Kid Tested, Librarian Approved

Book Review: Perfect Square by Michael Hall

2013-06-08T11:15:00.000-07:00

Book: Perfect Square
Author: Michael Hall
Illustrator: Michael Hall
Published: 2011
Source: Local Library

A little square is happy in its square-ness. But every day brings new catastrophe. The square makes the best of it, transforming itself into a fountain when it’s cut into strips and poked full of holes, or making itself a river when it is snipped into ribbons. Finally, the day comes when nothing happens to the square at all. And even

After reading this book, I just wanted to do art with the kids the rest of the day. How simple a project is that? Give the kids squares and scissors, and see what happens.

There’s also a discussion hiding in this book about change, and how you can grow out of your own skin, how the things that used to make you perfectly happy can end up being not enough anymore. Even if your kids are too young for that, they’ll enjoy Perfect Square.

Reading Roundup: May 2013

2013-06-01T21:41:00.003-07:00

By the Numbers
Picture Books: 16
Early Readers: 1

Sources
Library: 16

Standouts
Writing: When Moon Fell Down by Linda Smith, illustrated by Kathryn Brown
One night, the moon fell out of the sky and met a cow. This dreamy story made me smile.
Illustration: A Cool Drink of Water by Barbara Kerley
The edge-to-edge photographs from all over the world make this a book I would happily cut up and put on my wall in frames. Except not. I would never do such a thing. *shifty eyes*
Overall: Chu's Day by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Adam Rex
Chu, a little panda, spends his day at various locations around town, with his parents anxiously asking whether he's going to sneeze or not. When he finally does, you understand their concern. My favorite part was the little details in the illustrations, like a card catalog in the library that was converted to a mouse computer lab. Awww.

Because I Want To Awards
Biggest Giggles: Vacation's Over!: the return of the dinosaurs by Joe Kulka
There's a tie for my favorite page of this book. Contestant one: dinosaurs shopping for back-to-school stuff. Contestant two: the T-rex that came home to discover that his pet Fluffy had fossilized. How to choose?
Even If Her Name Weren't on the Cover: Giant Dance Party by Betsy Bird, illustrated by Brandon Dorman
Having read Fuse #8's blog for the past mumble mumble years, I could hear her voice loud and clear in this charming tale of a stage-frightened dancer turned teacher (of giants), who then must deal with stage fright in her own students. Too much fun.

Stack-Buster #9

2013-05-25T11:08:00.000-07:00

Open This Little Book by Jesse Klausmeier, illustrated by Suzy Lee
Open the book. Then open another. And another. What do you find? This story will fascinate kids as they climb deeper and deeper into the stories, and then back out again. Suzy Lee also incorporates a vintage style to her illustration that will reinforce the notion of journeying through multiple nested books.

Oink a Doodle Moo by Jef Czekaj

A group of farm animals plays telephone, each adding their signature sound to the mix. How long can it go on before someone trips up? This one had kids yelling out animal noises and giggling as their poor storytime reader did her best with the crazy combinations. A really fun read-aloud.

Nighttime Ninja by Barbara DaCosta, illustrated by Ed Young

A ninja creeps through the night, silent as a ghost. Can he complete his mission, or will somebody come along and catch him? While the story is cute, the art is the star. Young uses traditional Japanese motifs and art techniques to make this a truly beautiful book.

Book Review: A Home for Bird by Philip C. Stead

2013-05-18T10:37:00.000-07:00

Book: A Home for Bird
Author: Philip C. Stead
Illustrator: Philip C. Stead
Published: 2012
Source: Local Library

Vernon the toad finds a little bird while out one day, and immediately takes it under his arm. Even though Bird won’t talk to him, he takes him all around and shows off his world. But Bird is resolutely mute, and Vernon starts to wonder if his new friend is depressed. He sets off on a quixotic journey to find Bird’s home.

When I read this to kids, they immediately cottoned on to the fact that Bird was a little wooden carving. Some believed that Vernon would find Bird a home anyway, but some loudly decried such a notion. Both groups were delighted by the ending.

Whether together or apart, the Steads (A Sick Day for Amos McGee) have a quiet, gentle charm about their stories and illustrations. Philip’s solo outing is a lovely story about friendship.

