Auction! By Seymour, Tres

Title: Auction!
Author: Seymour, Tres
Illustration: Cat Bowman Smith
Publisher: Candlewick Press

Comments
CIP Info People from all over the county attend an auction where people bid on everything from clothes and paintings to a stuffed groundhog and a potbellied stove. Just a fun non-sense book. How could I know pick up a book about auctions. The little girl is the only one that ever out bid her Aunt Lou and Miss Logsdon. This book isn’t going to change the world but it is a fun read. Illustrations are done in ink and watercolor.

Soft house By Yolen, Jane

Title: Soft house
Author: Yolen, Jane
Illustration: Wendy Anderson Halperin
Publisher: Candlewick Press

Comments
CIP Info On a rainy afternoon, a little brother and big sister make a cozy house from blankets and cushions with the help of Mr. Cat. Well here was a completely average book. I must say I didn’t expect a lot, I had very slim pickings that day, but it was Jane Yolen. Wow, the story was slow and slightly choppy. I would love to know what the designer was thinking (more importantly if there was thought) when the font was selected. It is by far one of the most impossible fonts I have read in my life. The text blends just a bit too well into the illustration. However, unlike some books, the text is needed to explain the illustrations. The illustrations fit the story, but it all seems forced. It is all too sweet, too perfect. They missed the fun simplicity of making a fort on a rainy day. Kind of a shame, this could have been a great cozy story, perfect for rainy days.

The secret of saying thanks By Wood, Douglas

Title: The secret of saying thanks
Author: Wood, Douglas
Illustration: Greg Shed
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Comments
CIP Info While learning the secret to a good life, a child says thank you for the natural world and for being loved, because a grateful heart is always happy. It was ok. It was kind of sappy, and it tried to be a little too philosophical for a kid’s book. As far as the text, it was hardly worth it, the illustrations however were very soothing. They were simplistic and soft. They had warm golden colors that make you want to crawl in and just hang for awhile.

John, Paul, George & Ben By Smith, Lane

Title: John, Paul, George & Ben
Author: Smith, Lane
Illustration: Lane Smith
Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children

Comments
CIP Info A humorous look at five of our country's founding fathers. In his own unique style, Lane Smith makes colonial history fun and interesting, thank God. If there isn’t a rougher subject for me it is this on. The text has a fun yet educational feel about it, and let’s face it anything with “Ye olde” in it is bound to be funny. Half of the text is true and half is kind of made up. At then end of the book, Smith sets the record straight with a “Ye Olde True and False.” It is fun. Everyone should read this. I can’t wait to add it to my collection.

Mittens By Newberry, Clare Turlay

Title: Mittens
Author: Newberry, Clare Turlay
Illustration: Clare Turlay Newberry
Publisher: Smithmark

Comments
CIP Info Richard achieves his lifelong desire to have a kitten, only to have it become lost. Precious. I feel in love with Newberry’s work a few years ago when I read April’s Kitten. At the time I didn’t have time to research further. I was an antique mall last week and picked up a reproduction in hardcover for only $5.50. I love this book. The space around the illustrations is great, that story is simple. It is a story from a simpler time. Richard finally talks his mother in to getting him a kitten. It has mitten feet (6 toes) so naturally they call it Mittens. One day Mittens gets out. They put an ad in the paper. All day long people stop by with cats that are not Mittens. At the end of the book, they find Mittens up in a tree. It is a simple story, but written so well you can really enjoy it, with anyone at anytime.

The sound of colors : a journey of the imagination By Thomson, Sarah L

Title: The sound of colors : a journey of the imagination
Author: Thomson, Sarah L
Illustration: Liao, Jimmy
Publisher: Brown

Comments
CIP Info A young woman losing her vision rides the subway with her dog in search of emotional healing. The author, did a good thing. There is very little text. The designer did an even better job. The font is small so you don’t notice it right away. The font isn’t so small that you can’t read it; it just isn’t the most prominent thing on the page. Now as for the story, I didn’t get it, but that is not that big of an issue. The illustrations are really interesting. The illustrations are done in watercolor. The book isn’t worth buying for a personal collection, but would be a nice addition to a library or other large collection.

Landed By Lee, Milly

Title: Landed
Author: Lee, Milly
Illustration: Yangsook Choi
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux

Comments
CIP Info After leaving his village in southeastern China, twelve-year-old Sun is held at Angel Island, San Francisco, before being released to join his father, a merchant living in the area. Includes historical notes. This is a very text heavy book. However, I don’t think much could be cut without ruining the story. It is complicated and very detailed. This isn’t a book that a child could just sit down and enjoy. This is a book that would be a great addition to any collection. This is a little known portion of history. The author explains all the parts very well. The illustrator captures the detail of the story in fabulous illustrations. The author includes a detailed note at the end. Now here is the interesting part, not only is the story true, and happened to many Chinese immigrants, but happened to members of the author’s family. There is a web site if the reader would like to research Angel Island further.

