Picture Book – Grumpy Bird
May 30, 2008 at 9:38 am | In Picture Books | Leave a CommentTags: children's books
One day Bird wakes up grumpy. So grumpy, in fact, that he decides he’s not even going to fly. Instead, he’ll walk. As he sullenly plods along, he comes across several animals, including Raccoon, Beaver, Fox, and Rabbit. They all cheerfully say hello, and ask what he’s doing. Bird responds grumpily, even a little rudely. The animals ignore his bad temper and enthusiastically join the walk. Pretty soon Bird is so happy playing an impromptu game of follow-the-leader that he forgets all about being grumpy.
The illustrations and text rocket this book from a solid, but fairly standard children’s story to a captivating picture book destined to be read again and again. When this book is displayed with it’s cover facing out, I have yet to see a child or parent able to walk past without grabbing it off the shelf. Author/illustrator Jeremy Tankard gets the expression of determined grumpiness exactly right. Every inch of Bird’s body language clearly expresses his displeasure with the world at large. The pictures are wonderful, done with combinations of thick, heavy lines and bright, eye-popping colors. Everything about the visuals screams at children to look and fall in love.
The text itself is fun too. Unlike some picture books with fantastic art and only pedestrian text, this book delivers on the prose front as well. Tankard manages to use a repetitive format with a versatility I wish all picture book authors possessed. While the actions and setup of each exchange is similar, the differences in Bird’s response are hilariously unique. It’s a particular joy to read the book aloud, with increasing snarkiness and irritation. Absolutely a winner.
Early Reader – Dinosaurs Meet Dr. Clock
May 29, 2008 at 2:12 pm | In Early Readers | Leave a Comment
Dr. Clock is very excited. He’s finally finished his time machine, and is ready to go back to observe the dinosaurs. He takes a sandwich and “important science stuff” with him. A scientist watches everything, of course, but Dr. Clock finds it is more difficult to take notes on the dinosaurs than he thought it would be – particularly when two dinosaurs begin fighting over him with little regard to his comfort. At last he is able to get back to his time machine. But in his hurry, he forgot to pay attention to the dials…
This early reader by Martha Weston is considered a “level 1″ of the Holiday House Reader series. There are usually two or three sentences on each page, accompanied by colorful illustrations. The pictures support the story and add to the understanding of the text. For instance the single line “Dr. Clock found a dinosaur” is illustrated with a picture of a dinosaur picking up the doctor. The text often acts like the straight man, with the illustrations providing a punchline.
Chapter Books – Whipping Boy
May 28, 2008 at 2:38 pm | In Chapter Books, historical fiction | Leave a Comment
Jemmy is the whipping boy at the castle, the one who gets all of the punishment that is earned by “Prince Brat”, but not legally allowed to be delivered onto the royal personage. Jemmy isn’t exactly thrilled with his job – especially since the illiterate prince is always in trouble with his tutor – but at least he’s getting all of the learning the prince is steadfastly ignoring. And he’s able to get his own back by refusing to cry or make a sound when he is whipped.
Then, in the middle of the night, he’s woken by Prince Brat, who announces that he is running away and requires a manservant. But the adventure quickly turns sour when the pair is accosted almost immediately by highwaymen. Jemmy’s ready to talk his way out of the situation, but the spoiled Prince Brat ruins everything. The highwaymen are thrilled with the idea that they can hold the prince for ransom. Quick thinking on Jemmy’s part convinces the ruffians that he is the prince and Prince Brat the whipping boy, against the Brat’s fervent howling, of course. But it will take more than just one boy to outwit the highwaymen and make it back to the castle in safety. Somehow, Jemmy must find a way to turn the bratty royal child into a decent human being.
The Whipping Boy by Paul Fleischman won the Newbery Honor in 1987, and has been beloved of third and fourth grade readers ever since. There is lots of action and adventure, a charming character in Jemmy, the always-popular theme of children outwitting adults, and the ability to smugly exult when the Prince gets his comeuppance, yet also sympathize with the prince as he slowly begins to take responsibility for his actions. A great book, and one that is destined to spend another twenty years of popularity.
Young Adult – Howl’s Moving Castle
May 27, 2008 at 3:53 pm | In Young adult, fantasy | Leave a Comment
Sophie is the eldest child, a fact that means she is destined to live a life of drudgery and boredom. The youngest child always has adventures, usually involving magic, and always involving romance, and the middle child quite often does too. But the eldest: nothing but boring responsibility. Already Sophie’s younger sisters have set off into the world to make their fortune, while Sophie is stuck at home running the family hat business, and looking forward to nothing but sameness for the rest of her life. So it is a total surprise to Sophie when the wicked Witch of the Waste places a curse on her, making her old.
