Through the Looking Glass Book Review

Picture Book Monday - A review of Scaredy Squirrel Goes Camping

2013-05-20T04:00:00.000-07:00

I loved camping when I was a kid. Camping on the beach every summer was something I looked forward to for months. I would have had a hard time dealing with Scaredy Squirrel because he is is under the impression that camping is a highly dangerous activity. In fact, I am pretty sure he would have driven me crazy. Or perhaps not.

Scaredy Squirrel Goes Camping

Melanie Watt

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 8

Kids Can Press, 2013, 978-1-894786-86-7

Some people love camping. They enjoy the simple life in the great outdoors, savoring such uncomplicated pleasures as sitting around a campfire at night, sleeping in a tent, and going for long invigorating hikes. Scaredy Squirrel is not such a person. He prefers the comfort of home to the discomfort of camp life, and he knows that camping is fraught with such dangers as skunks, mosquitoes, quicksand, and zippers.

Scaredy decides that the way to enjoy camping is to do so vicariously, by watching “The Joy of Camping” on the television. There is a problem though. Scaredy does not have an electrical outlet in his tree home. He is going to have to use a long extension cord and go to a nearby campsite to plug in the cord. Being the cautious (some might even say neurotic) fellow that he is, Scaredy dons his Wilderness Outfit. Scaredy does a little pre-expedition training and then, armed with pliers, tomato juice, a bag of cement and other supplies, Scaredy sets off. One thing he isn’t prepared for is a surprise, which is exactly what he finds.

Scaredy Squirrel is, without a doubt, one of the funniest picture book characters out there. What makes him so endearing is the fact that he is not perfect. He is afraid of just about everything and is committed to living life as safely as possible. He hates change in all its forms. The amusing thing is Scaredy is forced to deal with change, and it is delightful to see how he copes. Though he is decidedly overanxious, he is not, thankfully, unable to see the many gifts that life has to offer, and he manages to find ways to enjoy those gifts in his own very distinctive way.

Poetry Friday - Grumbles from the Forest: Fairy-Tale Voices with a twist

2013-05-17T04:00:00.000-07:00

When I was around eight years old I went on a fairy tale jag. I read every fairy tale I could get my hands on, and my godmother got me a set of books that I loved. In each book the author, Ruth Manning-Sanders, focused on fairy tales about one kind of magical being. There was a book about giants, one about magical animals, one about dragons, one about witches, and so on. The author retold the stories in creative ways giving readers wonderful descriptions of places and characters. In today's poetry title you are going to meet some familiar fairy tale characters, but their 'voices' are not going to be what you are used to. Have fun!

Grumbles from the Forest: Fairy-Tale Voices with a twist

Jane Yolen and Rebecca Kai Dotlitch

Illustrated by Matt Mahurin

Poetry Picture Book

For ages 7 to 10

Boyds Mills Press, 2013, 978-1-59078-867-7

Fairy tales have been delighting and terrifying children for generations. The stories have played important roles in popular culture and many have been turned into plays, musicals, and films. The one thing that they have in common is that the “good guys” almost always win, and the “bad guys” usually get their just desserts. In a world that is full of chaos, unknowns, and unhappy endings, fairy tales can help us to feel comforted and secure.

Jane Yolen, the author and poet, clearly loves fairy tales, and she has written many such stories over the years. For this poetry collection she has collaborated with children’s book author and poet Rebecca Kai Dotlich. Together they have created poems that allow young readers to look at some classic fairy tales in a new way. Instead of telling the stories in the third person, which is the way most fairy tales are presented, they use the voices of the characters in the stories to present a fresh point of view. For every story there are two poems. Sometimes the poems are from the point of view of one character, and sometimes we hear from two characters.

For example, in Hansel and Gretel, Gretel begins by talking about how she and her brother should have guessed at once that they “were in deep, deep trouble” when they found the witch’s house with its “chocolate doorknobs” and “marzipan bricks.” Then we hear from Hans, who has quite a different approach. He is optimistic and says, “No worries, no need to fear.” He is convinced that he, Hans, will be able to save the day.

Sometimes we even hear from characters who do not appear in the stories, characters who surely might have popped out of the pages if someone had had thought to write them in. For example in The Three Bears, the first poem we read allows us to hear not just bear voices and Goldilocks voice. We also hear the voice of Officer Bruin who has come to “view / The ruin.”

Readers of all ages who like fairy tales are going to enjoy exploring the thirty poems in this book. It is interesting to hear how different the voices of the characters sound and how many perspectives there are in one tale. Readers might be tempted to try their hand at writing some of their own fairy tale poems. What would Jack’s beanstalk have to say about being climbed, and what would Cinderella’s glass slipper have to say about the girl who charmed a prince?

Picture Book Monday - A review of It’s Monday, Mrs. Jolly Bones!

2013-05-13T04:00:00.000-07:00

I am an annoyingly organized person. Or so I am told. I do certain chores on certain days, like my mother does, and my grandmother did. There is something comforting about having a wash-the-linens day, and a do-the-food-shopping day. In today's picture book you will meet a lady who does a different task on each week day, but there is something unique about the way she does her chores, something delightfully odd.

