Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen

 

Many of us were introduced to Jon Klassen’s illustrations with his debut picture book, I Want My Hat Back (picture book gold, by the way). This was followed with This Is Not My Hat, which I’ve yet to review, but as it was recently awarded the Caldecott Medal, it goes to show that it wasn’t just me that thought it was brilliant. 

So, you can imagine that I was pleased to see that there was yet another picture book illustrated by Jon Klassen in the market. (I know it’s been out a while now, ‘Life’ has been keeping me from writing reviews).

The fact that it’s illustrated by Jon is enough for me to love it already, but it shouldn’t overshadow Mac Barnett’s writing. This is a smart and snappy book that delights in play between words and pictures. 

Wolves by Emily Gravett

Emily Gravett is wonderful! I love the way she uses book conventions to make her stories truly irreverent.

In this book, for example, We follow Rabbit, who goes to the library and borrows a book about wolves. Oh what's this? The reader in now holding a book called wolves which contains a rabbit holding a book about wolves... we read together...

Gray wolves live in packs of between two and ten animals. 

We find out more and more about them, as the rabbit walks home, too engrosed in the book to notice that a wolf has come out of the pages. He even walks right up the tail and along its back.

Then we learn, at the same time as the rabbit, that it eats lots of kinds of animals, both large and small... like beavers, voles and ...

We turn the page to see a viciously ripped and clawed back over and the torn remnants of a page saying "rabbits."

We turn the page again to read:

The author would like to point out that no rabbits were eaten during the making of this book.

It is a work of fiction.
And so, for more sensitive readers, here is an alternative ending. 

I'll leave it to you to read the alternative ending for yourself, but it's much happier and unrealistic. but it clearly illustrated by torn scraps from earlier in the book. 

She's just too good! I wrote a review a little while ago on one of her other books and I just love everything she does.

 

4.5 Gold Stars

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Butterfly Butterfly by Petr Horáček

Petr Horáček's illustration style is bright, engaging and full of life and movement. So when you sit down to read a book about colours set in the garden, you know you're in for a treat!


When Lucy finds a butterfly in the garden and chases it around, we are introduced to lots of different colours visually, just by her garden setting. When she returns the following day, she can't find the butterfly, but she does find a pink earthworm, a brown spider, a green beetle and some spotty red ladybirds.


By this point in the story, we have been introduced to some cut outs that add an extra level of enjoyment to the pictures. It continues with other insects, colours and cutouts until the finale which sees the beautiful butterfly springing from the page in a fantastic simple pop-up.

I've heard people say that Petr's illustrations are "like Eric Carle's" but I wouldn't really say that. It's true there is a feeling of collage and a bright use of colour, but other than The Very Hungry Caterpillar his illustrations really haven't done much for me. Petr Horáček, on the other hand, I engage with each of his books immediately. I think you will too. This is a fantastic colours book because there's more to it than just colours.

 

4 Silver Stars

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The Heart And The Bottle by Oliver Jeffers

Once there was a girl, much like any other

She delighted in everything, in discovering new things, and questioning and thinking and exploring 

... until the day she found an empty chair.

So, to avoid the unpleasant and painful thoughts and feelings, she put her heart in a safe place: A bottle that she hung around her neck. 

She didn't notice, question or dream any more, but at least her heart was safe. 

Then one day, she couldn't answer a question a child asked her and she discovered with out her heart, she couldn't answer it, nor could she remember how to get her heart back out of the bottle. 

Luckily she meets a girl who knew what to do and she put her heart back where it belonged.

Awww. This is one of those books that just feels good. You might have noticed that my picture book reviews tend to keep coming back to this sort of theme. I love stories about being in touch with your emotions/creativity/imagination. It's a better way of being, in my opinion. And this is such a lovely book for that collection.

Find it, read it, enjoy it.

 

4.5 Gold Stars

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Ish by Peter H. Reynolds

 

Peter H. Reynolds captures particular ideas in such a beautifully simple way, his straight forward books can be life changing. In the way that the slightest of redirections can lead you to a very different destination. As in: If you always look at things the same way, you'll never see them differently, turn your head just a bit, and the view is delightfully varied and diverse. 

