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

I don't know about other people's dogs, but my three are always doing something. They are barking, chasing insects, sniffing, dreaming, snoring, washing the cats, playing, and no doubt doing a certain number of things that I don't want to know about. Today's picture book explores just a few of the things that dogs do.

What is your dog doing?

Marilyn Singer

Illustrated by Kathleen Habbley

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 6

Simon and Schuster, 2011, 978-1-4169-7931-9

   There is something that many dog owners don’t really realize. Dogs may look as if they are not doing much, but in fact they are quite busy animals, even when we think that they are not doing anything. When they are fast asleep they are dreaming, and when they are eyeing food that is on the table, they are “scheming” to find a way to get to the food in question.

   There are some dogs who really work, like police dogs, guide dogs, sheep dogs, and circus performing dogs. Then there are everyday pets who might not have an occupation as such, but who still manage to be doing something much of the time. They get into trouble, play games, and accompany their people on walks and trips. They swim, run, bounce, sled, shed, and dance.

   With its simple rhyming text, and its expressive illustrations, this is a picture book that people who love dogs will enjoy. Many of the scenes in the book will be familiar to dog owners, and it is hard not to laugh at the dogs portrayed on the pages.

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

Alphabet books used to be very utilitarian things, whose sole purpose was to teach children the alphabet. These days authors and illustrators are creating all kinds of alphabet books, and today I have one for you that is a real joy to look at and to explore. 

A Paddling of ducks: Animals in Groups from A to Z

Marjorie Blain Parker

Illustrated by Joseph Kelly

Picture book

For ages 5 to 7

Kids Can Press, 2010, 978-1-55337-682-8

   Many of us fancy that we know a fair number of names for groups of animals. We know that a group of fish is called a school, and a group of sheep is called a flock. What about a group of ants or a group of bears? Do you know what these are called?

   In this amusing and very unique picture book, Marjorie Blain Parker looks at all kinds of group names using an alphabet book format. Many will not be familiar to readers, and all will be entertaining because the illustrator, Joseph Kelly, presents his animal groups in an unusual way.

   On the A page we have “An army of Ants,” and sure enough we do see plenty of ants in the artwork. We also see an anteater typing on a laptop computer. He has a cup of coffee and a pile of doughnuts next to him. Not surprisingly the ants are showing a great deal of interest in the sugary doughnuts.

   For the letter C we are introduced to “A bask of Crocodiles.” The crocodiles in the picture really are basking, lounging next to a pool wearing pool gear, sipping drinks with cocktail umbrellas in them, sporting sunglasses, and even applying lipstick!

   Later on in the book, we learn that a group of hippos is called a bloat. The artwork shows some very large hippos peddling furiously on some exercise bikes. We can only assume that these overweight animals are doing their best to shed a few pounds.

   Readers of all ages are sure to enjoy this very unusual alphabet book. The illustrator has created a fabulous animal-centric world full of creatures who are doing remarkable things. Readers will enjoy exploring the art, looking for characters from the other pages, and laughing at the ducks that appear in every illustration. 

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

A few years ago I adopted two Siamese kittens who have now grown into gorgeous cats. They were rescues, and for a long time they were not interested in being friends with their humans. In fact, they were downright unfriendly. Over time they have come to realize that we did not want to hurt them. In fact we wanted to feed them, pet them, and give them cozy beds to sleep on.

In today's picture book you will meet a cat who desperately wants what my cats have.

Boris and the Snoozebox

Leigh Hodgkinson

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Tiger Tales, 2009, 978-1-58925-421-3

   Boris is a homeless cat, and most of the time he does not have a problem with this at all. There are times however when he wishes he had “a plumpish pillow to snuggle onto.” When he is in need of nap, a soft pillow would be most welcome.

   One day Boris is “tired, grouchy, and in desperate need of a long catnap,” and he finds a cardboard box that is full of packing material. Boris climbs into the box and nods off. Boris is happily dreaming of ear tickles and fish when he is woken up to discover that something is happening to his box. The lid has been closed and soon Boris in his box is carted off to who knows where.

   When it arrives at its destination, Lady Snootlethorpe opens the box, hoping that it contains the biggest teapot in the world. It doesn’t. It contains Boris. A disappointed Lady Snootlethorpe tapes up the box and sends it on its way.

   The next person to open the box is not a person at all. Instead, Mr. Marshmallow the North Pole bear opens the box expecting to find fish inside it. He is not at all pleased to find that the box is inhabited by a “silly cat.” Poor Boris is sent on his way once again. When will this tiresome journey be over, and will he ever find a soft pillow to nap on?

