Karen GoatKeeper's Blog, page 6
April 29, 2025
"How I Captured a Dinosaur", "Cozy" and "I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean"
Books of fantasy, fun to read occupied this week.
How I Captured a Dinosaur
3 stars
Author: Henry Schwartz
Illustrator: Amy Schwartz
This is actually a fun, purely imaginative tale about finding a pet dinosaur. The 'pet' is definitely imagined as a friendly carnivorous dinosaur, which is highly unlikely. If this is ignored, the tale is humorous and fun.
The drawings are well done, simple and work well to help tell the story.
Cozy
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Jan Brett
Cozy is a young musk ox. Somehow, she gets separated from her herd at the beginning of fierce winter storms. One by one other creatures take refuge in her long, soft, warm fur for the winter. Each new arrival brings a new rule to follow to keep everyone happy and safe.
As always, the illustrations are so detailed and beautiful. The sidebars are a non-text part of the story as well as having lovely designs in and around them.
I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Kevin Sherry
A giant Squid is big. This one takes delight in telling how it is bigger than so many other creatures. But is it really the biggest thing in the ocean?
The illustrations are stylized and just for fun.
How I Captured a Dinosaur
3 stars
Author: Henry Schwartz
Illustrator: Amy Schwartz
This is actually a fun, purely imaginative tale about finding a pet dinosaur. The 'pet' is definitely imagined as a friendly carnivorous dinosaur, which is highly unlikely. If this is ignored, the tale is humorous and fun.
The drawings are well done, simple and work well to help tell the story.
Cozy
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Jan Brett
Cozy is a young musk ox. Somehow, she gets separated from her herd at the beginning of fierce winter storms. One by one other creatures take refuge in her long, soft, warm fur for the winter. Each new arrival brings a new rule to follow to keep everyone happy and safe.
As always, the illustrations are so detailed and beautiful. The sidebars are a non-text part of the story as well as having lovely designs in and around them.
I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Kevin Sherry
A giant Squid is big. This one takes delight in telling how it is bigger than so many other creatures. But is it really the biggest thing in the ocean?
The illustrations are stylized and just for fun.
April 25, 2025
"The Grey Lady and the Strawberry Snatcher", "Girls on the Rise" and "I Dare You Not to Yawn"
This week was a mix of ideas.
The Grey Lady and the Strawberry Snatcher
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Molly Bang
This is a true picture book with the story told only in pictures with no text.
The Grey Lady gets a basket of strawberries and walks off. Behind her is a blue creature trying to take the basket away from her.
The illustrations are definitely worthy of their Caldecott Honor status. This story invites the reader to make it up. It's a way to spark imagination in a child.
Girls on the Rise
3 stars
Author: Amanda Gorman
Illustrator: Loveis Wise
The text is an uplifting poem encouraging girls to be proud of being girls, to challenge old stereotypes. Its idealism is uplifting.
The illustrations reflect many girls from many places doing many different things.
I Dare You Not to Yawn
4 stars
Author: Helene Boudreau
Illustrator: Serge Bloch
What happens when you yawn? You get bundled off to bed!
The answer is to not yawn so you can stay up later.
This is a fun book with great illustrations. Take care or it will have you yawning in sympathy by the last page.
The Grey Lady and the Strawberry Snatcher
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Molly Bang
This is a true picture book with the story told only in pictures with no text.
The Grey Lady gets a basket of strawberries and walks off. Behind her is a blue creature trying to take the basket away from her.
The illustrations are definitely worthy of their Caldecott Honor status. This story invites the reader to make it up. It's a way to spark imagination in a child.
Girls on the Rise
3 stars
Author: Amanda Gorman
Illustrator: Loveis Wise
The text is an uplifting poem encouraging girls to be proud of being girls, to challenge old stereotypes. Its idealism is uplifting.
The illustrations reflect many girls from many places doing many different things.
I Dare You Not to Yawn
4 stars
Author: Helene Boudreau
Illustrator: Serge Bloch
What happens when you yawn? You get bundled off to bed!
The answer is to not yawn so you can stay up later.
This is a fun book with great illustrations. Take care or it will have you yawning in sympathy by the last page.
April 22, 2025
"Squirrel and John Muir", "Wangari's Trees of Peace" and "Moon Plane"
Imagination and dreams are so important both for young people and for changing the world for everyone.
Moon Plane
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Peter McCarty
A small boy sees a plane fly overhead and his imagination takes him up into the plane and on a special flight.
The illustrations are done in soft pencil making them look like a dream or daydream. This is a picture book where the images tell the story with little input from the text.