I feel I'm not making any sense, let's just say this is a review-ish...

Ramon loved to draw.

Any time.

Anything.

Anywhere.

One day, Ramon was drawing a vase of flowers.

His brother, Leon, leaned over his shoulder.

Leon burst out laughing.

"WHAT is THAT?" he asked.

I think we've all been there at some point in our lives, even if it's not with drawing, or anything particularly creative. Sometimes people laugh at, or don't understand things that we have worked very hard on. And that can really throw us off. 

Ramon has trouble finishing drawings, he just can't make them look "right" until he finally gives up. 

Then he sees his sister has taken a scrunched up piece of paper and he chases her back to her room where he is met by a veritable gallery of smoothed out discarded drawings. Including the vase that started it all.

This is one of my favourites,"

Marisol said, pointing.

"That was SUPPOSED to be a vase of flowers,"

Ramon said,

"But it doesn't look like one."

"Well it looks vase-ISH!" 

she exclaimed. 

Enter the slight change in seeing things. With the freedom of 'ish' Ramon launches back into his drawing knowing that things don't have to be "right" or "perfect" but can be an expression and still be considered valid and good. 

It's this type of book that alleviates the weight of the world from your shoulders.

 

4.5 Gold Stars

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What's In The Witch's Kitchen by Nick Sharratt

I'll start with this: my nieces love this book. I gave it to them a year or so back and they still laugh each time it is read to them, or when they read it to themselves (because they know it so well).

I move on to this: I love this book.

I know that Nick Sharratt's illustrations aren't for everyone. Some people find them too cartoony and over simplified. But I say, hey! if it works, it works. And Between this and 'The Foggy Foggy Forest' I think his style works pretty well!

"What's in the fridge in the Witch's kitchen?

Open it left or open it right,
Will you like what you see?
Will it give you a fright?"

We then open the fridge (a lift the flap kind of thing) and we see that the fridge has Tasty Cheese in it (much like my own fridge... mmm cheese). Then we see that the flap can open the other way too, and inside we find Bats with Fleas!

And so on it goes, each container in the Witch's Kitchen holding something yummy and something disgusting. You know, the types of things are are sure to illicit giggles from children (and the occasional adult). Things like "Pooh! Lizard's Fart!" and "Nasty! Goblin's Wee!" and "Rabbit Plops!".

Then on the last page, as we try to escape the strange goings-on, there is a scary pop up surprise. Boo! Out jumps the witch herself!

He he he... I'm still chuckling as I write this. 

Do you know what this book is? It's fun!

 

4.5 Silver Stars

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Milli, Jack and the Dancing Cat by Stephen Michael King

Milli dreams of making wonderful and out of the ordinary things, but she has to spend her time making plain brown and black shoes and boots for the people in the town who don't like anything unusual.

That is until two wandering vagabond minstrels wander into town and offer to give her dancing lessons in exchange for some new shoes.

The dancing makes Milli brave, and she discovers she has the courage to follow her dreams and make extraordinary things.

This is such a sweet book which encourages following your dreams and unleashing your creativity. Stephen Michael King just has a brilliance about him that shines out from his deceptively simple stories.

 

4 Gold Stars

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Grandpa's Slippers by Joy Watson and Wendy Hodder

Grandpa's Slippers was one of the books I owned as a kid. I loved it. It was one that I practically new by heart.

I have just now re-read it, and I'm struck by how differently things seem to adult readers. I don't mean this in any sort of derogatory way, but really, Grandma is relentless in her quest to destroy the slippers that Grandpa loves so much. It made me chuckle is all.

But I still see the things I loved about it as a child, and I still quite enjoy them. The passing days, the many different ways Grandma tries to get rid of them, the cumulative complaints Grandma has about them and the smug satisfaction on her face when they finally fall to bits and he is forced wear his new ones which he quite likes.

I think another reason I like this story is that I often hold onto things long after their used-by date. Good thing this book doesn't have a used-by date. It's just as good now as it ever was.

 

3.5 Silver Stars

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Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems

Mo Willems is fantastic! You only need pick up any of his books to discover this for yourself. He started his career as a writer and animator for Sesame Street for which he has won 6 Emmy Awards for his writing.

