With one smart heroine and witty wordplay, Nelly May Has Her Say, which is based on the English folktale “Master of All Masters,” will delight.
Pick of the Day: Bunnies on Ice
By on February 11, 2013 Leave a Comment
WRIGHT, Joanna. Bunnies on Ice. illus. by author. 32p. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter. 2013. RTE $16.99. ISBN 978-1-59643-404-2. LC 2012001187.
PreS-Gr 1–This budding champion (a white snow bunny) loves to ice skate so much that she patiently waits for perfect conditions. When the other bunnies are doing summer things, she is planning what she will do when the snow falls. She proceeds to wait through the fall as she dresses her scarecrow with a pair of skates. Then when the snow [...]
Pick of the Day: The Goldilocks Variations
By on February 6, 2013 Leave a Comment
AHLBERG, Allan. The Goldilocks Variations. illus. by Jessica Ahlberg. 40p. Candlewick. 2012. RTE $17.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-6268-4.
PreS-Gr 2–With whimsical illustrations and interactive features such as flaps, pop-ups, and pull tabs, the Ahlbergs showcase six silly variations on the classic tale. The standout of the bunch has the heroine wandering into the “trood (or spaceship) of The Three Bliim.” Full of silly alien words, the tale begs to be read aloud. In other adventures, Goldilocks takes on 33 bears, the furniture (chair, [...]
Pick of the Day: A Trip to the Bottom of the World
By on February 4, 2013 Leave a Comment
VIVA, Frank. A Trip to the Bottom of the World with Mouse. illus. by author. 40p. Toon Bks. 2012. RTE $12.95. ISBN 978-1-935179-19-1. LC 2011049499.
PreS-Gr 2–From the endpapers, Mouse asks the timeless question of many young travelers, “Are we there yet?” Inspired by Viva’s experiences traveling to Antarctica aboard a Russian research ship, the oblong picture book offers basic facts about the region (it is cold and penguins live there, for instance), while Mouse tries to figure out when it [...]
Book Review: Preschool to Grade 4 | February 2013
By on February 1, 2013 1 Comment
Check out SLJ’s more than 100 reviews for preschool through grade 4.
Book/Multimedia Review Stars List: February 2013
By on February 1, 2013 Leave a Comment
Check out this month’s listing of stars! WOW!
Pick of the Day: Henry and the Cannons
By on January 21, 2013 Leave a Comment
BROWN, Don. Henry and the Cannons: An Extraordinary True Story of the American Revolution. illus. by author. 32p. bibliog. Roaring Brook. Jan. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-59643-266-6. LC 2012013450.
Gr 1-4–As the American Revolution was getting underway, George Washington knew he needed cannons to defeat the British. Unfortunately, he was camped outside British-held Boston, and the nearest big guns were 300 miles away at Fort Ticonderoga, New York. They were thought to be impossible to retrieve, until Henry Knox agreed to [...]
Pick of the Day: Peace
By on January 2, 2013 Leave a Comment
HALPERIN, Wendy Anderson. Peace. illus. by author. 40p. S & S/Atheneum. Jan. 2013. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-689-82552-1; ebook $12.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-6787-3.
Gr 3 Up–A beautiful book with rich watercolor artwork. Most of the paintings are spreads in a nontraditional layout, with sections sometimes divided into shapes by the meandering text. The book is about peace and how it can be achieved: in the world, in the country, in the city, in one’s school, and within oneself. The layout makes it a [...]
Book Review Preschool to Grade 4: January 2013
By on January 1, 2013 Leave a Comment
AHLBERG, Allan. The Goldilocks Variations. illus. by Jessica Ahlberg. 40p. Candlewick. 2012. RTE $17.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-6268-4.
PreS-Gr 2–With whimsical illustrations and interactive features such as flaps, pop-ups, and pull tabs, the Ahlbergs showcase six silly variations on the classic tale. The standout of the bunch has the heroine wandering into the “trood (or spaceship) of The Three Bliim.” Full of silly alien words, the tale begs to be read aloud. In other adventures, Goldilocks takes on 33 bears, the furniture (chair, bowl, and [...]
Fiction Series Update: January 2013
By on January 1, 2013 Leave a Comment
The latest installments in ongoing fiction series that are well-known to most of our readers.
Book/Multimedia Review Stars List: January 2013
By on January 1, 2013 1 Comment
Henry and the Cannons (Brown), ©2013 illustration by Don Brown
Preschool to Grade 4
AHLBERG , Allan. The Goldilocks Variations . illus. by Jessica Ahlberg. Candlewick. p. 74.
BROWN , Don. Henry and the Cannons . illus. by author. Roaring Brook. Jan. 2013. p. 89.
BRYANT , Jen. A Splash of Red . illus. by Melissa Sweet. Knopf. Jan. 2013. p. 89.
HALPERIN , Wendy Anderson. Peace. illus. by author. S & S/Atheneum. Jan. 2013. p. 92.
HELQUIST , Brett. Grumpy Goat. illus. by author. HarperCollins/Harper. Jan. 2013. p. 78.
JEFFERS , Oliver. This Moose Belongs [...]
Pick of the Day: Abe Lincoln’s Dream
By on December 19, 2012 Leave a Comment
SMITH, Lane. Abe Lincoln’s Dream. illus. by author. 32p. Roaring Brook. 2012. RTE $16.99. ISBN 978-1-59643-608-4.
