The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book one hundred and seventy-four

Romeo and Juliet is one of my favorite plays, but it is not, for the most part, a play that lends itself to a young audience. Children are likely to shy away from the "mushy stuff" and to think that the death of the lovers makes no sense. In today's picture book, the tale of Romeo and Juliet is told in a new and creative way, using cats and rats as main characters. There is a villain who needs to be defeated, and the mushiness is not too overpowering. 

The Whisperer

Nick Butterworth

Picture Book

Ages 4 and up

HarperCollins UK, 2004, 978-0007120185

   Meet the Whisperer, a rat who loves to cause mischief between two rival cat “gangs.” Of course he has a very good reason for wanting discord, for if the cats are fighting one another then they have no time to be interested in him or his kind. It is therefore with disgust that the rat overhears a conversation between Monty, one of the black and white cats, and Amber, one of the ginger cats. It would appear that these two felines, horror of horrors, are in love.

   The rat, being the rather nasty character that he is, decides to inform on the two lovers, and he does so by whispering so that no one will know where the information is coming from. Soon enough the leaders of the two gangs know about Monty and Amber and they deliver an ultimatum: the couple must either return to their families and give each other up or they can leave altogether, never to return. Amber and Monty, being true lovers, take the latter course, and after their departure, everything goes back to normal and the gangs start fighting again. The rat is most satisfied.

   Then Monty and Amber return and they bring a most disturbing piece of news with them, one which threatens to disrupt the rat’s happy life.

   This wonderfully funny cat version of the Romeo and Juliet story is not only highly amusing with vibrant characters, but it also has a most satisfactory ending in which true love triumphs over discord and strife. Best of all, the ‘baddie’ gets what he deserves.

   With deliciously evocative artwork set on a black background, this urban tale will provide plenty of entertainment for readers of all ages.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book one hundred and seventy-three

When I was growing up in a Lebanese village, my mother used to put a dish of milk out on the kitchen step every evening. Often, as the sun was setting, we would watch a family of hedgehogs come to the step to have a little pre-dinner snack. I loved to see the little animals waddle up to the house, looking this way and that and sniffing the breeze with their whiffly noses. I have had a great fondness for these charming little animals ever since.

Today I have a very special picture book for you that is told in the form of a pantomime and that features three little hedgehogs as the main characters.

The Three Hedgehogs

Javier Saez Castan

Picture Book

Ages 3 and up

Groundwood, 2003, 0-88899-595-4

   It is a fall day, and three little hedgehogs are feeling hungry. So, in a neat little line, they set off in search of a meal, What they find is an apple orchard, and soon they are back in their little home, with bellies full of delicious apple. There is a problem however, because the farm woman is very annoyed to find that all her apples are gone. So angry is she that she gets a posse together to look for the thieves. Thankfully, the people in the posse are not a very good at searching for criminals and they soon quit the field as snow starts to fall.

   When spring arrives, the posse returns, determined to do their duty. They discover the three little hedgehogs, and are just about to do away with them when a most unlikely ally comes to their rescue.

   Arranged in the form of a pantomime in three acts, this unique and amusing book is beautifully crafted. Within the framework of the story, the author has imbedded sayings and remarks into the artwork. These examples of word play are written in Latin, Spanish, and French. There are even some Chinese characters hidden in the illustrations.

   Illustrated in the style of old wall murals, and filled with pictorial as well as verbal jokes, this book will appeal to both young and older readers. It is a treasure for collectors of children’s literature.

   The story includes a list of characters and a glossary.

A new animated musical video from Barefoot Books

Barefoot Books is one of my favorite small publishing houses. They not only publish books, but they also have wonderful CDs and recently they started making short animated musical videos for children. Here is one of their new creations. It is called Up, Up, Up!



Other movies like this include:

Over in the meadow
If you're happy and you know it
Portside Pirates
Driving my tractor
The Animal Boogie

You can buy these movies on the Barefoot Books website. They are sold as an enhanced CD and there is a paperback book to go with them.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book one hundred and seventy-two

When I was still very young my father read me the story of The Reluctant Dragon, and I have loved dragon stories every since. I even have a collection of stuffed dragons in my office.

