New Reviews for Winter 2011 – 2012
and
The Best Books of 2011:
Click Here!
New Books
Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book. ~Author Unknown
The Scar by Charlotte Moundlic, illustrated by Olivier Tallec, Candlewick
A young boy tells us firsthand about the death of his mother and the range of emotions he experiences in the days that follow. He fears he will lose her altogether as his memory fades, but when he scrapes his knee he hears his mothers voice clearly. To keep from losing the sound of her voice, he tries to keep his sore from healing but by the time the scab fades into a scar, he comes to a deeper understanding. Airplanes fly over him in his dreams, which some say symbolize overcoming obstacles. Acrylic and pencil pictures are minimal, but perfectly accompany the narration. Backgrounds of white and deep red rouse conflicting feelings of anger and sadness, matching the swiftly changing emotions of the boy. For children who have lost someone close to them, this story will put words to confusing feelings and help them realize that there are others who understand. Beautifully done from start to finish, and an important book that I hope will stay around for many years to come.
Clementine by Sebastian Loth, NorthSouth
Clementine is a little snail whose shell glows orange like the clementines on her tree in the low sun of fall. She loves balls, balloons, even tires, all round things, but especially the moon. She loves it so much that she decides to fly there, and her friend, through trial and error, helps launch her into space. The pages fold out into a beautiful four-page spread to show what comes as a great surprise to Clementine, the round earth. She makes it home safely and she is comforted by her new sense of the round world on which she lives. Beautiful, richly colored, great illustrations accompany a lovely, current and yet timely story. You’ll fall in love with Clementine.
Welcome to the World by Valerie Wyatt, photographs by Lennette Newell, Kids Can Press
A small hardcover with big and close-up photos of irresistible baby faces; the text talks to baby about the sights and sounds and feelings coming ahead in exploring the world. The language is simple enough for babies, but lyrical as well which makes it a joy to read aloud and gives babies the variety of sounds that help them learn language: You will see hight chase dark, as clouds pass by. The best baby book of 2011–beautiful.
My Name is Elizabeth! by Annika Dunklee, iluustrated by Matthew Forsythe, Kids Can Press
Elizabeth really likes her name, how it sounds, that there is a queen named after her, but she does not like to be called “Lizzy,” or “Beth,” or any other nickname. After being addressed improperly several times, she announces her whole five-name name to the entire town, and everyone cheerfully addresses her as she wishes. Everyone that is except for a little guy who can only say “Wizabef?” to which she replies, “Close enough.” A cute story about one recognizable theme for young children, set in illustrations reminiscent of the 1950′s.
Reaching by Judy Ann Sadler, illustrated by Susan Mitchell, Kids Can Press
Around Baby, everyone is reaching in rhymes: Great-Gran reaches for a favorite book to read to Baby; Puppy is reaching to play; Oma, Opa, cousins, and parents are reaching to interact with Baby. Deeply hued watercolors are a feast for the eyes, and elevate the story to one that is a joy to share with little ones.
Let’s Count to 100! by Masayuki Sebe, Kids Can Press
Who knew there were so many ways to count to 100! This inventive picture book offer ample opportunity for kids to explore the number 100 by counting mice, elephants, sheep, and more. Each double-page spread includes 100 of something and a challenge to count a subset of the 100 by characteristic. For example, there are 100 cats, “How many have striped tails?” Funny little quotes from a few of the animals are on each double-page spread. For further i-spy type challenge, the last page invited the reader to search for one among the hundred. Colorful and inviting, especially for the older preschool and younger elementary kids.
The Umbrella by Indrid and Dieter Schubert, Lemnicscaat, For all ages
A little doc is carried away on a windy day by a red umbrella, and so his wordless adventures around the world begin. He is carried up above the clouds and comes back through to fly over Africa, under the ocean, through the tropical rainforest, to the top of the polar ice cap, and more until he returns home by moonlight. Large, glossy pages show paintings of great depth and detail while also showing vistas of beautiful landscapes. Simply gorgeous with endless possibilities for storytelling.
