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Karen GoatKeeper's Blog, page 7
March 25, 2025
"Mr. Fox's Game of NO!" "Spring: An Alphabet Acrostic" and "The Quiet Forest"
Being mischievous and games were the rule this week.
The Quiet Forest
4 stars
Author: Charlotte Offsay
Illustrator: Abi Cushman
A mischievous mouse goes hiking in a quiet forest and starts a crazy chain of events until the forest is in turmoil. Who will and how can the forest again be a quiet place?
The illustrations are well done. There are many creatures living in the forest to be impacted by the mouse's antics.
Spring: An Alphabet Acrostic
3 stars
Author: Steven Schnur
Illustrator: Leslie Evans
All the text is taking a spring word and making a phrase beginning with each letter. The phrases are fun to think about. Some of the words will be new to young children.
The illustrations are boldly outlined with black giving them a stained glass look.
Mr. Fox's Game of NO!
5 stars
Author: David LaRochelle
Illustrator: Mike Wohnoutka
Mr. Fox looks like a carnival barker, a game show host. His game is very challenging. All you have to do is answer "No" to all of his questions. Even for adults, this will be a challenge. Yet, trying is lots of fun.
The illustrations are lively and fun in keeping with the light hearted tone of the book.
The Quiet Forest
4 stars
Author: Charlotte Offsay
Illustrator: Abi Cushman
A mischievous mouse goes hiking in a quiet forest and starts a crazy chain of events until the forest is in turmoil. Who will and how can the forest again be a quiet place?
The illustrations are well done. There are many creatures living in the forest to be impacted by the mouse's antics.
Spring: An Alphabet Acrostic
3 stars
Author: Steven Schnur
Illustrator: Leslie Evans
All the text is taking a spring word and making a phrase beginning with each letter. The phrases are fun to think about. Some of the words will be new to young children.
The illustrations are boldly outlined with black giving them a stained glass look.
Mr. Fox's Game of NO!
5 stars
Author: David LaRochelle
Illustrator: Mike Wohnoutka
Mr. Fox looks like a carnival barker, a game show host. His game is very challenging. All you have to do is answer "No" to all of his questions. Even for adults, this will be a challenge. Yet, trying is lots of fun.
The illustrations are lively and fun in keeping with the light hearted tone of the book.
March 21, 2025
"Fancy Nancy Bonjour Butterfly", "Beautiful Blackbird" and "Inky's Amazing Escape"
Animals ruled this week in fact and fold tale and fantasy.
Inky's Amazing Escape
5 stars
Author: Sy Montgomery
Illustrator: Amy Schimler-Safford
Octopi are fascinating characters. This is the tale of a real octopus injured, captured, displayed in an aquarium. One night Inky found his way out of the tank and, using amazing octopus methods, escaped back into the ocean.
The illustrations are fun. All the fish and creatures, including Inky, are recognizable, but are cute too.
The book ends with pages giving some of the amazing things about octopi, curious, intelligent and very different from people.
Beautiful Blackbird
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Ashley Bryan
This award winning book is a retelling of an Indian legend explaining how the birds got the black highlights on their feathers.
Originally only blackbird is black. All other birds are other colors. These birds admire the beautiful black color and ask blackbird to share some with them.
The illustrations are paper collages. Their stylized nature reflects the folktale theme of the book. They are wonderful examples of this art medium.
Fancy Nancy Bonjour Butterfly
5 stars
Author: Jane O'Connor
Illustrator: Robin Preiss Glasser
Fancy Nancy loves to dress up. Her best friend Bree loves butterflies. So does Nancy and the two are decorating everything with an eye toward butterflies.
The illustrations capture the fancy aspect of Nancy and Bree. Their rooms, dress and surroundings are fanciful and gorgeous.
One of the special touches of these books are the introductions to French words and English words beyond the usual descriptions.
Inky's Amazing Escape
5 stars
Author: Sy Montgomery
Illustrator: Amy Schimler-Safford
Octopi are fascinating characters. This is the tale of a real octopus injured, captured, displayed in an aquarium. One night Inky found his way out of the tank and, using amazing octopus methods, escaped back into the ocean.