So what is it like to be a cat? By Kuskin, Karla

Title: So what is it like to be a cat?
Author: Kuskin, Karla
Illustration: Betsy Lewin
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Comments
CIP Info A cat answers a young child's questions about such things as how much and where it sleeps, and whether or not it likes living with people. This is such an awesome book. Clearly Kuskin is a cat owner. A little boy wants to know all about his pet cat’s day. The text has a great rhythm. It also has a rhyme to it. Now generally when there is a rhyme it can get a little annoying. This was so subtle that I had to read it twice to notice the rhyme. It was so good that I added an unprecedented fourth reading. I even read it to the cats.

Once upon a time, the end : asleep in 60 seconds By Kloske, Geoffrey

Title: Once upon a time, the end : asleep in 60 seconds
Author: Kloske, Geoffrey
Illustration: Barry Blitt
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Comments
CIP Info A tired father takes only a few sentences to tell a number of classic tales in order to get the persistent listener to fall asleep. Hysterical, absolutely hysterical. Each story, each classic tale cut to sixty seconds or less. There are only two pigs, the Princes and the pea only takes 30 seconds, and the Little Red Hen finally gets to tell the lazy twits where to go. This is a must have for everyone. Absolutely everyone should have this book. It was fun, and funny. It was so awesome. The illustrations are so-so, and some of the font is really hard to read for anyone. Other than that it is awesome.

Magyk, by Sage Angie

Title: Magyk
Author: Sage, Angie.
Illustration: Mark Zug.
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Comments
CIP Info After learning that she is the Princess, Jenna is whisked from her home and carried toward safety by the Extraordinary Wizard, those she always believed were her father and brother, and a young guard known only as Boy 412--pursued by agents of those who killed her mother ten years earlier. I gave it a good try. Well I thought it was a good try. Come one seriously I gave it a whole 53 pages. Over twice as much as I usually give a book, I just couldn’t get into it. I can’t even tell ya what the book was about. On the upside, it was great for those few nights I couldn’t get to sleep.

You come to Yokum By Hurst, Carol Otis

Title: You come to Yokum
Author: Hurst, Carol Otis
Illustration: Kay Life.
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin

Comments
CIP Info Twelve-year-old Frank witnesses his mother's struggles to muster support for women's right to vote even as the family's life is transformed by a year running a lodge in western Massachusetts in the early 1920s. Good literature from this time period is almost impossible to find. This is well written if not well constructed. Each chapter is good, but I never figured out how they all worked together. So I was kind of confused. It was a good book, but no sure how it all works. The mother, Grace, is a suffragette. The family moves with family up to run a motel for the summer season. There Grace picks up the suffragette cause again there. In the end she dies of anaphylactic shock and they take her home for burial. There the suffragettes gather around her casket. The book tries to neatly tie up the loose ends. The father remarries, the boys leave home and one becomes a doctor. The ending is just a bit too neat. I think if the author was slightly more focused and didn’t try to fit so much into the book, it would have been much better.

Lilly's big day by Henkes, Kevin.

Title: Lilly's big day
Author: Henkes, Kevin.
Illustration: Kevin Henkes.
Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Comments
CIP Info When her teacher announces that he is getting married, Lilly the mouse sets her heart on being the flower girl at his wedding. My dear little Lilly is back. Lilly is one sassy little mouse. When she hears her teacher is getting married she looks forward to being asked to be the flower girl. She practices every day hoping her teacher will ask her. One day he pulls her aside and tells her that his niece Ginger is going to be the flower girl. Lilly naturally is mad, but the teacher tells her she can be the flower girl’s assistant. When it comes time for the big day, Ginger freezes. Without thinking about it, Lilly picks up Ginger and slowly walks down the isle. It is hysterical. I loved it all. There is something about Lilly I just love it. Henkes has done it again.

Geography Club By Hartinger, Brent

Title: Geography Club
Author: Hartinger, Brent
Publisher: HarperTempest

Comments
CIP Info A group of gay and lesbian teenagers finds mutual support when they form the "Geography Club" at their high school. This was a great book. So balanced. It was a book about one gay boy finding out that he was not alone. It was also a book about how people can feel alone or an outcast in many situations. The focus remains on the gay, lesbian, and bisexual students. They create the “Geography Club” so they can meet and not be outted. Belinda, who is straight, stumbles in thinking it was a real geography club. She finds out what the club is really about. She won’t out them, because she knows what it is like to lie to others and herself. By the middle of the book, the group becomes more of a support group for everyone. It is just a book about what it is like for most people to get through high school, most of the characters just happen to be gay. It is well written and not overly graphic. A good book to share with gay or straight students.

The story of paper By Compestine, Ying Chang

Title: The story of paper
Author: Compestine, Ying Chang
Illustration: YongSheng Xuan
Publisher: Holiday House

Comments
CIP Info After the Kang brothers get in trouble at school, they devise a way to make paper, which will make things easier for both their teacher and themselves. Includes a historical note and a recipe for home-made paper. Ok the illustrations are vibrant and engaging. They fit the text very well. Because paper was very expensive the students had to either write on there hands or on the dirt. Three boys got in trouble and the teacher writes notes on their hands for the parents. Unfortunately, as they walk home, every one in town either ask them what their hands say or can read what they say. After doing their chores one night the boys figure out a way to make cheaper paper, thus the whole town doesn’t know when they got in to trouble. There is an author’s note and a recipe on how to make paper. Honestly I didn't think I would like the story or the book much. I was over half way through before I even thought I might have liked the book. By the end of it, I think it would be a fun book to add to a classroom or share at home. It has a great activity to share with each other.