Book Review: Good News, Bad News by Jeff Mack

2013-05-11T10:33:00.000-07:00

Book: Good News, Bad News
Author: Jeff Mack
Illustrator: Jeff Mack
Published: 2012
Source: Local Library

A rabbit and a mouse go on a picnic. From the worm in the apple to the bear in the cave, a succession of disasters keep coming up. But the optimistic rabbit keeps finding something to be happy about, until the mouse can’t take it anymore.

Talk about a fun readaloud. Such simple text (each page, except the last, says either “Good news!” or “Bad news!”) means that even the most struggling of readers can manage, and it’s fun to figure out how things are going to ruined or saved next.

Reading Roundup: April 2013

2013-05-01T21:58:00.000-07:00

By the Numbers
Picture Books: 19

Sources
Library: all

Standouts
Writing: It's Monday, Mrs. Jolly Bones by Warren Hanson, illustrated by Tricia Tusa
After reading this book, I turned to my colleague and said, "Any way we can do a Days of the Week storytime theme?" This tale of everyday chores done in a crazy, silly way just made me yearn for a storytime to do it in.
Illustration: Green by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
As promised, this conceptual book explores all different shades of the title color, right down to "no green." Great for spring, colors, and many other themes.
Overall: The Dark by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Jon Klassen
A beautiful story about a universal childhood fear. This was absolutely amazing.

Because I Want To Awards
Oh, the Angst!: Ball by Mary Sullivan
A dog can't find anyone to play ball with him, until his young master gets home from school. The sweetly potbellied pup will prompt "Awww"s from the stoniest heart.
Be Prepared to Read This Backward and Forward - Literally: A Long Way Away by Frank Viva
Like his first book, Along a Long Road, the art for this was created in one piece. However, this was designed to be read backward and forward. I predict that kids will trace the path with fingers and eyes over and over again.

Reading Roundup: March 2013

2013-04-01T23:29:00.001-07:00

By the Numbers
Picture Books: 13

Sources
Library: All

Standouts
Writing: One by Kathryn Otoshi
For a very simple book, there's so much packed in here. There's stuff about bullying, personal identity, standing up for yourself and others. Plus numbers and colors!
Illustration: Vampirina Ballerina, illustrated by LeUyen Pham, written by Anne Marie Pace
Pham's cuddly vampires and sly visual jokes are the star of this show. I especially loved how Vampirina would turn into a bat at times of stress, to her classmates' consternation.
Overall: Rain! by Linda Ashman, illustrated by Christian Robinson
On the same rainy day, two people approach it with opposite attitudes - one is cheerful and positive, the other grumpy and mean. When they meet, which one wins?

Because I Want To Awards
Why Sharp Eyes are Good: Happy Birthday, Bunny by Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin
Maybe I'm easily amused (maybe?) but the carrot symbol on the bunny's iPhone in this sweet birthday story cracks me up every time.
Oh, Bob Shea, I Love You: Cheetah Can't Lose by Bob Shea
I didn't even know this was coming out until it landed on my desk. The story of two kittens who conspire to knock their friend cheetah down a peg or two will inspire giggles.

Book Review: Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin, illustrated by Daniel Salmieri

2013-03-30T15:54:00.000-07:00

Book: Dragons Love Tacos
Author: Adam Rubin
Illustrator: Daniel Salmieri
Published: 2012
Source: Local Library

Dragons love tacos. Why is this? Nobody knows. It could be any number of reasons, but the end result is the same: dragons love tacos. But--and this is important!--they can’t stand spicy salsa. So if you’re giving a taco party for dragons, make absolutely sure there isn’t one single speck of jalapeno in your salsa. Or who knows what might happen?

When I first read this book, I laughed out loud. Is it the illustrations, with all their different varieties of dragon? Is it the narration, which builds on itself without being obnoxiously repetitious? Is it the scene that shows exactly what happens when dragons ingest spicy salsa? (Tip: it ain’t pretty.) Who knows. It made me smile. But I had my doubts about the length, which was on the long side for some of my storytime groups. I decided to try it, and lo and behold, they loved it too.

Book Review: Apple Cake by Julie Paschkis

2013-03-23T15:47:00.000-07:00

Book: Apple Cake: A Recipe for Love
Author: Julie Paschkis
Illustrator: Julie Paschkis
Published: 2013
Source: Local Library

Alfonso is in love with Ida, but alas! Ida never looks up from her books to see him. So he sets about wooing her with apple cake. Will a sweet treat catch her attention long enough to show her his heart?

