Picture Book Monday - A Review of Oscar and the Very Hungry Dragon

Imagine if you can what it would be like if you were on a dragon's menu. It's not a pleasant thing to think about is it? Now try to figure out how you would convince said dragon not to eat you. Hmmmmm. It's not easy is it? Just in case you find yourself in this situation one day, I suggest you read today's picture book for inspiration.

Oscar and the very hungry dragon

Ute Krause

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

North-South Books, 2010, 978-0-7358-2306-8

Once a year the great dragon wakes up hungry and he makes the earth shake and tremble. When this happens, the people in the village know that it is time to give the dragon a princess to eat. One year the dragon wakes up and the villagers realize that they have a problem; they have no princess to give to the dragon. Since they have no princess, the villagers decide that one of their children will have to be sacrificed, and by sheer bad luck Oscar’s name is the one that is picked out of the village elder’s hat.

   Oscar sets off up the mountain to meet the dragon in his lair. The dragon is starving and he is not pleased that he is being offered a scrawny child who will barely serve as a “teeny-weeny snack.” Oscar suggests that the dragon fatten him up so that he can be a “main course.” Since this sounds like a good idea, the dragon takes Oscar into his cave and he gets Oscar the ingredients he needs and a stove.

   Oscar cooks food that smells so incredible that the dragon gets hungrier than ever, but he refuses to eat any “stupid human food.” Again and again he turns down Oscar’s offer to cook the dragon a meal, and then the dragon cannot take it anymore and he finds out that human food cooked by Oscar tastes a lot better than a princess does. Who knew?

   In this wonderful tale we meet a very intelligent boy who just happens to be a splendid cook, and a dragon who has a very empty stomach.  The tale brings together humor, colorful characters, and an unusual food-centric element, and the clever interaction between the two main characters will delight readers who have a soft spot for dragons. 

Poetry Friday - A review of The Man with the Moon-Fixer's Mask

Poetry collections that have a theme can be a lot of fun to explore. I have reviewed a lot of books of this kind. Sometimes though one wants a book of poems where the poems are very different. Today's poetry title is just such a book. There are funny poems, thoughtful poems, nonsensical poems, and story poems.

The Man with the Moon-Fixer’s Mask 

JonArno Lawson

Illustrated by Sherwin Tjia

Poetry Picture Book

For ages 7 to 10

Boyds Mills Press, 2004, 978-1-932425-82-6

There are times in life when it is very hard to find a feeling of lightheartedness. At such times things that bring a smile to our lips are elusive, and life can start to feel rather stale and sad. Thankfully the world is full of creative people who love to bring a little light and perhaps humor into our lives. One of these people is the author of this book.

   The poems begin by looking at a Mope. Everyone knows one and this particular Mope seems incurable. The narrator “hoped and hoped” that “some happy thought might help her cope,” but alas all those hopes were in vain.

   Next we meet another person with a problem. This one has a chronic tendency to slouch. One can understand why the slouch might be tired of hearing people say “don’t slouch,” but, as the poet reminds us, it is better to heed the warning before ones back is so bent over that one has to go to the hospital and undergo painful straightening procedures.

   Later on in the book we meet a dinner guest who is annoyed because an uninvited ghost sent out a gust that “chilled his toast.” We hear about the rhinostrich, a creature that is part ostrich and part rhino. The animal has “leathery feathers,” a horn and a beak. Such an animal would be worth a great deal but the poet tells us that he would never sell his rhinostrich because it “wouldn’t be nice.”

   You never quite know what is going to turn up next in this book. Some of the poems make you think, some make you smile, and some make you laugh. Every single one gives you the opportunity to explore the ways in which poems make our lives richer.

Picture Book Monday - A review of Journey

When I encountered my first wordless picture books I was astonished to discover that the stories in the books were often rich and magical. Children who couldn't read could enjoy the stories, and adults could marvel at the artist's skill. Today's book is a masterpiece and I know that I am going to treasure my copy for years to come.

Journey

Aaron Becker

Wordless Picture book

For ages 6 and up

Candlewick Press, 2013, 978-0-7636-6053-6

It is a non-school day and a girl is lonely and bored. Everyone in her family is busy doing something. Her mother is cooking and is on the phone; her father is working on the computer, and her sister is busy playing a game on her gaming device. Then, in her room, the girl sees a red crayon lying on the floor. She picks it up and draws a red door on her bedroom wall. Then she opens the door and runs through the doorway.