Rembrandt and Titus : artist and son By Comora, Madeleine

Title: Rembrandt and Titus : artist and son
Author: Comora, Madeleine
Illustration: Thomas Locker
Publisher: Fulcrum Pub

Comments
CIP Info Titus, the son of famous artist Rembrandt van Rijn, tells how his father's life and work taught him about creativity and ways of seeing the world. They layout is perfect for this book allows the reader to focus on the text, then on the facing pages are left free of text. This allows the reader to focus on the exquisite illustrations. The detail and the focus of the illustration is second to none. This book is told from the perspective of Titus his son. Titus remains in awe of his father. Rembrandt stuck to his style and form even when his popularity lessened and he had to sell most of his items and move into a smaller house. Through all of that he never altered his artistic vision. The book overall is ok. But if you take time and focus on the outstanding illustrations, it is a force to be reckoned with.

One Christmas in Washington : the secret meeting between Roosevelt and Churchill that changed the world By Bercuson, David Jay

Title: One Christmas in Washington : the secret meeting between Roosevelt and Churchill that changed the world
Author: Bercuson, David Jay
Publisher: Overlook Press

Comments
CIP Info One Christmas in Washington is the in-depth look at one of the most crucial periods in modern history: the weeks between December 1941 and January 1942, when Churchill and Roosevelt - seemingly on the run after Dunkirk and Pearl Harbor - met at the White House, forging what turned out to be the Grand Alliance - while in the background, a gloomy and confused America went about with their Christmas celebrations." "Bercuson and Herwig recreate the dramatic days of the Washington War Conference of 1941-1942, code-named ARCADIA, using the diaries, meeting notes, personal letters, and detailed minutes that contain day-by-day, almost hour-by-hour accounts of these historic events. The authors take a look at the high-level meetings that lasted long into the night and at the scenes behind the scenes." "One Christmas in Washington is an authoritative and emotional story of two proud and accomplished statesmen struggling to overcome biases, suspicion, and hubris to create what turned out to be the war-winning alliance. Never had time to finish. Only made it half-way through. I became over run with new youth books. I would like to come back some day to read about the finer points. The book isn’t bad. I have read some nonfiction that is impossible to read. But this read really well.

Freedom Summer by Wiles, Debbie

Title: Freedom Summer

Author: Wiles, Debbie

Illustration: Jerome Lagarrigue

Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Comments

CIP info In 1964, Joe is pleased that a new law will allow his best friend John Henry, who is colored, to share the town pool and other public places with him, but he is dismayed to find that prejudice still exists. This book won many awards, and after reading it, it’s easy to see why. A white boy, Joe, and his best friend, John Henry, is black. They swim in the creek because John Henry wasn’t allowed in the town pool. Then one summer the town pool opens and it is supposed to allow everyone in regardless of their skin color. Joe and John Henry are very excited. For the first time they make plans for when they will both get to swim in the clear water of the town pool. The next day the run to the pool and find dump trucks filling the pool with asphalt. Even though John Henry’s brother tells them to go home, they hide in the bushes and watch as the pool is slowly filled with asphalt. The most powerful illustration is of the two boys sitting on the diving board looking over the pool now full of black asphalt. The illustration and text show the lengths people would go to stop the equality laws. It is sad, but true. One of the better books I read this session.

Abby takes a stand : Scraps of time by McKissack, Pat

Title: Abby takes a stand : Scraps of time

Author: McKissack, Pat

Illustration: Gordon C. James.

Publisher: Viking

Comments

CIP info Gee recalls for her grandchildren what happened in 1960 in Nashville, Tennessee, when she, aged ten, passed out flyers while her cousin and other adults held sit-ins at restaurants and lunch counters to protest segregation. This book is a great trip into time I don’t know a lot about. The author has started a new series where Gee takes her grandchildren through the attic of memories from their ancestors. The first thing the kids come across is a menu from the first time their grandmother ate in the Monkey Bar. She tells them the story of how she helped organize the sit-ins. Her brother participated in the sit-ins. They were to be peaceful, but some people didn’t like what these people were trying to do. The book shows that not everyone thought the sit-ins were a good idea. Even her aunt thought it was a bad idea. Eventually things got changed, but it wasn’t easy. This book shows how hard it was without getting caught up in politics of it all. It starts off with a mother wanting her daughter to be able to go on rides if she wanted to. She just wanted things to be equal for her daughter. The author even included the rules for a sit-in. I look forward to reading other books in this series.

In the leaves by Lee, Huy Voun

Title: In the leaves

Author: Lee, Huy Voun

Illustration: Huy Voun Lee

Publisher: Holt

Comments

CIP infoOn a visit to a farm, Xiao Ming shows his friends the new Chinese characters he has learned by explaining that the characters are like pictures. Xiao Ming and his friends go to visit a farm. Xiao shows off the new Chinese characters he learned. Each character looks like the word it describes. Soon his friends are able to figure out what the words mean by how they look. The illustrations are unique and fascinating. The exchange between Xiao and his friends is perfect, possibly too perfect, but not enough to worry about. The Chinese characters are large enough so the reader may try to copy them. This is a must add to any collection.