I adore Julie Paschkis’s art style. Can we just get that out of the way? I would pore over her grocery-list doodles. I’d have to be much more educated in art than I am to explain why I love them, but I think part of it is the simple lines, soft colors, and the willingness to be more than a little fanciful.

With this book, she showcases that fancifulness. The simple, almost prosaic text (“he beat two tablespoons of butter with a cup of sugar”) contrasts with the glorious illustrations. On the page quoted, for instance, he gets the butter by squeezing it from the sun, and the sugar from a friendly honeybee atop a few puffy clouds. This book, which landed on my desk just when I was looking for a Valentine's Day without an overabundance of treacle or pink, has ensured itself a place on my storytime shelf.

Stack-Buster #8

2013-03-02T23:45:00.000-07:00

All by Myself! by Emile Jadoul
A little penguin gets his mommy and daddy out of bed every night to help him go potty. As you can imagine, this leads to some pretty severe sleep deprivation on Mommy and Daddy’s part. Can they possibly convince him that big boys go all by themselves? With a familiar situation and sympathetic parents (check out the illustration of the severely sleep-deprived grown-up penguins for a huge laugh), this one will have a long life.

Creepy Carrots written by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Peter Brown
Jasper Rabbit loves carrots, but all of a sudden, he’s seeing them everywhere. They follow him to school, they’re under his bed, they’re all over the place. But nobody believes him! What to do? An entertainingly creepy book with a twist ending you’ll enjoy.

Goldilocks and Just One Bear by Leigh Hodgkinson
A bear visiting a city is somewhat overwhelmed, and hides away in an apartment, eating porridge, sitting on chairs, and sleeping in beds - until the apartment’s inhabitants come home. One of them is very familiar . . . This retelling/inversion of the familiar fairy tale is endlessly entertaining.

Reading Roundup: January and February 2013

2013-03-01T22:45:00.000-07:00

By the Numbers
Picture Books: 16

Sources
Library: all

Standouts
Writing: Let's Sing a Lullaby with the Brave Cowboy by Jan Thomas
What a perfect little book, and I'm not just saying that because it came in the week before our cowboy theme in storytime. It was so much fun interrupting the lullaby with the cowboy's ear-splitting, "EEK!" upon seeing a snake (a stick) or a spider (a flower), that I think I'll have to come up with some other theme/excuse to read it again.
Illustration: Apple Cake: a recipe for love by Julie Paschkis
My love for this illustrator is well-documented. Imagine my glee upon discovering her newest. A cake is baked with love, and beautifully fanciful ingredients. The lush and intricate illustrations would charm anybody.
Overall: Perfect Square by Michael Hall
A square is happy with his four corners and his four sides, but finds himself constantly disarranged, so he makes the best of it, and even starts to enjoy himself. After this, I just want to make construction-paper art with four-year-olds for the rest of the day.

Because I Want To Awards
Ducks! Socks! Ducks in Socks!: Duck Sock Hop by Jane Kohuth, illustrated by Jan Porter
I mean, how can you go wrong? Really.
For Those Tired of Puppies and Rainbows: Little Tug by Stephen Savage
There's a sweetness to this book that I usually associate with more traditionally adorable things. Dare you not to say "awwww" at the end.

Book Review: I'm Bored! by Michael Ian Black, illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi

2013-02-23T23:44:00.000-07:00

Book: I’m Bored
Author: Michael Ian Black
Illustrator: Debbie Ridpath Ohi
Published: 2012
Source: Local Library

A kid is bored. And she bemoans this fact aloud. At length. Then, she finds a talking potato. (Still boring.) The potato is bored too, and annoyed that he only has a kid to hang out with, because kids are boring. The kid takes umbrage, and promptly shows off all the awesome things she can do. (Skip! Ninja kicks! Imagining stuff!) But the potato is resolutely bored.

This is the book that prompted my co-worker to suggest a surrealism storytime. Because, talking potato. Also, bonus flamingo. Ohi’s illustrations jump and fizz and prompt laughs everywhere. This is a book for every parent who has heard this familiar refrain, and every kid who has ever uttered it.

Stack-Buster #7

2013-02-02T11:43:00.000-07:00

Bedtime for Monsters by Ed Vere

Oh dear! A monster is on its way to YOU. Do you think he’s contemplating how best to eat you up? Yikes! Ed Vere (who wrote one of my all-time favorite storytime picks, Banana!) is in top form again.