Gr 2-5–A picture book that transforms the 16th president from a seemingly austere, severe figure into a sympathetic character. A young African American girl named Quincy encounters the ghost of Abe Lincoln on a school tour of the White House. He tells the child about a recurring dream in which he is sailing a ship on a stormy sea, unsure of where he’s heading. (The [...]
Pick of the Day: Mice
By on December 17, 2012 Leave a Comment
FYLEMAN, Rose. Mice. illus. by Lois Ehlert. 40p. S & S/Beach Lane. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-5684-6; ebook $12.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-5686-0. LC 2011020555.
PreS-Gr 1–This storytime winner brings a new twist to the classic poem. The simple verse describes mousey attributes: “their tails are long,/their faces small,/they haven’t any chins at all.” Ehlert’s quirky, handmade paper-collage rodents (resplendent with hot pink circle ears, big front teeth, and string limbs) demonstrate by holding up a ruler, crafting a self-portrait, and peering into [...]
Pick of the Day: Sleep Like a Tiger
By on December 3, 2012 2 Comments
LOGUE, Mary. Sleep Like a Tiger. illus. by Pamela Zagarenski. 40p. Houghton Harcourt. 2012. RTE $16.99. ISBN 978-0-547-64102-7.
PreS-Gr 1–The common theme of a child not ready for bed receives fresh treatment here. When a young girl repeatedly declares that she is not sleepy, her parents remain calm. She dutifully dresses in pajamas and washes up. After climbing into bed, she again proclaims that she is wide awake and questions her parents about how things in the world go to sleep. [...]
Book/Multimedia Review Stars List: December 2012
By on December 1, 2012 Leave a Comment
Sleep Like a Tiger (Logue), Illustration by Pamela Zagarenski
Preschool to Grade 4
FYLEMAN , Rose. Mice . illus. by Lois Ehlert. S & S/Beach Lane. 2012. p. 90.
HANLON , Abby. Ralph Tells a Story. illus. by author. Amazon. 2012. p. 91.
LOGUE , Mary. Sleep Like a Tiger . illus. by Pamela Zagarenski. Houghton Harcourt. 2012. p. 94.
OBED , Ellen Bryan. T welve Kinds of Ice. illus. by Barbara McClintock. Houghton Harcourt. 2012. p. 96.
SMITH , Lane. Abe Lincoln’s Dream. illus. by author. Roaring Brook. 2012. p. 100.
Preschool to Grade 4: December 2012
By on December 1, 2012 Leave a Comment
FYLEMAN , Rose. Mice. illus. by Lois Ehlert. 40p. S & S/Beach Lane. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-5684-6; ebook $12.99. ISBN 978-1-4424-5686-0. LC 2011020555.
PreS-Gr 1–This storytime winner brings a new twist to the classic poem. The simple verse describes mousey attributes: “their tails are long,/their faces small,/they haven’t any chins at all.” Ehlert’s quirky, handmade paper-collage rodents (resplendent with hot pink circle ears, big front teeth, and string limbs) demonstrate by holding up a ruler, crafting a self-portrait, and peering into a mirror. They [...]
A Tale of Two Apps: Classic Picture Books into Digital
By on November 29, 2012 Leave a Comment
Adapting any children’s classic to a new format is tricky. Purists will scream it’s not the original, others will be delighted to discover a new way to enjoy an old favorite. The good news is, we aren’t being asked to choose between formats.
Pick of the Day: Colorful Dreamer
By on November 26, 2012 Leave a Comment
PARKER, Marjorie Blain. Colorful Dreamer: The Story of Artist Henri Matisse. illus. by Holly Berry. 32p. further reading. CIP. Dial. Nov. 2012. RTE $16.99. ISBN 978-0-8037-3758-7. LC 2011035446.
Gr 2-5–This picture-book biography covers Matisse’s entire life but focuses on his career aspirations and achievements. The straightforward text takes a lighthearted approach by including details such as young Henri’s dream of becoming a magician and his skill with a peashooter. Berry’s illustrations are the star of the show; dignified black-and-white drawings [...]
Pick of the Day: Nightsong
By on November 21, 2012 1 Comment
BERK, Ari. Nightsong. illus. by Loren Long. 48p. CIP. S & S. 2012. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-7886-2; ebook $12.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-8552-5. LC 2009026608.
K-Gr 3–Not since Janell Cannon’s Stellaluna (Harcourt, 1993) have readers been introduced to such a charming young bat learning to navigate his world. Night closes in and Chiro’s mother tells him it’s time for him to fly alone; he will succeed if he uses his song, otherwise known as his “good sense,” to guide him. Though timid [...]
Pick of the Day: Unspoken
By on November 19, 2012 Leave a Comment
COLE, Henry. Unspoken: A Story from the Underground Railroad. illus. by author. 32p. CIP. Scholastic. Nov. 2012. RTE $16.99. ISBN 978-0-545-39997-5. LC 2011043583.
Gr 3-8–Gorgeously rendered in soft, dark pencils, this wordless book is reminiscent of the naturalistic pencil artistry of Maurice Sendak and Brian Selznick, but unique in its accurate re-creation of a Civil War-era farm in northwestern Virginia. On the dedication page, readers see a star quilt on a split rail fence, symbolizing the North Star. Confederate soldiers [...]