Many of the dragon stories I have read involves humans finding ways to trick dragons into giving up their treasure, or humans finding ways to get rid of pesky dragons. Some stories, like the one in today's book, are about humans finding ways to convince dragons not to eat them. Thankfully, the boy in today's story is a very intelligent fellow who understand that the way to a dragon's heart is through its stomach.

Oscar and the very hungry dragon

Ute Krause

Picture book

For ages 5 to 7

NorthSouth, 2010, 978-0-7358-2306-8

One day the great dragon wakes up and he is very hungry. He has not eaten anything in a very long time and he wants to dine on a tasty princess. Unfortunately, there are no princesses available so the people in the village decide that one of the children will have to do, and unfortunately for Oscar, he is the child whose name is picked out of the hat.

   Oscar goes up to the dragon’s lair and he manages to convince the dragon that it is not worth eating him now. The dragon should fatten Oscar up first. Oscar writes out a long shopping list and he orders a fancy stove, and then he proceeds to cook up the most delicious meals. The ravenous dragon’s mouth waters when he smells the food, but he refuses to eat any of it. It is human food after all and “Dragons don’t eat stupid human food.”

   Day after day passes and the dragon gets hungrier and hungrier. Oscar’s cooking becomes better and better and the dragon is driven to distraction by the scrumptious smells. Finally, the dragon condescends to eat some “leftovers” and he is amazed to discover that Oscar’s food tastes better than a princess. A lot better. Is Oscar’s food going to convince the dragon to stop eating humans altogether?

   This delightful picture book will charm dragon fans of all ages. It combines humor, colorful characters, and an unusual food-centric story to give readers a memorable bookish experience. 

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book one hundred and seventy-one

Camping season is here, and for today's picture book I have a story about five little ducks who go camping. Though it is true that they are camped in a backyard rather than in the wilderness, they still have a wonderful and memorable time. Little children are sure to feel an instant kinship with the sweet little characters in this story.

Duck tents

Lynne Berry

Illustrated by Hiroe Nakata

Picture Book

For ages 2 to 4

Henry Holt, 2009, 978-0-8050-8696-6

   It is a sunny day and five little ducks at pitching five duck tents in a backyard. Happily they store their camping gear in their tents and they head for the fishing hole. Off they go wearing straw hats and carrying brand new fishing poles, chairs, mats, snacks and books.

   At the fishing hole they bait their hooks and wait, and wait, and wait. Then, at last, one of the ducks gets a bite on his line. He yanks on his pole trying to land his catch, without much success. Soon he is joined by the others. “Five ducks heave and five ducks haul,” but in the end this is a battle the ducks cannot win, and the fish gets away, fishing pole and all. Are the ducks going to be discouraged by this setback?

   This is the third book about five ducks who have some wonderful adventures together. Little children will enjoy seeing how they deal with their problems, and how they manage to have a great camping experience despite the obstacles they experience.

   With charming watercolor and ink illustrations to compliment the rhyming text, this is a picture book that young readers are sure to enjoy.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book one hundred and seventy

Sometimes two people find it just about impossible to get along. They fight about everything and anything. It is almost as if they get into the habit of arguing, and they don't know how to relate to each other in any other way. In today's picture book you will meet a pair of teddy bears who have this problem, and whose owner is driven to distraction by their bickering. 

Brown Bear, White Bear

Svetlana Petrovic

Illustrated by Vincent Hardy

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 7

Eerdmans, 2005, 978-0-8028-5353-0

   One day Alice’s grandmothers each give her a gift. One grandmother gives her a white teddy bear, and the other gives her a brown teddy bear. The bears are identical except for their colors. It isn’t long before the two grandmothers begin to argue about the bears, each one insisting that Alice likes her bear the best. Alice loves both the bears, but unfortunately the two bears do not like each other at all, and soon they are arguing too, just like the two grandmothers.