   On the other side of the door there is a forest. Strings of lights and pretty lanterns are hanging between the trees. A stream meanders across the forest floor and the little girl walks over to a small wooden jetty. She draws a small boat, gets into it, and floats downstream.

   The boat carries the little girl into a walled city where numerous elevated waterways cross this way and that. Suddenly, and without warning, the waterway she is traveling down ends in a waterfall. As she and her boat fall through the air she draws a hot air balloon, which carries her up into the clouds.

   The little girl is not alone in the clouds. Flying machines, large and small, fly by. As she watches, a beautiful pink bird with long tail feathers is caught in a net, placed in a bird cage, and transported to a large and rather scary looking flying machine. For some reason, the girl cannot stand by and let the people cage the bird. She has to do something.

   In this beautiful wordless picture book the author takes his readers on an extraordinary journey. The journey itself is fascinating, but the author adds another dimension when he has his little girl character interact with one of the stories that she sees unfolding in front of her eyes.

   Readers will be delighted when they see how this unusual journey ends.

Poetry Friday - A Review of One Big Rain: Poems for Rainy Days

Fall is not far away and many of us are already experiencing cooling temperatures and rain showers. During the summer months we get very little rain here in Southern Oregon and those first showers of the fall are always welcome. In today's poetry book we take a journey through the seasons to experience rain in its many forms.

One big rain: Poems for rainy days

Compiled by Rita Gray

Illustrated by Ryan O’Rooke

Poetry Picture Book

For ages 6 to 9

Charlesbridge, 2010, 978-1-57091-716-5

Depending on the season, rain either gives us some welcome relief, or we consider it a nuisance. Depending on our mood we enjoy paddling in puddles outside or we delight in staying indoors, cozy and warm while the raindrops tap on the windows.

   In this lovely book, gem-like poems are paired with lovely evocative illustrations to take us through the seasons, celebrating rain in all its forms as we go. We begin in autumn when “the falling leaves / fall in layers…the rain / beats on rain.” In her poem The Mist and All, Dixie Willson tells us how much she enjoys fall’s mist, the “wailing sound / Of wind around,” and the rain. She is content to be tending to and sitting by her “cozy fire.”

   In winter, the rain perhaps takes on a different feel. It is colder and greyer. In Haiku by Sora we read about “a pitter-patter / of winter rain” on a pond that is covered with the reflection of stars. Robert Frost’s poem To the Thawing Wind introduces us to Southwester, a wind that brings the thaw with rain and warmer temperatures that melt the icicles, make the doors rattle, and “Turn the poet out of the door.”

   We then move on to the gentle rains of spring that bring life with them, and the welcome showers of summer that freshen the air and offer some respite from the heat and dust.

   With a wonderful introduction, and a note about the haiku form, this collection of poems beautifully captures special rainy moments.  

Picture Book Monday - A review of Dog Loves Counting

I have often thought that it would be wonderful to own and run a book shop. Dog is of the same mind and in Dog Loves Books we see what happens when he opens his own book-filled shop. In Dog Loves Drawing  Dog discovers that a blank book can be the starting point for a wonderful art adventure. Now Dog is back and this time he learns that counting numbers can also lead to adventures in far off places.

Dog Loves Counting

Louise Yates

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 7

Random House, 2013, 978-0449813423

Dog loves books and he loves to read book so much that he often reads late into the night, even though he knows that he needs to get his beauty sleep. Eventually Dog decides that it is time to set his book aside. He puts on his sleeping mask and prepares to doze off. The problem is that he cannot seem to fall asleep.

   Dog tries counting sheep but the sheep are not at all helpful. Maybe what Dog needs to do it to count some other kind of animal. Dog opens a book about animals and the first thing he encounters in the book is an egg. He counts “One,” and then watches as the egg cracks open. A funny looking baby dodo steps of the egg and into the world. Dog is Number One, and the dodo is Number Two, and now they have to find Number Three.

   Dog and the dodo walk through the book looking for Number Three, and eventually they find a sloth sitting in a tree. The sloth has three claws on each paw and so he becomes Number Three. Counting from one to three as they go, Dog, the dodo, and the three-toed sloth wander through the book looking for Number Four.

   By sheer good luck the three animals meet a desert camel. Since it has four legs, it is perfectly suited to be their Number Four. Not only that, but the camel assures Dog that his home in the desert is full of things that they can count.

   Learning how to count can be fun, if you are a little creative, and in this book Louise Yates has found a wonderfully creative way to make counting interesting. She combines tools for learning with a story that pulls the reader into Dog’s book world. As we read we cannot help wondering what is waiting for us on the next page. What new animal is Dog going to encounter, and what new adventure is he going to have?