It’s Monday, Mrs. Jolly Bones!

Warren Hanson

Illustrated by Tricia Tusa

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 6

Simon and Schuster, 2013, 978-1-4424-1229-3

Mrs. Jolly Bones has a full week ahead of her. Being an organized soul, she assigns a certain task to every week day. On Monday she does the laundry, on Tuesday she gardens, on Wednesday she cleans the house, on Thursday she does the grocery shopping, and on Friday she bakes.

These chores sound pretty straight forward. They are the kinds of chores that men and women all over the world do every day, right? Yes they are, but it is unlikely that many people do their chores in quite the same manner as Mrs. Jolly Bones.

For example, on Monday, when Mrs. Jolly Bones does the laundry, she gathers and sorts the laundry, she washes the clothes and dries them. Then she irons and folds everything. So far her laundry day has been very normal. What is rather unusual is that Mrs. Jolly Bones then takes all those clean fresh-smelling clothes and tosses them out of the window so that they will “brighten up the street.”

If you think this is odd, wait until you see what she does after she cleans the house, or what she does with the groceries she buys on Thursday.

Children love books that contain surprises, and this particular book is full of them. The story has a normal beginning and then it becomes clear that Mrs. Jolly Bones has her own way of doing things, ways that will keep readers guessing all the way through the book.

Children are going not only going to enjoy hearing about Mrs. Jolly Bones and her strange behavior, but they are also going to love exploring Trish Tusa’s cunning and amusing artwork.

Happy Mother's Day!

2013-05-12T04:00:00.000-07:00

Poetry Friday - A review of Face Bug

2013-05-10T04:00:00.000-07:00

Imagine what it would be like to go to a museum where they were displaying a series of photos showing the faces of insects and spiders. If one were an insect or spider this would be like going to a portrait gallery. Today's book combines poetry and art to take readers into The Face Bug Museum, and it is quite a trip.

Face Bug
J. Patrick Lewis
Illustrations by Kelly Murphy
Photographs by Frederic B. Siskind
Poetry Picture Book
For ages 6 to 10
Boyds Mills Press, 2013, 978-1-59078-925-4
Come one, come all! The Face Bug Museum is open, and insects, spiders, and their guests are invited to take a look at the photographs that is on display. The photographers who took the pictures feel that “you never really know bugs till you look them in the eye,” which is why all the photographs focus on the heads and faces of insects and spiders. Bring your camera and be prepared to be amazed, and perhaps even shocked. Don’t worry if the faces make you feel faint. Tiny Vet is “standing by” to treat anyone who gets the heebie geebies.
We begin with the Hickory Horned Devil, which is the larva of a moth. The creature in the photo looks like a cross between a porcupine and a “Country-colored coral reef,” and it is certainly scary, but in reality this caterpillar is a gentle creature and the only living thing that needs fear it are the leaves it snacks on.
In the next photo we see the head of an Eastern Carpenter Bee. Though they look threatening, these bees are not a danger to anyone. They do like to drill holes in wood though, so you might find their holes in your home if it is made out of wood.
Further on in the show you will meet the Bush Katydid. This rather showy insect is standing on a stage in front of its photograph and it has happy to talk about itself. It admits that it looks rather like a grasshopper, but its green body can make it look like a leaf in the right surroundings, which is handy in a world that is full of predators. In addition to being a master of camouflage, the katydid is a singer and a “petty thief.”
In this memorable book Patrick Lewis’ amusing poems are paired with wonderful photos and amusing illustrations to give young readers a tour through a museum that is unlike any other. Information about each insect or spider species is incorporated into the poems. Readers will also find additional facts about the fourteen creepy crawlies featured in the show at the back of the book. Children will get to know the insect and spider characters that appear on the pages, and they may even finding themselves growing fond of them.

Picture Book Monday - A review of The Museum

2013-05-06T04:00:00.000-07:00

I still remember the first time I went to a real art museum. My father took me to the National Gallery in London. I was so in love with the lions and fountain and Trafalgar Square that he had a hard time getting me into the museum, but once I was inside I felt as if I had been transported to a magical place. It was a magical place, and I will never forget how much I enjoyed my time there.

Today's book celebrates art museums and it explores the nature of creativity.

The Museum

Susan Verde

Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds

Picture Book

For ages 6 and up

Abrams, 2013, 978-1-4197-0594-6

One sunny day a girl goes to the art museum and when she looks at a work of art she doesn’t just see the painting or the sculpture, she reacts to it. As she tells us, “something happens in my heart.” Her response to the art cannot be contained and her body “goes into action.”

When she sees a painting of a ballet dancer she feels that she needs to pose as a dancer does and stand on her “tippy-toes.” A painting of swirling stars in a night sky makes her feel “twirly swirly,” while a painting of a sad blue face makes her feel lonely and down. A field of flowers makes her feel skippy, and abstract colorful swirls and squiggles give her a fit of the “giggles.”

