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

I have reviewed a lot of books about cats. It would seem that many children's book authors are cat lovers  who cannot resist creating stories about felines. For today's title I have a graphic novel featuring a rather plump cat called Binky who has a vivid imagination, and who also believes that he is destined for great things. I am inclined to agree with him. 

Binky the Space Cat

Ashley Spires

Graphic Novel

For ages 8 to 10

Kids Can Press, 2009, 978-1-55453-309-1  

   Binky the cat is very excited because he is now a card carrying Certified Space Cat. He is no longer an “average cat” who sleeps, plays with toys, catches mice, and washes itself. Binky “has a purpose,” and his purpose is to go into outer space one day to “explore unknown places,” and “battle alien creatures.”

   Though Binky has big ambitions, he has actually never left his house. He has never been outside because outside is “outer space” and everyone knows that “outer space isn’t safe for an ordinary cat.” To be able to go into outer space Binky is going to need to build a space ship.

   Of course Binky does not let his mission distract him from his duties defeating aliens (bugs) who have managed to infiltrate his house (space station). His whole life Binky has been a vigilant alien catcher. He has figured out that aliens and bugs are one and the same thing, and he has always done his best to protect his humans from these insidious enemies.

   Though he is able to build his rocket ship (in secret) and protect his humans from aliens, Binky forgets one very important thing. It is only when he is about to blast off into outer space that Binky realizes that there is something that he cannot leave behind.

   In this deliciously funny graphic novel, readers will meet a cat who has takes himself very seriously. Readers will find it not to laugh out loud when they see how this…er…well padded feline struggles to do his duty and achieve his ambitions at the same time. Clearly being a cat means that you have to deal with having a very complicated life.

Poetry Friday - A review of Rumble in the Jungle

Not long ago I reviewed Commotion in the Ocean, a board poetry book that grownups can let even their youngest children explore without having to worry that the book might get damaged. I like the fact that Tiger Tales has created books of poetry that are suitable for very little children. True, children who are between the ages of three and five usually cannot read on their own, but why shouldn't they have a book of poetry that is just for them. They can look at the pictures, pick out a familiar word or two, and know that poetry is for everyone, big and small.

Here is another Tiger Tales board poetry book.

Rumble in the Jungle

Giles Andreae

Illustrated by David Wojtowycz

Board Poetry Book

For ages 3 to 5

Tiger Tales, 2011, 978-1-58925-864-8

   It is morning in the jungle, and the animals are starting to wake up. We can hear “a whisper in the trees” and “rustling in the leaves.” Let’s go into the jungle to “see what we can find.”

   The first animal we meet is the chimpanzee. There they are, swinging through the trees and looking for things to eat. We find out that if chimps cannot find nuts to dine on, they “munch each other’s fleas!”

   Further along in the jungle we meet a zebra. Some people might think that the zebra’s appearance is a bit odd, but this zebra clearly thinks that he is very lucky to have stripes because his “ladyfriend” thinks that his stripes make him look “handsome and cool.”

   All in all this book contains fifteen poems, thirteen of which are about exotic animals that children are naturally drawn to, such as lions, tigers, giraffes, snakes, and gorillas. With amusing rhymes, bright illustrations, and sturdy board pages that will withstand enthusiastic handling, this book will provide little children with an entertaining poetry experience.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book two hundred and eighty

I am always fascinated to see how resilient people can be. Something seemingly calamitous happens and we despair; until we realize that our new situation is really not that bad at all. Then we find creative ways to make the best of things.

Today's picture book is about two individuals who fall on hard times, and who find a way to make the best of a bad situation in a very special and incredibly sweet way. 

Lovey and Dovey

Elle van Lieshout and Erik van Os

Illustrated by Mies van Hout

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Lemniscaat, 2009, 978-1-59078-660-4

   Lovey and Dovey are a pair of robbers who stole a pair of blue socks and who are now in a “dismal dungeon.” Though they feel lucky to have each other, Lovey cannot help wishing that they had a better view. Because he loves Lovey so much, Dovey squeezes through the bars of their cell (he is very thin) and he brings his lady love a view of “sun and sea.”

   In the days that follow this first escape, Dovey leaves the cell regularly to bring his beloved other things that will make their cell more pleasant. Soon the cell contains the moon and some stars, an apple tree, a pond, and a haystack. Lovey and Dovey are “pretty snug” in their cell.

