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

Not long ago I lived in a lovely little house here in Ashland. We were renting the house until we could find a place of our own, and we were there for more than a year. Though the house was charming and very homey, it did not come to feel like home because we knew that we would not be staying there, and because one of our number, my husband, was gone so much of the time for work. Without him around something was missing. 

In today's picture book readers will meet four animals who learn what a home really is.

Home

Alex T. Smith

Picture book

For ages 5 to 7

Tiger Tales, 2010, 978-1-58925-088-8

   There once were four friends (One, Two, Three, and Four) who lived in a house together. The house was their home, and they were very happy with the way things were. Then one day One suggested that they should all go and live on a ship and become pirates. No one else liked this idea at all. Two thought that it would be grand to “live at the top of a mountain and learn to yodel.” No one likes this idea either. Three wanted to move into an underground cave, while Four wanted to move to a big city so that they could “go to parties and boogie-woogie all night long.”

   The four friends talked, argued, and then fought about what they wanted to do. Then each of them marched off taking a part of the house with them. At first, the “not-at-all-best friends” were happy with their new lives, but soon they realized that their houses were not homes. Something was missing.

   In this funny and sweet picture book, the author explores the idea that a home is a lot more than four walls, a roof, windows, doors, floors, and furniture. A house has to mean something special to the person or people who live in it before it feels like a real home.

   With unique multimedia illustrations throughout and delightfully quirky characters, this is a picture book that children will appreciate and enjoy.

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

Learning how to get along with others is one of those big lessons that we have to learn as we grow up, and it is complicated. There are confusing dynamics when there are three people in a friendship rather than two. If one person is more pushy, then everyone else gets steamrollered into doing things they don't want to.

In today's book Tad Hills uses his Duck and Goose characters to explore what a good friendship should be.

Duck, Duck, Goose

Tad Hills

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 6

Random House, 2007, 978-0-375-84068-5

   Goose is excited because he has a butterfly sitting on his head. He cannot wait for Duck to see him. When Duck arrives on the scene, he is not alone; he has another duck called Thistle with him and Thistle is, well…to be blunt, Thistle is a showoff. She appears to be good at everything that she does, and she turns everything she does into a contest or a challenge.

   It isn’t long before Goose has had enough. He does not want to race up a hill or stand on his head or walk across a log. He does not want to compete with Thistle all the time. In fact, sometimes he just wants to look for butterflies or listen to the river. Eventually, Goose goes off by himself because Duck and Thistle have no interest in doing any of the things that he likes to do. In short, three’s a crowd and Goose is the odd one out.

   Most of the time it is wonderful to make new friends. A new friend can introduce you to new activities, ideas, and perspectives. Bringing a new friend into the mix can also cause problems. In this book, Tad Hills takes a look at these problems and present them in a way that children will understand and appreciate.

    

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

When I was living on the island of Cyprus, going to the beach was one of my favorite summer activities.Since then I have always lived in a place that did not lend itself to regular beach trips. Either the sea or ocean was too far, or the water was too cold. So, for now at least I have to enjoy my summer beach days through books, and today I have a really charming beach book for you.

I love Vacations

Anna Walker

Picture Book

For ages 2 to 5

Simon and Schuster, 2011, 978-1-4169-8321-7

   Ollie the zebra loves vacations, and he and Fred are going to the seaside.  When they get there, Ollie picks up shells and splashes in the waves. He goes out into a little boat and gazes up into the sky as the boat floats on the water. Ollie swims in the sea, he plays in the sand, and he eats ice cream. What could be better than doing all these wonderful things.

   In this charming Ollie title, Ollie and his dog Fred have a wonderful seaside vacation together. The simple rhyming text is beautifully paired with Anna Walker’s minimal watercolor art to give young readers a delightful picture book reading experience.

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

I am lucky because I live in a town where people care about issues that affect they lives. They are willing to do what they can to safeguard what they hold dear, speaking out and even paying up when necessary. When our town library was closed because of a lack of funding, the people in my town decided that we would raise our taxes so that we could reopen the library's doors. 

Today's picture book is about a similar group of characters who decide they they need to step up to protect their local beach.

Ballyhoo Bay

Judy Sierra

Illustrated by Derek Anderson

For ages 5 to 7

Simon and Schuster, 2009, 978-1-4169-5888-8

   Every Saturday morning Mira Bella, an artist, gives art lessons on the beach. The great thing is that she teaches all kinds of er…individuals. She teaches kids and grannies how to etch and sketch, she teaches swordfish and squids how to sculpt (underwater), and the gulls create the most amazing “trash-art sensations.” Even the sea squirts get in on the act, creating “dyed T-shirts by spitting on stencils.”

   Everyone is looking forward to the first of June which is when Mira Bella is planning to have the Ballyhoo Art Fair and Recycled Art-Cycle Race. You can only imagine how devastated Mira Bella and her friends and students are when they discover that builders are planning on putting an apartment complex with a “crystal casino as high as a cloud” on their beloved beach. The children and critters are all ready to pack up and give up, but Mira Bella is made of sterner stuff. If they want to save their beach, they are going to have to speak up!