Illustrations are done in cut paper collage.

The green frogs : a Korean folktale by Heo, Yumi

Title: The green frogs : a Korean folktale

Author: Heo, Yumi

Illustration: Heo, Yumi

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Co

Comments

CIP info A folktale about two green frogs who always disobey their mother, explaining why green frogs cry out whenever it rains. This Korean folktale shows children the importance of listening to their parents. The illustrations are ok, the story was okay. The two young frogs always do the opposite of what their mother says. The book is good to show what another culture has for stories, but past that the book didn’t leave much of an impression on me.

Illustrations are done in oil paint and pencil.

The Penderwicks : a summer tale of four sisters, two rabbits, and a very interesting boy by Birdsall, Jeanne

Title: The Penderwicks : a summer tale of four sisters, two rabbits, and a very interesting boy

Author:Birdsall, Jeanne

Publisher: Knopf

Comments

CIP info While vacationing with their widowed father in the Berkshire Mountains, four lovable sisters, ages four through twelve, share adventures with a local boy, much to the dismay of his snobbish mother. This book is pays homage to those that have come before, books from a simpler time, a story that includes a family vacationing in the country, a mysterious boy, and a high and mighty mother. The author references the Edward Eager books, and one of the daughters, Jane, dreams of being an author. The daughters act years beyond their ages, however, the fact that their mother died when they were very young, explains why they seem so much older than they really are. This is a good book to read aloud at home with children or in a classroom with a class, as well as a good recommendation for any reader. There is lots of action that makes the book a fast read. The ending seems a bit too perfect, and too clean of an ending. But that can be overlooked when you look at all the other upsides of this book. It would be a good addition to any collection.

Miss Smith’s incredible storybook by Garland, Michael

Title: Miss Smith’s incredible storybook

Author: Garland, Michael

Illustration: Michael Garland

Publisher: Dutton’s Children’s book

Comments

CIP info When the new teacher, Miss Smith, reads to her class, Zack and his classmates are amazed to find that the storybook characters come to life. This is a that really shows how storytelling and reading aloud can bring a story to life, really. Zach was sure that the second grade going to be dull. Then he meets his teacher, Miss Smith. She had the class like every other teacher, until it came time for her to read. When she read a story it was like the story came to life. Pirates would run around the room, but they seemed to disappear when she finished the story. One day Miss Smith was caught in traffic, so the principal had to fill in for a bit. He started to read from the book, but he freaks when the characters start popping out at him. He runs from the room to go for help. While he is out the students start reading bits of stories, but never finished one. The room becomes full of characters and then a tug of war breaks out between the characters and the students. Finally Miss Smith comes and reads the characters all back into the book, just before the principal arrives with the fire department to save the class. The illustrations are great and very colorful. It would be a great read aloud for anytime.

Encounter by Yolen, Jane

Title: Encounter

Author: Yolen, Jane

Illustration: David Shannon

Publisher: Voyager Books

Comments

CIP info A Taino Indian boy on the island of San Salvador recounts the landing of Columbus and his men in 1492. I was shocked to see that this is a David Shannon illustrated work. When I think of David Shannon’s work I think of No David and the like, this book was done in a totally different style and medium. The illustrations have powerful feelings and movements in them. The detail is exquisite. All though some of the illustrations are scary to look at. They work well with the text to tell the story. As for the text, it is an intense book. This is an interesting view point. Yolen took time to learn what she could about a culture that died out nearly 400 years ago. The Tainto Indians always greeted strangers without a second thought. Only a young boy worried. He tired to warn the elders, but they wouldn’t listen because he was just a child. The illustrations and text are stunning. This isn’t a book that you would read everyday, but it is good to have in a collection.

Illustrations are done in acrylic.

Russell the sheep by Scotton, Rob

Title: Russell the sheep

Author: Scotton, Rob

Illustration: Rob Scotton

Publisher: HarperCollins

Comments

CIP info Russell the sheep tries all different ways to get to sleep. These are perfect illustrations for a bed time story. They are soft and soothing, but they are also entertaining. Kids, and even some adults, can identify with Russell. Russell just can’t get to sleep. He tries everything possible, except when he finally thinks about counting sheep. This is a must for a bed time read. It would be great for reading at home or it could be used at a bedtime themed storytime in a library. It is a comforting story with great illustrations.