   In this charming picture book, readers meet a cat who has simple needs, needs that everyone can understand and appreciate. Children will quickly get caught up in Boris’ story, and they will find themselves hoping that the delightful feline eventually finds what he is looking for.

   With unique multimedia collage artwork and a loveable main character, this is a picture book that cat lovers of all ages will enjoy.

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

Most of us cannot imagine what it would be like to live in a time where having a proper bathtub is considered a luxury. For the children in today's picture book story, being able to buy a real bathtub, versus having to use a metal washtub, becomes a goal that they all work towards. Their story is uplifting, gently amusing, and meaningful. 

The Pickle Patch Bathtub

Frances Kennedy

Illustrations by Sheila Aldridge

Picture Book

Ages 6 to 8

Tricycle Press, 2004, 978-1582461120

   One Saturday in January, Donna Delle discovers that her legs are too long for the metal washtub that her family uses as a bathtub. Clearly, they need to get a new and longer bathtub, but Mama says that they need to spend their money “on more important things.” Being a persistent sort of girl, Donna gets her sisters and brother together in February to discuss the problem. They realize that they would all like a bathtub, but a careful review of the perfect bathtub in the Sears, Roebuck and Co. catalog reveals that a bathtub would cost a whole $10.75 with shipping.  Donna decides to begin raising money and she starts the process by contributing her Christmas dime to the bathtub fund.

   In March Donna sees a sign asking for “Cucumbers for Pickling. Free Seeds. She decides that growing cucumbers would be a great way to raise some money for the bathtub, and in April Donna gets seven cucumber seeds and she plants them. All summer Donna works hard taking care of her cucumber plants, sweating away under the hot sun, picking insects off the precious vines.

   Fall arrives, and though so many cucumbers were grown, and so much work was done, the children are still a dime short. How will they get the money so that they can buy the bathtub that Donna has set her heart on?

   Illustrated with wonderful, lively paintings,  and ‘decorated’ with clippings from newspapers, an order form from Sears, Roebuck  and Co., photographs, and other interesting items, this wonderful story gives us a very personal picture of what it was like to live in the Missouri countryside in 1925. A story about hardship and “making do,” Donna’s tale is inspiring, and it is all the more powerful because it is true. Donna Delle Phip was the author’s mother, and we get to find out more about her story in an Author’s Note” that can be found at the back of the book.

Poetry Friday - A review of His shoes were far too tight

When I was a child, one of my favorite poems was "The Owl and the Pussycat," a poem written by Edward Lear. Though I never studied it in school, I knew the poem by heart, and to this day I love to hear this charmingly peculiar love story about a cat and an owl who sail off together in a "pea green boat." For today's Poetry Friday title I have a collection of Edward Lear's poems that poetry fans of all ages will appreciate. And yes, the poem about the Owl and Pussycat is included. 

His Shoes were far too tight

Edward Lear

Introduced by Daniel Pinkwater

Illustrated by Calif Brown

Poetry

For ages 6 to 10

Chronicle Books, 2011, 978-0-8118-6792-4

   Edward Lear was a “goofy-looking guy with thick eyeglasses” who was shy, but who liked children and animals. His shyness and ill health meant that he tended to keep to himself, and he became a wonderful observer. It wasn’t long before he realized that “adults are a bit ridiculous,” and he began to write nonsense poems. The poems were first published in book form in 1846. Ever since then, children and adults who appreciate the ridiculousness of life have been enjoying his poems.

   For this collection of poems, Daniel Pinkwater has selected some of Edward Lear’s most beloved and amusing poems. Throughout the book, the poems are paired with Calif Brown’s bright and unique paintings. On these pages, you will hear the story of “The owl and pussycat” who “went to sea / In a beautiful pea green boat.” There is the “Nonsense Alphabet” poem that children are sure to enjoy. Instead of A being for apple, in this poem, “A was an ape, / Who stole some white tape.”

   Readers will also hear about Pobble, a fellow who lost his toes after he swam the Bristol Channel, and the Quangle Wangle who sat on “the top of the Crumpetty Tree.” The Quangle Wangle’s hat was so enormous, so bedecked with ribbons, bells, buttons, lace, and other ornaments that no one could see his face.

   Beautifully presented, this stellar collection of nonsense poems is a must for families, school rooms, and libraries.

J.K.Rowling announces that a new Harry Potter website is going to be online

This is something that all Potter Fans are going to be able to enjoy in October.

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.