His books are so funny, not just for children but adults too!

Which brings me to 'Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed'

"There is so much to learn about the fascinating little creatures know as naked mole rats.

But, for this story, you only need to know three things:

1. They are a little bit rat.

2. They are a little bit mole.

3. They are all naked.

Well, they were, with one exception...

Wilbur liked to get dressed. Clothes were fun and warm.

One of the things I love about this book is the use of naked mole rats to flip our expectations. If this were a story about a man who liked to get undressed, I think the storyline would have taken a remarkably different turn. And when he asks "Why not?" (the ultimate question that sways wise old Grand-pah to try on a jaunty suit himself), could have been answered rather firmly and succinctly had it been people in the story...

As it stands, we giggle as the naturally naked mole rats are repulsed by Wilbur's clothing. We see the fun of dressing "fancy or funny or cool" or, as Wilbur says, "or I can just be an astronaut."

The other thing I love about this book is by then end, when clothing has been accepted, not all the mole rats get dressed. In fact there are more naked mole rats than there are ones with clothes. This speaks volumes about acceptance and diversity and being true to yourself than if they had all gotten dressed. To me this says 'each can be who they want to be, and each is accepted for who they are'. Which in this day and age is the type of message that needs to be reinstated more often.

 

4.5 Gold Stars

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So Few Of Me by Peter H. Reynolds

When I found this picture book, I felt it had been written for me. Surely Peter H. Reynolds had somehow found out what I was like and wrote a book about me, changing names to protect the innocent and the guilty...

But, apparently, I'm not the only one.

I list things. I am a little crazy about it too. I write lists for work, as most people do, but then I develop further lists and half the time an item on the main one will be "do other list" until I've pretty much got a list of lists.

During Uni semester I write a weekly list of what needs to be done that week. 

When I've got any length of time off approaching, I always make a list of things I'd like to achieve by the end. Heaven forbid I be unproductive! I've made lists of things that I could do that are pure procrastination. I've made lists of things I want (books, dvds, cds etc.) regardless whether they get referred to again or not.

And it's not just unfinished or to-do things that get listed. I have a excel spreadsheet of books I've read. I keep a list of every movie that I watch, so I know if, when, and how often I've watched any particular title.

Anyway, what is this? a review? or confessions of a list-a-holic?

So Few Of Me is brilliant!

Leo's List of things to do

grew longer and longer.

"So few of me and so much to do. 

If only there were TWO of me."

Just then, there was a

knock at the door.

I wonder how many times I've had that thought.

Then Leo begins to multiply which achieves and creates more and more work. I think my favorite page is:

Five Leos were still not enough.

A sixth came in to help organize them all. 

After a long meeting, they decided

they needed a seventh.

Then the original Leo becomes exhausted and decides that he wants to take some time to dream.

Leo wondered,

"What if I did less -

but did my BEST?

Which is sometimes what I have to tell myself.

This is a picture book for children of all ages. Even grown up ones, like myself, that feel they must be working ALL the time.

 

5 Gold Stars

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Cinderella by Barbara McClintock

What is it?

Cinderella

Who wrote it?

 Barbara McClintock

Where can it be found?

 It's a Picture Book edition

Adaptation?

Retold from the Charles Perrault version and illustrated by...

My thoughts in exactly 10 words:

The traditional story, just as insipid as usual, nicely illustrated.

Waiting For Mummy be Tae-Jun Lee and Dong-Sung Kim

This is a beautiful, simple and strange picture book.

It is about a child who is waiting for their mother at a tram stop. That's about the extent of it. It is beautifully illustrated, and paints a charming picture of Korea. But it leaves questions which I struggle with.

First and foremost, What is such a young child doing waiting by themselves for such a long period of time? Where is his mother or father? Do they have no concern for a child who looks like he could be no more than four. Please don't misunderstand me. I'm not saying that a child couldn't wait that long, or should be able to without something bad happening. But it begs to question the roll of the parents.