Nathan’s wish : A story about cerebral palsy by Lears, Laurie

Title: Nathan’s wish : A story about cerebral palsy

Author: Lears, Laurie

Illustration: Stacey Schuelt

Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company

Comments

CIP info A boy with cerebral palsy helps out at a raptor rehabilitation center and is inspired himself when an owl that cannot fly finds another purpose in life. This book ended up better than I expected. Often when books are written to include a specific ailment, they tend to be almost like a textbook. They can be unfeeling and dull. While the text is slow in places, the overall package makes it worthwhile. The illustrations are average, but suit the story well. The illustrations aid the story, but don’t over power the story. That is a fine and sometimes tricky line to walk. Nathan who has cerebral palsy is inspired by Fire, a blinded owl. He helps Fire see the purpose of living on. While she can’t fly and live on her own she finds purpose in helping raise young birds that had been abandoned by their mother. Fire feels she is worthwhile again. Nathan sees how Fire finds new purpose and he looks at his own life. While he is limited by cerebral palsy, he thinks of other ways he can help out. This book fills a gap in children’s literature. It is hard to find any books about children with handicaps, let alone good books. Even though this book is about a boy with a specific ailment, any child can feel helpless or hindered by their size and age. This might show them that they can help in other ways. A good addition to any collection.

King and king by Haan, Linda de, and Stern Nijland

Title: King and king

Author: Haan, Linda de, and Stern Nijland

Illustration: Linda de Haan & Stern Nijland

Publisher: Tricycle Press

Comments

CIP info When the queen insists that the prince get married and take over as king, the search for a suitable mate does not turn out as expected. This book I went back to my standard reading format. First I looked at only the illustrations. Just one word is needed to describe them, painful. They are by far the worst illustrations I have ever seen in a picture book. They are just painful to look at, but enough about my harping about the poor illustration. The second read, I only look at the text. The story is excellent. This is a story for everyone. It is a story about finding true love. The queen brings princess after princess in to meet the prince, but none of them are “the one.” Finally he finds his true love, another prince. The story is good. There are places where it could have been improved, the response of the queen is lukewarm, and the text is choppy in spots. But those issues can be common in children’s books. If the illustrations were slightly better, it would have been much better. The best thing that could happen for this book would be if someone would redo the illustrations.

The quiet evening by Hurd, Thacher

Title: The quiet evening

Author: Hurd, Thacher

Illustration: Thacher Hurd

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Comments

CIP info As night falls, everyone and everything quiets down. I may be a little hard on Thacher. Being the son of Clemet and Edith Hurd, I think I put more pressure on him than may have been fair. This book is only his second book, and as I noted in the previous post about his book, he comes into his own. The illustrations are not great, but aren’t horrible. The text is simple but doesn’t have the soothing effect of other books on the market. The text has exceptional form. It starts with items at home, then what is going outside the house, then what is going on around the world. It goes back and forth. First something happens at home, and then something will happen outside or far away. This is early on in his books; I look forward to reading through his books and seeing the evolution of his skills.

See Thacher Hurd’s site here : http://www.thacherhurd.com/

The pea patch jig by Hurd, Thacher

Title: The pea patch jig

Author: Hurd, Thacher

Illustration: Thacher Hurd

Publisher: Crown Publishers Inc

Comments

CIP info Despite being picked with the lettuce and almost ending up in a salad, Baby Mouse refuses to stay out of Farmer Clem's garden. I was concerned at first that the book was too long and had too much text. However, upon further review I noticed that the story was divided into small chapters. The illustrations are quite beautiful. They have a lot of color and movement in them. The text is limited on each page. This allows the illustrations to really tell the story, something I preferred in this story. The story is definitely different, but enjoyable. It is a great spring and summer story. The text and the illustrations are full of life, and the precocious little mouse brings back that fun part of our youth, the part that adults tend to forget they had. A book that works well for one on one sharing but may not work as well in a large storytime.

Wilson’s world by Hurd, Edith T

Title: Wilson’s world

Author: Hurd, Edith T

Illustration: Clemet Hurd

Publisher: HarperCollins

Comments

No CIP information provided. Edith Thacher Hurd and her husband Clemet Hurd, of Runaway Bunny fame team up to create a book that is more than it first appears. I could be seen as a basic boy wanting to create his own world. Wilson paints the world then he adds animals and people, and more people. Soon the world is full of people. The people destroy the land to build more buildings. The people destroy the air with smoke and smog, thus you can’t see the beautiful blue sky anymore. He writes “Phoey” across the picture. Then on a clean sheet of paper, he starts again. This time the people were respectful to the land, air, water and most importantly each other. He finally approves the picture and writes “Wilson’s World.” Then he jumps into the picture and goes for a swim. As I noted, it could just be a book about a boy dreaming, or it could be more. It showed me how disrespectful some people are of the resources and the world around them. The illustrations are bright yet soft. They are true Clemet Hurd gems. I was interested to see what this husband and wife team could produce. They didn’t let me down.

My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt : The best of Eleanor Roosevelt’s acclaimed newspaper columns 1936-1962

Title: My Day by Eleanor Roosevelt : The best of Eleanor Roosevelt’s acclaimed newspaper columns 1936-1962

Editor:Emblidge, David

Publisher: MJF Books

Comments

This collection is something to be devoured or savored, it really doesn’t matter. I am on my second read. As many people know, Eleanor Roosevelt is one of my favorite people in history. He writings and visions changed the world in ways other people only dreamed. Some historians credit Hillary Clinton as being the first First Lady that could change the president’s mind. While Hillary may have been the first one with her own office in the West Wing, Eleanor worked circles around her. This book provides the perfect mix of historical background to explain her columns and the columns. She wrote at least 500 words for each column, six days a week for 26 years. She wrote on all topics. She cared about human rights and people. She helped push the idea of the Women Air Force Service Pilots, which helped the war effort. While she admits, that her prose wasn’t perfect, she had a dedicated staff that helped her iron out the tough spots. It is a good read. While it isn’t the best source of information about her and her life, it gives you a detailed account of her articles and her dedication to her work. She often wrote these at the end of a face paced sixteen hour day. She had energy many of us only dream of.