Then the girl comes across a large empty canvas. What does it mean? Is the non-painting “a joke?”

In this delightful picture book the author and illustrator celebrate art museums and the journeys and adventures that they allow us to take when we look at the artworks in their galleries. The story also explores the way art can be created out of nothing, cajoled out into the open by inspiration and creativity. The emotions the little girl in the story experiences seem to bounce off the pages, and the ending will give readers of all ages something to think about.

Poetry Friday - A review of The year comes round: Haiku Through the Seasons

2013-05-03T04:00:00.000-07:00

Traditionally haiku poems were used to capture precious moments, moments that were little gems from the natural world. Often the poems were seasonal in nature. In today's poetry title we travel through a year and the author gives us a haiku with a nature theme for every month.

The year comes round: Haiku Through the Seasons

Sid Farrar

Illustrated by Ilse Plume

Poetry Picture Book

For ages 6 to 9

Albert Whitman, 2012, 978-0-8075-8129-2

It is wintertime and when we get up in the morning there is frost on the windows so that “Each windowpane’s a / masterpiece,” of delicate frost designs. When snow falls, children build a snowman, who hopes that the “noon sun won’t / notice” that it is there.

In the spring a mother robin’s eggs hatch and she has to get busy finding food for her chicks. Luckily food is plentiful and she is able to bring an earthworm “back to her nest to / meet her family.”

Summer evenings bring careful watchers a special treat. As light fades “fireflies quietly blink / their secrets.” This is also the time of year when one is most likely to experience a violent thunderstorm. Fed by the heat and moisture in the air, “Thick, black clouds grumble” above the “parched earth below.”

Haiku is a poetry form that traditionally uses words to capture a picture of something from the natural world, and the poems are often seasonal in nature. The author of this book follows the Japanese haiku custom by focusing on nature, taking readers through the twelve months of the year with gem like poems. The poems are paired with lovely illustrations and at the back of the book readers will find more information about haiku, and “The Cycle of Life.”

Picture Book Monday - A review of Baby Penguins Everywhere!

2013-04-29T04:00:00.000-07:00

I work from home, which means that I spend a lot of time alone. At least alone in the sense that there are no other humans around. I usually have three dogs and at least one of my two cats in my office when I am working. I love working at home, but there are times when I crave human company. I can therefore relate to the penguin in this story, who, like me, enjoys her time alone. Most of the time.

Baby Penguins Everywhere!

Melissa Guion

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 6

Penguin, 2012, 978-0-399-25535-9

Floating on an ice floe, a penguin enjoys the “peace and quiet of the sea and ice.” However, there are times when she feels rather lonely. Then one day she finds a hat floating in the water, and in the hat there is a little penguin. One little penguin is a big surprise, but then another penguin chick pops out of the hat, which is followed by another.

Soon there are baby penguins all over the place, and the penguin who was once lonely is lonely no longer. Instead, she is extremely busy playing with and taking care of the baby penguins. In fact, she is so busy that she gets rather tired and worn out.

Though we love our family and friends, and though we want to spend time with them and do things for them, all of us have moments when we start to feel a little overwhelmed, when we need a little time to ourselves to sit and be quiet.

In this sweet and beautifully minimal book, Melissa Guion explores the idea that everyone needs a little break once in a while, and she manages to do so with sensitivity and humor.

Poetry Friday - A Review of Forest has a song

2013-04-26T04:00:00.000-07:00

I love reading poetry collections where the poems look at the seasons, and have reviewed several titles of this kind over the years. Today's title takes readers on a journey through the seasons in a forest, and we have a little girl for company who shows us some of the wonderful places, plants, animals, and trees that can be found in forest.

Forest has a song

Amy Ludwig Vanderwater

Illustrated by Robbin Gourley

Poetry Picture Book

For ages 6 and up

Clarion, 2013, 978-0-618-84349-7

Not far from a girl’s little red house there is a forest. One morning, while she is outside, the girl hears a “pinecone fall” and she smells the “spicy” tang of the pine trees on the wind. She is drawn to the forest that seems to be asking her to “Come visit. / Please?”

In the forest she meets a chickadee, whom she invites to come and eat some of seeds that she is holding. She tells the little bird that it is “safe to land” on her hand and that she is not a threat. The bird is afraid of the child, but at the same time it cannot help seeing the seeds that rest in the hand that is still. Perhaps such a small child is not something to fear after all.

In the spring the child finds fiddleheads in the forest. These are ferns that are uncurling as the weather warms, and their presence indicates that winter is finally over. High in a tree she hears a tree fog calling. It is trying to convince a potential wife that it is “one great frog.”

Summer is the perfect time to have adventures in the forest. Barefoot, the girl walks on a bed of moss, her feet sinking into the “velvet green.” She wishes her socks felt as good as the moss does. Summer is also the time when poison ivy grows everywhere. One must look for those three leaves and avoid them because “One green / touch can itch / so much.”