The Chandeliers by Vincent X Kirsch

The famous Chandeliers, stars of the stage, put on the greatest show in town. Unfortunately, little Rufus is too young to tread the boards. But he finds ways to help out, and in the process shows that the backstage is as valuable as the stars in the spotlight.

King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub, written by Audrey Wood, illustrated by Don Wood

And he won’t get out! The whole court tries in various ways, only to be pulled into the tub themselves. With its delightfully silly plot and lush, detailed illustrations that beg for close examination, this is a storytime classic for a reason.

No Roundup This Month

2013-02-01T22:21:00.000-07:00

Mea culpa, guys. I only read two new picture books this month. You can't round up two picture books. I'm going to combine January and February into one post next month.

Reaction Post: 2013 Caldecott, Geisel, etc

2013-01-29T10:49:00.000-07:00

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that yesterday the ALA announced their 2013 youth media awards. What did I think? Read on.

The Caldecott announcement made me very smug, I admit it. Some years, I hardly know any of the books. This year, I not only read and loved the winner (This is Not My Hat), but I also read and loved four out of the five honor books, the only exception being Sleep Like a Tiger. And I just can't shake the thought that I've read that one and maybe just didn't record it. Entirely possible with such short books. I was a little sad that in a year of many Stead books, both Phillip and Erin, neither got a nod. Erin Stead's illustrations for And Then It's Spring charmed me thoroughly, and Phillip's A Home for Bird is one I'm inflicting on all my groups this year. But they're just starting out and they've got lots of years and lots of books ahead of them.

My track record on the Geisel award keeps me humble. I haven't read the winner, and of the three honor books, I've only read Let's Go for a Drive! But I'm not well versed in early readers overall, so the other books are going directly on my list.

The other picture books honored were all scattered amongst different awards, and there are none that prompt a strong reaction. I've seen Christopher Myers' H.O.R.S.E., which won the Coretta Scott King illustrator award, around my library, and I've enjoyed his other stuff.

I do wonder if the Batchelder award, for translated books, covers translated picture books. We've been getting some marvelous ones this side of the pond lately, and it would be nice to see some of those recognized.

What did I think of the books for older kids? Stop by Confessions of a Bibliovore to find out.

Book Review: Z is for Moose, by Kelly Bingham, illustrated by Paul O Zelinsky

2013-01-12T21:58:00.000-07:00

Book: Z is for Moose
Author: Kelly Bingham
Illustrator: Paul O Zelinsky
Published: 2012
Source: Local Library

It’s an alphabet book like any other. A is for Apple, B is for Ball, C is for Cat . . . until a terribly impatient moose butts in line, asking when it will be his turn. He loses his temper entirely when they decide to go with “Mouse” instead (“Wait! No! That was supposed to be me! Moose! With an M!”) and rampages throughout the alphabet until his friend Zebra finds a way to include him after all.

Oh, did the kids get a kick out of this. As Mo Willem’s pigeon has proved, there’s enormous appeal in a protagonist losing all control, throwing first a temper tantrum and then sobbing heart-brokenly. (Yep. I’m an awful person.) The kids sympathized with his impatience, delighted in his terrible behavior, and smiled when he finally what he wanted: to be in the alphabet book. Paul Zelinsky’s is not only lovely, it’s brain-bending, playing with the traditional page boundaries to show Moose’s rampage.

Like the best picture books, this is a simple concept executed very, very well.

Reading Roundup: 2012

2013-01-01T15:29:00.000-07:00

By the Numbers
Picture Books: 213
Early Readers: 11

Sources
Review Copies: 2
Library: 222

Standouts
Writing: Selected in August: Z is for Moose by Kelly Bingham, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky "Moose isn't patient enough to wait for his turn in the alphabet show, and horns into earlier letters. Kids will love impetuous Moose, and also pointing out that "I" doesn't have anything to do with the word Moose."
Illustration: Selected in June: The Tree House by Marije Tolman and Ronald Tolman
"This wordless picture book follows a couple of bears who discover a tree house and are joined by friends. Read it through a few times. Linger for awhile. You'll find yourself wanting a treehouse of your own."
Overall: Selected in March: And Then It's Spring by Julie Fogliano, illustrated by Erin E. Stead
"You know that early-spring feeling? When it feels like you'll never see anything but mud again? That brown, brown, brown, wait-what's-that feeling? The pairing of Fogliano and Stead capture it beautifully."

