind until they barely have time to eat or sleep. They cannot have a social life and are constantly running from activity to activity.
With humor and sensitivity Ashley Spires (who brought us the graphic novels about Binky the cat) shows us how a young owl’s life turns into a nightmare when he takes on too many activities. Everything Andrew does is important and interesting, but together they are just too much. Children, and their grownups, will enjoy seeing how Andrew solves his problem and how he finds a schedule that works for him.
Friday, April 1, 2016
Poetry Friday with a review of Echo Echo: Reverso poems about Greek myths
When I was growing up on the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean, I read many of the Greek myths. Some of the places mentioned in the myths I was even lucky enough to see in Greece, including Mount Olympus, where the Gods were said to live. In today's book readers will encounter some of these myths but in poetry form. And the poems they will encounter can be read in two ways, which makes this bookish poetry experience quite unique. Happy Poetry Month!
Echo Echo: Reverso poems about Greek myths
Marilyn Singer
Illustrated by Josee Masse
Poetry Picture Book
For ages 5 to 8
Penguin, 2016, 978-0-8037-3992-5
Often we like to think that there is only one side to a story, the side that we believe in. The truth of the matter is that usually there are at least two sides to a story that often contradict each other, two perspectives as seen through the eyes of two very different people who are on opposite sides of the story.
In this very unique book of poetry the author takes us into the world of Greek mythology so that we can explore the two sides of some of Greece’s most famous stories. The myths were created so that people could explain the world they lived in, a world that was often full of chaos and unknowns, which is perhaps why so many people are drawn to them.
Chaos is certainly at the heart of the story about Pandora and her famous box. The story goes that Zeus gave Pandora a box telling her not to open it. Being human and curious, and prone to doing things that she is told not to do, Pandora opened the box and let loose “all the evils of the world.”
This is the first myth that is explored in this book. We are presented with two poems, placed side by side, and hear the story from two points of view. In one Pandora is blamed for what happened, and in the other we are see that Pandora could well have been Zeus’ pawn, that he planned the whole terrible businesses. What makes things interesting is that the second poem is the reverse of the first, with the last line of the first poem serving as the first line of the second.
In the poem King Midas and his Daughter, the story of the king whose greed led to his daughter being turned into a gold statue is told first from the point of view of the daughter and then from the point of view of the king. The daughter’s voice tells us how she was “so needy / so greedy” for a loving touch from her unaffectionate father. The father’s narrative tells us that he was “ so greedy / so needy” to have the magic touch that turned things into gold, and he paid dearly for the gift he was given.
The other myths explored in the book include the story of Arachne and Athens, the tragic tale of Narcissus and Echo, and the ill-fated story of Icarus and Daedalus.
The poems in this book show great creativity, and they certainly bring old myths to life, but they do more than that. This book shows, to great effect, how problems might arise when two people see the same thing from only one point of view.
Monday, March 28, 2016
Picture Book Monday with a review of Waiting
For many of us waiting is a bore. Sometimes it is very frustrating and annoying. We feel that we are wasting time, time that would be better spent if we were not waiting. Sometimes we are wasting precious time, but there are many other times when waiting is actually a good thing, when the act of waiting offers up joys of its own. Today's picture book explores this idea in the most delightful way.
Waiting
Waiting
Kevin Henkes
Picture Book
For ages 5 to 7
HarperCollins, 2015, 978-0-06-236843-0
There are five toys that sit on a windowsill and they are
all waiting. The little pink pig with the umbrella is waiting for the rain. The
owl is waiting for the moon. The little bear with the kite is waiting for the
wind, and the puppy on the sled is waiting for some snow. The rabbit is not
waiting for something special. He just likes to look out of the window. He just
waits because he enjoys doing so.
The owl is lucky
because the moon turns up “a lot.” The pig and bear also got to enjoy the rain
and the wind regularly. Snowfalls are not as common, but they do happen, and
when they do the puppy is very happy.