Figuring that she has nothing to lose, Sophie sets off to find her own adventure. Her travels eventually land her with the mysterious and feared Wizard Howl, who lives in a traveling castle powered by a blue fire-demon. Suddenly Sophie -even as an old woman – is plunged into the adventurous, tumultuous life she had always envied.
Diana Wynne Jones is a renowned fantasy writer, and it is not hard to see why. This novel shines with her characteristically tight plotting: everything is related to the plot, and even the most apparently random encounter is eventually shown to be significant. The interconnections and careful weaving of characters and events is incredibly impressive. Everything hangs together, with subplots galore. This book is highly recommended. There is also a sequel, Castle in the Air.
This book was made into an anime movie not long ago. The movie is great, but not an accurate reflection of the book. Many sweeping plot changes were made, and the glorious complexity of the book was sharply simplified.
EDIT: I posted this on Tuesday, and on Wednesday, I woke up to the news that a new book in this series is going to be published soon! I will be on the lookout for House of Many Ways, as should all fans of this author and series.
Nonfiction – Fiendish Crimes and Punishing Times
May 24, 2008 at 12:59 pm | In Nonfiction | Leave a CommentCriminals have existed since the beginning of written history, and many of those criminals have been children. Living in unsafe and unsanitary conditions throughout history, children have been forced to turn to theft to survive. This book chronicles the crimes and punishments of children, with an unspoken focus on English and American criminals. Everything from workhouses (think Oliver Twist) to reform schools to military schools are touched upon, with hangings and convict ships given in lurid detail. The scope of the book is such that few bits of information are presented in anything but broad strokes, but children should be interested and intriqued both by glimpses of the past and a look into the present.
Every page has illustrations, each of which is clearly captioned. Each page also has a sidebar giving a five or six sentence summary of a related topic. Most pages have two paragraphs in the main body. Vocabulary terms that children may be unfamiliar with are listed in a Word Bank that runs along the bottom of the page, negating the need to flip to the back of the book to discover the meaning of a word.
Early Reader – Little Bear
May 22, 2008 at 5:20 pm | In Early Readers | Leave a Comment
Little Bear, the creation of Else Holmelund Minarik, has been amongst the first books read by children for fifty years. Yet the books remain popular, timeless classics that today’s first graders will probably be sharing with their own children in the decades to come.
Little Bear is just like any other small boy, living his day-to-day life in the care of a loving and tender mother. The book is broken into four chapters, which are unrelated stories. Little Bear goes out a cold winter day, attempts to fly to the moon, has a birthday, and asks for a story at bedtime. His mother is present in each story, caring for him and encouraging him. It is perhaps this image of a beloved child that has led to the book’s enduring popularity.
Each page has between five and ten sentences. There are pictures on every page, generally placed on an uncluttered white background. The colors are more pastel and limited than the average modern book, but this works well, lending to the gentle feel of the book overall.
Chapter Books – My Name is Maria Isabel
May 21, 2008 at 4:37 pm | In Chapter Books, realistic fiction | Leave a Comment
Maria Isabel enjoys reading and school, but this year is hard for her. She used to go to school in Puerto Rico, but now that she has moved to the US, she has to go to a new school as well. On the first day of third grade, the teacher decides that since there are two other Marias in the class already, that Maria Isabel will have to go by “Mary” instead. But Maria Isabel isn’t used to that name, and she is constantly in trouble because the teacher thinks she isn’t listening, when really it’s just that she doesn’t recognize the unfamiliar name. Worst of all, the teacher thinks she doesn’t want to participate in the Winter Pageant. When an assignment is given to write about one’s “Greatest Wish” Maria Isabel sees her chance to talk about being in the Pageant after all. But is that really her greatest wish? What about her name and identity?
Alma Flor Ada is also a professor of multicultural education, and no doubt writes this story in part as a response to what many multicultural children experience. I would hope that there are no teachers left that are so insensitive that they would haphazardly rename a child, but I fear that this might be the case. Maria Isabel’s pride in her name and her heritage is strong, even if she is too shy to stand up for herself at first. While the ending is a little too pat – what would she have done if the essay had not been assigned? – the strength of the story lies in Maria Isabel’s struggle and eventual growth to speak up for herself.
