Karen GoatKeeper's Blog, page 12
September 10, 2024
"The Man Who Lived Alone", "The Pumpkin Patch" and "Pumpkin Jack"
October is Pumpkin Month and I'm getting in the right mood.
Pumpkin Jack
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Will Hubbell
Pumpkin Jack is a jack o lantern, carved by a boy named Tim. Like all carved pumpkins, Jack gradually decays. Tim buries him. A vine grows producing new pumpkins and Tim has his Pumpkin Jack back again.
This is an excellent, fun way to introduce a plant life cycle.
The illustrations are colorful and inviting. Jack's slow demise is vivid. The new vine invites wonder.
The Pumpkin Patch
4 stars
Author/Photographer: Elizabeth King
Excellent photographs and simple text lead the reader through the growing, harvesting and selling of pumpkins by a small time farmer. There are lots of things about going to a pumpkin patch and looking over a wide array of pumpkins and gourds. It makes visiting a pumpkin patch so inviting.
The Man Who Lived Alone
3 stars
Author: Donald Hall
Illustrator: Mary Azarian
Society encourages people to be part of the group. Not everyone wants to join. This man wants to live on his own and makes a life for himself living alone. He may live alone, but he is not lonely as he is comfortable in his life.
The illustrations are black and white with a look of being woodcuts, although they aren't.
They do a good job illustrating the story, but give it a darker feel than the man's life warrants.
Pumpkin Jack
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Will Hubbell
Pumpkin Jack is a jack o lantern, carved by a boy named Tim. Like all carved pumpkins, Jack gradually decays. Tim buries him. A vine grows producing new pumpkins and Tim has his Pumpkin Jack back again.
This is an excellent, fun way to introduce a plant life cycle.
The illustrations are colorful and inviting. Jack's slow demise is vivid. The new vine invites wonder.
The Pumpkin Patch
4 stars
Author/Photographer: Elizabeth King
Excellent photographs and simple text lead the reader through the growing, harvesting and selling of pumpkins by a small time farmer. There are lots of things about going to a pumpkin patch and looking over a wide array of pumpkins and gourds. It makes visiting a pumpkin patch so inviting.
The Man Who Lived Alone
3 stars
Author: Donald Hall
Illustrator: Mary Azarian
Society encourages people to be part of the group. Not everyone wants to join. This man wants to live on his own and makes a life for himself living alone. He may live alone, but he is not lonely as he is comfortable in his life.
The illustrations are black and white with a look of being woodcuts, although they aren't.
They do a good job illustrating the story, but give it a darker feel than the man's life warrants.
September 6, 2024
"The Boy Who Was Raised by Librarians" and "How BIG Could Your Pumpkin Grow?"
The Boy Who Was Raised by Librarians
5 stars
Author: Carla Morris
Illustrator: Brad Sneed
Melvin didn't really live in the library. However, he spent a lot of time there from when he couldn't see the top of the counter to when he left for college. The librarians were always ready to help him find answers to his questions, find him books on lots of topics, help him with his projects and encourage him.
In the illustrations Melvin progresses from a cute little kid to a cute teenager. The library looks like a place anyone would love to visit. The librarians are great.
How BIG Could Your Pumpkin Grow
3 stars
Author/Illustrator: Wendell Minor
The pumpkins keep getting bigger from garden variety to giants. Then imagination takes over taking pumpkins to ridiculous sizes.
The illustrations are beautifully done. The pumpkin expressions are good for Halloween ideas.
5 stars
Author: Carla Morris
Illustrator: Brad Sneed
Melvin didn't really live in the library. However, he spent a lot of time there from when he couldn't see the top of the counter to when he left for college. The librarians were always ready to help him find answers to his questions, find him books on lots of topics, help him with his projects and encourage him.
In the illustrations Melvin progresses from a cute little kid to a cute teenager. The library looks like a place anyone would love to visit. The librarians are great.
How BIG Could Your Pumpkin Grow
3 stars
Author/Illustrator: Wendell Minor
The pumpkins keep getting bigger from garden variety to giants. Then imagination takes over taking pumpkins to ridiculous sizes.
The illustrations are beautifully done. The pumpkin expressions are good for Halloween ideas.
September 3, 2024
"The Guinea Pig ABC" and "Our Library"
Being able to read be it in print or audio is so important.