The illustrations are fun. All the fish and creatures, including Inky, are recognizable, but are cute too.
The book ends with pages giving some of the amazing things about octopi, curious, intelligent and very different from people.
Beautiful Blackbird
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Ashley Bryan
This award winning book is a retelling of an Indian legend explaining how the birds got the black highlights on their feathers.
Originally only blackbird is black. All other birds are other colors. These birds admire the beautiful black color and ask blackbird to share some with them.
The illustrations are paper collages. Their stylized nature reflects the folktale theme of the book. They are wonderful examples of this art medium.
Fancy Nancy Bonjour Butterfly
5 stars
Author: Jane O'Connor
Illustrator: Robin Preiss Glasser
Fancy Nancy loves to dress up. Her best friend Bree loves butterflies. So does Nancy and the two are decorating everything with an eye toward butterflies.
The illustrations capture the fancy aspect of Nancy and Bree. Their rooms, dress and surroundings are fanciful and gorgeous.
One of the special touches of these books are the introductions to French words and English words beyond the usual descriptions.
March 18, 2025
"One Hundred Hungry Ants", Whoo...Whoo...Is Making that Noise?" and "I Don't Want to be a Frog"
Animal characters are so common in picture books. Most are really people disguised as animals which is true for one of these books. The other two have animal characters much more like animals.
I Don't Want to be a Frog
4 stars
Author: Dev Petty
Illustrator: Mike Boldt
This baby frog declares to his mother that he wants to be some other animal. As each animal is chosen, reasons why this little frog can't be it and must be a frog are given.
The illustrations are focused on the frog and other animal characters.
Some of the other animals use stereotypes.
Whoo...Whoo...Is Making That Noise?
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Parish J. Phelps
An owl is trying to sleep through the day in the barn of the farm where the owl lives. Everyone else living on the farm is up during the day making it hard for the owl to get some sleep.
Then night arrives. Now everyone else is trying to sleep. The owl is getting up.
The book is mildly humorous.
The illustrations are fun. On one page is the noise and it's source. On the other is the owl trying to sleep.
One Hundred Hungry Ants
5 stars
Author: Elinor J. Pinczes
Illustator: Bonnie MacKain
One hundred ants are hungry when they become aware of a picnic in progress. They hurry off in a line.
The smallest ant keeps getting the ants to form other lines supposedly to get to the picnic sooner.
The illustrations tell their own story of what is happening at the picnic.
The smallest ant finds out what happens after the group finally arrives at the picnic.
One H
I Don't Want to be a Frog
4 stars
Author: Dev Petty
Illustrator: Mike Boldt
This baby frog declares to his mother that he wants to be some other animal. As each animal is chosen, reasons why this little frog can't be it and must be a frog are given.
The illustrations are focused on the frog and other animal characters.
Some of the other animals use stereotypes.
Whoo...Whoo...Is Making That Noise?
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Parish J. Phelps
An owl is trying to sleep through the day in the barn of the farm where the owl lives. Everyone else living on the farm is up during the day making it hard for the owl to get some sleep.
Then night arrives. Now everyone else is trying to sleep. The owl is getting up.
The book is mildly humorous.
The illustrations are fun. On one page is the noise and it's source. On the other is the owl trying to sleep.
One Hundred Hungry Ants
5 stars
Author: Elinor J. Pinczes
Illustator: Bonnie MacKain
One hundred ants are hungry when they become aware of a picnic in progress. They hurry off in a line.
The smallest ant keeps getting the ants to form other lines supposedly to get to the picnic sooner.
The illustrations tell their own story of what is happening at the picnic.
The smallest ant finds out what happens after the group finally arrives at the picnic.
One H
March 14, 2025
"The Most Boring Book Ever", "The Bird, the Monkey and the Snake in the Jungle" and "What Would Happen if You Never Left the Couch?"
All three, although very different in subject, offer the imagination room to work.
The Most Boring Book Ever
5 stars
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Illustrator: Kazu Kibuishi
The text is so simple and definitely boring. A boy sits in a chair.
Looking at the illustrations tells another story filled with excitement. They are definitely not boring.
