Children's Books discussion
The Picture-Book Club
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April 2020 (and beyond): What Picture Books Are You Reading During Shelter-in-Place?
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Magnificent Homespun Brown: A Celebration by Samara Cole Doyon
No More Naps!: A Story for When You're Wide-Awake and Definitely NOT Tired by Chris Grabenstein
Bedtime for Sweet Creatures by Nikki Grimes
Dandelion's Dream by Yoko Tanaka
These four picture books are on the Mock Caldecott 2021 list, although Dandelion's Dream is not eligible since Tanaka lives in London.
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It seems a bit weird that often people are not being required or even encouraged to wear a mask but that books etc. are deemed infected and must be in quarantine for a week.
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Yes, it's all rather baffling. For example, at this branch where they are quarantining returns for seven days, one is now allowed to check out board games but only those from the adult section not those in the children's section.... Not really sure why if everything going in or out has been quarantined...? (The children's section is not open but we can place requests for children's books.)
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A Friend for Henry by Jenn Bailey
Kat Writes a Song by Greg E. Foley
Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring by Kenard Pak
Up On Bob by Mary Sullivan
Mother Jones and Her Army of Mill Children by Jonah Winter
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A Friend for Henry by Jenn Bailey
Kat Writes a Song by Greg E. Foley
Goodbye Winter, Hello Sprin..."</i>
We've read Pak's [book:Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn. We enjoyed it and I would like to try the sequel :-)
Bugs Don't Hug by Heather L MontgomerySea Bear by Lindsay Moore
Pink is for Blobfish by Jess Keating
Glacier On The Move by Elizabeth Rusch
Girls With Guts by Debbie Gonzales
Old Rock by Deb Pilutti
We Are Grateful by Traci Sorrell
WONDERFUL books!
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Sea Bear by Lindsay Moore
Pink is for Blobfish by Jess Keating
Glacier On The Move by Elizabeth Rusch
Girls With Guts by Debbie Gonzales
Old Rock by Deb Pilut..."
Thank you, Tracy! I will look into those :-)
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Although Jason Chin readily admits in his informative author's note that Island: A Story of the Galápagos is a bit speculative, it is still (in my humble opinion) absolutely based on scientifically sound concepts, it focusses on the actual fossil evidence (as well as on Charles Darwin's personal observations whilst he was visiting the Galápagos Islands as chief naturalist aboard the H.M.S. Beagle and before penning his seminal The Origin of Species) and of course and also naturally on the "written in stone" ancient geologic record of the Galápagos Islands and other volcanic islands that are formed due to a so-called hot spot. But of course, the very fact that Island: A Story of the Galápagos is a speculative science story might likely also be used by staunch creationists to discredit the entire concept of evolution even though there is now in fact more than ample both fossil and geologic evidence to show that the theory of evolution is generally considered to be the story of life on earth (and guess what, you can in my opinion still believe in God and also at the same time believe in science and in the theory of evolution).
An engagingly told text with brilliantly colourful and wonderfully descriptive accompanying illustrations, Island: A Story of the Galápagos is in my opinion a perfect introduction to both the Galápagos Islands themselves and to the general concept and theory of evolution in and of itself (and having the islands portrayed almost as humans, from birth to old age, but showing that because of the hot spot running deeply into the mantle of the death, there is also a constant continuation of new islands being formed and life populating these new islands, evolving, changing, living, this renders Island: A Story of the Galápagos as almost most a personal and emotionally relatable tale), most suitable for older children above the age of eight or nine (although yes, for a read-aloud, Island: A Story of the Galápagos would probably also work well enough with younger children, as while there is definitely a lot of text included in Island: A Story of the Galápagos, Jason Chin also never makes his narrative overly difficult or heavy with scientific vocabulary and jargon).
Five stars for the general concept of Island: A Story of the Galápagos (and for the in all ways wonderful and delightful combination of Jason Chin's printed words and his artwork), but lowered to a three star general ranking for me, since for one, I really do wish that the informative and educational supplemental information and details section (on Charles Darwin, on the Galápagos Islands and their endemic animal species) also contained a bibliography with suggestions for further reading and study and that for two, in the Kindle Edition of Island: A Story of the Galápagos (which is how I have read this book), especially the illustrations are rather small in circumference and sometimes a bit blurry (and the text also pretty tiny in size, which would make in particular reading Island: A Story of the Galápagos aloud to a child or to a group of children potentially rather difficult).