Life on the
windowsill does not change a great deal. Sometimes one of the toys goes away
for a while and sometimes they all sleep. Occasionally gifts appear, and once a
little toy elephant came to stay. He, alas, fell off the windowsill and broke,
which was very upsetting.
Through their
window the little toys see so many things that add to their experiences, and
then one day a new toy arrives and she has a little secret of her own.
Our lives are
full of times when we have to wait, and all too often we do so with impatience,
and perhaps even with frustration and annoyance. We want what we are waiting
for to arrive now.
In this gently
paced, softly colored picture book, we explore the idea that sometimes the
process of waiting is, in and of itself, a joy. If we take it all in as we wait,
and enjoy the journey, there is a good chance that we will discover treasures
that we might have otherwise missed. We don’t have to be doing a great deal,
and rushing about, to discover so many of the experiences that life has to
offer.
Sunday, March 27, 2016
Friday, March 25, 2016
Poetry Friday with a review of Now you see them now you don’t: Poems about creatures that hide
I first started getting interested in animals after I read a book called My Family and Other Animals, which was written by Gerald Durrell. I then went on to read many other books about animals, and learned all kinds of fascinating things about how animals have adapted to different environments and circumstances. Camouflage is one of these adaptations and it takes many remarkable forms, which is why I was delighted to review today's poetry title. In this book readers will meet just a few of the animals who use camouflage to hide their presence from predators or prey.
Now you see them now you don’t: Poems about creatures that hide
Illustrated by Giles Laroche
Poetry Nonfiction Picture book
For ages 6 to 8
Charlesbridge, 2016, 978-1-58089-610-8
For millennia animals have been using camouflage to help
them hide from predators, prey, or both. Being able to camouflage their
appearance has given mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and other animals the
ability to survive, an ability that they have passed on to their decedents.
In this stunning
book, cut-paper relief illustrations are paired with nineteen poems, each one
of which explores how camouflage helps an animal species to be successful. We
travel from beaches to polar climes, from forests to swamps, from meadows to
jungles. Some of the species are large and impressive, while others are very
small, but are still worthy of our respect and interest.
We begin on a
sandy beach where a ghost crab blends in perfectly with its environment. When
danger threatens, the little crustacean freezes and waits until it is safe to
“scurry, hide, / dig, hole, /dive, inside.” With its sand colored shell and
appendages, the crab can hide in plain sight if it has to.
The octopus is a
master of disguise. It can change the color of its skin to blend in with its
surroundings. This ability helps it to hide from a passing fish that is looking
for a meal, or so that it can grab passing prey in its “sucker arms.”
In a swamp or
marshland, alligators float in the water with only their snouts and backs
showing. The alligator waits, for all the world looking like a log or piece of
debris. What potential prey animals don’t know is that “Hidden where / they
never show,/ are teeth / and teeth / and teeth below.”
When you see a
tiger in a zoo you cannot imagine that its bold stripes are actually a
wonderful form of camouflage, but in its native habitat where there are
“Dappled shadows, / waving grasses,” a tiger’s stripes allow it to blend in
beautifully. From where it waits the tiger can watch and when the time is right
it will attack like “striped lightning.”
At the back of
the book readers will find further information about all the species featured in
the book.
Labels:
Children's book reviews,
Poetry books,
Poetry Friday
Monday, March 21, 2016
Picture Book Monday with a review of Gordon and Tapir
Friendship is a funny thing. Sometimes our best friends are just like us. We are like two halves of a whole, and we know and understand one another completely. Sometimes our friends are very different from us, and they have habits and interests that we do not, or cannot, understand at all. In today's picture book title you will meet two friends who are very different, and who hit a rough patch that shakes their relationship to its core.