This was a bitter battle, as always. The Overall Standout, in particular, almost ended up a four-way tie. I finally went with the Fogliano/Stead pairing because the others (Press Here, I Want My Hat Back, and Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs) have already gotten so much love out there that I wanted to spread it around some.

All the 2012 roundups

Reading Roundup: December 2012

2012-12-31T14:35:00.001-07:00

By the Numbers
Picture Books: 15

Sources
Library: all

Standouts
Writing: Lester's Dreadful Sweaters by K.G. Campbell
Anybody who's ever had a terrible-gift-giving relative will recognize Lester's angst. But Lester himself is a quirky treat, a control-freak of a kid who keeps lists of things to be afraid of and yet ultimately finds his own unique way to solve the Cousin Clara problem.
Illustration: Hippopposites by Janik Coat
Super-simple drawings of a hippo illustrate the concepts on the page to pull this boardbook together. Everyone I've showed it to has said, "Hey, this is great!"
Overall: Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems
Ahahahaha! Not just another repackaging of the classic story, this plays with narrative and reader's expectations for a fun and witty ride. And plus, dinosaurs! (Bonus: watch out for the wall art. It will crack you up.)

Because I Want To Awards
Made Me Want to Crank Up My iPod: Skit-Scat Raggedy Cat: Ella Fitzgerald by Roxane Orgill, illustrated by Sean Qualls
This picture-book biography of one of the greats of vocal jazz made me want to bring up everything she ever recorded and play it as I read.

Book: Chalk by Bill Thomson

2012-12-22T15:30:00.000-07:00

Book: Chalk
Author: Bill Thomson
Illustrator: Bill Thomson
Published: 2010
Source: Local Library

Three kids find a bag of sidewalk chalk in the playground one rainy day. To their astonishment, whatever they draw comes to life. A scrawled sun banishes the rain. Scribbled butterflies flutter up out of the pavement. And when one mayhem-prone kid sketches a dinosaur? Uhoh.

Wordless books are always fun to read in storytime, because they give you even more of a chance than usual to start a discussion about what’s going on in the pages. This one led to lit-up faces in my storytime group, as they delighted in the fulfillment of a common fantasy, and the kids’ quick thinking that got them out of a dangerous situation.

Book Review: Up Above and Down Below by Paloma Valdivia

2012-12-15T15:28:00.000-07:00

Book: Up Above and Down Below
Author: Paloma Valdivia
Illustrator: Paloma Valdivia
Translator: Susan Ouriou
Published: 2012
Source: Local Library

In this trippy little book, there are two kinds of people: those who live up above and those who live down below. The ones down below look very much like the ones up above, except for being upside down. There are differences: when spring comes up above, it’s fall down below, for example. But people everywhere are just about the same.

I call this trippy because the art is downright surreal. You can get a taste of it up there. But of course, behind the surrealism there’s a very simple point about tolerance and universalism. And kids will have a great deal of fun twirling the book around and studying “up above and down below” in different ways.

Reading Roundup: November 2012

2012-12-01T21:58:00.002-07:00

By the Numbers
Picture Books: 18
Early Readers: 1

Sources
Library: all

Standouts
Writing: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by William Joyce, illustrated by Joe Bluehm
Yeah, it's kind of an obvious pick for a librarian, but what the heck. I'll be obvious today. A young man acquires a job caring for books, and shares his love of words with as many people as possible.
Illustration: The Book With a Hole by Herve Tullet
I admit it; I was hoping for another storytime hit. This ain't it, but I'd give this imaginative and imagination-prompting book to every kid with plenty of time on his hands.
Overall: A Pig Parade is a Terrible Idea by Michael Ian Black, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes
It's an absolutely awful idea, and here's why, in exhaustive and drily hilarious detail. Review soon.

Because I Want To Awards
Perfect Thanksgiving Book!: The Thankful Book by Todd Parr
What are you thankful for? Todd Parr offers suggestions, in his inimitable way. Review soon.
Unexpected Storytime Success: Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin, illustrated by Daniel Salimieri
When I first picked this up, I thought it was pretty keen, but a little long for my purposes. Then I tried it on a group, and they adored it.
Darkest: Bear Despair by Gaëtan Dorémus
This wordless story of a bear who eats all the animals who keep him from his beloved teddy bear will cause some kids to squirm and whimper, and some to lap it up.
D'Awww: A Home for Bird by Philip C Stead
A toad is determined to return his new friend Bird home, even though Bird can't seem to tell him where that is. Who's going to tell him that Bird is a wooden toy? Not me, that's for sure. And, this being a Stead book, the toad succeeds in the end.