   In this wonderfully empowering picture book, Judy Sierra celebrates the joy that making art brings to all kinds of people, and she shows her readers how important it is to defend the things that you value and hold dear. If someone is threatening something you care about, you have to take a stand, and speak out. Even if you are a squid or a whale.

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

Summer days were made for ice cream, and since it is now summer it seems very appropriate that I should review a book about a child who imagines that he is an ice cream king living in an ice cream castle that has an ice cream fountain in the garden.

The Ice Cream King

Steve Metzger

Illustrated by Julie Downing

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Tiger Tales, 2011, 978-1-58925-096-3

   It is a hot day in July, and Teddy Jones is in town with his mother when he sees that a new ice cream shop called Thrill Chill has opened up. Not surprisingly, Teddy asks his mother if they can go into the ice cream shop.

   Soon Teddy and his mother are sitting inside Thrill Chill and Teddy is trying to decide what he would like to eat. Then the server puts a paper crown on Teddy’s head and the little boy starts to imagine what it would be like if he were “the Ice Cream King.”

   Why, if he were the king he would live in an ice cream kingdom full of ice cream treats that are “all for me.” He would live in an ice cream castle, climb Ice Cream Mountain, and “blast off in my spaceship / up to the ice cream moon.” Everything would be wonderful and splendid except for one thing.

   In this clever picture book, the author and illustrator help young readers to see that even the most wonderful of imaginary worlds are not much fun if one is alone. Could it be that some pleasures are best when they are shared?

   The author and illustrator take readers into Teddy’s imaginary world by shifting from the minimal illustrations and prose of his normal life to brightly colored pictures and verse for his imaginings. The effect is magical and memorable.

Poetry Friday - A review of Hey There Stink Bug!

Ever since I had a pet beetle when I was five, I have had a fascination with, and abiding respect for, insects. They come in so many shapes, colors, and sizes, and they have managed to adapt to incredibly harsh conditions in many parts of the world.

Today's poetry title is a kind of Ode To Insects, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Hey there, Stink Bug!

Leslie Bulion
Illustrator:  Leslie Evans
Poetry
For ages 8 to 12
Charlesbridge, 2006, 978-1580893046
We are going to take a journey into the world of insects, those creatures that  have been around for "four hundred million years evolving" and that can do all kinds of remarkable and unexpected things.

   So off we go to explore the lives and worlds of stink bugs, aphids, bombardier beetles, flies, caterpillars, antlions, fireflies, and many others. Who would have thought that there could be so many kinds of flies, and did you know that aphid mothers give birth to "clones" of themselves? Imagine what it would be like to shoot "boiling hot acid" at ones enemies, and did you know that insects can send out chemical signals to warn and inform others of their kind?

   Not only are these poems informative and entertaining, but many of them are also visual, the author using her words to create pictures on the pages. In addition, to accompany many of the poems, the author provides further information about the insects described in the poems. Finally, the author has written some "Poetry Notes" that describe the poetry forms that she used in each of the nineteen poems in the book.

   To provide a fitting backdrop and accompaniment to the poems, Leslie Evans has created beautiful print like illustrations executed in bright colors and bold lines. They are perfect gems, just like the insects whose lives are presented in the poems.

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

It is not easy being a farmer, especially if you have livestock of any kind. We live on the edge of town, and so far we have seen horses, goats, and cows breaking out of their fields so that they can wander around the neighborhood. So far the sheep have stayed put, but I believe it is only a matter of time before we see them walking up our road and heading towards town.

In today's picture book you will meet some sheep who know exactly what they want to do, and who are not afraid to do it.

Hide and Sheep

Andrea Beaty

Illustrated by Bill Mayer

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Simon and Schuster, 2011, 978-1-4169-2544-6

   Farmer McFitt is fast asleep and his sheep are taking advantage of his doziness by jumping over the gate and running away. He really needs to wake up “before it’s too late.”

   Ten of the sheep head for the zoo where they have a splendid time making friends with an okapi, a kangaroo, a giraffe, and some chimpanzees. Another nine decide that the circus life is what they need, and soon they are dancing with a bear, flying out of a cannon, and walking on the high wire. In a nearby sports stadium, eight sheep join a baseball game where they nibble the grass and confound the players. Then there are the seven sheep who go to the movie theatre where they watch a movie and eat so much popcorn that they feel sick. Where are the rest of the wooly wanderers, and will Farmer McFitt be able to gather them up so that he can shear them and knit some clothes?

   Children who like books that are full of wonderfully goofy characters and ridiculous situations are sure to enjoy this picture book. The story ends happily for everyone, and young readers are sure to have a good laugh when they see the last page. 