   Then the robbers are released into a cold, gray, and damp world. If only they were back in their cell.

   This warm and delightfully unique picture book will give readers a delightful respite from the everyday world. Not only is the story quite charming, but the illustrations are sprinkled with clever little vignettes that children will enjoy looking at. 

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

The moment when a child realizes that he or she is connected to others in many different ways is often quite dramatic. I remember when my daughter decided that she couldn't be bothered to pick up her legos (after I asked her to do so). Later that day I slipped on the legos and fell down. When she saw the cut on my leg and the bruises on my arm my daughter was horrified, and she tearfully promised never to "do that again."

In today's picture book you will meet a little boy who does whatever he pleases for much of the day, until he is made to see that being a pest and a nuisance is not cute or funny. In fact, it can really upset people. 

When I woke up I was a hippopotamus

Tom MacRae

Illustrated by Ross Collins

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Andersen Press USA, 2011, 978-0-7613-8099-3

   One morning a little boy wakes up and instead of being a little boy, he is a large sleepy and sluggish hippopotamus. Since hippos “don’t get up in the morning,” the little boy doesn’t get up even when his mother warns him that he is going to be late.

   At the breakfast table the little boy is a robot, a robot who is not programmed to eat and who cannot eat cornflakes. Though his father tells him to “Come on! Eat up!” the boy (in his robot form) cannot understand what he is saying.

   In school, the boy is a monkey who not only climbs on a table, but he also talks back to his teacher when she chastises him for misbehaving.

   As his mood shifts from moment to moment throughout the day, the little boy changes from being a monster to a rocket, and from rocket into a giant, until he goes just too far. Which is when he gets a dose of his own medicine.

   All too often children do not realize that their actions impact others. They blithely go through their day doing whatever they feel like until something happens that shows them that their actions have a ripple effect.

   With delightfully funny illustrations and a bouncy rhyming text, Tom MacRae and Ross Collins help young children to better understand that they need to be aware of others as they go about their day.

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

In almost every group there is that one person who is "out there." This person does what he or she pleases, which often makes other people feel a little uncomfortable or even embarrassed. We don't know how to react when he or she is in full flow, and sometimes we even behave in an unfortunate way that is hurtful. 

In today's picture book you will meet a raven who is definitely the odd bird out, and who has to find his own special place in the world. 

Odd bird out

Helga Bansch

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 8

Gecko Press, 2011, 978-1-877467-08-0

   Robert is raven who really does not behave like a raven at all. He is “chirpy,” cheerful, and he loves to dress up, crack jokes, and sing. For a while the other ravens tolerate Robert’s outrageous unravenlike behavior, but eventually the day comes when they decide that enough is enough, and they tell Robert to “Skedaddle” and that he is “a scandal.”

   Poor heartbroken Robert packs his bag, he says goodbye to his family, and he flies off. Far from home and feeling quite worn out, Robert takes a rest in a tree and he sings “a lonely song” to himself. Birds start turning up to listen to Robert, and soon the natural performer is telling them stories, singing songs, cracking jokes, and delighting his audience with his colorful clothes. Robert is a huge hit! Back at home though, the ravens discover that though everything is as it should be, something is just not right.

   In this splendid book, Helga Bansch celebrates those people (and ravens) who are different. She celebrates the people who break the rules and who make the world brighter, happier, and more colorful.

   With unique illustrations and a meaningful story, this is a picture book that will resonate with readers of all ages.

Blog Book Tour - The Cheshire Cheese Cat - With a book giveaway

All the reviewers and bloggers I know do what they do because they love the written word, and I am proud to say that I am an inveterate book collector and an unapologetic lover of words. For this reason, I was delighted to participate in the Peachtree Publishers Cheshire Cheese Cat blog book tour. The book in question is about a cat to be sure, but it is also about a literate mouse and an author who is suffering from writer's block. Here is my review of the book.

The Cheshire Cheese Cat: A Dickens of a Tale

Carmen Agra Deedy and Randall Wright

Illustrated by Barry Moser

Fiction

For ages 9 to 12

Peachtree Publishers, 2011, 978-1-56145-595-9

   Skilley is an alley cat who lives in London and who has a secret that he has never shared with anyone. He knows that his reputation will be in tatters if any of the other alley cats find out what his secret is.

