Picture Book Monday - A review of Whimsy's Heavy Things

Most of us have days when we are weighed down by problems and by life's challenges. At such times we tend to feel worn out, frustrated, and at a loss. The little girl in this picture book is in just such a pickle and she has no idea what to do about it. At first.

Though this is a picture book for children, the ideas it conveys will resonate with anyone who is feeling weighed down and confused. 

Whimsy’s heavy things

Julie Kraulis

Picture Book

For ages 6 and up

Tundra Books, 2013, 978-1-77049-403-9

Whimsy has four heavy things that are “weighing her down,” and she has got to the point where she realizes that she has to do something. She cannot go on like this. Whimsy’s first impulse is to try to hide her heavy things, so she sweeps them under the rug in the hallway. She soon finds out that this solution is not going to work because the heavy things trip her up.

   Whimsy then tries placing her heavy things in a bucket and she hangs the bucket from a tree branch. The heavy things are so heavy that they break the branch they are hanging from and land on her. They are too heavy to be carried away by a flying kite, and they are so heavy they sink in the sea and Whimsy stubs her toe on them when she goes swimming. In desperation, Whimsy tries to pretend that her heavy things are not there, but that does not work either. She feels heavier and sadder than ever.

    Many of us, at some point, are weighed down by problems, fears, or worries. These “heavy things” prevent us from enjoying life, and like Whimsy we often try to find ways to rid ourselves of our burdens. In this unique picture book the author explores the idea that there is a very simple solution to just such a problem, a solution that requires only one thing: creativity.

  With wonderful artwork and a universal message that readers of all ages can appreciate, this is a picture book that readers will enjoy reading again and again.

Poetry Friday - A Review of Zoo's Who

Douglas Florian is a poet and artist who has created many books of poetry for children. Many of his poems are clever, unique, and funny, and they show children that creating poetry does not require that you follow 'the rules.' If you love words, you can find your own way to create poems that a joy to read and to listen to, which is what he has done in this animal centric poetry collection.

Zoo’s Who

Douglas Florian

Poetry Picture Book

For ages 5 to 8

Harcourt, 2005, 0-15-204639-9

Children love drawing animals, learning about them, and pretending to be creatures of all kinds Many of their favorite book characters are animals, and it is hard to imagine what the world would be like if Maisy the mouse, Babar the elephant, and Paddington the bear were not with us.

   In this picture book artist and poet, Douglas Florian, introduces us to twenty-one kinds of animals. We get to attend a zoological meet-and-greet that is highly entertaining and amusing.

   We begin with The Lizards, the creatures who like to “bask” and whose favorite food sounds so unsavory that one is better off not asking any questions about it. The next animal we meet is an altogether different kind of creature. It is the eagle, and it has a very high opinion of itself. It seems to think that it is “royal” and “regal” and that its existence proves that “All birds are not / Created eagle.”

   The penguin, which is also a bird, is a lot less bothered about keeping up appearances. This funny looking animal happily slides down snowy hills on its belly, and when it is really cold it is not too proud to “huddle with its friends.”

   Children are going to laugh out loud as they read these poems. They will come across many animals that they already know about, and they will also meet some animals that are new to them.

Picture Book Monday - A Review of Read me a story, Stella

Soon after I launched Through the Looking Glass I started reading some books about a little girl called Stella and her little brother Sam. The books were written and illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay, and they are such a joy to read that I am delighted that there is a new Stella book out to enjoy.

Read me a story, Stella

Marie-Louise Gay

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 7

Groundwood Books, 2013, 978-1-55498-216-5

One day Stella is picking apples when her little brother Sam turns up. He is pulling a wagon full of branches and old boards, which, he says, he is going to use to build a doghouse for Fred the dog. Sam gets to work and he soon finds out that building a doghouse is not an easy thing to do. While he is struggling with his boards and sticks, Stella is lying in a hammock reading a book and laughing. Apparently the story she is reading is funny. Sam asks if the book contains doghouse building tips, and since it doesn’t, Stella helps her brother with his project.

   Later on the children go down to the pond. While Sam explores, Stella reads about “a big old toad wearing a velvet jacket.” When Sam finds a caterpillar, Stella finds him a picture of one in her insect book and tells him that caterpillars turn into butterflies.

   Next Sam teaches Fred how to fly a kite, and when Fred accidentally lets go of the kite string and the kite floats off, Stella reassures Sam that his kite will not “get burned by the sun” because kites “Know their way around the sky.”
   In this charming Stella adventure we share a perfect day with Stella, Sam, and Fred. The skies are blue, the sun is shining, and Stella always has something new and interesting to tell her little brother. She finds some of her information in her beloved books, and the rest comes from her own well of little girl wisdom.