Gordon and Tapir
Gordon and Tapir
Sebastian Meschenmoser
Translated by David Henry Wilson
Picture Book
For ages 5 to 7
NorthSouth, 2016, 978-0-7358-4219-9
One day Gordon the penguin is in the toilet when he
realizes that there is no toilet paper. Not in the best of moods he waddles out
of the toilet and follows the toilet paper trial, which leads him to Tapir’s
room. When he opens the door, he sees that his friend and housemate is sitting
in a room that is bedecked with toilet paper. Tapir is eating fruit and is clearly
very content with the chaotic state of his living quarters. Gordon is not.
Gordon complains
about Tapir’s slovenly habits and wonders how anyone can make such a mess.
After all, Tapir isn’t “a wild animal.” Tapir responds by criticizing Gordon’s
persnickety “love of tidiness.” Living with a neat freak is no picnic. Back and
forth the friends squabble and then they go their separate ways to their bedrooms.
When Tapir gets
up in the morning Gordon has already left the apartment, and when Tapir goes to
work the next day Gordon is not in his usual place in the penguin exhibit at
the zoo. When he gets home Gordon’s room is empty and Gordon has left Tapir a
note. Gordon has moved out and found another place to live. This is rather
upsetting for Tapir. He does not want to lose his friend.
Sometimes two
friends are so unalike in their habits that living in the same house becomes a
nightmare. Who is going to compromise? How can they prevent their friendship
from falling apart? Living together can put a strain on even the closest of
friendships.
In this
delightful picture book we meet two animals who, at least as far as their lifestyles
are concerned, are polar opposites. It takes courage for Gordon to find a
solution that works for both animals, a solution that he hopes will save a
relationship that they both care about deeply.
With expressive
artwork and a very minimal text, Sebastian Meschenmoser gives readers a tale
that is funny and sweet. Children will see that a friendship is a precious
thing worth preserving, and sometimes one has to be creative to protect it.
Friday, March 18, 2016
Poetry Friday with a review of Once I ate a pie
People who don't have pets often imagine that one dog is pretty much like another, that the only thing that sets them apart is their appearance. This is not even slightly true. Dogs, like people, have personalities that are distinct. Some are shy, some love attention, some like their own space, and some are happy to spend time anywhere. In today's poetry title you will meet some wonderful dogs, each one of which is different. Their personalities will touch readers, make them smile, and perhaps even make them wish that they too had a dog - if they don't have one already!
Once I ate a pie
Once I ate a pie
Illustrated by Katy Schneider
Poetry Picture Book
For ages 6 and up
HarperCollins, 2006, 978-0-06-073531-9
The dogs that share our lives and our homes all have very
different personalities. Even puppies in the same litter can have completely
different natures, in the same way that human siblings do. In this delightful
collection of free verse poems, the authors introduce readers to seventeen dogs,
who tell their stories in their own delightful voices.
There is Mr.
Beefy, a pug who thinks that he is “beautiful” even if he isn’t exactly “thin.”
He is very honest with us, telling us that he likes to steal tubs of butter off
the table when none of his humans and looking. Once he even stole and ate a
whole pie.
Gus is the kind
of dog who watches his people. He likes to know where they are at all times,
and prefers it when they are in a group, “Like sheep.” When they wander off to
do their own thing, Gus follows to find out if they are “all right,” and then
herds them back to where they belong.
Lucy was a
shelter dog and so she has a rather proprietary air about her. After being
homeless and possession-less for a while, she now takes her new status in life
very seriously. Lucy makes sure that we know that everything in her new home is
hers. Even the people.
Pocket is a
small dog who once was so tiny that she “used to sleep in a coat pocket.” Her
coat, collar, dish, and water bowl are all tiny. She finds the whole situation
rather confusing because she believes that she is “HUGE.”
Tillie and Maude
are sisters, and though they look alike they have very little in common. Tillie
is shy and well behaved, whereas her sister tends to be naughty and she gets
into trouble. The only thing the sisters really have in common is their looks
and the fact that they love one another.
Anyone who has
shared their life with a canine will appreciate this wonderful collection of
poems. There are touches of humor that will make readers smile, and sweet word
images that will delight readers who have a soft spot for dogs.