Secret Lives of Presidents: What your techers never told you about the men of the White House By O’Brien, Cormac

Title: Secret Lives of Presidents: What your techers never told you about the men of the White House

Author: O’Brien, Cormac

Illustration: Monika Suteski

Publisher: Quirk Productions

Comments

First of all the things I hate. I hate the multiple fonts. I hate the different font colors. It make this a nightmare to read. Once you get past those issues, it is an awesome book. It has loads of interesting information that your teachers never told ya. History like this is loads of fun to read and learn. Stuff like the affairs of the presidents, not all of them were with foreign countries. You also get to know some of the odder things about our presidents like, both LBJ and John Quincy Adams liked to skinny dip. Adams preferred the Potomac and LBJ swam in the private pool. The list goes on and on. If you want to learn some of the lesser known things about the people who have shaped our country, this is an awesome place to start.

The Blizzard By Wright, Betty Ren

Title: The Blizzard

Author: Wright, Betty Ren

Illustration: Ronald Himler

Publisher: Holiday House

Comments

CIP Info Although a blizzard prevents his cousins from visiting for his birthday, a disappointed Billy ends up having a very special day when his teacher and his classmates must stay overnight at his family’s house to wait out a storm.

I have to admit, I understand Billy’s suffering. I can’t count how many times I had my birthday messed up because of a snow storm. Billy goes to school, but half way through the day a neighbor stops by the school to tell the teacher that the students will have to spend the night at the school because the storm is too bad. The teacher worries because there isn’t any food or enough wood to heat the school. The teacher decided to walk the students to Billy’s house. The family accepts everyone. The students help with the chores and they have a great time after dinner singing songs and such. Billy goes to bed thinking he had the best birthday ever. The story is solid and the illustrations are great. I love it. It should also be noted that this book is a Show-me Reader Award.

The Blizzard By Wright, Betty Ren

Title: The Blizzard

Author: Wright, Betty Ren

Illustration: Ronald Himler

Publisher: Holiday House

Comments

CIP Info Although a blizzard prevents his cousins from visiting for his birthday, a disappointed Billy ends up having a very special day when his teacher and his classmates must stay overnight at his family’s house to wait out a storm.

I have to admit, I understand Billy’s suffering. I can’t count how many times I had my birthday messed up because of a snow storm. Billy goes to school, but half way through the day a neighbor stops by the school to tell the teacher that the students will have to spend the night at the school because the storm is too bad. The teacher worries because there isn’t any food or enough wood to heat the school. The teacher decided to walk the students to Billy’s house. The family accepts everyone. The students help with the chores and they have a great time after dinner singing songs and such. Billy goes to bed thinking he had the best birthday ever. The story is solid and the illustrations are great. I love it. It should also be noted that this book is a Show-me Reader Award.

It is the wind By Wolff, Ferida

Title: It is the wind

Author: Wolff, Ferida

Illustration: James Ransome

Publisher: HarperCollins

Comments

CIP Info At night various sounds lull a child to sleep.

Nighttime is a wonderful and mysterious time. There are so many sounds and things that may keep a child awake at night. The text is large, possibly a bit too large, and sometimes is hard to read. The actual text itself is just right. It has a great natural rhythm to it. The illustrations are perfect for sharing at night. They edges are soft and soothing. I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was. This is a book that needs to be shared. It is on my list to buy as well.

Shhh! By Willis, Jeanne

Title: Shhh!

Author: Willis, Jeanne

Illustration: Tony Ross.

Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children

Comments

No CIP Info provided. The shrew finds the secret to world peace. He wants to tell the whole world about this. The world is too loud and too fast to hear what he has to say. He doesn’t give up. In then end one by one, people start to learn the secret. This book is so cute and has such a great message. If we just take time and just listen maybe we can have peace. So many ways this book can be used. I can be used in classes to talk about how world peace can be achieved, or it can be used to teach storytime attendees how to listen.

Tiny tortilla By Williams, Arlene

Title: Tiny tortilla

Author: Williams, Arlene

Illustration: G. Brian Karas

Publisher:Dutton Children's Books

Comments

CIP Info Juan Carlos discovers that, with the right touch, he can transform some special tortilla dough into unexpected shapes.

This story is nearly perfect. A young boy wants a tortilla. He goes to the old woman in the market to get one. When he gets there, she is sold out, but she always sets a bit of masa aside just in case. She gives it to the boy with instructions of how to work the dough. Even though there is a small amount she tells him to be patient. When it is very thins, he is to take a deep breath and count out three more pats. When he does wonderful things happen. First he takes a nap under a large sombrero, then he makes a boat, and a huge feather. The final stop for the dough is a tortilla he first dreamed of. The illustrations are colorful and support the story well. This is a title that can be used in a variety of situation.