The Bird, the Monkey and the Snake in the Jungle
4 stars
Author: Kate Banks
Illustrator: Tomek Bogacki
This is a rebus book where many of the nouns are replaced with pictures. There is a sidebar listing the pictures with the nouns they replace.
It seems the bird, the monkey and the snake live at different levels in the same jungle tree. The tree falls down leaving the three without a home. They go in search of a new tree to call home.
The illustrations are part of the story as the rebus pictures fit into them. This leaves them very stylized.
What Would Happen if You Never Left the Couch?
4 stars
Author: Thomas Kingsley Troupe
Illustrator: Anna Mongay
This is nonfiction about diet and exercise.
The boy is happily sitting on the couch playing a video game and hates to stop. Each page gives something that would matter to a couch potato and the consequences to them.
The illustrations show all the actions and the consequences in lively, colorful fashion.
The Most Boring Book Ever
5 stars
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Illustrator: Kazu Kibuishi
The text is so simple and definitely boring. A boy sits in a chair.
Looking at the illustrations tells another story filled with excitement. They are definitely not boring.
The Bird, the Monkey and the Snake in the Jungle
4 stars
Author: Kate Banks
Illustrator: Tomek Bogacki
This is a rebus book where many of the nouns are replaced with pictures. There is a sidebar listing the pictures with the nouns they replace.
It seems the bird, the monkey and the snake live at different levels in the same jungle tree. The tree falls down leaving the three without a home. They go in search of a new tree to call home.
The illustrations are part of the story as the rebus pictures fit into them. This leaves them very stylized.
What Would Happen if You Never Left the Couch?
4 stars
Author: Thomas Kingsley Troupe
Illustrator: Anna Mongay
This is nonfiction about diet and exercise.
The boy is happily sitting on the couch playing a video game and hates to stop. Each page gives something that would matter to a couch potato and the consequences to them.
The illustrations show all the actions and the consequences in lively, colorful fashion.
March 11, 2025
"Unicorn wings", "The Bookstore Ghost" and Dr. Seuss's ABC"
I've ventured into the easy reader section as "Unicorn wings" was on the silent auction table and looked interesting.
Unicorn Wings
4 Stars
Author: Mallory Loehr
Illustrator: Pamela Silin-Palmer
The unicorn is beautiful, white with a magic horn. Yet the unicorn was not satisfied with healing and rainbows from its horn. It wanted wings.
All of the illustrations have the unicorn fantasy look and feel. They add magic to the tale.
The Bookstore Ghost
5 stars
Author: Barbara Maitland
Illustrator: Nadine Bernard Westcott
Mr. Brown loves ghost stories and opens a bookstore to sell them. He acquires a store cat. The problem is the mice that move in too. Mice the cat likes and does not want to hunt. But, if the mice don't go, the customers won't return and the bookstore will close.
What are the cat and mice to do?
The illustrations are line drawings bright with color. They fit well with the story and reveal the ghosts.
Dr. Seuss's ABC
4 stars
Author/Illustrator: Dr. Seuss
Big letter, small letter, a kooky picture and a fun saying illustrate each letter of the alphabet. This would be a fun introduction to the letters for any young child.
Unicorn Wings
4 Stars
Author: Mallory Loehr
Illustrator: Pamela Silin-Palmer
The unicorn is beautiful, white with a magic horn. Yet the unicorn was not satisfied with healing and rainbows from its horn. It wanted wings.
All of the illustrations have the unicorn fantasy look and feel. They add magic to the tale.
The Bookstore Ghost
5 stars
Author: Barbara Maitland
Illustrator: Nadine Bernard Westcott
Mr. Brown loves ghost stories and opens a bookstore to sell them. He acquires a store cat. The problem is the mice that move in too. Mice the cat likes and does not want to hunt. But, if the mice don't go, the customers won't return and the bookstore will close.
What are the cat and mice to do?
The illustrations are line drawings bright with color. They fit well with the story and reveal the ghosts.
Dr. Seuss's ABC
4 stars
Author/Illustrator: Dr. Seuss
Big letter, small letter, a kooky picture and a fun saying illustrate each letter of the alphabet. This would be a fun introduction to the letters for any young child.