Secondly, I understand that we are supposed to realise that 'Mummy' has arrived by the final illustration. But we don't know that it is her. We are so far removed from the situation that for all we know, it is some stranger, convinced the boy (who has really been standing in the snow, alone, for hours) to come with her.

I mean, this is only one way of reading this book, which really is beautifully put together. And I must concede that I am a little removed from the culture in which it was produced. Not only is it a Korean book, the text was originally written in 1938, when I can only assume that it was more likely that children might be out in the streets on their own.

I'm not entirely sure what I hoped to achieve by this review, because I can see that this book has its place, and by all accounts, it is highly commended. And I do like to read it; the pictures are stunning. Yet I always reach the end and find myself thinking "but..."

 

2.5 Gold Stars

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The Enemy by Davide Cali and Serge Bloch

There is a war on.

Here's something that could be a desert ...

in which there are two holes.

In the two holes, two soldiers.

They are enemies.

This prologue appears over five double page spreads before we even reach the title and imprint page. It is fantastic in the way it sets the scene. Describing all we need to know of the setting, which is very little. It could be any war, any where, and any two soldiers.

I picked up this book knowing absolutely nothing about it. The cover was eye catching enough and piqued my interest. The prologue unfolding before me.

We then learn that one of the soldiers knows nothing of the war other than what his generals and his manual have told him: That the enemy is evil and a monster, it is kill or be killed. But how he longs to be back with his family. But that is not possible. For if he leaves his post, the enemy will kill him. He knows this. His manual told him so. Then they will kill his wife and children. Even his animals.

We are shown how his days unfold, and what he must do each day to survive in his hole.

But one night he knows he must carefully attack the enemy in the dead of night, if this war will ever be over. so he crawls over in 'Disguise Number Three: A Branch'.

I would love to describe how the book ends, to make this review feel more fulling to you, the reader, but I feel I would rob you of what I experienced when I read it for the first time. Trust me, this one is worth reading for the end. Particularly if you hold anti-war sentiments.

This is a powerful book.

 

5 Gold Stars

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Wait! No Paint! by Bruce Whatley

What is it?

 Wait! No Paint!

Who wrote it?

 Bruce Whatley

Adaptation?

This is 'The Three Little Pigs' when the role of the illustrator is literally brought into the story.

My thoughts in exactly 10 words:

 Perfect meta-fictive irreverence. There are many Laugh out Loud moments.

Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein

I think anyone who has shared a picture book with a child would most likely be able to identify with this very funny story. Little Chicken wants a story before bedtime, and Papa makes her promise that she won't interrupt. Do you think she'll be able to contain herself?

Just this past weekend I was reading this to my nieces and they were laughing so loud it was great. It was a guessing game with each new story Papa started whether or not he would be interrupted. It makes me laugh, especially when the children you're sharing it with are enjoying it just as much as you are.

If you like your fractured fairy tales then you'll get an extra kick out of it too!

4.5 Gold Stars

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Patricia by Stephen Michael King

I have always loved this book. I guess I have always felt something a little like Patricia. Not in that my parents don't really listen to what I'm trying to say, but more that I feel like the opening line:

"Patricia's head was filled with thoughts-"

I'm sure many of us have, at some point, felt like our head was overflowing with all the wonderful (and sometimes not-so-wonderful) things that we are thinking about. And sometimes you just want to share your thoughts with someone, anyone really. I know I have a habit of sharing malformed thoughts, or ones that needed time to solidify some more and they come tumbling out like not-yet-set jelly.

But enough of that, back to the book! 

Patricia has some wonderful, amazing thoughts (they really are! you can see them there on the page!) and when she goes in search of someone to share them with Mum says "Mmm, that's nice dear," Dad says, "Not now, Patricia, I'm busy," even though he didn't look busy at all, her grandfather was asleep and her grandmother just said "What a pretty little flower. Who's my girl?"

I don't know about you, but I think I'd get a little frustrated too. It's enough to make Patricia scream. So she does. Then she takes an enormous breath and (my favourite part) all her thoughts come tumbling out. Then, when she's about to concede that there's no-one to listen to her, her grandfather wakes up, and he has always loved sharing her thoughts.

I just love it! and Stephen Michael King's illustrations are fantastic! Bright, free water colours, liberal and expressive black ink detailing. 