The Guinea Pig ABC
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Kate Duke
Each letter of the alphabet is very large with a word underneath for that letter. Yes, this is a very basic ABC book. However-
The guinea pigs are a delight. They are definitely guinea pigs done with whimsey doing lots of antics. The expressions are precious. These illustrations make the book very special.
Our Library
5 stars
Author: Eve Bunting
Illustrator: Maggie Smith
The small local library is in trouble for several reasons. It needs a new roof, money for expenses and a new location. How do you take care of these needs? You check out some books and read all about it. Then you and your friends get the jobs done.
All of the library patrons and the librarian are cute animals, but they are people underneath. Every patron carries or reads a book often in the book. All of the animals are adorable.
The Guinea Pig ABC
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Kate Duke
Each letter of the alphabet is very large with a word underneath for that letter. Yes, this is a very basic ABC book. However-
The guinea pigs are a delight. They are definitely guinea pigs done with whimsey doing lots of antics. The expressions are precious. These illustrations make the book very special.
Our Library
5 stars
Author: Eve Bunting
Illustrator: Maggie Smith
The small local library is in trouble for several reasons. It needs a new roof, money for expenses and a new location. How do you take care of these needs? You check out some books and read all about it. Then you and your friends get the jobs done.
All of the library patrons and the librarian are cute animals, but they are people underneath. Every patron carries or reads a book often in the book. All of the animals are adorable.
August 30, 2024
"The Desperate Dog Writes Again" and "The Little White Owl"
It can be hard to make new friends for lots of reasons.
The Desperate Dog Writes Again
5 stars
Author:/Illustrator: Eileen Christelow
Emma (the dog), George and a cat make a happy trio. Then George meets Loretta. Life is upended for Emma who writes Queenie (think Dear Abby for dogs).
Loretta and her dog Hankie have a happy life until she meets George. Life is upended.
Queenie's suggestions have hilarious consequences. There must be some way for Emma and Hankie to get their lives back. What is it?
The illustrations are done as though they belong in the Sunday comics. It works great in this book and adds to the laughs.
The Little White Owl
5 stars
Author: Tracey Corderoy
Illustrator: Jane Chapman
The little white owl lives alone in the far north with snow. One day the owl decides to go exploring the world and finds a forest with many colorful owls. They snub the little owl.
This little owl is inventive and persistent.
The story is a bit of whimsey as the owl lives with a teddy bear, a clock and eats toast.
The illustrations are soft. The Owls are so colorful. Their eyes are expressive. They make a cute book very charming.
The Desperate Dog Writes Again
5 stars
Author:/Illustrator: Eileen Christelow
Emma (the dog), George and a cat make a happy trio. Then George meets Loretta. Life is upended for Emma who writes Queenie (think Dear Abby for dogs).
Loretta and her dog Hankie have a happy life until she meets George. Life is upended.
Queenie's suggestions have hilarious consequences. There must be some way for Emma and Hankie to get their lives back. What is it?
The illustrations are done as though they belong in the Sunday comics. It works great in this book and adds to the laughs.
The Little White Owl
5 stars
Author: Tracey Corderoy
Illustrator: Jane Chapman
The little white owl lives alone in the far north with snow. One day the owl decides to go exploring the world and finds a forest with many colorful owls. They snub the little owl.
This little owl is inventive and persistent.
The story is a bit of whimsey as the owl lives with a teddy bear, a clock and eats toast.
The illustrations are soft. The Owls are so colorful. Their eyes are expressive. They make a cute book very charming.
August 27, 2024
"Don't Eat the Teacher!" and "Up, Up, Up! It's Apple Picking Time"
Perhaps I was hungry when I picked out these two books. Of course, one is about things you shouldn't eat.
Don't Eat the Teacher
4 stars
Author/Illustrator: Nick Ward
This is a fun, silly book. Sammy Shark is going to his first day at school. The problem is: when he gets excited, he bites any and everything. School is so exciting.
Sammy is one friendly looking shark as are all the characters in this book. The colors and characters are great images.
Up, Up, Up! It's Apple Picking Time
4 stars
Author: Jody Fickes Shapiro
Illustrator: Kitty Harvill
There are hundreds of apple varieties. This book begins with a two page spread of a few of them along with their interesting names.
The story is about a family who gets up early one Saturday and drives to pick apples with their grandparents. They sell the apples on Sunday at their fruit stand.
The illustrations are colorful and basic. They have many apple varieties slipped into them.