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Sea Bear by Lindsay Moore
Pink is for Blobfish by Jess Keating
Glacier On The Move by Elizabeth Rusch
Girls With Guts by Debbie Gonzales
Old Roc..."
I highly recommend Pink Is for Blobfish: Discovering the World's Perfectly Pink Animals as well as the other books in the series, Cute as an Axolotl: Discovering the World's Most Adorable Animals and What Makes a Monster?: Discovering the World's Scariest Creatures (although I do have some reservations about which animals the author labels as monstrous and the reasons why).
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I love the concept of this book, explaining the different sounds animals make and when they use those sounds to communicate. Some of ..."
Thanks for reminding me about this book. I first read it a couple of years ago, but requested a copy again for this discussion. Finally, received a library copy. The information about the sounds the animals make was interesting, and presented so that pre-school children could understand it. I liked that Stewart had the most basic info in large font, so a parent with a young pre-school child could read just that part of the book, and skip all the smaller print text. An older child can benefit from the details supplied in the smaller print annotations. I also liked the selection of lesser known animals for examples. As for the illustrations, honestly, the open-mouthed animals didn't bother me, especially if that is how the animal holds its mouth to utter its sound. And I do love Jenkins' cut and torn paper collage.
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I love the concept of this book, explaining the different sounds animals make and when they use those sounds to commu..."
The open mouth illustrations did not bother me either, but considering I have in the past found illustrations uncanny and unpleasant that many if not most others have enjoyed, I do understand that Kathryn and also her sons did seem to find the depictions focussing in particular on the open mouth a bit visually off-putting.
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I also read Audubon Cat, a picture book penned by Mary Calhoun and illustrated by Susan Bonners. And while I have found the artwork charming, the text, which basically to and for me seems to actively promote and condone domestic cats being outside and stalking, killing birds really totally rubs me the wrong way.
Moldilocks and the Three Scares: A Zombie Tale
A twist on the classic tale. The three scares take the place of the bears. They are based on the classic movie monsters Frankenstein, Frankenstein's Bride/The Mummy and Dracula (baby vampire). Moldilocks is a zombie. The story doesn't make ANY sense from zombie lore standpoint and not even the twist makes sense. The macabre illustrations are cute enough for kids but don't appeal to me. I'm not sure nephew will like this one.
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I love the concept of this book, explaining the different sounds animals make and when they use those sounds to commu..."
I'm glad you were able to read it and enjoyed it!
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Thank you, I'll make note of those. Blobfish and Cute sound great but I will probably pass on "What Makes a Monster" as I just don't hold with labeling animals as monsters.
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Yes, the book about what makes a monster is a bit problematic but at least the author also lists humans as being a dangerous type of animal.
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Ah, well that is fair enough at least.
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Ah, well that is fair enough at l..."
It is defiintely fair enough with regard to humans also being dangerous. But Keating also does not provide enough criticism towards those individuals who have for example driven the totally harmless and insect eating aye-aye almost to extinction in Madagascar simply because of superstition that it supposedly is harbinger of death (so many times, if an aye-aye is spotted, superstitious Malagesis try to immediately kill it.
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Pie Is for SharingWhat a delight! I adored this sweet book that is so full of the joys of summer and friendship and sharing. I love the idea of staring with sharing pie and spreading out to sharing books, balls, a tree ("A tree is always shared..." [group of children climbing trees] even when you think it is yours alone" [a boy reading in the tree with a bird in a nest above him]) to sharing time, sharing friends (even when it is hard sometimes to share them), sharing a hug and a story about what happened if you are hurt... and it circles back around to sharing pie at the end. The backdrop is a group of people (family and friends) enjoying a 4th of July at the lake, culminating in fireworks. The illustrations are wonderful and portray diversity in the people. Love this!
