Isabella Girl on the Go

Isabella Girl on the Go by Jennifer Fosberry
Illustrated by Mike Litwin
Published by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
2012

     Isabella, the same creative and adventurous girl from My Name is Not Isabella, is back.  This time around Isabella is spending the day in her backyard with her father. She imagines herself as an archaeologist, a queen, an artist, a warrior, and even an astronomer. Along the way, she takes readers on a beautiful journey to some of the most renowned  world monuments and places: the pyramids of Giza, the Eiffel Tower, Chichen Izta, the Great Wall of China, and the Taj Mahal, among others.
     Her father keeps asking her to help around the backyard, but Isabella has bigger plans and an imagination to take her there.  The illustrations by Litwin are wonderful. There are wonderful details to captivate readers in each page, like the buttons that make Isabella's stuff animal eyes and that reappear throughout the illustrations. Or you can try to figure out where did Isabella get her inspirations for each journey (like the  tomato plant that turns into the Eiffel Tower or the wooden fence that becomes the Great Wall). At the back of the book, there is a description of all the places Isabella visited as well as a list of resources to learn more about them.  Great book to share with all the girls in your life!

John Jensen Feels Different

John Jensen Feels Different by Henrik Hovland
Illustrated by Torill Kove
Translated by Don Bartlett
Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
2012


     John Jensen feel different. He feels different while he reads the Oslo Times, while he brushes his teeth and flosses, while he takes the bus to work, even while he sits in his tax office working on cases. He thinks it might be his bow tie. "No one else wears a bow tie." So he tries wearing a regular tie, but he still feels like everybody is starting at him. Maybe it's because John Jensen is an crocodile in a city of humans...

     He lays awake at night (reading Camus' The Stranger) and decides he needs to hide his tail. Maybe that will do the trick. But when he ends up with a bruised tail and needs to go to the hospital, John Jensen discovers that he's not the only one that doesn't quite look like the other Oslo citizens, and that there are many advantages to being a crocodile (like using your tail to stop the ball when you play goalie in soccer.


     John Jensen Feels Different is a Norwegian picture book that embraces its "norwegianess."  It immerses you in Oslo and its culture and captivates you with a character who you can't help falling in love with. I mean, he's a croc that reads Camus and wears bow ties! Delightful read aloud that can open up great conversations in the classroom about embracing your differences and loving yourself. Also, if you need a lesson on how to make a bow tie knot, enjoy the end papers. Priceless.

Green

Green by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Illustrated by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Published by Roaring Brook Press
2012

     How many kinds of green are there?  In her new book Green, Laura Vaccaro will delight you with all the types of green -including the absence of it- that you can find in nature.  There is forest green,  sea green,  lime green, and fern green. Ok, so you might have expected those. But what about "slow green," or "shaded green," or "wacky green?"  And my absolute favorite: never green (illustrated with a huge bright red stop sign).  Each page is meant to be savored, holding a little secret in the form of small paper cutouts that transform into something new as you flip the pages.  It became a fun prediction game among the early readers I shared the book with -they were all trying to guess what the cut out would become as we explored new greens.
     Green is a gorgeous exploration of a single color, a homage to it.  It plays on the expected and unexpected and asks us to pay attention to nature and its wonders.  Great book to share with the youngest readers (and as a coffee table delight at home).

The Easter Bunny's Assistant

The Easter Bunny's Assistant by Jan Thomas
Illustrated by Jan Thomas
Published by Harper
Ages 2-5
2012

     The Easter bunny is here to help you make beautiful Easter eggs.  He has enlisted the help of his trusted assistant, the skunk.  Easter bunny starts listing the steps necessary to make the Easter eggs, but there is a serious problem: Skunk is getting excited. Too excited. And do you know what happens when skunks get excited? Well, they do their skunk thing...they stink up the place. Easter bunny tries to get him to control himself but nothing is helping.  How will they get through their lesson on how to make beautiful Easter eggs?
     The Easter Bunny's Assistant is hilarious.  The bright illustrations by Thomas and the funny dialogue makes this a great read aloud for the youngest readers. It can also be used as an example of procedural writing and for sequencing activities.