The book ends with an apple recipe for some delicious microwave baked apples.
Don't Eat the Teacher
4 stars
Author/Illustrator: Nick Ward
This is a fun, silly book. Sammy Shark is going to his first day at school. The problem is: when he gets excited, he bites any and everything. School is so exciting.
Sammy is one friendly looking shark as are all the characters in this book. The colors and characters are great images.
Up, Up, Up! It's Apple Picking Time
4 stars
Author: Jody Fickes Shapiro
Illustrator: Kitty Harvill
There are hundreds of apple varieties. This book begins with a two page spread of a few of them along with their interesting names.
The story is about a family who gets up early one Saturday and drives to pick apples with their grandparents. They sell the apples on Sunday at their fruit stand.
The illustrations are colorful and basic. They have many apple varieties slipped into them.
The book ends with an apple recipe for some delicious microwave baked apples.
August 23, 2024
"Clotilda", "Redcoats and Petticoats" and "Where the Buffaloes Begin"
A little history, a little fantasy and an American Indian story occupied this week.
Redcoats and Petticoats
4 stars
Author: Katherine Kirkpatrick
Illustrator: Ronald Himler
History texts tell of big battles. They ignore the many tales about regular people trying to cope and help win the war.
During the Revolutionary War, the redcoats arrive in Thomas' village arresting his father and chasing him and his mother out of their house. They take up residence in a nearby cottage. Each day Thomas is told to row to a far bay to look for a whaleboat. As he does so, he fishes and collects clams.
Thomas doesn't really know what is going on or why his mother seems to always be hanging out washing on the clothesline. Yet this work was very important as Thomas finds out after the war.
The illustrations show the clothing, the area and the people well. This matters as these are now things people have no real knowledge of or understanding of what life was like before all of the conveniences and machines we take for granted now.
Clotilda
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Jack Kent
Clotilda is a fairy godmother except she has no one to be a godmother for. Two children find her. One shrugs off her magic as things that would happen anyway. The other is willing to enjoy the magic of these happenings and having a fairy godmother is one of them.
The illustrations are colorful and fun as is the story.
Where the Buffaloes Begin
5 stars favorite
Author: Olaf Baker
Illustrator: Stephen Gammell
Originally written in 1915, this story begins with an ancient Indian legend of a lake far to the south where, at the right time, the buffaloes rise up out of the waters and race off across the plains. The boy Lone Wolf dreams of seeing the buffaloes rise up out of the water and goes in search of the lake. This is the story of his search and the exciting results.
The illustrations are pencil with a softness to give the story a feeling of being an old legend.
Redcoats and Petticoats
4 stars
Author: Katherine Kirkpatrick
Illustrator: Ronald Himler
History texts tell of big battles. They ignore the many tales about regular people trying to cope and help win the war.
During the Revolutionary War, the redcoats arrive in Thomas' village arresting his father and chasing him and his mother out of their house. They take up residence in a nearby cottage. Each day Thomas is told to row to a far bay to look for a whaleboat. As he does so, he fishes and collects clams.
Thomas doesn't really know what is going on or why his mother seems to always be hanging out washing on the clothesline. Yet this work was very important as Thomas finds out after the war.
The illustrations show the clothing, the area and the people well. This matters as these are now things people have no real knowledge of or understanding of what life was like before all of the conveniences and machines we take for granted now.
Clotilda
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Jack Kent
Clotilda is a fairy godmother except she has no one to be a godmother for. Two children find her. One shrugs off her magic as things that would happen anyway. The other is willing to enjoy the magic of these happenings and having a fairy godmother is one of them.
The illustrations are colorful and fun as is the story.
Where the Buffaloes Begin
5 stars favorite
Author: Olaf Baker
Illustrator: Stephen Gammell
Originally written in 1915, this story begins with an ancient Indian legend of a lake far to the south where, at the right time, the buffaloes rise up out of the waters and race off across the plains. The boy Lone Wolf dreams of seeing the buffaloes rise up out of the water and goes in search of the lake. This is the story of his search and the exciting results.
The illustrations are pencil with a softness to give the story a feeling of being an old legend.
August 20, 2024
"Don't Wake the Bear!", Pete the Cat Plays Hide and Seek" and "Wild Symphony"
These books all take the reader outside, even if outside is fanciful.
Don't Wake the Bear!