Blue Sky White Stars
Beautiful! I am a fan of Kadir Nelson. The book is a great concept but I think it might appeal more to adults than to children and it is somewhat awkward as a read-aloud. For example, one page shows an illustration of the white line of covered wagons coming across the prairie and says, "White rows" the other page shows red and white stripes from the flag and says "White rows." Another page shows a young Betsy Ross sewing the flag and says, "Sew together Won Nation" and the other page shows a beautifully diverse group of people and says, "So together One nation." I thought it was stirring but my four-year-old didn't seem captivated. Still, Kadir Nelson's work is beautiful and I love sharing it with my children.
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What Makes a Monster?: Discovering the World's Scariest CreaturesThis freaked out both the adults and the kids. I thought the zombie boy would enjoy it. I liked it well enough and especially appreciated the inclusion of humans at the end. The most dangerous species. I was glad to hear the Portuguese Man of War jellyfish has not made an appearance in Long Island Sound yet or my niece would never ever go near the water again.
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This freaked out both the adults and the kids. I thought the zombie boy would enjoy it. I liked it well enough and ..."
I actually found the book really interesting but wish that the author were a bit more critical regarding why certain animal species are deemed monsters, such as for example the aye-aye (which is a totally harmless insect eater but critically endangered due to Malagasy superstitions that seeing it is a harbinger of death). And like you I also do very much appreciate that Keating does point out just how dangerous we as humans are or can be for world ecosystems.
Manybooks wrote: "I actually found the book really interesting but wish that the author were a bit more critical regarding why certain animal species are deemed monsters, such as for example the aye-aye (which is a totally harmless insect eater but critically endangered due to Malagasy superstitions that seeing it is a harbinger of death).."Some of them are obvious but yes, I wondered about that too. Prairie Dogs are adorable but I know many people out west consider them pests. I didn't know about infanticide but that doesn't make them monsters. The Portuguese Man Of War is pretty scary. I know we have them here in New England, usually now when it's crazy hot. We're told in advance they're around and be careful. Now we have to worry about Great White Sharks! They should have been included.
I thought the kids would enjoy this book because they watch some YouTube videos with a man who goes after provoking "monster" creatures in the name of studying them. The kids also talked a LOT about murder hornets last time I had seen them. I never can predict what these kids will be interested in in advance.
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I do find prairie Dogs cute, but yes, the holes they and gophers dig can easily break a horse’s or a cow’s legs.
Manybooks wrote: "I do find prairie Dogs cute, but yes, the holes they and gophers dig can easily break a horse’s or a cow’s legs."I've only seen them at the zoo. We have gophers here too but most of the holes in our yard were dug by QUEEN OF THE WORLD terrier. My aunt once fell in a hole dug by a skunk. Now talk about an animal that's a "monster." Skunk smell lasts forever! (enzyme cleaner for your dog, shower for you, trash for your towels).
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I've only seen them at the zoo. We have gophers here too but mos..."
Our Rottweiler got into a skunk, ran into the house and wiped his face on the rug. And up close skunk smells like really bad burned rubber.
Manybooks wrote: "Our Rottweiler got into a skunk, ran into the house and wiped his face on the rug. And up close skunk smells like really bad burned rubber.."
Yes we're well acquainted well the smell of skunk on dog (fresh and every time it rained), towels, the yard. I almost ran into one on my walk around the neighborhood a few weeks ago. I put a flashlight app on my phone and carry that with me now!
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Our Rottweiler got into a skunk, ran into the house and wiped his face on the rug. And up close skunk smells like really bad burned rubber.."
Yes we're well acquainted well the..."
We found a bunch of skunk babies last year. They were really cute but they can spray even as babies, so better be careful.
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I hope you'll enjoy it. It definitely made me say "aww" :-)
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I really do not think that most public libraries should be open for browsing. And definitely, those libraries that are open for in place public browsing should also have a strictly enforced mask wearing and social distancing policy in effect (and one that also needs to be strictly enforced). Now I do realise that there are individuals who have legitimate medical reasons for not being able to wear a mask, but in our area, it has become increasingly obvious that many who claim they cannot wear masks just do not want to and are making things really really difficult for those who have legitimate medical reasons why they cannot wear masks.