Wangari's Trees of Peace
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Jeanette Winter
Wangari is from Kenya. She grew up in forest with rich farmland. When she returned from college, the trees were gone, the farmland worthless.
Nine tree seedlings planted in Wangari's yard were her way to bring back the forests of her youth. Soon others joined her even as the government laughed and opposed the effort.
The officials were wrong. An army of women planting seedlings of native trees brought back the forests. These brought back the farmland not only in Kenya, but other African countries as well.
The illustrations are simple and colorful. They bring the story to life.
Squirrel and John Muir
4 stars
Author/Illustrator: Emily Arnold McCully
John Muir arrived in Yosemite Valley in 1868 seeking work. He had many skills and was a valued hired hand.
He used his time to explore the valley and find proof of his theory the valley was carved by glaciers.
His love of Yosemite became reason for its becoming a National Park. It was the beginning of the Sierra Club and helped promote the idea of conservation.
The book teams him with a young girl, the daughter of his employer. This is probably fictional, but makes the tale more accessible to younger readers.
The illustrations appear to be in watercolor giving them a soft, less defined look.
Moon Plane
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Peter McCarty
A small boy sees a plane fly overhead and his imagination takes him up into the plane and on a special flight.
The illustrations are done in soft pencil making them look like a dream or daydream. This is a picture book where the images tell the story with little input from the text.
Wangari's Trees of Peace
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Jeanette Winter
Wangari is from Kenya. She grew up in forest with rich farmland. When she returned from college, the trees were gone, the farmland worthless.
Nine tree seedlings planted in Wangari's yard were her way to bring back the forests of her youth. Soon others joined her even as the government laughed and opposed the effort.
The officials were wrong. An army of women planting seedlings of native trees brought back the forests. These brought back the farmland not only in Kenya, but other African countries as well.
The illustrations are simple and colorful. They bring the story to life.
Squirrel and John Muir
4 stars
Author/Illustrator: Emily Arnold McCully
John Muir arrived in Yosemite Valley in 1868 seeking work. He had many skills and was a valued hired hand.
He used his time to explore the valley and find proof of his theory the valley was carved by glaciers.
His love of Yosemite became reason for its becoming a National Park. It was the beginning of the Sierra Club and helped promote the idea of conservation.
The book teams him with a young girl, the daughter of his employer. This is probably fictional, but makes the tale more accessible to younger readers.
The illustrations appear to be in watercolor giving them a soft, less defined look.
April 18, 2025
"Dog vs. Strawberry", "Creepy Crayon!" and "The Tale of the Mandarin Ducks"
These books were so very different, yet so like in their imaginative approaches.
Dog vs. Strawberry
5 stars
Author: Nelly Buchet
Illustrator: Andrea Zuill
The dog is an indoor, older, overweight small dog. His opponent is a common strawberry offered to him by his owner. And the race is on!
This book makes you laugh as the dog's antics are wild. The text gives the feeling of being in a race.
The illustrations are fun. The strawberry is so ordinary. The dog makes you laugh.
Creepy Crayon!
5 stars
Author: Aaron Reynolds
Illustrator: Peter Brown
Jasper is failing in school until he finds the purple crayon. It is the perfect crayon. And, when he uses it, he gets all the right answers. Except, the crayon is giving the answers, not Jasper.
When Jasper decides to do his own work, the crayon will not give up. What is he to do?
The illustrations are dark giving a creepy feeling to the story. The only real color is purple for the crayon and the work done by the crayon.
The Tale of the Mandarin Ducks
Author: Katherine Paterson
Illustrators: Leo & Diane Dillon
This is a retelling of a Japanese folktale. An evil, selfish lord sees a beautiful Mandarin duck drake. He must have this drake and puts him in a cage where the drake pines for his freedom and mate.
A kitchen maid sets him free, but an old Samurai is punished for it. Their fate is sealed until something special intervenes.
The illustrations are in the style of Japanese paintings. They have wonderful detail and color.
Dog vs. Strawberry
5 stars
Author: Nelly Buchet
Illustrator: Andrea Zuill
The dog is an indoor, older, overweight small dog. His opponent is a common strawberry offered to him by his owner. And the race is on!
This book makes you laugh as the dog's antics are wild. The text gives the feeling of being in a race.
The illustrations are fun. The strawberry is so ordinary. The dog makes you laugh.
Creepy Crayon!
5 stars
Author: Aaron Reynolds
Illustrator: Peter Brown
Jasper is failing in school until he finds the purple crayon. It is the perfect crayon. And, when he uses it, he gets all the right answers. Except, the crayon is giving the answers, not Jasper.