Kali's Song

Kali's Song by Jeanette Winter
Illustrated by Jeanette Winter
Published by Schwartz and Wade Books
2012

     Thousands of years ago, during prehistoric times, Kali watched his mother painting animals on a cave wall. She told him that soon he'll be a man and he will have to go out and hunt those animals.  His father gave Kali a bow and arrow and told him to practice. But, while resting after hours of practice Kali idly plucked the string on his bow, he liked the sound it made. "Then, still plucking he put the bow to his lips. As he opened and closed his mouth, new sounds filled the quiet air."  Kali forgot about hunting and fell in love with music. As the day of the big hunt arrived, Kali heads out with his bow and arrows. When he comes across a herd of mammoths, their beauty inspires Kali to play music for them. Soon both animals and hunters are mesmerized by the sounds Kali produces, the magic of his music, something only a shaman, a leader, would be able to produce.
     Kali's Song is a remarkable picture book about the beauty and power and music and art. It's a quiet book whose message speaks volumes. The lyrical quality of its text and the gentle quality of its illustrations are a perfect match.  Gorgeous book to share out loud.

Cupcake Surprise!

Cupcake Surprise! by Lynn Maslen Kertell
Illustrated by Sue Hendra
Published by Scholastic
2012

     Today is Jack and Ana's dad's birthday and they have decided to surprise him and bake some cupcakes.  They find the cookbook, gather the ingredients and along the way they have a couple of unexpected surprises of their own.
     Cupcake Surprise! is an early reader book, a new addition to the BOB books family.  The book has easy to sound-out words, sight words, and simple sentences. The story is engaging and offers many opportunities to check comprehension skills along the way, as well as sequencing and  predicting activities.  The back of the book has 16 cut out flash cards to practice vocabulary and fluency.  Great addition to the early reader libraries at home and in the K-1 classrooms.

The Word Collector

The Word Collector by Sonja Wimmer
Illustrated by Sonja Wimmer
Translated by Jon Brokenbrow
Published by Cuento de Luz
2011

     Luna, whose name means "Moon" in Spanish, was a little girl that lived high up in the sky.  She was passionate about words and collected them. She collected "funny words that tickle your palate when you say them, words so beautiful that they make you cry, friendly words that embrace your soul."  But when she notices that less words are reaching her up in the sky, that people are forgetting all the beautiful words, Luna knows is time to act. "She put all of the words she had in a big suitcase, and set off with them on a journey."  Luna embarks on a journey that will help her spread the power of positive words all over the world.
     The Word Collector is a beautiful picture book, an ode to language and words.  Sonja Wimmer plays with fonts and text placement along the story, making us trace the path of the words along the page.  The changes in type and orientation of the text are complemented by whimsical illustrations that take us to a dreamlike world.  Each page asks to be savored, each detail taken into account. I loved the fact that even after the translation of the text from Spanish to English, there were places where words in Spanish could still be spotted (framed picture that reads "las palabras locas", or a paper airplane made from a Spanish newspaper). There is an addendum where the text is written in a more conventional manner to make it easier to read -good idea to go here first, if you're trying to share it as a read aloud.
     The Word Collector will capture any reader, young and old, who loves language and words. With  lyrical text, beautiful language and illustrations, this is a delightful addition to any home or classroom library.

Here Come the Girl Scouts!

