Classics, Nonfiction, and Children's Literature
Even after reading Jonathon and the Big Blue Boat by Philip C. Stead (Roaring Brook Press, 2011) multiple times, I’m still undecided about what I think of the story. The fabulous illustrations, a mix of acrylics and collages (particularly stamps, maps, and patterns from around the world), make this a fantastic book to pour over and examine the
Poor Sam the giraffe is a painfully shy young student, but in Too Shy for Show-and-Tell by Beth Bracken and illustrated by Jennifer Bell (Picture Window Books, August 2011), he finds the courage to speak up and share some of his favorite things. Although the thought of talking to his class makes his stomach hurt in the beginning,
Back to School Tortoise by Lucy George and illustration by Merel Eyckerman (Albert Whitman, 2011) is a perfect back-to-school story for the student or teacher you may know. Like many, Tortoise is a bit nervous about the first day of school. The story follows his worries and then takes him to the door of his classroom, where
Bear has to learn what it means to have and be a friend in the “Story of True Friendship” Bug and Bear by Ann Bonwill and illustrated by Layn Marlow (Marshall Cavendish Children, 2011). Bear is too tired to play with his annoying friend Bug, but when he is finally left alone, he misses his
Chameleons are fascinating in how they adapt their appearance to match their environment. In Blue Chameleon by Emily Gravett (Simon and Schuster, 2011), this is taken a step further as Blue Chameleon, who is lonely, tries to adapt himself to match the new friends he meets: yellow banana, pink cockatoo, stripy sock, spotty ball, and
The Busy Life of Ernestine Buckmeister by Linda Ravin Lodding and illustrated by Suzanne Beaky (Flashlight Press, 2011) is an anti-Tiger Mom story. (I happened to read it the first time the same week I reviewed Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, so the timing seemed quite ironic to me.) Poor young Ernestine is overscheduled with (ridiculous)after-school tasks, from
Pirate vs. Pirate by Mary Quattlebaum and illustrated by Alexandra Boiger (Hyperion, 2011) is the story of two unfriendly pirates: the biggest, burliest pirate and the maddest, mightiest pirate of their oceans. When they meet, they are determined to figure out who is the best pirate in the world, with surprising results. The ridiculous exaggerations and insults
The book Olive and Snowflake by Tammie Lyon (Marvell Cavendish, 2011) shows a girl and her dog who have some issues: Olive is clumsy and messy, and her dog likewise causes messes and gets them both in trouble! When Olive’s parents give an ultimatum (obedience school or the dog must go!), Olive wonders if she
I had mixed feelings when I first read Meena by Sine van Mol and illustrated by Carianne Wijffels (Eerdman’s, 2011, originally published 210 in Belgium) because it so frankly depicts neighborhood bullying; my son, being four, seems far from that issue and I made sure to keep it away from him. Obviously, this is a book for older children to
The Ballad of Booster Bogg by Ellen Jackson and illustrated by Christine Mannone Carolan (Shenanigan Books, 2011) is a humorous rhyming story about a dog who doesn’t want an owner. He loves to be free to explore the world. Because he’s an adorable and friendly dog, different people in town try to adopt him and spoil him,
Little Owl’s Night by Divya Srinivasan (Viking, 2011) has a basic storyline, that of Little Owl enjoying the evening, watching his forest friends, and wondering why anyone would want to sleep through the beautiful night. He wants to see the sunrise so he can see if that’s any good too, but as his mother describes it to
The titular cumulus cloud in Cloudette by Tom Lichtenheld (Henry Holt, 2011) is small and seems insignificant amidst the other, larger clouds. When wind blows her to a desert area, she finds the strength within her to make a difference in her way. The illustrations of the friendly cloud are simple and endearing, and the ultimate resolution is
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