March 7, 2025
"The Best Nest", "Oh the Places You'll Go!" and "The Lorax"
March is Dr. Seuss and picture book month. So I've read several picture books by and in the vein of Dr. Seuss.
The Best Nest
4 stars
Author/Illustrator: P.D. Eastman
Mr. Bird loves his regular nesting house. Mrs. Bird wants to move. They go looking with humorous results.
The illustrations are well done. The birds are so expressive. Different situations are fun to see.
Oh, the Places You'll Go!
4 stars
Author/Illustrator: Dr. Seuss
This is a book to encourage young children to believe in themselves, to pick themselves up when life throws them a problem. The text has many imaginative words.
The illustrations are imaginative, full of color.
The Lorax
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Dr. Seuss
The place is desolate around the Once'ler's house. Before it is where the Lorax once stood and spoke for the trees, the birds and the fish.
When the Once'ler came to this place it was a forest of Truffalo trees. He found he could knit thneeds from the tope of the trees and sell them. So he did.
This is a look at the interplay between corporate greed and environmental awareness. Although the story is of destruction, it ends with hope for the future. this first was published in 1971 as the environmental movement got started.
The illustrations are imaginative and colorful. Truffalo trees look like big pompoms on stalks. The animals are fantastical.
Although the message is clear in the book, it is not preachy. It is a call to action and consideration of consequences of your actions.
The Best Nest
4 stars
Author/Illustrator: P.D. Eastman
Mr. Bird loves his regular nesting house. Mrs. Bird wants to move. They go looking with humorous results.
The illustrations are well done. The birds are so expressive. Different situations are fun to see.
Oh, the Places You'll Go!
4 stars
Author/Illustrator: Dr. Seuss
This is a book to encourage young children to believe in themselves, to pick themselves up when life throws them a problem. The text has many imaginative words.
The illustrations are imaginative, full of color.
The Lorax
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Dr. Seuss
The place is desolate around the Once'ler's house. Before it is where the Lorax once stood and spoke for the trees, the birds and the fish.
When the Once'ler came to this place it was a forest of Truffalo trees. He found he could knit thneeds from the tope of the trees and sell them. So he did.
This is a look at the interplay between corporate greed and environmental awareness. Although the story is of destruction, it ends with hope for the future. this first was published in 1971 as the environmental movement got started.
The illustrations are imaginative and colorful. Truffalo trees look like big pompoms on stalks. The animals are fantastical.
Although the message is clear in the book, it is not preachy. It is a call to action and consideration of consequences of your actions.
March 4, 2025
"A Garden for Miss Mouse", "Bruno Munari's Zoo" and "Fear the Bunny"
Another eclectic selection of really fun picture books.
A Garden for Miss Mouse
5 stars
Author: Michaela Muntean
Illustrator: Christopher Santoro
Miss Mouse loves her garden. She plants the same things every year. One year she is bored with the same garden and plants lots of vegetables. This is great until these plants start getting big and bigger and bigger. Then Miss Mouse has a problem.
The illustrations are simple, but really fit the story. They show well the challenges the garden begin to present as the plants turn into a jungle.
Bruno Munari's Zoo
4 stars
Author/Illustrator: Bruno Munari
This zoo has many familiar animals in it. Each one is introduced with a sentence about it
The illustrations are stylized, but easily recognizable.
Fear the Bunny
5 stars favorite
Author/Illustrator: Richard T. Morris & Priscilla Burris
One of the more famous lines written by William Blake begin the poem The Tyger: Tyger, Tyger, burning bright In the forests of the night.
The tiger is fearsome and feared. So this tiger is surprised to hear: Bunnies, bunnies, burning bright, in the forests of the night-.
As the tiger points out, tigers are fearsome with teeth and claws. Bunnies are not fearsome so this must be wrong.
Or is it?
The illustrations are great. The animals are a bit cute, but true to themselves. The jungle is deep green and lush.
The ending is lots of fun.
A Garden for Miss Mouse
5 stars
Author: Michaela Muntean
Illustrator: Christopher Santoro
Miss Mouse loves her garden. She plants the same things every year. One year she is bored with the same garden and plants lots of vegetables. This is great until these plants start getting big and bigger and bigger. Then Miss Mouse has a problem.