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So aside from her incomparable and simply wonderful 1906 Etwas von den Wurzelkindern (The Story of the Root Children), which in its German original has truly and ever since my very early childhood been one of my absolute favourite picture books, period (and also in any of my known languages), I had in fact not read ANY (or even been all that aware) of Sibylle von Olfers' other book offerings. And I was thus rather excited and also delighted to locate and to finally get the opportunity to read von Olfers' 1909 Prinzeßchen im Walde (The Princess in the Forest) and yes and of course in the German original (since I have in fact been so majorly disappointed with the English language rendering of Sibylle von Olfers’ Etwas von den Wurzelkindern by Floris Books of Edinburgh that I really did not desire reading The Princess in the Forest from said publishing house).
But unfortunately and more than a bit truly sadly for me, albeit that Sibylle von Olfers' illustrations of a little woodland princess' daily life in the forest are indeed evocatively colourful, glowingly descriptive and as such of course also pure and unadulterated von Olfers aesthetic magic, I do find the accompanying narrative, I do consider the presented and featured text of Prinzeßchen im Walde (and which of course has equally been penned by Sibylle von Olfers), while definitely and certainly lyrical enough and sweetly cadenced, also personally rather potentially troublesome and problematic content and thematics wise.
For while I do realise that Prinzeßchen im Walde is by necessity of its early 20th century publication date of 1909 rather stratified with regard to gender and social roles (as is Etwas von den Wurzelkindern to a point as well, for that matter), the entire premise of Prinzeßchen im Walde, with the diminutive forest princess being basically described by Sibylle von Olfers as being totally catered to, as being continuously served by her subjects, by her many seemingly indentured servants, this does certainly and indeed leave me more than a trifle uncomfortable. And really, except for when within the pages of Prinzeßchen im Walde the princess is learning her daily school lessons, she is also almost entirely and completely passive (as the dew maidens dress the princess, the moss lads serve her breakfast, the mushroom children have to entertain her with fairy tales and so on and so on). And yes and definitely, to and for me, a bit more physical activity and some actual responsibilities and described daily duties for the little princess would therefore have been much appreciated in Prinzeßchen im Walde, because as it stands now, she is basically quite massively dependent on, entirely mollycoddled and for all intents and purposes also quite spoiled by her subjects (and who, as already alluded to above, are really just her servants and nothing more than that).
Of course Prinzeßchen im Walde is also not unacceptable or inappropriate reading material for younger children by any means, and I most certainly have enjoyed encountering and also reading Prinzeßchen im Walde as a story, as a tale in and of itself (and in particular visually, with regard to Sibylle von Olfers always delightful artwork). But in particular when considering Sibylle von Offers' narrational content, Prinzeßchen im Walde certainly does have some (in my humble opinion) obvious issues with social and gender stratification, with datedness and definitely much more so than with for example her Etwas von den Wurzelkindern (and this even though Prinzeßchen im Walde was actually published three years later than Etwas von den Wurzelkindern). Therefore, if I had young children or if I were teaching or taking care of young children, while I would of course not in any way hesitate reading Prinzeßchen im Walde aloud to them, I would also and definitely be discussing the to me obvious and potentially problematic issues with social stratification and strictly enforced roles I have noticed and also why Sibylle von Olfers might have presented the little forest princess in this particular manner.
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I absolutely find that there is indeed oh so very much to both enjoy and appreciate about The Bug Girl: A True Story that I really do wish I could be rating this 2020 non-fiction picture book with more than just three stars. For the premise of The Bug Girl: A True Story and how young Sophia Spencer (with cowriter Margaret McNamara's help) so eloquently tells her personal and totally true story is certainly very much delightful (and yes, even with some parts of The Bug Girl: A True Story also being a tad frustrating and painful), how Sophia lets her readers not only know in no uncertain terms that she is truly a total bug girl, how much insects of all kinds have intensely interested her since her toddlerhood, but also how she, how Sophia almost decided to give up on her love for arthropods altogether due to some nasty instances of schoolyard bullying, and most happily, how her mother (her single mother) then prevented this by sending an email to a group of entomologists (who promptly wrote back to reassure Sophia that there is absolutely nothing at all strange and uncanny about liking and being fascinated by insects, by bugs etc.), and of course not to mention that Kerascoët's accompanying artwork is equally an aesthetic wonder, a truly marvellous visual feast of both realism and imagination and with a presented colour scheme that always works and is never sensually grating or off.