Here Come the Girl Scouts! by Shana Corey
Illustrated by Hadley Hooper
Published by Scholastic Press
2012

     One hundred years ago, on March 12, 1912 Juliette "Daisy" Gordon Low invited a group of girls in Savannah, Georgia to the first official Girl Scout meeting.  Daisy, an adventurous woman, spent time in Britain where she learned about the Boy Scouts and their sister group, the Girl Guides.  She knew she needed to bring that concept to America. She wanted to make sure girls had an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors, survive in the wilderness, and more than anything, that they had the chance to develop their confidence, become resourceful, and always stay kind.  With time the Girl Scouts grew to become a nationwide organization that still continues to "unite, inspire, and empower girls."
    Here Come the Girl Scouts! it's a wonderful picture book biography.  It's impossible not to fall for Daisy's spirit and passion.  Now, I have to be honest, till I read this book, the only thing I really knew about the Girls Scouts was how much I loved those Thin Mints and Samoas.  After reading Here Come the Girl Scouts! I'm not only a fan of Daisy and her gumption, but I now feel like I have to find a Girl Scout troop so my little girl can be a part of this somehow.  The text by Corey flows effortlessly, with wonderful quotes scattered throughout the book, (my favorite: Whatever you take up, do it with all your might) and an author note  full of interesting anecdotes.  Hooper's illustrations are delightful and playful, a great companion to a non-fiction book that manages to be charming and inspiring.  Wonderful addition to a biography classroom collection.

I Don't Want to Be a Pea!

I Don't Want to Be a Pea! by Ann Bonwill
Illustrated by Simon Rickerty
Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
2012

     -All hippos have birds, and Bella is mine.
     -Correction. All birds have hippos, and Hugo is mine.

     Hugo the hippo and Bella the bird are inseparable friends. They are getting ready to attend the Hippo-Bird Fairy-Tale Fancy Dress Party (or Bird-Hippo party, if you ask Bella) and they have to decide on a costume. Hugo wants to go as a princes and have Bella go as a pea.  "But I don't want to be a pea. It's too green and small," says Bella. She has other plans.  What about her going as a mermaid and Hugo being her rock? (since he is "gray and blobby").  As their disagreement grows, they decide neither one of them wants to go to the party anymore. Will they find a compromise?
     I Don't Want to Be a Pea! is a delightful read aloud, great for the youngest readers and the lower elementary grades. It works great as a pair reading and it leads itself to hilarious act-it-outs.  I dare you to pick a favorite between Hugo and Bella.

Memoirs of a Goldfish

Memoirs of a Goldfish by Devin Scillian
Illustrated by Tim Bowers
Published by Scholastic
2010

     The first day, he swam around his fishbowl. The second day, he did the same thing, twice. Third day? same thing. But by day four, the goldfish sees something new inside his fishbowl.  Goldfish finds his new companion (a scuba diver figurine) to be kind of creepy: "He doesn't say anything. He just bubbles." By day 6, a bunch of plants are added. "I guess I'll have to water them. Great." And then it just starts getting crowded inside the fishbowl: first a snail, then a crab, then a pair of guppies and even "an angelfish named Cha-Cha who says she's from Hollywood." Goldfish has no room left to turn around.  Day Eleven: he's a nervous wreck. Day Twelve? He lost it and screamed, "I want my bowl back."  When he gets his wish, will he be able to enjoy his newly found solitude or will he miss his fishbowl companions?
    Memoirs of a Goldfish is told in first person following the format of a diary.  The daily entries by the goldfish are full of voice and personality, and the characters that move one by one into his bowl add to the hilarity of the tale.  With great illustrations and funny situations, Memoirs of a Goldfish is a great read aloud.

One Cool Friend

One Cool Friend by Toni Buzzeo
Illustrated by David Small
Published by Dial Books for Young Readers
2012

     "Elliot was a very proper young man." He always wore a stylish black tux, bow-tie and all. His father took him to the aquarium, and while trying to avoid the mobs of kids at the other exhibits, Elliot reaches the penguin room.  And there they were, "in their tidy black feather tuxedos with their proper posture."  A perfect pet for a gentleman like Elliot.  When he asked his father for a penguin, he gave him money to buy what he thought was a stuffed animal penguin.  But Elliot packed a real penguin in his knapsack instead.  Elliot named his perfect new pet Magellan.  Now, a penguin is not easy to keep at home, especially when you're trying to keep it a secret.
     I loved One Cool Friend! Just like Elliot, I found it to be stylish and cool.  The illustrations by David Small are a perfect match with the story and I loved the way the text plays with dialogue bubbles as part of the regular text.  The final twist in the story totally sold it.  Great read aloud!