   This is the third book in a series of picture books that feature Dog.

Poetry Friday - A review of Where I live

Many years ago I worked on a young adult novel manuscript that was written in blank verse. When the author told me about the format my heart sank a little. I thought that the story was going to be challenging. To say the least. When I started reading I quickly came to realize that I had a gem in my hands. The book was fantastic and I learned that novels in verse can be amazing. Today's book is just such a title. Eileen Spinelli uses her considerable skill to tell a story that is sweet and timeless.

Where I live

Eileen Spinelli

Illustrated by Matt Phelan

Fiction (in poetry form)

Ages 9 to 12

Penguin, 2007, 978-0-8037-3122-6

   Diana loves her home. She loves the fact that a wren is nesting in the wreath on the front door. Diana also loves her best friend Rose. Rose and Diana fit together like vanilla ice cream and fudge sauce. Rose never complains when Diana starts talking about stars, and when Diana works on her poems. Rose is always there when Diana needs someone to talk to.

   Then something happens that turns Diana’s world upside down; her father loses his job. Diana’s parents are going to have a hard time paying for their home without Dad’s wages. After Mom goes to visit her father, she comes home to announce that they are all going to move in with Grandpa. Mom and Dad won’t have to pay a mortgage if they move, and Grandpa will have someone to share his large lonely house. They are going to move away from the yellow house and from Rose.

   Diana is heartbroken. She will never have another friend like Rose. She will never have a house like the yellow house that she lives in and loves. She will never be happy again.

   Written as a series of poems, this warm, touching, and evocative story will resonate with readers of all ages. Because of her father’s bad luck, Diana is forced into a new situation, and in the process, she learns that change is not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes it can even make life richer and more interesting.

Picture Book Monday - A review of Noni is Nervous

The first day of school can be nerve wracking for some children, especially if they have never been to school before. Today's wonderful picture book tells the story of Noni, who learns that school may be a little confusing at first, but it can also be a lot of fun.

Noni is nervous

Heather Hartt-Sussman

Illustrated by Genevieve Cote

Picture book

For ages 5 to 7

Tundra, 2013, 978-1-77049-323-0

Noni gets nervous about many things. She gets nervous about playdates, she gets nervous about global warming, and today she is nervous about her first day of school. Noni’s parents and brother don’t understand why Noni is in such a state. Noni is worried because she does not know what she should wear to school, and she does not know where she will sit in her new classroom. What will Noni do if her teacher is “mean?”

   Noni is nervous all day long during her first day at school. She bites her nails, twirls her hair and talks too much about nothing, and when the day is over she can’t remember what she did all day.

   They next day Noni meets Briar, a girl from her class, on the school bus. Briar introduces Noni to some other girls. Noni can’t believe how easy it is to make friends and for a moment she stops felling nervous. Then she starts to get nervous again. What if she gets lost at school? What if she spills juice all over her clothes when she opens her juice box?

   Many children get nervous when they go to school for the first time. After all, there are so many things that could go wrong. In this sweet book we meet a little girl who is overwhelmed by first day of school jitters, and who makes an amazing discovery on her second day of school. 

Poetry Friday - A review of Smelly Feet Sandwich and other silly poems

It takes a special kind of person to create poetry for young children. The poems cannot be too long, they have to be engaging, and they have to be about subjects that will resonate with the audience. In today's review title the poet manages to do all these things and more.

Smelly Feet Sandwich and other silly poems

Allia Zabel Nolan                             

Illustrated by Kate Leake

Poetry Picture Book

For ages 4 to 6

Tiger Tales, 2008, 978-1-58925-836-5

Poems come in all kinds of flavors. Some are deep and meaningful, some tell a story, and some were created to make readers laugh. This title is just such a rib-tickling book. The author writes about situations that children will appreciate, adding in plenty of child-friendly humor.

   For example, in It’s not fair, we meet a boy who is mighty peeved because when he burps he is scolded, whereas when babies burp the grownups shout “Hooray.” Clearly there is something about this state of affairs that simply is not right.

   Then we meet a little boy who has a wiggly tooth and who wants his friend to help him get it out. She suggests that “he bite jawbreakers / or chew on an old shoe,” or she could make him “loose-tooth juice / with crunchy rocks and glue.” Whatever the children do, the little girl isn’t too worried because she knows that she has a secret weapon that is sure to do the trick and get the tooth on the move.

   With funny illustrations and sturdy coated pages, this splendid book is perfect for little children who like to explore language and who enjoy a good laugh.