Rare Stories for Kids with All-Too Common Health Issues
by Sue Ganz-Schmitt, illustrated by Micah Chambers-Goldberg
The Princess and the Peanut: A Royal Allergic Fairytale
The princess meets her prince, but will peanut allergies get in their way? The story does a good job of explaining what a peanut allergy is, how sensitive one with the allergey can be to peanuts, what is looks like to get sick from exposure, and also, how to live a typical life in spite of it. Colorful, rich, and detailed illustrations will capture the imagination of all who read. A supportive book for kids with allergies, but equally important to share with kids who don’t for greater understanding.
Even Superheroes Get Diabetes
Kelvin is an expert on superheroes, and when he gets mysteriously sick, he uses superhero thinking to try to undertand. Reassuring to kids who have diabetes, they will see that there are many kids like them. Kid-friendly language in a relatable story explains much about the disease and how it might feel to find out you have it and learn to deal with it. As a result, Kelvin discovers superpowers of his own, but in the end, he is just a normal kid in a loving family.
Peter Reynolds and the New York Hall of Science present:
Charlie and Kiwi: An Evolutionary Adventure by Elieen Campbell, illustrated by Peter Reynolds, Atheneum
When Charlie has to write a report about a bird, he choses the kiwi, even though other kids make fun of his choice. Soon enough, his stuffed animal kiwi comes to life and they take a trip through time. In a Magic School Bus like way, Charlie learns fascinating things first hand about his strange bird, and is able to present a report that captures the attention of everyone. For school-aged kids.
Motion, Magnets and More by Adrienne Mason, illustrated by Claudia Davila, Kids Can Press
A perfectly engaging book for kids ages four and up about the physical world. Attractive with pleasing illustrations and just the right amount of text on a page, kids are sure to want to try the activities and peruse the pages just for the sheer pleasure of it. Remember to kids a picture book is a picture book; they don’t distinguish between fiction and non-fiction–to kids all good books are fun and worth reading. This is a perfect example of a picture book that will be as attractive to kids as any story book. A great resource not only for school libraries and classrooms, but for parents and child care providers as well, who enjoy playing and learning alongside their children.
Find More New Books for Kids in our Book Announcements–click here.
For Adults
Second Nature by Jacquelyn Mitchard, Random House, Sept. 2011
Cicely Coyne has done well by all standards in dealing with the fire that not only 
horribly disfigured her face, but killed her firefighter father. When the book opens, she has a succesful career and is about to get married. In to her life enters Eliza Cappadora; yes, as in The Deep End of the Ocean Cappadoras. Eliza is now married to Ben, the younger Cappadora who was kidnapped, but more importantly is a resident at a university hospital that performs reconstructive surgery on the face. Eliza thinks Cicely may be a good candidate for a face transplant. Cicely is not interested. After all, she has a great life. But learning that her fiance was involved in starting the fire and so, is marrying her out of guilt, changes everything. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE.
New Workshops
The Tapestry of Faith: Opening the Doors to Understanding (MNCPD)
We live in a diverse world, which includes a tapestry of varied faith communities. Learn about or refresh your memory about the major religions of the world, and the importance of fostering understanding and tolerance of religious diversity in children, using children’s books as a tool.
Language Schmanguage: Fun with Words, Poetry and Rhyme (MNCPD)
Come explore the fantastic world of rhyme and poetry, and find out just how fun fostering speech and language development with young children can be. See how reading and play can help small speakers learn the joy, wonder, and love of language.
Shelley Butler is an approved trainer by the Minnesota Center for Professional Development Registry (MNCPD). She has been presenting workshops on early childhood topics and children’s literature for over ten years to parent groups, child care associations, child care centers, and early childhood educators and administrators. Each workshop has been reviewed and approved by MNCPD.
Contact Me for more information or to schedule a workshop.
My LibraryThing Library