Zero the Hero

Zero the Hero by Joan Holub
Illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld
Published by Henry Holt and Company
2012

     "Unlike most numbers, Zero believed himself to be a hero. He just needed a chance to prove it."  Unfortunately, Zero just didn't seem to fit among the other numbers. He needed other numbers to have some value, and by himself he amounted to zero, zilch, nada.  He was confused with the letter "O" and donuts, and whether he was added or subtracted, the answer never changed. He just didn't count.  One day, Zero discovered that he had a special power when it came to multiplication: he made things disappear.  Afraid of him the other numbers ran away and feeling more like a villain than a hero, Zero rolled himself "heading for infinity or oblivion, whichever came first."  But when a group of truly villainous Roman Numerals captured all the other digits, Zero finally has a chance to be the hero he always knew he could be.
     It's been a while since I've found a Math Picture Book that I just HAVE to have in my math classroom library. Zero the Hero is that kind of book.  It's hilariously clever, full of content area connections, and Lichtenheld's illustrations are delightful and filled with a sense of humor that will captivate students and teachers alike. Zero turns out to be a pretty cool and useful hero.

Blog Anniversary

    
     I started blogging a year ago today. It was my midwinter break and I was reading a book on writing children's books. At the end of the first chapter it gave me some "homework": to read a bunch of picture books and find one that I really liked, one that I didn't and explain why.  I soon realized I couldn't verbalize the reasons why some picture books appealed to me and some just didn't.  I also noticed that books that were being regarded as classics, I had never read. Granted I didn't grow up in the US, but still, for somebody that loved children's literature as much as I do, it was embarrassing to admit that there was so much I had never read or even heard of (I won't forget the look of utter disbelief in a friend's face when he asked me if I had read Sylvester and the Magic Pebble and I said that I hadn't).  And so this blog was born out of the desire to educate myself about what was out there in the picture book world, what worked and what didn't.  
     In the process, I have fallen in love with picture books...completely in love.  I no longer like picture books. I love them. I need them.  I get a rush out of my weekly trips to the library, excited to see how many books are waiting for me in my hold pile (I'm pretty proud of the fact that I request so many books a week, that my lovely Peekskill librarians don't even bother to put my books in the "hold's drawer," but keep them on a separate pile).   
     I have learned so much during this past year. This "thing" has changed me completely.  Let me count the ways:
1. Going to my town's library multiple times a week made me feel like a much more active part of my community.  I got to know my librarians and I feel a lot more connected to my town. 
2. I'm a proud member of the Nerdy Book Club. The daily emails have become a part of my morning routine and the constant book recommendations have exposed me to new writers and new favorites.
3. I have connected with an amazing Twitter community.  I'm constantly learning from them and I feel like I have friends all over the place. I've never met any of them face to face (not yet), but I think of them as dear friends.
4. I've become a better teacher. Reading so much has allowed me to share a lot more with my students, connecting them with books and opening new lines of dialogue.  
5. I've met writers and illustrators, and even interviewed a couple of them. Now, for a book nerd like me, that has been as cool as going backstage to see your favorite rock band.
    So there you go.  I thought after a year I would stop writing this blog but now that seems completely impossible to me. This is such a big part of my life that I can't imagine not doing it anymore. I might not post everyday as I've done so far, but I'll be here most days. I have to. I want to.