In fall the maple trees begin to change their “leaves to red,” and one hears the call of geese overhead. Then the first snow arrives and the girl stands outside in the woods with her eyes closed listening to “snowy voices / crystal clear.”

This lovely book takes readers through a forest year. We celebrate special moments with the girl, and explore the lovely world that is her refuge and her playground. We discover treasures from nature, and meet animals who share their lives with us.

Throughout the book beautiful poems in a variety of forms are paired with emotive watercolor paintings that readers will enjoy reading and looking at again and again.

Happy Earth Day!

2013-04-22T07:34:00.005-07:00

Picture Book Monday - A review of Nibbles: A Green Tale

2013-04-22T04:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Earth Day! I hope you have a wonderful day exploring and enjoying this beautiful planet we live on. I have a picture book for you today that explores a very important environmental issue.

We have two guinea pigs, Caramel and Fudge Ripple. I am sorry to say that they really don't have much to say other than "Wheeeeeee!" when they want their breakfast and dinner. The guinea pigs in today's picture book are much more interesting. In fact, they are intelligent animals who make a very important decision regarding their natural resources.

Nibbles: A Green Tale

Charlotte Middleton

Picture Book

Ages 5 to 7

Marshall Cavendish, 2010, 978-0-7614-5791-6

Nibbles, like all the guinea pigs in Dandeville, loves to eat dandelion leaves. As far as Nibbles and the other guinea pigs are concerned, dandelions are the crème de la crème of guinea pigs foods. They eat dandelion leaves at every meal, and in-between as well.

Then the most terrible thing happens, the dandelions in Dandeville start to run out. The guinea pigs are forced to buy dandelion leaves at exorbitant prices on the Internet. They are even forced to eat cabbage leaves instead. What is to be done?

When Nibbles finds the last dandelion plant growing outside his bedroom window, he is tempted to eat it, but instead he does a little research and he sets about doing what he can to take care of and nurture the dandelion plant. Nibbles has a long term plan that could make life better for all the guinea pigs in Dandeville.

In this delightfully picture book, Charlotte Middleton shows her young readers how important it is to think of the future. If we preserve our natural resources now, then we will have natural resources in the future. Using an engaging story and wonderful multimedia illustrations, the concept of sustainability is beautifully presented from the point of view of guinea pigs.

Poetry Friday - A review of Something Fishy

2013-04-19T04:00:00.000-07:00

When I was growing up we went camping at the seaside every summer. We pitched tents on the beach and for days I had a wonderful time building things out of rocks, swimming, exploring the beach, and snorkeling. I would snorkel for so long my skin got wrinkly and my face mask left a red line on my forehead. I loved to watch the little fish, eels, and other underwater creatures. I would have thoroughly enjoyed reading this book of poetry, which explores the lives of animals that live in water.

Something Fishy

Barry Louis Polisar

Illustrations by David Clark

Poetry Picture Book

For ages 6 to 8

Rainbow Morning Music, 2013, 978-0-938663-53-9

Watching, photographing, and learning about animals is something many people enjoy doing. Men, women, and children watch nature shows, visit zoos, go on safaris and find other opportunities to see animals in their natural environment. There are many people who are particularly taken with animals who live in oceans, seas, and lakes, and they put on masks, carry tanks of oxygen on their backs, and put up with freezing cold water so that they can see fish, whales, and other animals going about their business.

For those of us who are not really interested in getting wet to see aquatic animals, there are movies and television shows to watch, and books to read. Some books have made up stories about underwater explorations, while others are nonfiction. Then there are authors who choose to describe animals who live in water using poetry.

In this book Barry Louis Polisar’s clever poems are paired with often amusing illustrations to give readers a little trip underwater. We meet the oddly named sweetlips fish, and find out that horseshoe crabs come on land to mate. Unfortunately, many of them “get stranded” when the tide goes out because they are “followed nature’s calling.”

Some of the animals we meet on the pages are creatures we would rather avoid in the real world. These include the jellyfish, “a nettlesome bunch of bad luck,” and crocodiles and alligators. Others, such as seahorses and barnacles are harmless, and if we were to encounter then we could watch them without fear.

The last poem wraps up this collection perfectly. In it the author celebrates all the creatures that live in water ending with the words “Praise all that swims and floats.”

Well-crafted poems and wonderful artwork make this book a must for anyone who likes poetry or who has a fondness for seas, oceans, lakes, and rivers.

Picture Book Monday - A review of Red Hat

2013-04-15T04:00:00.000-07:00

As every parent and pet owner knows, young children and animals often get a great deal of pleasure playing with things that are not toys. For example, instead of playing with the toy barn they were given, children play with the box that the barn came in. Instead of playing with the catnip mouse that cost far too much, the cat plays with a cork that fell on the floor.

In today's book you will meet some young animals who play with a red hat and who have a wonderful time doing so.