Labels:
Children's book reviews,
Poetry books,
Poetry Friday
Monday, March 14, 2016
Picture Book Monday with a review of The day the crayons came home
All to often we take the people we rely on the most for granted. It is a natural reaction to have, and yet this does not make it a good one. We need to be grateful for our loved ones. We also need to treasure the things that give us joy; things like our musical instruments, our sports equipment, and our beloved art supplies.
In this book a group of crayons decide that enough is enough and they tell the boy they belong to that his neglect of them is really upsetting and quite unacceptable.
The day the crayons came home
In this book a group of crayons decide that enough is enough and they tell the boy they belong to that his neglect of them is really upsetting and quite unacceptable.
The day the crayons came home
Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers
Picture Book
For ages 5 to 7
Penguin, 2015, 978-0-399-17275-5
One day Duncan and his crayons are enjoying a nice
coloring session when Duncan gets a very odd packet of postcards in the mail.
It turns out that the cards all come from crayons which, for one reason or
another, are no longer in residence in Duncan’s room.
Maroon Crayon is
downstairs, neglected and broken and wants to come home. Pea Green Crayon has
changed his name and is running away. Neon Red Crayon was left behind during a
family vacation and announces that, since Duncan has not seen fit to retrieve
him, he will be walking home. Yellow and Orange are in the garden, melted
together by the sun. One of the brown crayons was eaten by the dog and then
“puked up on the rug.” He is downstairs on the rug and wants to be rescued.
Glow in the Dark Crayon is in the basement.
The rest of the
stories of crayon woe are just too painful to go into further. Suffice it to
say that Duncan has a very large collection of postcards from his very unhappy
crayons and he feels very bad about his poor neglected friends who really did
not deserve being ill-used in such a dreadful way.
In this book children
will have a wonderful time reading the postcards that the crayons in the story send
to their owner. They may even wonder what kinds of postcards their crayons,
markers and colors would send them if they could. Would their art supplies give
them a hard time too?
Monday, March 7, 2016
Picture Book Monday with a review of Last Stop on Market Street
Today's picture book is very special indeed. It won the 2016 Newbery Award, which is very unusual because typically Newbery winners are novels. The story is so universal and powerful that I had to pause after reading it the first time to take in everything. Then I read it again.
Last Stop on Market Street
Matt De La Pena
Illustrated by Christian Robinson
Picture Book
For ages 5 and up
Penguin, 2015, 978-0-399-25774-2
Every Sunday, after church, CJ and his nana get on a bus
and travel across town to Market Street. One Sunday CJ comes out of the church
building and it is raining. He does not feel like going across town in the bus
today. He resents the rain, he resents the fact that he and Nana cannot travel
in a car, he resents the fact that they have to go to the same place after
church every Sunday. In short, CJ is not happy with much of anything at the
moment.
One would think
that Nana would get annoyed by all of CJ’s complaining questions, but she
doesn’t because that is not what Nana is like. Instead, she finds something good
to appreciate in everything that CJ finds annoying. What would happen to the
trees if they did not have rain to water them? If they had a car they would not
get to meet Mr. Dennis the bus driver every Sunday, nor would they see the
interesting characters on the bus. If they did not go to the same place every
Sunday they would get to spend time with “Bobo or the Sunglass Man.”
Then a musician
starts to play on the bus and CJ begins to experience the joy that Nana
understands so well. He begins to understand that sometimes you need to look at
what you do have instead of what you don’t.
This remarkable,
award-winning title explores a simple idea through the eyes of a young child.
Alongside CJ, on that battered bus, and in the dirty streets, we come to
understand that there is beauty everywhere if you know how to look for it.
Friday, March 4, 2016
Poetry Friday with a review of Water Music: Poems for Children
I love water in all its forms. For me, watching waves slap up on a beach is one of the most relaxing things in the world to do, even if it too cold to swim or sunbathe. Just the sound and sight of the moving water is a joy to experience. I think that today's poetry book captures the magic that is water beautifully, and it is a book that children and adults alike will enjoy reading, sharing, and exploring.
