Classics, Nonfiction, and Children's Literature
The Tooth Mouse by Susan Hood and Janice Nadeau (Kids Can Press, 2012) covers the fairy tale tradition of the tooth fairy. I had not known that in many parts of the world the tradition actually relates to a “tooth mouse,” instead of a fairy. In this story, the retiring tooth mouse must find a
The Cloud Spinner by Michael Catchpool and illustrated by Alison Jay (Knopf, 2012) is a fantastic new fairy tale with Jay’s uniquely characteristic illustrations (alkyd paint on thick paper, with crackle varnish). I love her art style: her unique varnish makes the pictures look aged, and the illustrations themselves are attractive and whimsical, which delightful
Goldilocks and Just One Bear by Leigh Hodgkinson (Candlewick Press, 2011) tells the story of Goldilocks from yet a different perspective. A bear who lives in the woods finds himself lost in the big city! The mixed media illustrations are just perfect for the mixed-up bear who just wants some peace and quiet. It’s lucky
The Goldilocks retelling I was most excited to read my son was Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems (Balzer + Bray, 2012), which I was eager to read long before I knew it was on the Cybils nomination list!1 Mo Willems has transformed a traditional story into an amusing new creation in Three
And Then It’s Spring by Julie Fogliano and illustrated by Caldecott Medal winner Erin E. Stead (Roaring Brook Press, 2012) is picture book celebrating a child growing a garden. In this case, the emphasis is on the child waiting for the brown to go away, waiting for the green to appear. I love the stark contrast
The children’s picture book Grandpa’s Garden by Stella Fry and illustrated by Sheila Moxley (Barefoot Books, 2012) follows a child helping his grandpa in, as the title indicates, caring for his garden. They plant the vegetables and fertilize them with compost. The boy waters the growing plants and waits to see the sprouts. Together, grandpa and
Summer Days and Nights by Wong Herbert Yee (Henry Holt, 2012) is a sweet story of a girl enjoying nature during some bright summer days. The illustrations are done with colored pencils on watercolor paper, and the soft feel adds to the relaxing feel of the girl’s summer day. I especially like the cycle through the
Green by Laura Vaccaro Seeger (Roaring Brook Press, 2012) is full of lush illustrations celebrating the different colors of green, from forest green to pea green to faded green. Each page has a die-cut portion that looks on to a previous or subsequent page, thus emphasizing how different things (even “lime green” limes) are also
Time Out for Monsters by Jean Reidy and illustrated by Robert Neubecker (Disney Hyperion, 2012) is the story of a boy’s imagination. An unnamed boy is sent to his time-out chair, and he dreams of what would make his otherwise boring corner more exciting. On the top of his list is, of course, a monster, a
The Monsters’ Monster by Patrick McDonnell (Little Brown, 2012) is another book with adorable creatures who want to be monsters. Grouch, Grump, and Gloom ‘n’ Doom can’t decide who is the scariest monster, so they decide to make their own scary monster. But when their Frankenstein-like experiment succeeds, they find their monster is just as adorable
Spike, the Mixed-up Monster by Susan Hood and illustrated by Melissa Sweet (Simon & Schuster, 2012) tells about a monster who wants to be scary. The problem is that Spike is an axolotl, a tiny Mexican salamander that really is not very scary. None of the other pond friends are afraid of him. When a
Written in Bone: Buried Lives of Jamestown and Colonial Maryland by Sally M. Walker (Carolrhoda, 2009) is about what we can learn about a few early American settlers from their bones and burial. It is both a lesson in very early American history as well as a scientific exploration of forensic anthropology. Since I’m studying
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