When Jasper decides to do his own work, the crayon will not give up. What is he to do?
The illustrations are dark giving a creepy feeling to the story. The only real color is purple for the crayon and the work done by the crayon.
The Tale of the Mandarin Ducks
Author: Katherine Paterson
Illustrators: Leo & Diane Dillon
This is a retelling of a Japanese folktale. An evil, selfish lord sees a beautiful Mandarin duck drake. He must have this drake and puts him in a cage where the drake pines for his freedom and mate.
A kitchen maid sets him free, but an old Samurai is punished for it. Their fate is sealed until something special intervenes.
The illustrations are in the style of Japanese paintings. They have wonderful detail and color.
April 15, 2025
"when the Night Sees Me" and "Our Tree Named Steve"
Too many times we lose touch with the natural world. That's a shame as it has so much to offer us.
When the Night Sees Me
5 stars
Author: Janet Price
Illustrator: Maggie Walsh
When it gets dark, we go to bed. What if we went outside? What would we see? What would the night think of us? The text is almost lyrical and studded with questions for the young reader.
The illustrations are stylized and look like collages. They are simple, but eloquent.
Our Tree Named Steve
5 stars favorite
Author: Alan Zweibel
Illustrator: David Catrow
This is a letter to a family away visiting grandma about a beloved tree. The youngest child named the tree Steve as she had trouble saying tree. The letter is a biography of this tree so much a part of this family as the children grew up.
The story does have a sad ending.
The illustrations are not cartoons, but have that flavor. The images are fun, expressive, filled with color. They help the reader come to love Steve too.
When the Night Sees Me
5 stars
Author: Janet Price
Illustrator: Maggie Walsh
When it gets dark, we go to bed. What if we went outside? What would we see? What would the night think of us? The text is almost lyrical and studded with questions for the young reader.
The illustrations are stylized and look like collages. They are simple, but eloquent.
Our Tree Named Steve
5 stars favorite
Author: Alan Zweibel
Illustrator: David Catrow
This is a letter to a family away visiting grandma about a beloved tree. The youngest child named the tree Steve as she had trouble saying tree. The letter is a biography of this tree so much a part of this family as the children grew up.
The story does have a sad ending.
The illustrations are not cartoons, but have that flavor. The images are fun, expressive, filled with color. They help the reader come to love Steve too.
April 11, 2025
"Up, Down and Around" and "Bear in a Square"
These are concept books for the very young.
Up, Down and Around
4 stars
author: Katherine Ayres
Illustrator: Nadine Bernard Westcott
This takes children out into the garden. Some crops grow up. Some crops grow down. Some grow around. And all are occupied by very happy bugs.
The illustrations are suitable for very young children. The bugs are make believe versions as all have happy, smiling faces. Vegetables are much more lifelike.
Bear in a Square
4 stars
author: Stella Blackstone
Illustrator: Debbie Harter
The book is designed to introduce shapes. Some are the usual, but others include moon, star, zigzag, heart and oval. The number varies in the illustrations so they can be found and counted.
The illustrations are simple and colorful. Their very basic approach works well for the book's concept.
Up, Down and Around
4 stars
author: Katherine Ayres
Illustrator: Nadine Bernard Westcott
This takes children out into the garden. Some crops grow up. Some crops grow down. Some grow around. And all are occupied by very happy bugs.
The illustrations are suitable for very young children. The bugs are make believe versions as all have happy, smiling faces. Vegetables are much more lifelike.
Bear in a Square
4 stars
author: Stella Blackstone
Illustrator: Debbie Harter
The book is designed to introduce shapes. Some are the usual, but others include moon, star, zigzag, heart and oval. The number varies in the illustrations so they can be found and counted.
The illustrations are simple and colorful. Their very basic approach works well for the book's concept.
April 8, 2025
"Arbor Day Square", "Planting the Wild Garden" and "Pirate Stew"
Gardening and a wild pirate tale made for a fun weekend.
Pirate Stew
5 stars
Author: Neil Gaiman
Illustrator: Chris Riddell
Two girls will have an unusual babysitter for the evening while their parents go out. The babysitter is a pirate cook who promptly invites the pirate crew in for bowls of pirate stew. Eat some at your own risk!
The text is fun. The illustrations are wild as the pirate crew is a motley group in age, gender, dress and more. Are they a real pirate crew? Are you sure?