Red Hat

Lita Judge

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 6

Simon and Schuster, 2013, 978-1-4424-4232-0

It is a pleasant sunshiny day a little girl sets up her washtub on the grass in front of her home and washes her red knitted hat. When it is clean, she carefully pins it to the clothes line by its white tassel, and the she goes back into her little house. Some rabbits and a pair of bears see the hat on the line and they decide that it would make a grand toy. As soon as the bear cub gets its paws on the hat, it runs off, with the rabbits in hot pursuit. Then a raccoon snags the hat from its tasseled end and gallops off with the hat on its head.

As the raccoon runs, the hat sprouts a long red piece of yarn from its pointy top with the tassel hanging on the end. A little rabbit manages to snag the yarn, and a tiny mouse is thrilled when it manages to grab hold of the yarn near the tassel. How rewarding little triumphs of this kind can be! The adventure is not over though. The hat and the young playful animals have more to do.

Lita Judge, who brought us the picture book Red Sled, is a gifted storyteller who manages to tell her tale without using any real words at all. The only sounds this book offers readers are the noises that the young animals make as they steal, play with, and then return the hat. Children are going to love the surprise ending, which brings the tale to a wonderful close.

Poetry Friday - A review of Follow Follow

2013-04-12T04:00:00.000-07:00

In 2010, in her book Mirror Mirror, Marilyn Singer presented the world with a new poetry form that she created. When I read the reverso poems in that first book I was gobsmacked. What an amazing idea she had come up with. The poems in the book can be read from top to bottom and then from bottom to top. They explore an idea or a story in two different ways. Today's poetry title is her new collection of reverso poems and I can promise you that they are quite extraordinary.

Follow Follow: A book of reverso Poems

Marilyn Singer

Illustrated by Josee Masse

Poetry Picture Book

For ages 5 to 8

Penguin, 2013, 978-0-8037-3769-3

Most of us know that every story has got at least two sides. At least two! We know that it is wise to make sure that we know both sides to a story before we decide which side we will support. Do fairy tales also have two sides that we should be aware of?

They most certainly do, and in this delightful book Marilyn Singer looks at some very popular fairy tales and she give us two points of view. She uses a very interesting poetical device to do this. For each fairy tale she presents one side of the story in a poem, and then she reverses the text in the poem to give another point of view. Thus in the story of the little mermaid we begin with the idea that she should “For love / give up your voice. / Don’t / think twice.” In the reverso poem we end with “Think twice! / Don’t / give up your voice / for love.”

The poem Follow Follow is about the Pied Piper of Hamelin who led rats away from the town of Hamelin and who, when he was not paid for his work, had his revenge. The author’s account begins when we hear from a man who says “there will be / no pay,” for the piper who should “go away.” In the reverso poem we hear from the piper who, having been betrayed, announces that he will make sure that the children of Hamelin “shall never return.”

In some of the pairs of poems the narrator is the same, while in others there are two narrators. Reverso poems were invented by Marilyn Singer and they show to perfection how a skilled poet can play with words to create something interesting and unique. Each of the twelve pairs of fairy tale poems in this book offers readers something to think about and enjoy.

Picture Book Monday - A review of Extra Yarn

2013-04-08T04:00:00.000-07:00

Making things and then giving them to people I care about is something I enjoy doing. This winter I knitted hats and scarves for many of my friends and I love seeing them walking around town wearing their colorful gifts. In this award winning book you are going to meet a girl who also enjoys knitting and who also likes to give away what she makes, thus making her world a more colorful place.

Extra Yarn

Mac Barnett

Illustrated by Jon Klassen

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

HarperCollins, 2012, 978-0-06-195338-5

It is a cold day in winter and the ground is covered with snow. Everything around Annabelle is snowy white or is black with soot. Then the little girl finds a box that is filled with colorful yarn. Annabelle knits a sweater for herself, and she knits a sweater for her dog Mars. Even after she has knitted these two garments there is some yarn left over.

Annabelle takes Mars for a walk and meets Nate, who is sitting on a wood pile. Nate makes fun of the sweaters Annabelle and Mars are wearing, and Annabelle tells him that he is “just jealous.” Though Nate insists that he is not jealous, it turns out that he is, and when Annabelle knits him and his dog sweaters, Nate is surprisingly happy.

Annabelle’s box of yarn still isn’t empty. When she goes to school wearing her new sweater her teacher, Mr. Norman, says that her sweater is distracting the students in class. Annabelle announces that she will make a sweater for everyone so that they will not have to “turn around” to look at the one colorful sweater in the room. Mr. Norman says that such a thing is “Impossible,” but it turns out that he is wrong. Annabelle is able to knit sweaters for all the children in the class and for Mr. Norman. The strange thing is that the box is still isn’t empty.

In this enchanting award winning book children will encounter a box of yarn that is clearly magical. They will marvel, and laugh, at all the things Annabelle knits, and they will also appreciate that part of the box’s magic is within Annabelle herself.

Children will enjoy seeing how Annabelle’s knitted creations bring color to a world that is mostly white, black, and shades of brown. What would it be like to live in a world where there was no color, a world where there was no one around to create beautiful, colorful things.