   In this wonderful picture book the author shows to great effect that sometimes the best adventures are simple everyday ones.

Poetry Friday - A review of The Silver Moon: Lullabies and Cradle Songs

When my daughter was little I used to sing a lullaby to her every night, and when she got older she used to sing along with me. Our lullaby time was a special moment that we shared at the end of the day. In today's poetry title poet Jack Prelutsky presents some wonderful lullabies that can be spoken or sung.

The silver Moon: Lullabies and Cradle Songs

Jack Prelutsky

Illustrated by Jui Ishida

Poetry Picture Book

For infants to children age 5

HarperCollins, 2013, 978-0-06-201467-2

For centuries adults have been singing songs to their young children to relax them and lull them to sleep. Often the words in such songs are soft, and they mention comforting things and convey dreamy images. For this book poet Jack Prelutsky created twenty lullaby poems that can be sung or spoken. With their gently rocking rhythms and soft words, the poems create an environment that is soothing and calming.

   We begin with a poem about a train that visits dreamland. The train goes “chugging down the track” and it will not return until morning, when its young passengers are ready to emerge from their “dreams of wonder” and wake up.

   Later in the book we meet three animal families. We hear about a fox mother and her cub resting in their den, and see a squirrel mother checking on her baby who is fast asleep in a hole in a tree. We also see a mother pig and her seven little piglets snoozing on hay in their pen. These are scenes of tranquility and we are told that “soon my baby / will slumber by me.”

   With wonderful little poems and soft illustrations that seem to glow on the page, this is a book that would make a wonderful gift for adults who have a new baby in the family.

Picture Book Monday - A review of Dylan's Day

One of the reasons I love picture books is that they can make me think about something in a new way, they can touch my heart, and they can make me laugh. Today's picture book title made me laugh several times. The dog character in the story is so wonderfully doggy, and he reminds of of my own dogs, all three of which are easily frightened. 

Dylan’s Day

Tim Hutchinson

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Pinwheel Books, 2013, 978-0-9854248-1-7

It is morning, and Dylan the dog is ready for another day to begin. After a stretch and a yawn, and after checking the bed “to see if the sleep has gone,” Dylan sets off to find the cat that lives next door.

   Of course, being a naturally curious and interested dog, Dylan has to sniff things that he considers are important. Things like “bread and windows and where a bluebird sits.” He also has to find things like some old rope and a watering can, and he has to follow things like bees, balls, and butterflies. He has to chase things too, naturally, but most importantly of all he has to find that big fat cat that lives next door.

   Readers are going to laugh out loud as they follow the adventures of Dylan, a dog on a mission. He is such a comical character and the author beautifully captures his personality and his dedication to his search. One can tell at once that the author had a deep fondness for dogs, and he understands and appreciates the way the world looks through the eyes of a dog.

Poetry Friday: A review of Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats

Except for a brief time when I was in college, I have always had cats in my life. When I was a child we had a Siamese who adored my mother and the dog, and who tolerated the rest of us. He was opinionated and when he did not get his way he stole things. He also yelled at us when we went away. Now I have two Siamese cats and they steal anything that is not nailed down, they get very huffy when we go away, and I love them to bits.

Today's poetry title celebrates cats in a unique and wonderful way. The characters on the pages are so colorful that Andrew Lloyd Weber was inspired by the poems to write a musical called Cats.

Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats
T.S. Eliot
Illustrated by  Axel Scheffler
Poetry Picture Book
For ages 7 and up
Harcourt Children's Books, 2009 , 978-0547248271
   Every person who is privileged enough to share their life and home with a cat knows that cats are very singular animals. Unlike dogs, they do not ‘belong’ to humans. Instead, humans belong to their cats. Many humans do not fully appreciate the remarkable nature of cats. Luckily for us, the poet T.S. Eliot was privy to some of their secret ways. In the 1930’s he wrote a collection of poems about cats, which he included in letters to his godchildren. The poems were then collected and published in 1939, and they are still entertaining and enlightening readers of all ages today.
   Eliot begins his exploration into the world of cats by telling us that cats have three names. There is the one that the family uses daily. Then there is the name “that’s peculiar, and more dignified.” It is a name that “never belongs to more than one cat.” Jellylorum, Mankustrap, and Coricopat are good examples of this second kind of name. Finally, there is the name that only the cat knows. I cannot give you any examples of these names because they are a closely guarded secret.
   Eliot then goes on to tell us the stories of various cats, all of whom are very extraordinary creatures. There is Jennyanydots, who is a Gumbie Cat, and who is “deeply concerned with the ways of the mice.” In fact, she is so concerned that she has secretly taken on the job of improving their behavior and manners, and feeding them a good diet. This extraordinary cat even goes so far as to provide cockroaches with “employment” to keep them from being lazy and destructive.
   Rum Tum Tugger is nothing like Jennyanydots. He is a contrary kind of cat who always wants the opposite of what he has. If he is outside, all he wants to do is to come in, and if he is in, all he wants to do is to go out. He refuses to be cuddled when it suits you, but if you are sitting and sewing, he insists on jumping on your lap, which of course makes a “horrible muddle.”
   Just to make sure that you are suitably equipped to deal with a cat, Eliot explains, in great detail, how to “ad-dress a Cat.” You must NEVER treat a cat the way you would a dog. For the most part a dog is a “simple soul,” whereas a cat is a much more complex creature who must be treated with respect.
   In this wonderful edition of T.S. Eliot’s famous cat poems, the poems are paired with Axel Scheffler’s wonderful illustrations. Children and adults alike will enjoy dipping into the pages for poems that are entertaining, amusing, and enlightening.