   The two teddy bears fight when Alice is at school, and when she goes to sleep at night. They fight when Alice plays her games, and they even have a food fight when Alice takes them outside for a picnic. This is the last straw. Angrily Alice gives the two bears baths and then she splits them up. Brown Bear is put on a high shelf, and White Bear is put inside a closet and the door is closed. What Alice does not know is that White Bear is afraid of the dark and Brown Bear is afraid of heights. What are the bears going to do now?

   In this charming picture book, Svetlana Petrovic explores the tempestuous relationship between two teddy bears who cannot get along. Children will be delighted to see that the two furry toys are not all bad, and that the nicer side of their characters come to the fore by the end of the story.

   Vincent Hardy’s wonderful illustrations perfectly compliment the text in this memorable book.

   

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book one hundred and sixty-nine

When my daughter was very little she decided that she wanted an elephant birthday paty. She was going to invite elephants to her party, and then all the children would ride on the elephants "all day long." Needless to say, this elephant party did not take place. There was a clown instead. This did not stop her from deciding the following year that she would have her party on a train.

In today's picture book you will meet a little girl who, like so many young children (including my own) have fabulous birthday party plans.

The best birthday party ever

Jennifer LaRue Huget

Illustrate by LeUyen Pham

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 7

Random House, 2011, 978-0-375-84763-9

   In just five months, three weeks, two days, and eight hours a little girl will be celebrating her birthday, and she is very very keen to start planning her party. She is determined that “it is going to be the best birthday party ever.” She is going to make her own invitations and she is going to invite fifty-seven friends as well as sundry other people.

   On D minus four months, two weeks, five days, and seven hours, the little girl announces that she is going to have nine thousand pink balloons at her party, and everyone will have bowls of ice cream (seven scoops) and all the toppings that they could ever want.

   The closer her birthday gets, the more outrageous this little girl’s plans become. She wants a cake that is the tallest cake in the world. She wants to have two magicians and all the girl guests will get to wear “a real tiara.” The little girl decides that each child will get a hamster as a party favor. There will be a castle with a moat, camels and pony rides. She expects to gets congratulatory letters from the President of the United States and the Queen of England. There will be flybys, a parade, and fireworks. How is this little girl going to cope when she finds out that she is not going to get the grand party that she is concocting in her imagination?

   Little children who have GRAND plans for their birthday parties will really appreciate this amusing picture book. Grownups will laugh out loud as the little girl’s plans get more and more elaborate, and everyone is sure to be amused by the clever ending. 

Poetry Friday: A review of Oh How Sylvester can pester

Trying to convince children that manners actually have a point can be difficult. Most of the time they think that manners are just rules that adults have come up with so that they can torture children with them. For today's poetry title I have a book that shows, using humorous and clever poems, that manners really do have a point.

Oh how Sylvester can pester and other poems more or less about manners

Robert Kinerk

Pictures by Drazen Kozjan

Poetry Picture Book

For ages 7 to 10

Simon and Schuster, 2011, 978-1-4169-3362-5

   Learning manners is a bore. Who wants to be “someone all proper and prim?” What is the point of it all? This is what Sylvester thinks, and he is not afraid to voice his opinion. His mother explains that manners really do have a point. “They’ll help you to treat me the way that I like,” she explains. She agrees to make a “concession” with her son. “You be nice to me; I’ll be nice to you.” Could it be that manners are more than anything about learning to get along with others?

   Sylvester is not the only one who struggles to remember his manners. His friends are in exactly the same situation that he is in. Here is a boy who talks while he chews, making everyone at the table (including the cat and dog) angry and even sick to their stomachs. Then there are those people who interrupt others when they are talking. Generally speaking, unless “lightening is flashing its blots from the sky,” it is not acceptable to interrupt a grown up.