The illustrations are simple, but really fit the story. They show well the challenges the garden begin to present as the plants turn into a jungle.
Bruno Munari's Zoo
4 stars
Author/Illustrator: Bruno Munari
This zoo has many familiar animals in it. Each one is introduced with a sentence about it
The illustrations are stylized, but easily recognizable.
Fear the Bunny
5 stars favorite
Author/Illustrator: Richard T. Morris & Priscilla Burris
One of the more famous lines written by William Blake begin the poem The Tyger: Tyger, Tyger, burning bright In the forests of the night.
The tiger is fearsome and feared. So this tiger is surprised to hear: Bunnies, bunnies, burning bright, in the forests of the night-.
As the tiger points out, tigers are fearsome with teeth and claws. Bunnies are not fearsome so this must be wrong.
Or is it?
The illustrations are great. The animals are a bit cute, but true to themselves. The jungle is deep green and lush.
The ending is lots of fun.
February 28, 2025
"Art Dog", "Eyes that Kiss in the Corners" and "Too Many Carrots"
Finding out about yourself is important.
Art Dog
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Thacher Hurd
Arthur is a guard at the Dogopolis Museum of Art. He is a quiet soul except when the moon is full. then the box of paints comes out of the closet and Art Dog goes out to create his masterpieces around town. Then a painting is stolen and Art Dog stumbles onto the trail.
Art Dog paints in the Impressionist style and the illustrations often have take offs from famous paintings of that style. They are filled with bold strokes and color.
Eyes that Kiss in the Corners
3 stars
Author: Joanna Ho
Illustrator: Dung Ho
A Chinese girl reflects on the shape of her eyes and how they are like those of her family.
The illustrations are a blend of Oriental and Western styles. Many of the pictures have flowers and butterflies in them. All have a flowing feel to them and say much more than the text about this girl and her family.
Too Many Carrots
4 stars
Author/Illustrator: Katy Hudson
Rabbit loves carrots and collects as many as he can until his house is so full he no longer fits inside. So he asks to stay with friends. the problem is that he can't leave his carrots behind.
The illustrations are cute. The carrots look enticing.
Art Dog
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Thacher Hurd
Arthur is a guard at the Dogopolis Museum of Art. He is a quiet soul except when the moon is full. then the box of paints comes out of the closet and Art Dog goes out to create his masterpieces around town. Then a painting is stolen and Art Dog stumbles onto the trail.
Art Dog paints in the Impressionist style and the illustrations often have take offs from famous paintings of that style. They are filled with bold strokes and color.
Eyes that Kiss in the Corners
3 stars
Author: Joanna Ho
Illustrator: Dung Ho
A Chinese girl reflects on the shape of her eyes and how they are like those of her family.
The illustrations are a blend of Oriental and Western styles. Many of the pictures have flowers and butterflies in them. All have a flowing feel to them and say much more than the text about this girl and her family.
Too Many Carrots
4 stars
Author/Illustrator: Katy Hudson
Rabbit loves carrots and collects as many as he can until his house is so full he no longer fits inside. So he asks to stay with friends. the problem is that he can't leave his carrots behind.
The illustrations are cute. The carrots look enticing.
February 25, 2025
"engine, Engine Number Nine", "My Special Day at Third Street School" and "The Great Dewey Hunt"
Lots of activities for young people are in these books.
Engine, Engine Number Nine
3 stars
Author: Stephanie Calmenson
Illustrator: Paul Meisel
Engine Number Nine is going down the track picking up people and animals as it goes. Where is it going? Read along and find out.
The text is written in verse. It doesn't hold to pattern all the way through.
The illustrations are great for color and reflecting the story. They make this a fun book.
My Special Day at Third Street School
5 stars
Author: Eve Bunting
Illustrator: Suzanne Bloom
This elementary class is having a local author come to visit. They do lots of preparations, both reading her books and decorating. The author arrives and gives an interesting talk. Everyone has a wonderful time. One boy asks the author to write a book about her visit. she does.