Arbor Day Square
4 stars
Author: Kathryn Galbraith
Illustrator: Cyd Moore
Arbor Day is a day to plant trees. Why? Where did this tradition begin? Why? This is the story of the beginnings of Arbor Day.
The illustrations are simple, but very effective for this tale of decades ago.
Planting the Wild Garden
4 stars
Author: Kathryn Galbraith
Illustrator: Wendy Anderson Halperin
Gardeners plant regular gardens. Who plants the wild plants? Someone must as the wild plants grow. This book tells of some of the answers.
The illustrations have a soft look to them. They have main illustrations with other, small images to help make the main theme of the page plainer. All the plants and animals are easily identified.
Pirate Stew
5 stars
Author: Neil Gaiman
Illustrator: Chris Riddell
Two girls will have an unusual babysitter for the evening while their parents go out. The babysitter is a pirate cook who promptly invites the pirate crew in for bowls of pirate stew. Eat some at your own risk!
The text is fun. The illustrations are wild as the pirate crew is a motley group in age, gender, dress and more. Are they a real pirate crew? Are you sure?
Arbor Day Square
4 stars
Author: Kathryn Galbraith
Illustrator: Cyd Moore
Arbor Day is a day to plant trees. Why? Where did this tradition begin? Why? This is the story of the beginnings of Arbor Day.
The illustrations are simple, but very effective for this tale of decades ago.
Planting the Wild Garden
4 stars
Author: Kathryn Galbraith
Illustrator: Wendy Anderson Halperin
Gardeners plant regular gardens. Who plants the wild plants? Someone must as the wild plants grow. This book tells of some of the answers.
The illustrations have a soft look to them. They have main illustrations with other, small images to help make the main theme of the page plainer. All the plants and animals are easily identified.
April 4, 2025
"Bizzy Mizz Lizzie", "Sheep Blast Off!" and "Olivia and the Haunted Hotel"
Curiosity, enterprise and perseverance ruled the week.
Bizzy Mizz Lizzie
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: David Shannon
Mizz Lizzie is a very bizzy bee. She is a good student, takes music and dance lessons, is part of a sport team and now is studying for a spelling bee as she wants to meet the Queen, the prize of the contest. She's on the go all the time pushing herself to the limit.
The illustrations are colorful and reflect how other bees aren't nearly as industrious as Lizzie as well as how bizzy she is and how bizzy it makes her mom.
The problem is that you can only push so hard.
Sheep Blast Off!
5 stars
Author: Nancy Shaw
Illustrator: Margot Apple
A strange shape is in the sheeps' field. They go to investigate and find a spaceship with an open door. Of course, the sheep go in and start investigating only to find they are now in space. How are they to get home?
The illustrations are lots of fun especially with the expressions on the sheep. Little green aliens and an old fashioned spaceship make the journey even more fun.
Olivia and the Haunted Hotel
4 stars
Author(Adapter): Jodie Shepherd
Illustrator: Patrick Spaziante
Olivia is an enterprising little pig. She welcomes her friends to the Hotel Olivia (her house) for a night of fun. Little brother Ian decides to add a ghost.
The book is based on a TV series and the illustrations look like those for the series. They are well done, colorful and engaging.
Bizzy Mizz Lizzie
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: David Shannon
Mizz Lizzie is a very bizzy bee. She is a good student, takes music and dance lessons, is part of a sport team and now is studying for a spelling bee as she wants to meet the Queen, the prize of the contest. She's on the go all the time pushing herself to the limit.
The illustrations are colorful and reflect how other bees aren't nearly as industrious as Lizzie as well as how bizzy she is and how bizzy it makes her mom.
The problem is that you can only push so hard.
Sheep Blast Off!
5 stars
Author: Nancy Shaw
Illustrator: Margot Apple
A strange shape is in the sheeps' field. They go to investigate and find a spaceship with an open door. Of course, the sheep go in and start investigating only to find they are now in space. How are they to get home?
The illustrations are lots of fun especially with the expressions on the sheep. Little green aliens and an old fashioned spaceship make the journey even more fun.
Olivia and the Haunted Hotel
4 stars
Author(Adapter): Jodie Shepherd
Illustrator: Patrick Spaziante
Olivia is an enterprising little pig. She welcomes her friends to the Hotel Olivia (her house) for a night of fun. Little brother Ian decides to add a ghost.
The book is based on a TV series and the illustrations look like those for the series. They are well done, colorful and engaging.
April 1, 2025
"The Incredible Painting of Felix Clousseau", "The Runaway dinner" and "Bringing Rain to Kapiti Plain"
Legends and fantasy made an interesting week.