Extra Yarn

Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett
Illustrated by Jon Klassen
Published by Balzer + Bray
2012

     "In a cold little town, where everywhere you looked was either the white of snow or the black of soot from chimneys," a little girl and her dog found a box with yarn of every color.  Anabelle first knitted herself a sweater, and then one for her dog Mars too. "But there was still extra yarn."  So Anabelle begins to knit something for everyone, and everything, bringing color to her drab town.
     Extra Yarn has it all:  fantastic design and tale full of wonder, magic, even an evil archduke.  Jon Klassen's illustrations are wonderful (Oh! how I've missed you Bear and Rabbit...who needs a red hat when you can have multicolored hand knitted sweaters?).  This one is an early favorite for this year's top books.

And Then It's Spring

And Then It's Spring by Julie Fogliano
Illustrated by Erin E. Stead
Published by Roaring Brook Press
2012

     Winter is loosening its grip and outdoors everything is brown.  A boy and his dog (and a rabbit and a turtle) head out carrying a bag of seeds.  And then they wait. They wait for rain and sun.  "And it is still brown, but a hopeful, very possible sort of brown."  And they wait a bit more, looking for any sign of green. They worry about the little seeds and what could have happened to them to keep them from growing. Wait some more.  And then it's spring.
    And Then It's Spring is delightful, lyrical, and sweet. It's about patience and dedication.  It reminded me of one of my favorite picture books, The Carrot Seed,  and that's a really good thing.  The illustrations by the Caldecott Medal winner Erin E. Stead are gorgeous and feel as delicate as the little seeds fighting to bring the green into the picture.  Can't wait to share it in the classroom. Just beautiful!

Madeline

Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
Illustrated by Ludwig Bemelmans
1939

     Madeline was awarded the Caldecott Honor in 1940.  I start by saying this because it's one of the few picture books published during the 1930s to have receive that honor and still feel like a current book and have as much appeal now as it did back then.
     Madeline is the story of a brave and spunky girl who attends a Catholic boarding school for girls in Paris.  She was the smallest of her class of twelve but she was the most spirited of them all.  A bit of a trouble maker, she always knew how to frighten Miss Clavel with her antics.  When one night Madeline wakes up screaming in pain, she is rushed to the hospital for an emergency appendectomy.  When her classmates came to visit her at the hospital, Madeline proudly shows her new scar.  Back at school, Miss Clavel must send to bed the rest of the girls who are all now wishing to have their own appendixes removed.  "And she turned out the light- and closed the door- and that's all there is- there isn't any more.
     If you have only known Madeline through her more modern portraits and editions, do yourself a favor and grab this 1939 one.  The yellow and black illustrations are wonderful and the flow and rhythm of the text are delightful.  Love Madeline!

If You Lived Here. Houses of the World

If You Lived Here. House of the World by Giles Laroche
Illustrated by Giles Laroche
Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
2011

     If You Lived Here: Houses of the World is a non-fiction picture book that describes different types of homes and dwellings from all over the world. Each page spread explores a different type of home, all starting with "If you lived here" and continuing with a description of what your home would look like.  Giles Laroche has included specific information about each kind of house under the headings: House Type, Material, Location, Date, and Fascinating Facts (did you know that logs from trees felled in winter were thought to last longer than those cut in other seasons?).  You'll learn about Chalets, Dogtrots, Pueblos, Fujian Tulous, Palafitos and Yurts, as well as other more common types like trailers and townhouses.
     The intricate bas-relief cut-paper collages created by Giles Laroche are incredible, beautiful.  This is the kind of picture book that could be in a classroom library, in a home bookshelf, or in a coffee table, and feel at ease in either one.