Poetry Friday - A review of A Stick is an Excellent Thing

2013-04-05T04:00:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid my parents had a hard time getting me to come indoors. As long as it wasn't blistering hot or pouring with rain, I preferred to be outside. These days many kids have to be pushed to go outside. Too many of them prefer to be entertained than to entertain themselves. Today's book celebrates the many ways in which children can and do spend their time when they are outdoors. The author shows to great effect that outdoor play is magical and wonderful.

A Stick is an Excellent Thing: Poems Celebrating OutdoorPlay

Marilyn Singer

Illustrated by LeUyen Pham

Poetry Picture Book

For ages 7 to 10

Clarion Books, 2012, 978-0-547-12493-3

Many children associate the word “playing” with TV screens, computer monitors, and hand held gaming devices. They no longer equate playing with being outdoors. Thankfully, many people, including parents and teachers, are eager to get children outside again so that they can have a more active lifestyle that encourages them to interact with other children.

In this splendid collection of poems Marilyn Singer celebrates a wide variety of outdoor activities. Some of the poems describe are games such as hopscotch and monkey in the middl;e. In the poem Hide-And-Seek we hear from the hider, who stands “here oh so still” pretending that he is in Brazil “where lots of birds fly free.” Then we hear from the little girl seeker who is convinced that the hider hasn’t “got a prayer” because she’s “just too good at seeking.”

Other poems look at doings that are less ordered and more free-flowing. Playing in the sprinkler is just such an activity. We see how children use their imaginations so that a stick can be a scepter or a magic wand. Even a bucket can be the center of interest when becomes a pot for making soup. Children toss grass, stones, mud, cheese, a celery stalk, an old cigar, and a piece of chalk into the pot, give it a stir, and “then throw it out and start again.”

With wonderful poems that are paired with vibrant illustrations, this book perfectly captures the joy that children experience when they spend time outdoors playing in the sun or under the stars.

Picture Book Monday - A review of Red Kite, Blue Kite

2013-04-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

Telling the story of a terrible time or experience is not easy, especially when you want to tell the story to young children. In today's picture book the author gives children a sense of what it was like to be a little child during China's Cultural Revolution. Often moments in the account are sad, but hope is always there and that hope makes this a powerful, memorable, and beautiful book.

Red Kite, Blue Kite

Ji-li Jiang

Illustrated by Greg Ruth

Picture Book

For ages 7 to 9

Hyperion, 2013, 978-142312753-6

One of Tai Shan’s favorite things to do is to go to the “tippy-top” of the roof of his house with his Baba to fly kites. Tai Shan’s kite is a small red one, and his father’s is a big blue one. As they fly their kites together Baba tells his son stories, stories that make their time together on the roof particularly special. Up there flying his kite Tai Shan feels as free as the kite that is flying above his head.

Then “a bad time” comes and Tai Shan’s life is turned upside down. Schools are closed and Baba is sent to work at a labor camp. Since Tai Shan’s mother died when Tai Shan was born, the little boy is sent to stay in a village with a farmer called Granny Wang. Though Granny Wang is kind to Tai Shan, the little boy misses his father whom he sees only one day a week, on Sunday. Every Sunday Baba walks for miles from his camp to the village where Tai Shan is living, and on this one day the father and son fly their kites as they used to do.

Then one day Tai Shan’s father tells his son that he will not be able to visit for a while. To stay connected to his son Tai Shan’s father comes up with a plan. Tai Shan should fly his red kite every morning, and his father will fly his blue kite every sunset. Their kites will be their own private “secret signal.”

Day after day the two kites send their messages of love to Tai Shan and his Baba even though they are miles apart. Then one day Baba’s blue kite does not appear.

Based on a true story about a boy and his father during China’s Cultural Revolution, this evocative picture book beautifully captures the power that hope can have on people during hard times. At such times, small things, like red and blue kites, come to represent something precious.

With a memorable story and lovely illustrations, this picture book gives readers an experience that they will remember long after the last page is read.

Happy Easter!

2013-03-31T04:00:00.000-07:00

A Very Happy Easter To You All

Poetry Friday - A review of Vherses: A celebration of outstanding women

2013-03-29T04:00:00.001-07:00

Women's History Month, which is celebrated in the United States every March, is wrapping up in just a few days, so I thought that I would offer you a poetry book today that commemorates the lives and achievements of fourteen extraordinary women. Any reader over the age of eight will gain something from reading this title.

Vherses: A celebration of outstanding women

J. Patrick Lewis

Illustrated by Mark Summers

Poetry Picture Bok

For ages 8 and up

Creative Editions, 2005, 1-56846-185-2

For hundreds of years women lived restricted lives. A male dominated society dictated what women could or could not do, and the could nots greatly outweighed the coulds. Of course, some women chose to challenge the system, and in the eighteen hundreds more and more women dared to do things that were considered unsuitable for the gentler sex.