The illustrations are colorful and active. They capture all the action and indicate more.
The Great Dewey Hunt
4 stars
Author: Toni Buzzeo
Illustrator: Sachiko Yoshikawa
This book is an exaggerated class activity exploring the Dewey Decimal system for cataloging nonfiction books. First the fourth grade does the set up by finding books in their assigned section and setting them up with objects for the books. Then they work with second graders to match objects with their books.
With some adaptation, this would make a fun library activity.
The story is fun. The illustrations are great, filled with color and pushing the limit for exaggeration.
Engine, Engine Number Nine
3 stars
Author: Stephanie Calmenson
Illustrator: Paul Meisel
Engine Number Nine is going down the track picking up people and animals as it goes. Where is it going? Read along and find out.
The text is written in verse. It doesn't hold to pattern all the way through.
The illustrations are great for color and reflecting the story. They make this a fun book.
My Special Day at Third Street School
5 stars
Author: Eve Bunting
Illustrator: Suzanne Bloom
This elementary class is having a local author come to visit. They do lots of preparations, both reading her books and decorating. The author arrives and gives an interesting talk. Everyone has a wonderful time. One boy asks the author to write a book about her visit. she does.
The illustrations are colorful and active. They capture all the action and indicate more.
The Great Dewey Hunt
4 stars
Author: Toni Buzzeo
Illustrator: Sachiko Yoshikawa
This book is an exaggerated class activity exploring the Dewey Decimal system for cataloging nonfiction books. First the fourth grade does the set up by finding books in their assigned section and setting them up with objects for the books. Then they work with second graders to match objects with their books.
With some adaptation, this would make a fun library activity.
The story is fun. The illustrations are great, filled with color and pushing the limit for exaggeration.
February 21, 2025
"Tuesday", "Jackrabbit" and "Little Penguin Gets the Hiccups"
Animal stories, real and fantasy, are always fun reading.
Tuesday
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: David Wiesner
This is a true picture book with very little text. The story is told in the pictures.
It begins a 7:58 p.m. Tuesday evening on a pond filled with toads sitting on lily pads. Watch those lily pads carefully.
This is a fun book with a delightful ending.
Jackrabbit
5 stars
Author: Jonathon London
Illustrator: Deborah Kogan Ray
When developers bulldoze a house site, a little baby jackrabbit is left behind. She is adopted by a woman. This is the story of raising up and releasing this jackrabbit.
The illustrations capture the beauty and grace of a jackrabbit. They also show how the bond between the baby and the woman develops. This is a great book for those tempted to raise a wild orphan showing both the rewards and the heartbreak as the animal is turned loose.
Little Penguin Gets the Hiccups
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Tadgh Bentley
The premise is fantasy as penguins don't have chili parties. However, this story deserves to have this ignored.
It does ask the young reader to help the little penguin get rid of the hiccups. This can get a bit noisy and makes this a great book to read to a group.
The illustrations are lots of fun as the penguin gets lots of advice about how to get rid of the hiccups.
Tuesday
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: David Wiesner
This is a true picture book with very little text. The story is told in the pictures.
It begins a 7:58 p.m. Tuesday evening on a pond filled with toads sitting on lily pads. Watch those lily pads carefully.
This is a fun book with a delightful ending.
Jackrabbit
5 stars
Author: Jonathon London
Illustrator: Deborah Kogan Ray
When developers bulldoze a house site, a little baby jackrabbit is left behind. She is adopted by a woman. This is the story of raising up and releasing this jackrabbit.
The illustrations capture the beauty and grace of a jackrabbit. They also show how the bond between the baby and the woman develops. This is a great book for those tempted to raise a wild orphan showing both the rewards and the heartbreak as the animal is turned loose.
Little Penguin Gets the Hiccups
5 stars
Author/Illustrator: Tadgh Bentley
The premise is fantasy as penguins don't have chili parties. However, this story deserves to have this ignored.
It does ask the young reader to help the little penguin get rid of the hiccups. This can get a bit noisy and makes this a great book to read to a group.
The illustrations are lots of fun as the penguin gets lots of advice about how to get rid of the hiccups.