However, there are also a few minor but frustratingly so academic issues that I for one have found with The Bug Girl: A True Story and which I do tend to find problematic enough to remove two stars. For one, I have always been taught that while all bugs are insects, not all insects should be labeled as being bugs. And well, butterflies (and The Bug Girl: A True Story starts with a butterfly) are actually of the order Lepidoptera and true bugs are of the order Hemiptera. And thus, in my humble opinion, Sophia Spencer really should not be calling the butterfly which sparked her interest in insects a bug, but rather an arthropod (or just an insect) and perhaps a better title for this book should actually not be The Bug Girl but a title showing that Sophia is an insect, an arthropod fanatic (and not just label all insects as being bugs, as that is obviously not really all that scientifically correct and sound). And for two and a bit more annoyingly for me, although the supplemental information on insects at the back of The Bug Girl: A True Story is both fascinating and enlightening, that there is no included bibliography, that there are no book titles or websites mentioned for further reading and study, for me, this indeed poses a very much annoying and grating intellectual shortcoming and something that I also do think quite rather lessens the teaching, learning and research value of The Bug Girl: A True Story.
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Ducks! by Deborah Underwood (the facial expression on one of the ducks is priceless)
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Underwear! by Jenn Harney in which a small bear puts his tighty whiteys on every part of his body except the correct part.
Both books are big on illustrations and spare on text.
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How frustrating! It really is astonishing to me how many of these recently published picture books have this shortcoming.
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Ducks! by Deborah Underwood (the facial expression on one of the ducks is priceless)
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Underwear! by [..."
Those sound fun :-)
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And for this book in particular, which is of course also meant to interest young readers in insects, a selection of books and websites for further study really would have been a boon.
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One of the best and most exciting picture books I've read this year. Brilliant concept! This simply and effectively teaches about land and water forms and takes the "picture is worth a thousand words" concept to the next level by using carefully designed cut-outs in the pages. For example, on the fist page we see yellow land with a lake of blue water peeking through a circular cut-out -- then flip the page and the same circular cut-out becomes an island (of yellow sand) in a sea of blue. This continues with Bay/Cape, Straight/Isthmus, System of Lakes/Archipelago, Gulf/Peninsula. No words needed beyond the label of each formation! A few brief words at the back of the book help explain a bit more (for example, the difference between a bay and a gulf, or a cape and a peninsula). There's an excellent fold out map of the world at the back highlighting where some of these formations appear, as well as a list of the places in the world where each formation appears.
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4.5 STARS This is such an important message: cultivating compassion for others, thinking before you judge, being a force of good in the world. Yes, so needed. I have long been an admirer of the Dalai Lama and his messages. I think it's wonderful that he created this picture book to share with children.
The book is part biography and part instruction manual. It is probably a bit too lengthy for the youngest picture book crowd, though there is nothing in it that couldn't be shared with them. The illustrations are lovely, warm and gentle, and accompany the text well.
We see some examples from his life, especially in the example of his mother and her kindness to others. She was a shining example to him. I also think it is wonderful that the Dalai Lama showed his imperfections -- like the time when he and his brother had to be separated on the journey to Lhasa (when the Dalai Lama was four years old) because he and his brother were so rambunctious and roughhoused inside the cabin of the palanquin and knock it off balance. How reassuring to know that even someone like Dalai Lama could have his moments of imperfection ;-) I think children need to hear this. Yet, also the reminder that we are born with this goodness, this compassion, inside of us. "The seed of compassion is within every child. It is there from birth and is a part of our nature. And it flourishes because of love." He reminds children that compassion is also something that must be nurtured, that you may not have all the answers of how to act compassionately in a certain situation, but that "you can build compassion day by day. It takes practice. And even when you slip and don't make a compassionate choice, tomorrow presents the opportunity for you to try again."