4 stars
Author: Steve Smallman
Illustrator: Caroline Pedler
The forest animals are having their spring party. Their party spot is around a fallen hollow tree in which a bear is now sleeping. They decide to have their party anyway, but be quiet as the bear will wreck the party. Or will he?
The illustrations are soft, colorful and give the animals a stuffed animal look. They look cuddly.
Pete the Cat Plays Hide and Seek
4 stars
Author/Illustrators: Kimberly and James Dean
The gang is playing hide and seek. Pete is it. He's positive finding everyone will be easy. Once he does he can have a chance to hide.
Pete the Cat illustrations are bold, colorful and fun.
Wild Symphony
4 stars?
Author: Dan Brown
Illustrator: Susan Batori
This is an interactive book with music available on a phone app. I didn't have this.
Maestro Mouse is having a symphony with his animal friends playing the instruments. The illustrations are whimsical.
Referring to the webpage, there are letters hidden on each page spread. Unscrambling the letters names an instrument.
Each spread ends with a moral.
Don't Wake the Bear!
4 stars
Author: Steve Smallman
Illustrator: Caroline Pedler
The forest animals are having their spring party. Their party spot is around a fallen hollow tree in which a bear is now sleeping. They decide to have their party anyway, but be quiet as the bear will wreck the party. Or will he?
The illustrations are soft, colorful and give the animals a stuffed animal look. They look cuddly.
Pete the Cat Plays Hide and Seek
4 stars
Author/Illustrators: Kimberly and James Dean
The gang is playing hide and seek. Pete is it. He's positive finding everyone will be easy. Once he does he can have a chance to hide.
Pete the Cat illustrations are bold, colorful and fun.
Wild Symphony
4 stars?
Author: Dan Brown
Illustrator: Susan Batori
This is an interactive book with music available on a phone app. I didn't have this.
Maestro Mouse is having a symphony with his animal friends playing the instruments. The illustrations are whimsical.
Referring to the webpage, there are letters hidden on each page spread. Unscrambling the letters names an instrument.
Each spread ends with a moral.
August 16, 2024
"The Pain and the Great One", "In the Small, Small Pond" and "Silent Lotus"
A week of relationships both human and natural.
The Pain and the Great One
5 stars
Author: Judy Blume
Illustrator: Irene Trivas
A big sister and a little brother each think the other is favored by their parents. First the sister goes through her litany of complaints and observations about her little brother, the Pain.
Then the brother goes through his litany of complaints and observations about his sister, the Great One.
These are great observations about siblings, fun to read and good for starting discussions with young ones.
The illustrations have a casual look. Each image captures the comment so beautifully.
In the Small, Small Pond
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Denise Fleming
This is a nature book for the very young. It is about what a child sees in a pond. Never mentioned, but always there, is the frog.
The illustrations are fascinating with a collage look to them, although they are done much differently. They almost look like the child could have done them. The natural subjects are very well done.
Silent Lotus
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Jeanne M. Lee
Lotus is born deaf and never speaks. She is beautiful. As she grows up, she copies the movements of the wildlife around her and so learns to dance.
Later her parents take her to the capitol where Lotus sees the dancers. She can feel the music vibrations and can dance like those dancers.
Lotus is accepted in the dance school and becomes a famous dancer in this ancient kingdom.
The illustrations are stylized oriental images filled with color and graceful natural and human subjects.
The Pain and the Great One
5 stars
Author: Judy Blume
Illustrator: Irene Trivas
A big sister and a little brother each think the other is favored by their parents. First the sister goes through her litany of complaints and observations about her little brother, the Pain.
Then the brother goes through his litany of complaints and observations about his sister, the Great One.
These are great observations about siblings, fun to read and good for starting discussions with young ones.
The illustrations have a casual look. Each image captures the comment so beautifully.
In the Small, Small Pond
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Denise Fleming
This is a nature book for the very young. It is about what a child sees in a pond. Never mentioned, but always there, is the frog.
The illustrations are fascinating with a collage look to them, although they are done much differently. They almost look like the child could have done them. The natural subjects are very well done.
Silent Lotus
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Jeanne M. Lee
Lotus is born deaf and never speaks. She is beautiful. As she grows up, she copies the movements of the wildlife around her and so learns to dance.
Later her parents take her to the capitol where Lotus sees the dancers. She can feel the music vibrations and can dance like those dancers.