   Tired of life on the streets, Skilley decides to try his luck at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, an inn where the best cheese in London is sold. Not surprisingly, the inn has a dire mouse problem, and Skilley is sure that the innkeeper will be glad to have a good mouser on the premises.

   Sure enough, the innkeeper is delighted to have Skilley living at the inn, and the barmaid is even happier because she has a mortal fear of mice. What neither of these people know is that Skilley has no interest in catching and eating the mice, the reason being that he does not like to eat mice! Instead, Skilley likes to eat cheese.

   Soon after arriving at the inn, Skilley makes friends with a very well educated mouse called Pip. The cat and the mouse put on a performance for the humans at the inn to give them the impression that Skilley is doing a great job catching mice. In return for his protection, the mice give Skilley some of the delectable Cheshire cheese that is sold at the inn. There is one person who visits the inn, Mr. Charles Dickens, who begins to realize that all is not what it seems, but he is having trouble with his new book so he does not bother investigating.

   Skilley’s arrangement with the inn mice goes very well until the barmaid brings another cat to live at the inn to help with the mouse problem. Pinch is an evil tomcat who loves to dine on mice, and he is determined to eat every mouse in the inn. Skilley is justifiably frightened of Pinch, and he has no idea how he is going to protect the mice and his reputation at the same time.

   In this clever novel, the authors tell the story of a relationship between a mouse and a cat, and at the same time they also tell the story of a writer who has writer’s block, and a raven who needs to go home.

   It is fascinating to see how Skilley comes to terms with his own identity, and how he struggles to do the right thing for himself and for those who depend on him. Readers will be delighted to see how, in the end, the mouse, the cat, and their allies triumph in more ways than one.

I was curious to find out more about Pip and why he loves words so much, so I wrote him a letter. Being such   courteous mouse, he wrote back to me. Here is his letter:

Dear Marya:
Why do I love words, you ask? What is inconceivable to this mouse is that one could do verbal battle in this world (as is often necessary if one is to right a wrong, woo a heart, or win back one’s cheese) without the armamentarium that is a good vocabulary!
What? In plain English, you say?
Mmmm.
Very well, then.
Have you ever had a great thought? No. A truly great thought. A thought that was bigger than yourself and clear as glass in your mind’s eye, but slippery to describe? And did you, hearty soul that you are, nonetheless try to explain this notion of yours to someone, only to find yourself stumbling about for the right words…only to find your listener looking at you as though you were speaking monkey gibberish?
Maddening, isn’t it?
Well, dear friends, that is why words are so important.  
With my best wishes,
Pip


Well, there you have it. The words of an exceptionally intelligent mouse. If you want to find out more about Pip, his world, and the book, take a look at the Cheshire Cheese Cat website


Please visit the other stops on this wonderful book tour. They are:


10/3 A word's worth
10/3 From the mixed up files of Jennifer Bertman
10/4 There's a book
10/5 Booktalking
10/5 Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers
10/6 Not just for kids
10/7 Peachtree Publishers

Last, but by no means least, I have GIVEAWAY!! If you would like to be entered to receive a copy of this delightful book, please email me, telling me why you love words.

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

When I was a child I loved going to the library. For me it was a magical place that was full of stories and new possibilities. I have been lucky because I have always had access to libraries, and my daughter has had the same privilege. Both of us have always had many books of our own as well that we can pull of the shelf whenever we please. I cannot imagine what it would be like to be a child who does not have books to read.

Today's picture book is about just such a child who lives in a remote village and who owns only one book. 

Waiting for the biblioburro

Monica Brown

Illustrated by John Parra

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Tricycle Press, 2011, 978-1-58246-353-7

   Ana is a little girl who loves to read. Every day, after she has done her chores, Ana sits down with the one book she owns and she reads it. Ana’s teacher gave Ana the book for being an excellent student, but now the teacher has moved away and Ana and the other children in her village no longer have a school. They also no longer have access to new books.

   One day Ana hears the sound of a donkey brayin,g and when she goes outside to find out where the noise is coming from she sees a man and two burros coming up the road. The man is carrying a sign that reads Biblioburro, and his two burros are carrying books. The man explains that he is a librarian, and his two burros, Alfa and Beto, are carrying his library.

   After the librarian reads the children some books, he invites them to choose a few books to borrow. In a few weeks he will return to the village so that children can exchange their borrowed books for new ones.