I feel that I want just a little more about the "how" -- the concrete examples of how to cultivate compassion and act with compassion -- as I think this is where many children (and adults) struggle at time. He presents two good examples:
"When someone disagrees with you, rather than think they are mistaken, you must ask, 'Why might they feel this way?'"
"When someone is scowling or upset or hurt, you could busy yourself with your own concerns, or you could ask, 'What might I do to help them?'"
Good examples. I just wanted more.
He reminds us that humans have the ability to train their minds, that this is what makes us different from all other animals, and it is our superpower. He said this is where the seed of compassion thrives, that "compassion is based in the mind, the part of us that is uniquely human." (I do have a slight quibble here as I do believe some animals are capable of compassion. But, it doesn't detract from his overall message of the importance of cultivating compassion.)
Overall, highly recommended, especially in these times that seem so drained of compassion. Children need this gentle reminder that they are capable of making a positive difference in the world. The Dalai Lama reminds us that we cannot change the past but we can learn from it and shape the future. "And as children, you already have the tools needed to build a happier world, a better world, a compassionate world."
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Taken as a whole, I very much enjoyed and recommend this debut picture book by Native American journalist Kevin Noble Maillard, a member of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma. The accompanying illustrations by Caldecott Honor Winner Juana Martinez-Neal are endearing, full of detail, and represent a variety of modern Native Americans. (Note that though the subtitle says "Native American" the focus here is on the tribes of what is now the United States, so if you are looking for a book on First Nations of Canada, this will probably not be the book for you.)
However, I can't give this a full five stars because I feel there is some disconnect between the strength of the picture book text itself and the extremely lengthy and detailed afterward (most of which is way beyond the comprehension or attention level of the early picture book market). I don't feel the text itself is really descriptive enough for most children who are not already familiar with the subject. Take, for example, this: "Fry Bread is History: The long walk, the stolen land / Strangers in our world / With unknown food / We made new recipes / From what we had" This is poignant for me, knowing the history of the Trail of Tears, but I don't know that most Pre-K or early elementary children will connect with it. Or this: "Fry Bread is Flavor: See beans or soup / Smell tacos, cheese, and vegetables / Delight in honey and jam / Rise to discover what brings us together" These are lovely sentiments showing the diverse traditions that are now interwoven with Native American traditions, but I just feel it is too abstract for the young crowd the book seems aimed toward. I would not discourage from sharing this with youngsters, just be prepared to have read the back matter yourself and elaborate on the text proper as necessary. Indeed, if you read only the main text you would even have an incomplete perspective of what fry bread actually is, because the text introduces it this way: "Fry Bread is Food: Flour, salt water / Cornmeal, baking powder / Perhaps milk, maybe sugar / All mixed together in a bowl" Reading this, I would assume cornmeal was *the* key ingredient, but the author specifically states in his Note that there is no "right" way to make fry bread, every family has their own recipe, and that "my recipe for fry bread uses cornmeal... this may be a surprise to not only traditionalists, but for many natives who have never heard of such a thing. Perhaps the use of cornmeal in my recipe is a Southern influence that reflects the blending of African American and Native American cultures in my family."
As I said, though, there is much to admire and appreciate in this book and I do highly recommend it urging you to make time for the extensive Author's Note which is beautifully written and very educational. I appreciate the emphasis placed on modern Native Americans. I was fascinated and sobered to learn some of the politics that have gone into the process for a tribe to be federally recognized and appreciate that the end papers of the book show many of the names of the 573 federally recognized tribes. I was amazed that the Author's Note even called out the Shingle Springs Rancheria that is near my small home town in California. "While so much of the United States federal policy has acted to weaken Indigenous governments and undermined tribal sovereignty, Native nations continues to exist and demand recognition of their endurance and strength by the United States. Native America is not a past history of vanished people and communities. We are still here."
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That does sound excessive to me as well. Our library system is only quarantining books for 3 days.