Sleep tight, Little Bear By Waddell, Martin

Title: Sleep tight, Little Bear

Author: Waddell, Martin

Illustration: Barbra Firth

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Comments

CIP Info Little Bear finds a cave that is just the right size for him, but at bedtime he starts thinking about Big Bear, all alone in their big Bear Cave.

This is the first book of this series I read. It is a great snuggle up bedtime story. This is a book to share one on one, not for a storytime. Little Bear finds a perfect cave that is just his size. He asks Big Bear if he can spend the night in his new cave. After getting settled, Little Bear gets worried that Big Bear might be missing him. Little Bear goes back to the big cave to spend the night. The illustrations are soft and comforting, cementing its place on a bedtime booklist.

Walter was worried By Seeger, Laura Vaccors

Title: Walter was worried

Author:Seeger, Laura Vaccors

Illustration: Laura Vaccors Seeger

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Comments

CIP Info Children’s faces depicted with letters of the alphabet, react to the onset of a storm and its aftermath in this picture book accompanied by simple alliterative text.

Ok so the text isn’t great. It is okay, but not great. A bunch of kids get through a storm with alliteration and feelings. The really great part is who the illustrator works the letters of the feelings are used to depict the emotions of the child in the illustration. It is a good book to talk about feelings and is fun to pick out the letters in the illustration.

And Tango make three By Richardson, Justin and Peter Parnell

Title: And Tango make three

Author: Richardson, Justin and Peter Parnell

Illustration: Henry Cole

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Comments

CIP Info At New York City’s Central Park Zoo two male penguins fall in love and start a family. By taking turns sitting on an abandoned egg until it hatches.

One of the best! A must own. This is a rare gem. Rarely do you find a good balanced story of a homosexual family with good illustrations, especially from first time authors. I am not crazy about the font used, but other than that it is a great story about families. This is a well presented account of the true story of Silo and Roy. The best part is how Tango (the baby penguin) gets her name. The zoo keeper names her Tango, because it takes two to tango. This book is being challenged across the nation and that is a shame. This is a great book that includes an author’s note for more background information.

Illustrations are in watercolors.

The three silly billies By Palatini, Margie

Title: The three silly billies

Author: Palatini, Margie

Illustration: Barry Moser

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Comments

CIP Info Three Billy goats, unable to cross a bridge because they can’t pay the toll, form a car pool with the Three Bears, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack of the Beanstalk fame to get past the rude troll.

I am a fan of Margie Palatini’s books. While there are funny parts of this book, overall it isn’t really funny, not like Tub-boo-boo or Web files. The illustrations are OK, but again not my favorite. I love the way Palatini takes popular folktales and adds a modern twist. I am not sure what is missing, but I finished the book wanting something more.

Happy Feet: The Savoy Ballroom Lindy Hoppers and Me By Michelson, Richard

Title: Happy Feet: The Savoy Ballroom Lindy Hoppers and Me

Author: Michelson, Richard

Illustration: E. B. Lewis

Publisher: Gulliver Books

Comments

CIP Info A young boy who loves to dance listens as his father tells the story of the night he was born, which coincided with the opening of the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem.

Well we know I love the Jazz Age, this book isn’t any different. This takes the story of a young boy’s birth and blends it with the opening of the Savoy. They mention all the big names of the time. The boy’s father goes to dance at the Savoy while his wife nears giving birth. But even while he was away and the music is loud, the father knew when to return home to help. The author’s note helps explain the names in the book and the historical importance of the Savoy. This is a must own, for me.

Art done in watercolors on Arches paper.

Kidogo By McGrory, Anik

Title: Kidogo

Author: McGrory, Anik

Illustration: Anik McGrory

Publisher: Bloomsbury

Comments

CIP Info Sure he is the smallest creature on Earth, a young elephant leaves home and journeys over woodlands, rivers, and plains searching for someone smaller than he.

So many times kids feel like there isn’t anyone that is smaller than them. This is the perfect book for them. Kidogo is good to help kids see that there are many things that are smaller. Kidogo goes to find something smaller than he is. He searches high and low and finds ants that are much smaller than he is. He helps them like his mother helped him. In the end Kidogo figured out he wasn’t so small after all. Just a sweet little book.

Illustrations are created with pencil and watercolor.

An undone fairy tale By Lendler, Ian

Title: An undone fairy tale

Author: Lendler, Ian

Illustration: Whitney Martin

Publisher: Simon & Schuster books for young readers

Comments

CIP Info When its illustrator cannot keep up with its reader, a story about a selfish, pie-loving king, takes numerous silly detours.

I must admit, when I picked up this book, I didn’t expect much. It looked kinda dumb. With that said, we will chalk this up on the “you can’t judge a book by its cover” list. I laughed and laughed at this book. Rarely do you get a book that tells two stories at once. It is even rarer to have the two stories told well. The first, or main story, is the traditional princess fairy tale. The second story is about Ned the illustrator fighting to get the illustrations done before the reader gets there. At one point the princess races to save her kingdom on a snail, because that is all Ned had left. I can’t wait to buy this book.

Illustrations are in water color and gauche.