This book celebrates what children have to say which can sometimes be overlooked or condescended to.

 

4.5 Gold Stars

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The World Champion of Staying Awake by Sean Taylor and Jimmy Liao

"Good night, Stella," says Dad.
"Time to go to bed."

But how can Stella go to bed?
She still has Cherry Pig,
Thunderbolt the puppet mouse and Beanbag Frog to get to sleep.

Does this seem familiar to any parent? You want to go to bed, just like Stella does here (I'm sure), but you can't until you get your boisterous children off to sleep.

That's one of the things I love about this book: Stella playing the parent.

I said "one of the things" because there are many things I love about this book. It's filled with wonderful gems that 'younger' people can say, particular at bedtime like "Sleep is too slow!" and "Is jelly made from jellyfish?" and "How many years is it to my birthday?"

In amongst all the playful fun, Stella has a skillful plan. She will play imaginary games with the toys designed to lull them to sleep. In these sections she dreams her pillow into a ship, "and it is..." Then a shoebox into a train, "and it is..." and finally her basket into a balloon "and it is..."

I love the "and it is..." parts, because when you're playing these games, who's to say it's not? but each section of imagination sees the (already very cute) illustrations spread right to the edges of the page, and a rhythmic rhyme starts, nice and slow, describing all the wonderful things the toys see on their dream journeys.

And guess what? One by one they fall asleep!

And she tucks them, one by one, into bed.

So the wold champion of staying awake
must actually be Stella.

Or perhaps not.

 

4.5 Gold Stars

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The Really Ugly Duckling by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith

What is it?

The Really Ugly Duckling

Who wrote it?

Jon Scieszka
illustrated by Lane Smith

Where can it be found?

The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales

Adaptation?

Yes, a very different ending to Hans Christian Andersen’s version.

My thoughts in exactly 10 words:

A brilliantly brief and hilarious spin on Andersen’s renowned sentimentality.

Penguin by Polly Dunbar

If you've been visiting my blog for a little while, you'll probably know already how much I LOVE Polly Dunbar. She makes me so happy. I don't know how many times I've enjoyed her books over and over and over. And it dawned on me I hadn't blogged about 'Penguin'. Appalling! So, presently, I am amending that.

"Ben ripped open his present. Inside was a Penguin."

ahhh, from simple beginnings... A new present, and such a promising one too! A penguin! who wouldn't want a penguin? Ben sure thought it was the best thing ever. That is, until he realises that it isn't saying anything, no matter what he tries.

He even tires standing on his head and making fun of Penguin, but still gets no response.

What he shouldn't have done is get a passing Lion involved. Because when he begins shouting, the Lion eats him for being too loud.

Luckily, Penguin comes to his rescue because they have actually become friends through all they have done together.

Polly Dunbar's tone is perfect, both the pictures and the text have just enough character and punch, but then plenty of space for you to enjoy what she achieves in her illustrations.

She captures the beautiful absurdity for which picture books are perfect. I Love her work and can happily re-read them time and time again, which is a good thing if a child takes a shine to a particular story, as any parent will know.

 

4.5 Gold Stars

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The Day I Swapped My Dad For Two Goldfish by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean

Neil Gaiman’s books are practically guaranteed to be slightly warped, slightly bizarre, slightly absurd. That’s why we love them isn’t it?

This picture book is fairly straight forward in premise, in some ways of looking at it, and is pretty much explained by the title: a boy swaps his dad for two goldfish. Cause that could happen, right?

Then, as predicted by his sister, he gets in trouble when his mother comes home (there’s a very funny sequence with the sister trying to tell the mum who doesn’t like her to talk with her mouth full) and they have to go and swap him back. Only, they discover that he has already been traded on. And so begins a journey here there and everywhere trying to un-swap all the items that have been traded for his dad.

So a little bit quirky, but that’s what makes it fun. Dave McKean’s illustrations take the quirk factor to another level, playing in to and off of each other sense of humour in a perfect way.

I've got a great edition of this that has the book read by Neil Gaimen himself, which is an added bonus.

3.5 Gold Stars

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