   Claymore B. Tate is “the best in the state” when it comes to knowing about etiquette. He knows what to do with a napkin at table, how to eat soup politely, and what to do if you burp. One thing he does not know how to do is how not to lecture people. It never occurs to him that his lecturing is actually impolite because it makes people feel frustrated. He has no idea that manners are there to “help folks become easy with you.”

   In this amusing and cleverly written collection of poems, young readers will meet all kinds of children who are rude, ill-mannered, or simply ignorant. As they read the poems and the stories about Sylvester and his friends, readers will come to appreciate that manners really do have a point. They make it easier for people to get along with us, and they even make us more likeable.

   With humorous rhyming poems and funny illustrations, this is a book about manners that children will actually enjoy reading and looking at. 

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book one hundred and sixty-eight

When I was growing up I was sure that I would choose a job and that I would then do that job for the rest of my life. That was what most of the people I knew did. Nowadays it is hard to find anyone who stays in one job of work long. People change their minds about what they want to do, businesses go under and employees have to adapt to the market.

In today's picture book you will meet a fairy who encounters technical problems with her wand, and as a result she has to consider changing her job. The story is funny, and it will resonate with anyone who has had to make a drastic life change.

Gone with the wand

Margie Palatini

Illustrated by Brian Ajhar

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Scholastic, 2009, 978-0-439-72768-6

One day Bernice Sparklestein, “once the best Fairy Godmother in the entire universe and beyond,” is having tea with her friend Edith. B. Cuspid - Tooth Fairy Second Class - when she tells Edith that she is in trouble. She has lost her ability to cast successful spells. There is no doubt about it either. Bernice is having a “bad wand day.” Edith is determined to do what she can to help her friend, and the two fairies go to Edith’s house because Edith has a large collection of fairy outfits. Maybe they can find something that will suit Bernice.

   Bernice tries on a Fairy Dusting outfit, but it soon becomes clear that she is allergic to fairy dust. She likes the look of the Snow Fairy costume but she finds the work too cold. The Sugarplum outfit doesn’t work either and poor Bernice is feeling very upset. “What does a Fairy Godmother do when her wand is really gone?”

   Children are sure to love this extremely funny story about a Fairy Godmother who needs a new line of work. With comical illustrations and delightful characters, this is a story even non-fairy fans will find enjoyable. 

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book one hundred and sixty-seven

I have yet to meet a single person who is happy with their appearance. One friend feels her nose is too large, another says that her legs are too "chunky." We look in the mirror and find something that we don't like and that we wish we could change.

In today's book you will meet a dog who has no tail, and who feels very unhappy because he has no tail. He cannot enjoy his other assets and his good life because he is consumed by the fact that he, unlike all his friends, does not have an appendage that is wagable.

Henry the dog with no tail

Kate Feiffer

Illustrated by Jules Feiffer

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 7

Simon and Schuster, 2007, 978-1-4169-1614-7

 Henry is a dog, and more than anything in the world he wishes he had a tail. His friends Grady, Pip, and Larry all have tails, and Henry can see that they are wonderful things. He doesn’t care what kind of tail he has. Any kind of tail would do. Henry gets so depressed about his tail-less condition that his owners tell him to go and find a tail. They want their poor dog to be happy.

   Straight away Henry goes to visit a tailor because everyone knows that “When a dog goes in search of a tail, he goes to the tailor’s.” The tailor doesn’t have any tails in stock, but he is willing to try to make a tail for Henry, which he does.

   At first Henry is delighted with his new tail, but then he trips over it (it is rather long) and Larry points out that the tail cannot wag. Everyone knows that a tail that does not wag simply isn’t a proper tail. So Henry goes off to find someone or something that will make his tail wag. He is determined that he will not go home until he has a tail that can wag. Henry never imagines that a wagging tail might not be all that it is cracked up to be.

   This amusing book explores the idea that you should be careful what you wish for. You might just discover that what you crave the most might not suit you in the long run.

   With expressive illustrations and a charming story that is downright hilarious in some parts, this is a picture book that dog lovers of all ages will enjoy.