Young Adult – Monster Blood Tattoo: Foundling
May 20, 2008 at 12:11 pm | In Young adult, fantasy | Leave a Comment
Rossamund’s life so far has been far from extraordinary. Not only does he have a girl’s name, but he was dropped off as an infant at a Foundlingery, to be raised as amongst the orphanages. Not all is bad. He is unpopular with his peers, but some of the staff have taken a shine to him. So it is with mixed reactions that he learns he is to be sent off into the world, to be a Lamplighter for the Empire. He’s glad to be out of the Foundlingery, but also disappointed: he’d hoped to be a sailor on the vinegar seas, fighting monsters.
But life as a lamplighter might not be as boring as Rossamund initially thought. Just his trip to get to the lamplighter institution is an adventure in itself. People he meets along the way are strange, such as the lightning-wielding, extremely mercurial Europe, whose powers stem from implanted organs that put her in constant danger of death if she does not drink regular potions. Others, such as Rivermaster Poundinch – who may or may not be dealing in the Dark Trades – seem friendly at first, but soon show another side. It is hard for Rossamund to know who to trust … especially when his first encounters with the feared and hated monsters leaves him wondering if, just perhaps, the monsters are not so bad after all.
This is the first book in a series. It would be fairly obvious, even if there wasn’t a prominent “BOOK 1″ on the cover, because the feel of the book is very much of setting up the story and introducing characters, concepts, and the world itself. The setting is incredibly detailed: there are more than a hundred pages in the back of the already quite-long book devoted entirely to a glossary and “explicarium” of the world. Author D. M. Cornish (who also provided the detailed illustrations) spent more than a decade working on the world, its customs, and inhabitants, and it shows. There is a sense of a larger structure and bigger picture going on outside of Rossamund’s story that can sometimes be lacking in fantasy novels.
While the story gets off to a bit of a slow start (partly because Rossamund is hesitant to act, obviously an area where the author is giving the character room to grow) it is soon rolling along, filled with action and adventure – and the underlying question, posed by the oft-time frightening Europe, of where exactly it is that adventure ends and violence begins.
Nonfiction – Face to Face with Caterpillars
May 17, 2008 at 12:12 pm | In Nonfiction | Leave a Comment/SC.GIF&client=clamp)
Caterpillars are often neglected, left in the shadow by their more ostentatious adult forms of butterflies and moths. Photographer Darlyne Murawski finds beauty in the lowly caterpillar, however, and she is determined to share it with the rest of us. A photographer with National Geographic, the author describes general characteristics of caterpillars, giving specific examples to illustrate points relating to topics such as self-defense, food, or camouflage. Every comment is illustrated with gorgeous close-up photos of caterpillars taken in their natural habitats.
The format of the book works well. Every photo has a caption giving extra information, with most of the text and ideas in the main body of the book. There were occasionally times when I wished there was more information on a specific type of caterpillar, but as this was a general purpose book, that is perhaps inevitable. The text is clear and concise, written at the perfect level. An author’s note at the end acknowledges that most insects have scientific names, and lists them in the back, but otherwise common names are used, an appropriate choice for a children’s book. The use of the first person is also a nice touch, reinforcing that the author has personal experience with caterpillars, and, perhaps, allowing children to imagine what it would be like to choose photography, or perhaps entomology, as a career.
Picture Book – The House in the Night
May 16, 2008 at 1:23 pm | In Picture Books | Leave a CommentTags: children's books
Cumulative stories, such as This is the House that Jack Built are a staple of children’s literature. I have never particularly cared for this type of story, however. The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson, however manages to skillfully blend the elements of a cumulative tale that appeal to children – namely the repetition and familiarity of the format – while at the same time doing so in a manner that is not boring or repetitious or likely to leave the adult reader impatiently awaiting the final refrain. Instead, the book gently unfolds a nested story using the illustrations as much as the text to back up the idea that the each succeeding element is a piece of the last, rather than endlessly repeating the previous information. The second half of the book slowly brings us back to the beginning.
The illustrations by Beth Krommes perfectly accompany the words. The pictures are mostly shades of black and grey, with spots of gold that are practically lit up by the contrast with the darkness around them. Small details abound, rewarding an observant reader. The image of a girl imagining herself on the back of a bird is exultant without being in the least twee.
The book as a whole is a quieter, gentler story than many others found in the children’s room. It would be perfect for a bedtime story, or for a quiet spell in the middle of a busy day. When this year’s award nominations are announced, I will be very surprised if this book is not nominated in at least one award competition.
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