Snow day dance By Hubbell, Will

Title: Snow day dance

Author: Hubbell, Will

Illustration: Will Hubbell

Publisher:

Comments

CIP Info With their teacher’s help, school children anticipate the first snow of the season and enjoying their day off from school.

I expected this to be a good story. I generally like books that capture the magic of the first snow. This book was a total let down. I don’t care for the illustrations. They seem foggy and miss the magic and awe snow can have. It is just a story about some city kids and snow. Nothing more, nothing less.

Cowboy Jose By Elya, Susan Middleton

Title: Cowboy Jose

Author: Elya, Susan Middleton

Illustration: Tim Taglin

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Son’s

Comments

CIP Info A poor cowboy enters a rodeo to win a date from a pretty senorita, but afterwards wonders if he should spend his winnings on the girl, who only wanted his winnings, or the horse who helped him win.

Now this is a great story. Cowboy Jose enters a rodeo to win the money (and thus the heart) of a girl. She watches him from the sidelines while his horse, Feo, stood by his side and helped him. After he wins the girl goes head-over-heals and wants to help him spend his winnings. Jose sticks with his friend ho liked him before he was rich. The bold colors of the illustrations give it a warm feeling. The illustrator captures the feelings of the girl really well. At first her dislike of Jose, when he is poor and nothing, and then her greed nearly oozes out of her after he wins. This was a lot of fun, and great for teaching basic lessons of life, how to tell your real friends, and such.

Illustrations are done in watercolor and colored pencil on Strathmore illustration board.

Flight of the Dodo By Brown, Peter

Title: Flight of the Dodo

Author: Brown, Peter

Illustration: Peter Brown

Publisher: Little, Brown, and Company

Comments

CIP Info Penguine and his other flightless bird friends invent a flying machine by they fly right into a thunderstorm. No penguins were pooped on in the making of this book.

Sometimes a books is just fun. Some books are just odd. Some books you can’t explain. This book is all three. The Penguin gets pooped on and this sends Penguin on a quest to becoming a flight bird. He rounds the flightless birds together and they get a balloon and take off. They enjoy this new freedom, including the ability to return the favor of the pooping. Then they get into trouble. The geese land, but the flightless birds were too excited about their new freedom they didn’t realize they were flying into a thunderstorm. The geese end up helping save the flightless birds from the storm. At the end of the book the two groups work together and learn to live together happily.

This isn’t a book with a deeper meaning. This isn’t a book that is gonna save the world. It is just fun. I enjoyed it. I wouldn’t buy it but I would check it out from the library again. The illustrations are excellent. The detail and quality are the best I have seen in this group of books. The text is long, longer than I would have liked, but I didn’t think it could have been shortened without hurting the story over all.

Illustrations done in Acrylic and pencil on board.

I ain’t gonna paint no more By Beaumont, Karen

Title: I ain’t gonna paint no more

Author: Beaumont, Karen

Illustration: David Catrow

Publisher:Harcourt Inc

Comments

CIP Info In the rhythm of a familiar folk song, a child can’t resist adding one more dab of paint in surprising places.

I felt obligated to read this book after so many children’s librarians raved about it. They loved it. They thought it was a great book to use in a storytime. I am not as sold on it as my cohorts are. I thought the illustrations where too cluttered. With all that paint it could have been more bold and make a bigger impact. The ink outline to the characters just didn’t give them the focus I thought they deserved. The only way I would include this story in a story time is if I memorized the text. They book itself is not set up for a storytime setting. Sorry folks.

Illustrations are done in ink and paint.

The other side By Banya, Istvan

Title: The other side

Author: Banya, Istvan

Illustration: Istvan Banya

Publisher: Chronicle Books

Comments

CIP Info A wordless picture book that shows a series of familiar scenes through many twist in points of view, such as a boy looking down out of a jet’s window and another boy on the ground looking up at the same jet.

The art of a wordless book is tricky. The author or illustrator can get all the glory when they hit it on the head. On the other hand they can sink like a rock if they miss. There are some wordless books that if they had added text it would have killed the impact of the book. Books like Time Files by Eric Rohmann. Rohmann’s book shows how text can actually hurt a book. This book however is in need of some text. It isn’t as clear in the changes of points of view as other titles. The illustrations are not strong enough to be tell as story on their own. They should be bolder and more streamlined.

The great blue house by Banks, Kate

Title: The great blue house

Author: Banks, Kate

Illustration: George Hallensleben

Publisher: Frances Foster Books

Comments

CIP Info When its owners leave, a summer house comes alive with the sounds of a mouse nibbling crumbs in the fall, a cat taking shelter in the winter, and rain falling on the roof in the spring.

After reading this book, you will want a summer home of your own. The illustrations are soft and comforting. Unlike many picture books, the illustrations can tell the story better than the text. The text to this book is clearly a supplement. Don’t get me wrong the text is good, but the illustrations are perfect. It is a great book to show children that even though they aren’t in a place, time and life continues on without them. As the family returns the following summer the cat, which takes shelter over the winter, has kittens. This is a comforting book and perfect for a nighttime story. The rhythm of the text and the soft edges of the illustrations, and the calming colors make it a perfect bedtime story.