Water Music: Poems for Children
Jane Yolen
Photographs by Jason Stemple
Poetry Picture Book
For ages 5 to 7
Wordsong, 2003, 978-1590782514
We often take water for granted, but it is a precious
resource. Water covers more of our planet than land does, and like our planet,
it makes up most of our bodies as well. Without it, life on earth would not be
possible. The amazing thing about water is that it is essential, precious, and also
very beautiful. Whether moving in a stream, resting peacefully in a lake,
crashing as waves on a seashore, or hanging from the eves of houses as long
icicles, it is a joy to look at.
In this
beautifully presented book, Jane Yolen’s poems are paired with her son’s photographs
to celebrate water in all its remarkable forms. We begin near a lake where the
water “is a magic mirror,” which serves to capture an image of the “earth and
sky.” Frozen water appears in the next poem where we see an icicle, which hangs
“like frozen time.” Its colors and shape are so unique that “It is itself a
poem.”
When we turn the
page we leave behind water in its quiet forms, and come to a place where “the
incoming tide / Flings its angry waves upon the shore.” Here the author knows
that there is “no hiding place” from the waves, and so retreats to a place
where the water will no longer be a threat.
In the next poem
Water Jewels, we encounter water as
little droplets sitting on the leaves of weeds. Here water is not in the form
of huge waves of enormous power. Instead, water is a delight, beautiful thing,
“raindrop diadems” that make our world more lovely.
A waterfall
comes next, with words that tip down the page just like the water does in the
accompanying photo. Pulled along by the fast moving water, “Leaves and sticks
and twigs” get carried over the waterfall. The waterfall is a “rumbling,
tumbling, cataracting fool,” which eventually lands in “its own quiet / pool.”
This is a wonderful
book to share with children as it shows them the many forms that water takes.
Sometimes water is peaceful and delicate, while at other times it is strong,
powerful and awe-inspiring. Jane Yolen’s poems take many forms, and children
and their grownups will wonder at the many remarkable ways that she finds to
convey moments, places, and feelings so perfectly.
Labels:
Children's book reviews,
Poetry books,
Poetry Friday
Monday, February 29, 2016
Picture Book Monday with review of What to do with a box
When I was about nine years old my parents had something shipped to our house that arrived in a very large box. I was thrilled when they said that I could have the box, which a friend and I turned into a house, complete with windows and a door that could open. We drew pictures on the wall and kept all our 'treasures' in that house for as long as it lasted. That box was a fantastic gift, and on this Picture Book Monday we celebrate boxes in all their wonderful charboardy glory.
What to do with a box
Jane Yolen
Picture Book
For ages 4 to 7
Creative Editions, 2016, 978-1-5685-46-289-9
When an adult looks at a box he or she sees a container
something that can be used to store things in, or transport things from one
place to another. In short, a box is a tool. A simple object. However, when a
child sees a box he or she sees “a strange device” that can be opened many
times and that offers up endless possibilities.
For one thing, a
box is the perfect place to read a book. It could therefore be called a
“library.” It is a safe place, a cozy “nook” from which to watch the world go
by. These are more practical, down-to-earth uses for a box
If you are
willing to trip down the road into the world of magic and imagination, a box
can become a race car, a plane, a ship that can sail “off to Paris / and back.”
Why, with a box in hand, you will have “the only / such magic / that you’ll /
ever need.”
Ever since cardboard
boxes have been around, children have played in them. Often parents, after
going to a great deal of trouble to find the perfect gift for their child, find
that their little treasure is happy to play with the box that the gift came in.
The gift itself lies on the floor, ignored, while the box is turned into a
house, a space ship, or a fort.
This wonderful
book, with its minimal rhyming text and its gorgeous artwork, is a treasure
that children will love. Grownups too will enjoy tripping down memory lane as
the narrative unfolds, remembering how they too took long journeys and had
grand adventures in boxes when they were children.
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