Book Review: A Home for Bird by Philip C. Stead

Book: A Home for Bird
Author: Philip C. Stead
Illustrator: Philip C. Stead
Published: 2012
Source: Local Library

Vernon the toad finds a little bird while out one day, and immediately takes it under his arm. Even though Bird won’t talk to him, he takes him all around and shows off his world. But Bird is resolutely mute, and Vernon starts to wonder if his new friend is depressed. He sets off on a quixotic journey to find Bird’s home.

When I read this to kids, they immediately cottoned on to the fact that Bird was a little wooden carving. Some believed that Vernon would find Bird a home anyway, but some loudly decried such a notion. Both groups were delighted by the ending.

Whether together or apart, the Steads (A Sick Day for Amos McGee) have a quiet, gentle charm about their stories and illustrations. Philip’s solo outing is a lovely story about friendship.

Book Review: Good News, Bad News by Jeff Mack

Book: Good News, Bad News
Author: Jeff Mack
Illustrator: Jeff Mack
Published: 2012
Source: Local Library

A rabbit and a mouse go on a picnic. From the worm in the apple to the bear in the cave, a succession of disasters keep coming up. But the optimistic rabbit keeps finding something to be happy about, until the mouse can’t take it anymore.

Talk about a fun readaloud. Such simple text (each page, except the last, says either “Good news!” or “Bad news!”) means that even the most struggling of readers can manage, and it’s fun to figure out how things are going to ruined or saved next.

Reading Roundup: April 2013

By the Numbers
Picture Books: 19


Sources
Library: all

Standouts
Writing: It's Monday, Mrs. Jolly Bones by Warren Hanson, illustrated by Tricia Tusa
After reading this book, I turned to my colleague and said, "Any way we can do a Days of the Week storytime theme?" This tale of everyday chores done in a crazy, silly way just made me yearn for a storytime to do it in.
Illustration: Green by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
As promised, this conceptual book explores all different shades of the title color, right down to "no green." Great for spring, colors, and many other themes.
Overall: The Dark by Lemony Snicket, illustrated by Jon Klassen
A beautiful story about a universal childhood fear. This was absolutely amazing.

Because I Want To Awards
Oh, the Angst!: Ball by Mary Sullivan
A dog can't find anyone to play ball with him, until his young master gets home from school. The sweetly potbellied pup will prompt "Awww"s from the stoniest heart.
Be Prepared to Read This Backward and Forward - Literally: A Long Way Away by Frank Viva
Like his first book, Along a Long Road, the art for this was created in one piece. However, this was designed to be read backward and forward. I predict that kids will trace the path with fingers and eyes over and over again.

Reading Roundup: March 2013

By the Numbers
Picture Books: 13

Sources
Library: All

Standouts
Writing: One by Kathryn Otoshi
For a very simple book, there's so much packed in here. There's stuff about bullying, personal identity, standing up for yourself and others. Plus numbers and colors!
Illustration: Vampirina Ballerina, illustrated by LeUyen Pham, written by Anne Marie Pace
Pham's cuddly vampires and sly visual jokes are the star of this show. I especially loved how Vampirina would turn into a bat at times of stress, to her classmates' consternation.
Overall: Rain! by Linda Ashman, illustrated by Christian Robinson
On the same rainy day, two people approach it with opposite attitudes - one is cheerful and positive, the other grumpy and mean. When they meet, which one wins?

Because I Want To Awards
Why Sharp Eyes are Good: Happy Birthday, Bunny by Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin
Maybe I'm easily amused (maybe?) but the carrot symbol on the bunny's iPhone in this sweet birthday story cracks me up every time.
Oh, Bob Shea, I Love You: Cheetah Can't Lose by Bob Shea
I didn't even know this was coming out until it landed on my desk. The story of two kittens who conspire to knock their friend cheetah down a peg or two will inspire giggles.

Book Review: Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin, illustrated by Daniel Salmieri

Book: Dragons Love Tacos
Author: Adam Rubin
Illustrator: Daniel Salmieri
Published: 2012
Source: Local Library

Dragons love tacos. Why is this? Nobody knows. It could be any number of reasons, but the end result is the same: dragons love tacos. But--and this is important!--they can’t stand spicy salsa. So if you’re giving a taco party for dragons, make absolutely sure there isn’t one single speck of jalapeno in your salsa. Or who knows what might happen?

When I first read this book, I laughed out loud. Is it the illustrations, with all their different varieties of dragon? Is it the narration, which builds on itself without being obnoxiously repetitious? Is it the scene that shows exactly what happens when dragons ingest spicy salsa? (Tip: it ain’t pretty.) Who knows. It made me smile. But I had my doubts about the length, which was on the long side for some of my storytime groups. I decided to try it, and lo and behold, they loved it too.

Book Review: Apple Cake by Julie Paschkis

Book: Apple Cake: A Recipe for Love
Author: Julie Paschkis
Illustrator: Julie Paschkis
Published: 2013
Source: Local Library

Alfonso is in love with Ida, but alas! Ida never looks up from her books to see him. So he sets about wooing her with apple cake. Will a sweet treat catch her attention long enough to show her his heart?

I adore Julie Paschkis’s art style. Can we just get that out of the way? I would pore over her grocery-list doodles. I’d have to be much more educated in art than I am to explain why I love them, but I think part of it is the simple lines, soft colors, and the willingness to be more than a little fanciful.

With this book, she showcases that fancifulness. The simple, almost prosaic text (“he beat two tablespoons of butter with a cup of sugar”) contrasts with the glorious illustrations. On the page quoted, for instance, he gets the butter by squeezing it from the sun, and the sugar from a friendly honeybee atop a few puffy clouds. This book, which landed on my desk just when I was looking for a Valentine's Day without an overabundance of treacle or pink, has ensured itself a place on my storytime shelf.

Stack-Buster #8

All by Myself! by Emile Jadoul
A little penguin gets his mommy and daddy out of bed every night to help him go potty. As you can imagine, this leads to some pretty severe sleep deprivation on Mommy and Daddy’s part. Can they possibly convince him that big boys go all by themselves? With a familiar situation and sympathetic parents (check out the illustration of the severely sleep-deprived grown-up penguins for a huge laugh), this one will have a long life.

Creepy Carrots written by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Peter Brown
Jasper Rabbit loves carrots, but all of a sudden, he’s seeing them everywhere. They follow him to school, they’re under his bed, they’re all over the place. But nobody believes him! What to do? An entertainingly creepy book with a twist ending you’ll enjoy.






 Goldilocks and Just One Bear by Leigh Hodgkinson
A bear visiting a city is somewhat overwhelmed, and hides away in an apartment, eating porridge, sitting on chairs, and sleeping in beds - until the apartment’s inhabitants come home. One of them is very familiar . . . This retelling/inversion of the familiar fairy tale is endlessly entertaining.