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

Not long ago my daughter asked me if I had ever ran away from home, and I told her the story about my one and only running away effort. I was about seven years old and for some reason I decided that I could not live with my parents any more. I picked up my favorite teddy bear and my blanket and marched out of the house, nose in the air and a firm resolve not to yield in my heart. My father found me sitting on the sidewalk about four blocks from my house. After a tearful reunion, he and I walked back home hand in hand, and we had two enormous bowls of ice-cream to help heal the rift between us.

Today's picture book is about another little girl who wants to run away from home and who discovers that it is not an easy thing to do. 

Itsy Mitsy runs away

Elanna Allen

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Simon and Schuster, 2011, 978-1-4424-0671-1

   Mitsy is a little girl who absolutely and positively hates bedtime. Finally, Mitsy decides that she isn’t going to tolerate bedtimes anymore. She is going to run away from home. Mitsy’s dad, who happens to be a very understanding kind of fellow, offers to help Mitsy pack. He reminds Mitsy that she is going to need a take a friend along. Going without any bedtimes is all well and good, but one cannot manage without friends.

   Mitsy packs up Mister Roar, who is her friendliest dinosaur, and then she prepares to leave the house. Which is when her father asks Mitsy what Mister Roar is going to eat. Misty forgot about her dinosaur’s culinary needs, and so she packs “a small snack” for Mister Roar. Then Dad reminds Mitsy that there are “bedtime beasties” out there, so she decides that she needs to take Puptart, her ferocious dog with her. She does not realize that she is going to have to take a lot more with her before she is finally able to run away from home.

   Children who are convinced that running away from home is the answer to all their problems are sure to be amused by this delightful and funny picture book. As they read, children will consider what they would take with them if they were to run away. Would they too end up packing all that is near and dear to them before they left?

   With expressive illustrations and a “This is the house that Jack built” type format incorporated into the tale, this is a picture book that every young child will appreciate.

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

Though I grew up with the family dog and cat, I always wanted a pet of my own. I cannot count the number of times I came home with a puppy, a kitten, a baby bird, a fish, a hamster, an insect, or a grass snake. I cannot count the number of times I asked "Can I keep it pleeeeeeease?" My mother always said no. Having had these experiences, I was eager to read and review today's picture book, which is about a little boy who brings home all kinds of animals, large and small.

Not inside this house!

Kevin Lewis

Illustrated by David Ercolini

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 7

Scholastic, 2011, 978-0-439-43981-7

   Livingstone Columbus Magellan Crouse does not care for toys. In fact, he finds “any plaything from a store” to be a “great big BORE.” Livingstone would much rather spend his time outdoors exploring. He enjoys collecting insects of all kinds, but when he takes his finds home, his mother makes it clear that his little creepy crawly friends are not welcome in her house.

   Trying to be sensitive to his mother’s wishes, Livingstone goes outside and he traps a mouse using a simple paper cup, a stick, and some popcorn. At home he constructs a fabulous habitat for his mouse, and then his mother comes into his room and she sees what her son is doing. Not surprisingly, Livingstone’s mother is not happy to see the mouse in her house and she tells her son that “no mice are allowed inside this house.” Perhaps she thinks that her son will now give up bringing home unsuitable pets. Little does she realize that he has only just begun!

   Children are sure to laugh out loud as they read this funny book with its rhyming text and its delightful illustrations. They will understand why Livingstone keeps bringing animals home, and they will be delighted when they see how this adventure turns out. 

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

Learning to give up something you want or something you have for the sake of another person is a hard lesson to learn for anyone. For young children it is particularly difficult. In today's picture book one of my favorite picture book characters, Alfie, gives up something he is very attached to to help a friend in need. It is a very sweet and warm story.

Alfie gives a hand

Shirley Hughes

Picture Book With CD

For ages 4 to 6

Random House UK, 2010, 978-1-862-30990-6

   One day Alfie comes home from nursery school carrying an envelope that has his name on it. Alfie’s mother explains that the card inside the envelope is an invitation inviting Alfie to Bernard’s birthday party. Alfie is very excited because he has never been to a birthday party before.

   Before the party, Alfie gets clean and all dressed up. He gets a little anxious when his mother explains that she and his little sister Annie Rose will not be at the party. To make himself feel better, Alfie gets his old blanket and he insists on taking it with him to the party.

   At the party, Alfie sees Bernard and his other friends from nursery school. He refuses to put his blanket down so he has a hard time playing with the others. He even carries his blanket to the tea table and as a result, his blanket gets awfully dirty.

   Throughout the party, Bernard the birthday boy is rather obnoxious, and after the tea he puts on a tiger mask that scares poor little Min so much that she holds onto Alfie. Then Bernard’s Mum announces that they are going to play ring-a-ring-o’-roses, and Alfie finds himself in the middle of a situation that does not have any room for his blanket. What is he going to do?

   In this delightful picture book, Shirley Hughes once again tells a story that describes an everyday kind of adventure. She also has her main character, little Alfie, discover that there are times when the needs of others supersede one’s own needs.

   Children who like to listen to audiobooks will be delighted to see that this picture book has a CD that goes with it.