Just in Case. A Trickster Tale and Spanish Alphabet Book

Just in Case. A Trickster Tale and Spanish Alphabet Book by Yuyi Morales
Illustrated by Yuyi Morales
Published by Roaring Brook Press
2008

     Señor Calavera couldn't wait to get to Grandma Beetle's birthday party. He had ironed his tie, put on cologne, dusted his hat (which now sits on top of his cover of A Hundred Years of Solitude -a hint of the magic to come), and prepped his bike.  On his way there, he heard "a moan from beyond the grave."  It was Zelmiro the Ghost, a friendly looking ghost of an old man.  Zelmiro reminded Señor Calavera that he needed to bring Grandma Beetle a gift.  "You surely must know, the best present to give a friend is the thing she would love the most."  So Señor Calavera packs up un Acordeón (an accordion), Bigotes (a mustache), Cosquillas (tickles), and un CHiflido (a whistle).  Zelmiro celebrated Señor Calavera's choices but he wondered out loud, "are they what Grandma Beetle would love the most?"
     Señor Calavera ends up collecting a gift for each letter of the alphabet -except the Z- but it has taken him so long that he's now late for the party and in his rush, he ends up crashing his bike and dropping all the presents. He couldn't believe his misforture. He had no more time and no presents at all...except for the person Grandma Beetle had loved the most: Grandpa Zelmiro!
     Just in Case is a delightful trickster tale.  Yuyi Morales has done a wonderful job of incorporating a bilingual alphabet book into the thread of a truly entertaining tale.  The illustrations are gorgeous, filled with traditional Mexican images (starting with Señor Calavera, and complete with the classic Mexican lottery game) and plenty of fun details to savor over multiple reads.  And you gotta love the ending!
     
   

Happy Pig Day!

Happy Pig Day! by Mo Willems
Illustrated by Mo Willems
Published by Hyperion Books
2011

     Piggie is beyond excited. She runs to her friend Gerald to share with him the thrilling news: "Today is the best day of the year!"  It's Happy Pig Day! Gerald had never heard of such a day, so Piggie explains how you get to sing and dance, eat pig food, and play pig games. She's even brought some of her friends along to celebrate.  But how can Gerald, an elephant, join in all the fun? He doesn't look anything like a pig!
     Once again, Mo Willems has given us a delightful early reader, full of clever dialogue, overly dramatic line deliveries and tons of fun.  Happy Pig Day! is a wonderful reminder of finding ways to celebrate the joy of friendship.  I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again: Don't miss the Elephant and Piggie books!
   

The Wooden Sword

The Wooden Sword by Ann Redisch Stampler
Illustrated by Carol Liddiment
Published by Albert Whitman & Company
2012

     "One starry night in old Kabul, the good shah couldn't fall asleep."  He looked out his window and wondered if the people in town were happy or sad, "rick or poor, foolish or wise." So he dressed up as a servant and left the palace to find out for himself without anybody recognizing him.  When he reached the poorest section of the poorest street he looked inside the window of a home from which sounds of laughter and singing emerged.  He saw a young couple happy together, sharing "nectar of sweet raisins by the light of their two Sabbath lamps." Wondering how poor people could be so happy, he knocked on their door and was immediately invited inside by the young man, who offered to shared his food -although he had very little.  The young man explained to the shah that he was a shoe maker and that every day he earned enough to buy food for dinner. The shah was curious and questioned him "But what if one day you can't earn enough puli?"  The shoemaker, while giving the shah his largest apricot, explained that he just didn't worry about that sort of thing. "If one path is blocked, God leads me to another, and everything turns out just as it should."
     The shah left that night impressed and wondering how strong the shoemaker's faith might be. So he decided to test it while ensuring no harm would really come to the young man.  He decreed that repairing shoes was illegal and the shoemaker found a way to work as a water delivery man that day, therefore still providing food for dinner. The shah then made delivering water illegal as well, so the young man found a new job. Nothing the shah tried seemed to shake the young man's faith and optimism.  Eventually, the young man ends up as a royal guard.  How will he do when he's asked to become an executioner?
     The Wooden Sword is a delightful retelling of a classic Afghani Jewish folktale.  It's a tale about faith, optimism, and resourcefulness to overcome any obstacles.  The illustrations by Liddiment are vibrant and offer an insight into a time and culture unfamiliar to most readers. Excellent addition to the folktale library.