   Ana is thrilled to have new books to read, and she shares the new stories with her little brother. Several weeks go by and Ana waits and waits for the return of the Biblioburro. She begins to worry that the librarian and his moving library will never come back to the village.

   This memorable book is a fitting tribute to the men and women around the world who have found creative ways to get books into the hands of children. Based on the true story of a man who delivers books to Columbian village children using two burros, this story perfectly captures the passion that many children have for books and stories. It shows readers how books fire up a child’s imagination, and how they inspire children to be creative in their own way.

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

Most families have traditions that they value, things that they like to do together. And most families have at least one family member who needs to be handled delicately. There is the grandpa who likes to talk about his war experiences (for hours), or the aunt who criticizes everything and everyone, or the grandma who loves to pinch cheeks hard. In today's picture book readers get to share a Sunday dinner with a large family and their Auntie Mabel, a lady who likes to deliver long blessings before the meal.  

Don’t let Auntie Mabel bless the table

Vanessa Brantley Newton

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 6

Blue Apple, 2010, 978-1-60905-029-0

   Every Sunday, the people in Auntie Mabel’s family go to her house for a family dinner. It is a typical Sunday, and the table and sideboard is loaded down with delicious food, and everyone is sitting around the dining table. Poppa says that it is time to pray and he starts to say grace, which when Auntie Mabel cuts in with her own prayer.

   Auntie Mabel blesses all the dishes that are waiting to be eaten. Then she blesses all the children, the President of the United States, the schools, the teachers, Pastor Bob, and then she starts to bless the chairs. Clearly something has to be done before it is too late, and all the food is spoiled.

   This funny and heartwarming picture book celebrates a family gathering and the traditions that the colorful family members share. With love and a sense of humor, the family members solve what could be an awkward situation. 

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration - Book two hundred and seventy-five

When we first brought home Pinot from the dog shelter he was very small indeed. He was also fearful and unsure of himself. Everything frightened the puppy, even the cats. My daughter, who fell in love with him in seconds, wanted to play with him, but she had to learn how to play with him so that he didn't frightened. She also had to convince him that she was not out to harm him in any way.

In today's picture book you will meet a sweet dog who has to learn a similar lesson. 

Katie Loves the Kittens

John Himmelman

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 6

Henry Holt, 2008, 978-0-8050-8682-9

   Katie the dog is so excited because her person, Sara Ann, has brought home three little kittens. Katie loves the new arrivals so much that she starts to howl with joy. The problem is that the loud noise terrifies the kittens and they run away. Sara Ann tells Katie that she should stay away from the kittens until they get used to her, which saddens Katie because she wants to play with the kittens so much

   Katie tries to stay away from the kittens, but this turns out to be very hard to do. Try as she might, Katie cannot resist the sweet little furry babies, and every time she gets near them she howls and terrifies them.

   In this delightful picture book readers will meet a loveable canine who has an unusual problem. The laugh-out-loud funny illustrations perfectly capture Katie’s personality, and readers of all ages will appreciate how hard it is for Katie to restrain her kitten loving exuberance. 

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration - Book two hundred and seventy-four

Being able to do magic is something many children dream about. I used to know a little boy who kept trying to find a way to magically make his little brother disappear! Thankfully he never succeeded. Today I have a delightful picture book for you that is about a little boy who thinks he can do magic.

Anton can do magic

Ole Konnecke

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 6

Gecko Press, 2011, 978-1-877467-37-0

   Anton is a little boy and he has a magic hat. Actually it is a magic turban, but as far as Anton is concerned it is a hat.

   One day Anton decides to do some magic. He tries to make a tree disappear, but his spell does not work. Deciding that perhaps he was being overambitious, Anton decides to make a bird disappear. As he is casting his spell, Anton’s hat slips over his eyes, and when he repositions it, he discovers that miracle of miracles, his disappearing spell has worked!

   Anton’s friend Luke walks up, and Anton tells him that he can make things disappear. Not surprisingly, Luke does not believe Anton, so Anton does his magic, his hat slips down over his eyes, and when he lifts it back into place Luke is gone. At first Anton is thrilled. Then he realizes that “Luke shouldn’t disappear.” How is Anton going to bring his friend back?

   In this delightful book, the author combines minimal art with an engaging story to give children a memorable bookish experience that will delight and amuse them. Readers will love the way in which circumstances make it appear that Anton is able to do magic, and how, in the end, everything works out.