Picture Book Monday - A review of Martin & Mahalia: His words, Her Song

August 28th is the anniversary of the day when Martin Luther King Jr. gave his 1963 "I have a Dream..." speech in Washington D.C. He was supported on this day by many speakers, leaders, and singers. One of the people who stood at his side then, and on other occasions, was a woman whose voice could make people smile and weep. her name was Mahalia Jackson. Today's picture book tells the story of the connection and friendship that grew between Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahalia Jackson. We see how both of them raised their voices to encourage people to have hope, to stand tall, and to peacefully fight for equality.

Martin & Mahalia: His words, Her Song

Andrea Davis Pinkney

Illustrated by Brian Pinkney

Nonfiction Picture Book

For ages 6 and up

Little Brown, 2013, 978-0-316-07013-3

In two cities in the south, there were two children who learn how to use their voices to reach out to their people. In Atlanta, Georgia, young Martin Luther King Jr. learned how to deliver sermons in church, captivating his listeners with his “Gift for gospel.” In another church in New Orleans, Louisiana, Mahalia Jackson sang in the choir and everyone could see that she had a gift for gospel: sung gospel.

   In the south where these young people lived, African Americans, the descendants of slaves, did not have the same rights as white American citizens. They were kept separate from white people by Jim Crow laws and had to accept being separate “but nowhere near equal.”

   As Martin and Mahalia grew up their gift for gospel grew with them. People came to hear Martin’s sermons, to be strengthened by his words of hope. People also came to hear Mahalia sing and they bought her records. White people and black alike loved her voice, which was “Brass and Butter. Strong and smooth at the same time.” Both Martin and Mahalia wanted to “set people on the path to peace,” they wanted people to hope that one day all people, white and black, would be free. The two admired each other a great deal and then in 1955, during the Montgomery Bus Boycott, they came together to preach and sing their support for the cause.

   This collaboration was just the beginning. They wanted to do more and both decided that they would take part in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.  Here was an opportunity for Martin and Mahalia to reach out to thousands of people. After Mahalia sang to quieten the crowd, Martin began speaking and his friend encouraged him to speak on. “Tell them about your dream, Martin!” she said. And so he did.

   In this extraordinary picture book we meet two people who in their own ways used their voices to encourage Americans to protest peacefully against inequality and injustice and to “rejoice in the beauty of racial unity.”

   The lyrical text is paired with beautifully expressive artwork, and at the back of the book readers will find out more information about Martin and Mahalia, a note from the illustrator about “Painting Parallels,” and a combined timeline of Martin and Mahalia’s lives.

Poetry Friday: A review of A Child’s Introduction to Poetry: Listen while you learn about the magic words that have moved mountains and made us laugh and cry

I have lots of books on my shelves about the many different poetry forms that poets like to use. It is interesting to see how words can be used to create different moods and effects. Today's poetry title is special because it brings together lots of different poetry forms so that children can explore them with both their eyes and their ears.

A Child’s Introduction to Poetry: Listen while you learn about the magic words that have moved mountains and made us laugh and cry

Michael Driscoll

Illustrated by Meredith Hamilton

Poetry anthology with an audio CD

Ages 8 to 12

Black Dog and Leventhal, 2003, 1-57912-282-5

If you think that poetry is strictly for learned professors and students of English Literature you are about to discover that you couldn’t be further from the truth. Poetry is all around us and we begin to hear it and enjoy it from our very earliest days in this world. In the nursery we listen to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and other nursery rhymes and then we move on, as we grow, to more complex poetry forms such as nonsense verse, limericks, haiku, narrative verse, and lyric verse.

   With plenty of examples to show us what he means, the author introduces us to the major poetry forms. He also gives us a lot of information about the historical and cultural significance of many of the sample poems. As we read we are encouraged to listen to the poems on the CD provided. Many of the poems will be old friends like The Jabberwocky, Paul Revere’s Ride, and The Road Not Taken, while many others will be new and beautiful pieces to listen to and explore.

   In the second half of the book the author introduces us to some of the greatest poets of all time. From Homer to Robert Frost and from Shakespeare to Langston Hughes, this will be a fascinating journey both from a historical and a poetical point of view.

   This volume is practically a complete poetry course in one book. It presents poetry in a fresh and exciting way, helping the reader to see and appreciate that poetry gives us a wonderful way to tell a story, to express a feeling, or to make a person laugh. Michael Driscoll is a creative and inspired writer who knows how to make the study of literature both interesting and entertaining.