In this splendid collection of poems J. Patrick Lewis celebrates the lives of fourteen women who chose to do something meaningful and sometimes controversial with their lives. The first poem is about Emily Dickinson, a woman who wrote poetry that was unusual and unconventional, who had the courage to be true to herself. Emily had her own voice and style, choosing “to weave a word,” and living a quiet life that was full of solitude and reflection.

Georgia O’Keefe and Martha Graham also chose to find their own ways to express the creativity that lay in their souls. Georgia created paintings whose unique colors and themes startled people. Martha Graham dared to dance in a different way, focusing on “excitement and surge,” rather than beauty and elegance.

Then there are the women who had a different sort of courage. Eleanor Roosevelt “the great first lady” who “Looked fear in the face,” championed the poor, the disenfranchised, and the downtrodden. Fannie Lou Hamer also chose to speak out. In her case she fought for the rights of America’s African American citizens, defending their right to vote and their right to freedom.

In a similar way, Rachel Carson chose to speak for Nature, whose voice was being ignored. Her “little book,” which was called Silent Spring, helped people to understand that humans cannot take nature for granted, and that they need to care for and conserve our beautiful and wild places and our natural resources.

J. Patrick Lewis also celebrates the lives of women who pushed their courage and bodies to new heights. Amelia Earhart dared to be the first women to fly solo across the Atlantic and pushed on even when her altimeter failed and when her plane’s wings “were icing over.” Gertrude Ederle also had to overcome appalling conditions when she swam the English Channel and made the fastest crossing made “By woman or by man.”

Throughout this book, beautiful poetry and lovely art is paired with short descriptions of the lives of the fourteen women mentioned. The collection will touch, inspire, and appeal to readers of all ages.

Picture Book Monday - A review of Oh! If Only...

2013-03-25T04:00:00.000-07:00

I don't want to tell you have many times I have said "If only..." to myself or to others. Regret is hard to dodge or avoid. It sneaks up on you when you least expect it. Most of the time it is a useless feeling to have. In today's picture book Micheal Foreman tells the story of one boy's "If only..." moment, and in this case at least it is a funny moment, a moment that will put a smile on every reader's face.

Oh! If only…

Michael Foreman

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Andersen Press USA, 2013, 978-1-4677-1213-2

Sometimes bad things happen, and when we look back on the events that led to the bad thing happening we wish “If only…” If only we’d remembered to water the plant so that it hadn’t wilted and died. If only we had taken our medicine when the doctor told us to so that we hadn’t got sick again. Life is full of if onlys, but for most people not many them end up being that dramatic.

In this story you are going to meet a boy whose If Only experience ends up getting him in terrible trouble. One day he goes out and meets a dog who is carrying a little red ball. The dog clearly wants the boy to play with him, and so the boy starts kicking the ball up in the air. Unfortunately, the boy is not very good at soccer and so the ball bounces down the hill, it frightens an old lady’s cats, which frighten some birds, which spook some horses that are walking in a parade. The spooked horses cause such as kerfuffle that the big parade is “wrecked.” What a mess! The problem is that this is not the end of the story. More chaos ensues and the boy’s situation gets worse and worse. And worse.

Children are going to enjoy this very unusual picture book. They are going to laugh at the scenes that unfold, and they will wonder what is going to happen next. They will surely be surprised when they come to the last page and find out that the ending is, well, rather surprising.

Poetry Friday - A review of Poetry for Young People:Robert Frost

2013-03-22T03:14:00.000-07:00

On March 26, 1874, Robert Frost was born in San Francisco, California. Since the 26th is only a few days away, I thought I would share a wonderful collection of his poems with you today.

Poetry for young people: Robert Frost

Edited by Gary D. Schmidt

Illustrated by Henri Sorensen

Poetry

For ages 9 and up

Sterling, 2008, 978-1-4027-5475-3

Robert Frost and his poems are often associated with New England, snow, stone walls, and white birches. What many people don’t know is that he did not start life living in this part of the United States. Robert was born in San Francisco and lived in California until his father died in 1885. Not having any money, Robert’s mother moved her family to Massachusetts, where she lived with her father-in-law for a while. Then she managed to get a teaching job in Salem, New Hampshire. A teacher’s pay was not enough to provide for three people, so Robert worked at a cobbler’s shop where he nailed heels onto boots.

Robert did well in school, and was delighted when his grandfather made it possible for him to attend Laurence High School. Robert did very well there and was able to get into Dartmouth College, which was something his grandfather wanted. However, Robert was not interested in attending college and he dropped out. What Robert did want to do was to write poetry, and this is what he did when he wasn’t working. Though he dreamed of being a recognized poet, he never imagined, back in those early days, that one day he would win awards and would read one of his poems at a presidential inauguration ceremony. What was it about Robert’s poems that made them so popular during his lifetime and beyond?