Lotus is accepted in the dance school and becomes a famous dancer in this ancient kingdom.
The illustrations are stylized oriental images filled with color and graceful natural and human subjects.
August 13, 2024
"Under the Big Sky", How Tuffy Got His Bark" and "If Not For the Cat"
A little of this, a little of that, lots of different topics this week.
Under the Big Sky
3 stars
Author/Illustrator: Trevor Romain
A grandfather offers riches to his grandson if he will find the secret of life and tell him what it is. Dreaming of wealth, the grandson sets off. He is told many useful things, but does he find the secret of life? Is there one?
The illustrations are simple, but effective.
How Tuffy Got His Bark
4 stars
Author: Jeff Scoggin
Illustrator: Jennifer Stolzer
The dog Tuffy doesn't bark and is laughed at by the other dogs. He becomes friends with Max who has short legs and is laughed at for that. One day Max gets into trouble and Tuffy must go for help.
The illustrations are simple, but well done. The expressions on the dogs' faces are good.
If Not For the Cat
4 stars
Author: Jack Prelutsky
Illustrations: Ted Rand
This is a book of haikus about various animals. Each focuses on one aspect of the creature in the haiku. All are good. Some are mildly humorous.
The illustrations fit each haiku very well.
Under the Big Sky
3 stars
Author/Illustrator: Trevor Romain
A grandfather offers riches to his grandson if he will find the secret of life and tell him what it is. Dreaming of wealth, the grandson sets off. He is told many useful things, but does he find the secret of life? Is there one?
The illustrations are simple, but effective.
How Tuffy Got His Bark
4 stars
Author: Jeff Scoggin
Illustrator: Jennifer Stolzer
The dog Tuffy doesn't bark and is laughed at by the other dogs. He becomes friends with Max who has short legs and is laughed at for that. One day Max gets into trouble and Tuffy must go for help.
The illustrations are simple, but well done. The expressions on the dogs' faces are good.
If Not For the Cat
4 stars
Author: Jack Prelutsky
Illustrations: Ted Rand
This is a book of haikus about various animals. Each focuses on one aspect of the creature in the haiku. All are good. Some are mildly humorous.
The illustrations fit each haiku very well.
August 9, 2024
"Dewey: There's a Cat in the Library!" and "If You Ever Want to Bring a Circus to the Library: Don't!"
There seem to be lots of picture books set in libraries. Here are two more I found.
If You Ever Want to Bring a Circus to the Library, Don't!
4 stars
Author/Illustrator: Elise Parsley
Pure crazy fantasy.
Libraries like to advertise you can do lots of things in them. They do prefer you do quiet things.
This little person decides to set up her personal circus. She is an acrobat, a clown, finds concessions are not allowed and ends with being a human cannonball. Her biggest hit is reading a picture book to the children. Well, maybe being a cannonball makes a bigger physical hit.
The illustrations are fun, colorful and definitely a librarian's worst nightmare.
Dewey: There's a Cat in the Library!
5 stars
Authors: Vicki Myron and Bret Witter
Illustrator: Steve James
I've read the adult book about Dewey, the bibliocat of Spencer, Iowa. This is a picture book about him.
Dewey is left in the book repository one cold night. He is to be the library cat, but doesn't know what to do. This book explores how he learns to be a good library cat.
The illustrations capture a kitten's antics. Dewey is fluffy with soft looking fur and appealing expressions.
If You Ever Want to Bring a Circus to the Library, Don't!
4 stars
Author/Illustrator: Elise Parsley
Pure crazy fantasy.
Libraries like to advertise you can do lots of things in them. They do prefer you do quiet things.
This little person decides to set up her personal circus. She is an acrobat, a clown, finds concessions are not allowed and ends with being a human cannonball. Her biggest hit is reading a picture book to the children. Well, maybe being a cannonball makes a bigger physical hit.
The illustrations are fun, colorful and definitely a librarian's worst nightmare.
Dewey: There's a Cat in the Library!
5 stars
Authors: Vicki Myron and Bret Witter
Illustrator: Steve James
I've read the adult book about Dewey, the bibliocat of Spencer, Iowa. This is a picture book about him.
Dewey is left in the book repository one cold night. He is to be the library cat, but doesn't know what to do. This book explores how he learns to be a good library cat.
The illustrations capture a kitten's antics. Dewey is fluffy with soft looking fur and appealing expressions.