The Runaway Dinner
3 stars
Author: Allan Ahlberg
Illustrator: Bruce Ingman
Banjo is a hungry little boy. One day his dinner decides to leave along with the tableware and the table with Banjo in hot pursuit.
The illustrations carry the tale almost without needing the text.
My problem with the book is that every bit of food is given a name. Small children are often finicky about eating and this might make it worse as now their food is alive with names and doesn't want to be eaten.
The Incredible Paintint of Felix Clousseau
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Jon Agee
All the famous painters are entering a big exhibition in Paris. They laugh as Felix Clousseau brings in a painting of a duck. They laugh until the duck quacks. It seems that Clousseau's paintings come to life. Can this be a problem?
The illustrations are bold, reflecting the setting and the fantasy of the paintings.
Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain
5 stars
Author: Verna Aardema
Illustrator: Beatriz Vidal
A retelling of an African folktale, this reflects the wet/dry climate of southern Africa. As the dry season ends, everything is desperate for rain. This tale gives man a way to trigger the rain to end the drought.
The illustrations are stylized and fit the tale very well.
The Runaway Dinner
3 stars
Author: Allan Ahlberg
Illustrator: Bruce Ingman
Banjo is a hungry little boy. One day his dinner decides to leave along with the tableware and the table with Banjo in hot pursuit.
The illustrations carry the tale almost without needing the text.
My problem with the book is that every bit of food is given a name. Small children are often finicky about eating and this might make it worse as now their food is alive with names and doesn't want to be eaten.
The Incredible Paintint of Felix Clousseau
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Jon Agee
All the famous painters are entering a big exhibition in Paris. They laugh as Felix Clousseau brings in a painting of a duck. They laugh until the duck quacks. It seems that Clousseau's paintings come to life. Can this be a problem?
The illustrations are bold, reflecting the setting and the fantasy of the paintings.
Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain
5 stars
Author: Verna Aardema
Illustrator: Beatriz Vidal
A retelling of an African folktale, this reflects the wet/dry climate of southern Africa. As the dry season ends, everything is desperate for rain. This tale gives man a way to trigger the rain to end the drought.
The illustrations are stylized and fit the tale very well.
March 28, 2025
:Hibernation Station", "The Turkey Train" and "S is for Show Me"
Take the animal trains to their destinations. Living in Missouri, it's fun to learn more about the state.
Hibernation Station
4 stars
Author: Michelle Meadows
Illustrator: Kurt Cyrus
The Hibernation train is leaving the station. It's passenger list is long. Each animal must find a place to sleep for the winter.
This is a fanciful tale as different animals find places for the winter separately from each other and that is not the case in the story. This is partly dealt with in the information page at the end of the book.
The illustrations make this a good bedtime story. Everyone is dressed for bed. All are asleep by the end of the story.
The Turkey Train
4 stars
Author: Steve Metzger
Illustrator: Jim Paillot
The turkeys pile aboard the turkey train for an outing in Maine. Lots goes on as the turkey train chugs along. The ride is long, but all have time for fun in Maine before heading home again.
The illustrations are as fun as the rhyming text.
S is for Show Me
5 stars
Author: Judy Young
Illustrator: Ross B. Young
This is partly an alphabet picture book with sidebars filled with information about what the letter is about. It is part of a series about the different states.
Each letter has a well done painting illustration and a rhyming verse about the subject. The subjects range from Missouri symbols to places to history to people and more. It is a good introduction and overview of Missouri.
Hibernation Station
4 stars
Author: Michelle Meadows
Illustrator: Kurt Cyrus
The Hibernation train is leaving the station. It's passenger list is long. Each animal must find a place to sleep for the winter.
This is a fanciful tale as different animals find places for the winter separately from each other and that is not the case in the story. This is partly dealt with in the information page at the end of the book.
The illustrations make this a good bedtime story. Everyone is dressed for bed. All are asleep by the end of the story.
The Turkey Train
4 stars
Author: Steve Metzger
Illustrator: Jim Paillot
The turkeys pile aboard the turkey train for an outing in Maine. Lots goes on as the turkey train chugs along. The ride is long, but all have time for fun in Maine before heading home again.
The illustrations are as fun as the rhyming text.
S is for Show Me
5 stars
Author: Judy Young
Illustrator: Ross B. Young
This is partly an alphabet picture book with sidebars filled with information about what the letter is about. It is part of a series about the different states.
Each letter has a well done painting illustration and a rhyming verse about the subject. The subjects range from Missouri symbols to places to history to people and more. It is a good introduction and overview of Missouri.