In this superb collection some of Robert Frost’s most beloved poems are brought together so that young (and not so young) readers can see for themselves why his poems are liked by so many people around the world. The poems are divided up into four sections, one section for each of the seasons, and we begin with summer. Many of the poems celebrate country life and nature. In The Pasture, the narrator invites us to “come too” when he goes to clean the pasture spring, and when he fetches a little calf. In another poem he takes us out into a hayfield where he is turning the drying grass that has been cut for hay. The job is a tedious one until the worker’s eye catches the movement of a butterfly. The little insect shows the worker something special and they are united in that moment.

On the section of Autumn poems, we hear from a little bluebird who leaves a message for a girl called Lesley. The bluebird has felt the cold touch of the north wind and he must fly south. Perhaps, “in the spring” he will come “back and sing.” We read about falling leaves that “fit the earth like a leather glove,” and join someone who has been picking apples and is ready for the rest that winter offers.

Every poem in this collection is accompanied by lovely and evocative paintings, and each one has a note from the editor that provides readers with background information about Robert Forest, his poems, and his style of writing. The combination of the poems, the art, and the notes gives readers an excellent portrait of Robert Frost and his work.

At the beginning of the book there is a short introduction written by the editor where readers will find an excellent description of Robert Frost’s life and legacy.

Happy Spring!

2013-03-20T12:26:00.002-07:00

Happy Spring Everyone.

There are some wonderful springish books on the TTLG Spring Books Page.

I hope you find a book here that you will enjoy looking at and sharing.

A perfect book for women's history month

2013-03-19T19:52:00.004-07:00

March is Women's History Month and I have just reviewed a wonderful title about an exceptional woman who did something special with her life.

Look Up! Henrietta Leavitt,Pioneering Woman Astronomer

Robert Burleigh

Illustrated by Raul Colon

Nonfiction Picture Book

For ages 6 to 8

Simon and Schuster, 2013, 978-1-4169-5819-2

When Henrietta was a young girl, she spent many hours staring up into the night sky, looking at the stars and getting familiar with their patterns. She was fascinated by “the wonderful bigness of all she saw,” and longed to find out more about space.

When she was a young woman, she attended astronomy class and was one of the few women who did so. After graduation, Henrietta was able to get a job working in an observatory. Though the observatory had a wonderful big telescope, Henrietta rarely got to use it. Instead, she worked with a group of women measuring and calculating, doing the job that calculators and computers do today. Henrietta and the other women were told to “work, not think,” but Henrietta wasn’t going to accept such an existence. She had an enquiring mind and intended to use it, which she did, studying astronomy in her space time.

Day after day Henrietta looked at photographs of stars, measuring and counting, and then she began to notice that there was a pattern. Some of the stars seemed to get dimmer and then brighter. Some blinked slower than others. Henrietta studied the pattern and she mapped it out. The chart that she created helped astronomers to figure out how far away the stars were. Thanks to her work, they also came to realize that our Milky Way was a lot bigger than they thought and that it was only one of many galaxies. Her discovery would have a profound effect on our understanding of our universe.

This wonderfully written book tells the story of a woman who lived at a time when women had very few opportunities to work as scientists. Indeed, most of the time they were prevented from doing research. Henrietta never gave up, and in the end her determination and hard work paid off.

Throughout the book Robert Burleigh’s lyrical prose is paired with Paul Colon’s wonderful artwork to give readers a memorable picture book biography.

Further information about Henrietta, other women astrologers, and more can be found at the back of the book.

Picture Book Monday - A review of Brave Bitsy and the Bear

2013-03-18T04:00:00.000-07:00

Helping others, even when it is inconvenient, is something we all should do on a regular basis. I seriously believe that doing things for others and not expecting anything in return makes us better people. It also makes the world a better place. Today's picture explores how a bear and a toy bunny both choose to help someone else, even though doing so causes them problems.

BraveBitsy and the Bear

Angela McAllister

Illustrated by Tiphanie Beeke

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Clarion, 2004, 978-0-618-63994-6

One autumn afternoon Bitsy the toy bunny fell out of her little girl’s pocket and though Bitsy cried for help, her little girl did not hear her. Bitsy was all alone and lost in the woods and she felt frightened, but she boldly set off “singing a brave song.”

Bitsy did not go far before she came face to face with a big bear. Though the bear had a frightening growl, he was a gentle fellow and though he was on his way to his cave to begin his winter sleep, he offered to take Bitsy home.

The bear started to get sleepy and he warned Bitsy not let him fall asleep or he wouldn’t “wake up until spring.” Bitsy did her best to keep her companion awake and finally Bear, carrying Bitsy on his back, arrived at the house where the bunny lived with her little girl.

That night Bitsy began to worry about her friend Bear. What if he did not make it back to his cave? If he fell asleep in the woods he would soon be covered with snow and he would freeze. In the morning Bitsy decided that she had to do something. She had to make sure that the kind bear was not in danger.

Every so often someone comes along who is willing to go out of his or her way to do something kind for us. In this book readers will meet a bear who is just such a person, who is willing to do something that inconveniences him because he wants to help someone in need.

With a heartwarming story and delightful illustrations, this is a picture book that will charm readers of all ages.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2013-03-17T04:00:00.000-07:00