Reading Roundup: October 2012

2012-11-02T19:13:00.000-07:00

By the Numbers
Picture Books: 19

Sources
Library: all

Standouts
Writing: Goldilocks and Just One Bear by Leigh Hodgkinson
Any long-time reader of this blog knows that I love a retold fairy tale, and this is one of my favorite kinds--the kind that speculates what happened after. A bear lost in a city finds himself in an apartment, and the owner (when she finally comes home), is awfully familiar . . .
Illustration: Flora's Very Windy Day, illustrated by Matt Phelan, written by Jeanne Birdsall
The soft, swirling, curling shapes and lines of Phelan's distinctive style are just right for this tale of two siblings carried off by the wind. Just lovely.
Overall: This is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen
Really, can there be two opinions on this subject? With the same dark-edged storyline and the amazing-in-their-simplicity illustrations that set I Want My Hat Back out from the crowd, this book is going in my storytime collection forever.

Because I Want To Awards
The Book That Inspired a Surrealism Storytime: I'm Bored by Michael Ian Black, illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi
Um, yeah. We haven't done it yet, but a surrealism-themed storytime is just the place for this story of a bored kid and a bored-er potato. Yes. You read that correctly.
You Will Never Look at a Salad the the Same Way Again: Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds
This story of a carrot-lovin' bunny (is there any other kind?) who suddenly starts seeing creepy carrots everywhere will just flat crack you up.
Butt Humor FTW: Hippospotamus by Jeanne Willis, illustrated by Tony Ross
Second-graders won't be able to get enough of this book about a hippo that finds a mysterious spot on her rear and the various animals that attempt to cure it. The reveal of the spot's true origin will bring down the house. Promise.

Roundup Delayed

2012-11-01T23:05:00.003-07:00

I'm going to have to postpone the reading roundup until tomorrow. Almost too tired to operate.

Book Review: Big Mean Mike by Michelle Knudsen, illustrated by Scott Magoon

2012-10-20T11:50:00.000-07:00

Book: Big Mean Mike
Author: Michelle Knudsen
Illustrator: Scott Magoon
Published: 2012
Source: Local Library

Big Mean Mike is rough and tough and mean, mean, mean! And he only likes things that are rough and tough and extra-super-mean. That’s why he’s so dismayed when a little pack of fluffy bunnies attaches themselves to him. Fluffy bunnies do not suit his image (even if they are pretty darn cute). What will he do if all his big, mean friends find out?

From the first image of Big Mean Mike, with his spikes and his claws and his teeth, to the final page with the fuzzy bunnies accompanying Mike to a demolition derby, this charmed me. I loved that Big Mean Mike remained essentially himself at the end. He still likes rough and tough, he just knows that being true to friends is more important than any image.

Scott Magoon plays up the incongruity of the cute bunnies in Big Mean Mike’s hard-edged world by making them little balls of fluff, all soft roundness. They’re not even outlined--they’re pure white fuzz. They're more than capable of holding their own, however. It's got to take some serious bunny-guts to sit there being fuzzy and adorable in the face of Big Mike's determined meanness.

This book just made me laugh and laugh. I can’t wait to see what a first or second-grade class makes of it.

Book Review: Lucy Can't Sleep by Amy Schwartz

2012-10-13T11:53:00.000-07:00

Book: Lucy Can’t Sleep
Author: Amy Schwartz
Illustrator: Amy Schwartz
Published: 2012
Source: Local Library

A little girl lies awake in her sleeping house. After various unsuccessful forays toward the Land of Nod, she decides that she really needs Dolly and Bear, and sets off through the still, quiet night to find them.

Even after you grow up, there’s something magical about the stillness of a quiet night. Your familiar surroundings become wrapped about in a benign hush. Amy Schwartz has captured that magic and set her small protagonist free to go walkabout through it.

What charmed me the most about this story was that no appalled parent came rushing out to shatter the illusion and herd Lucy back to bed. The magical quiet stillness of the night does the work all on its own. It may make some parents nervous, but I’ll lay you money that’s just what some kids will find the most intoxicating.