Picture Book Monday - A Review of For those who want to fly

Every so often I come across a picture book that is truly universal in nature because the story is relevant for everyone. Today's book is just such a title, and I intend to keep it on hand for those days when I am in a hurry to fly. 

For those who want to fly

Pirkko Vainig

Picture Book

Ages 6 and up

Clavis, 2009, 978-1605370323

When we come into the world, each one of us has to figure out how we want to face life’s challenges. Often figuring this out is a complicated business that takes time.

   In this extraordinary book the author explores the idea that the challenges that we face all the way through life are part of a grand journey. In her artwork she follows what a little baby bird does after it comes out if its egg. We see scenes from the little bird’s life, scenes that are often sweetly funny. The text that accompanies these scenes introduces ideas that are universal in nature.

   As we accompany the little bird we see how events in our past get in our way, preventing us “from seeing where we are going.” Sometimes we fall down, which can be uncomfortable, but it can also be a good thing. There are those “happy moments” that are so wonderful that they “make our feet feel like flowers.”

   Just like the little bird, whose little flappy wings are not big enough for flight, we have to accept that “Having wings does not necessarily mean we can fly…yet!” We have a lot of learning to do before we can soar, and that is perfectly all right.

   With wonderfully minimal illustrations and words of wisdom that are timeless, this is a book readers of all ages will be able to appreciate.

Poetry Friday: A review of Gone Fishing: A Novel in Verse

I have only been fishing a few times. My husband and I went fishing in the Chesapeake Bay and brought home pounds of bluefish and striped bass and sea trout. The expeditions were a lot of fun, often full of excitement and quite exhausting. In today's poetry title you will meet two children and their dad who go fishing on a lake and who have an day that they will probably never forget.

Gone Fishing: A novel in Verse

Tamera Will Wissinger

Illustrated by Matthew Cordell

Poetry

For ages 7 to 10

Houghton Mifflin, 2013, 978-0-547-82011-8

Sam is excited because he is going to go fishing with his dad tomorrow. Together they go out at night to collect night crawlers. They have to “Tiptoe near and grab them quick” if they don’t want to have to play tug-o-war with the wriggling creatures.

   Sam gets out his tackle box, and then he finds out that what should be sacrosanct has been invaded by Lucy, his little sister. She has put her princess doll in his precious tackle box and a bunch of his stuff is missing. Where is his map and his compass?

   Lucy explains that she just wanted to play with his box and that his possessions are safe. To say that Sam is annoyed is an understatement and he comes up with a spell to curse his sister for meddling with his tackle box. At least he won’t have to deal with her tomorrow when he and Dad go fishing.

   Alas for Sam. The next morning his one-on-one time with his father is invaded by Lucy. Dad agrees that Lucy can come along on the fishing trip and there is nothing Sam can do about it. After waiting for Lucy for what feels like an age, a thrilled Lucy, Dad and a very unhappy Sam get into the car and head for the lake.

   Sam can hope that he will catch lots of fish and that Lucy won’t catch a thing, but this is not what happens. It doesn’t seem at all fair when Lucy, in spite of the noise she makes and the silly song she sings, catches a fish on her second cast. Surely this trip cannot get any worse?

  Using a variety of poetry forms, the author tells the story of a fishing trip that does not quite work out as planned. Readers will find easy to feel sorry for Sam, though the mishaps he has are rather funny. The story is told using an acrostic poem, a list poem, a concrete poem, a narrative poem, and many other kinds of poetry forms.

   At the back of the book the author provides her readers with more information about the poetry forms that were used in the book.

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.