Ages 5-8

All That Slithers

15798718I was so eager to read Python ($15.99, Candlewick Press, Ages 5-8) because I am fascinated with the pythons that have invaded the Florida Everglades near my home. In fact, my husband even participated in the 2013 Python Challenge hosted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (though he did not catch any snakes). These reptiles, which are not natural to Florida, have become a real threat to our native species as they have multiplied in large numbers and prey upon baby alligators, birds and many other species. Most are a result of people releasing their pet snakes into the wild when they can no longer care for them.

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A photo I took several years ago in the Everglades. This time it was the gator who got the python, as he was protecting his (partially eaten) catch.

Now about the book . . .

Python author, Christopher Cheng, created a zoo mobile near his home in Sydney, Australia so native Australian animals could be transported to schools. What a wonderful way for students to learn about the species endemic to their region. Cheng also taught at a zoo for eight years, so it’s no wonder that Python is a most informative book.

In this story about how a female Australian Diamond Python spends her day, we learn about her habitat, diet, how she molts, lays eggs and so much more. Did you know that pythons do not crush their prey? They suffocate it, because it would be difficult for them to eat an animal with broken bones.

I was pleasantly surprised that the book even shows how a python catches and eats a rat. Although the targeted audience for the book is as young as age five, I think it’s important for readers to understand how animals in the wild survive even when it’s a bit unpleasant.

The watercolor illustrations by Mark Jackson are terrific. And in the back of the book is a page of fascinating facts about these snakes. There’s even an index.  I love the fact that readers are introduced to so many words they’ve probably never seen before like: ectothermic; keratin; hatchlings and ambush.

Python is so informative as well as interesting to read and look at with its wonderful pictures. I am sure this book will get many kids interested in learning more about snakes in general and other critters that lurk in the wild.

– Reviewed by Debbie Glade

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Necessity Breeds Invention

9781455615025Pecos Bill, perhaps the most famous mythical cowboy in American history, was the creation of Edward O’Reilly, when he worked as a writer for Century Magazine in 1917. Pecos Bill was not just your average cowboy, rather he was superhero who rode cyclones, roped entire herds of cattle all at once and shot the stars out of the sky.

Pecos Bill Invents the Ten Gallon Hat ($16.99, Pelican Publishing, Ages 5-8) by Kevin Strauss is a most entertaining western-style folktale for young readers. Pecos Bill is a cowboy with a handle bar mustache and great strength and abilities. But he has a problem, and he needs to find a resolution. Fast. Bill is tired of being hot from the burning sun, but he’s got cowboy sorts of things to do and must be outdoors driving cattle for hours on end. He’s disappointed when he discovers that moving a tree for shade, wearing a baseball cap, donning a fireman’s hat and even lassoing a storm cloud with a rattlesnake rope are all imperfect solutions to his problem. But one day, something happens to give Pecos Bill an idea to make him the ultimate cowboy hat that not only gives him enough shade, but also  offers some extra benefits that make life easier.

What I love about Pecos Bill Invents the Ten Gallon Hat is that the story is clever and humorous, and it features a very likeable cowboy superhero. If you think about it, there are not all that many Western books for the youngest readers. Even though the story is lighthearted and funny, it is the perfect way for children to be introduced to the notion that necessity breeds invention. Most inventions evolve over time, after a lot of mishaps and duds, just like Pecos Bill discovers. But with patience, brain power and hard work, things have a way of working out.

The  cartoon-like illustrations by artist David Harrington are bold and ultra colorful. They really add pizzazz to the superhero nature of the story, and I thoroughly enjoyed looking at all the details of each picture.

In addition to being entertained, I was pleased to learn that everything a cowboy wears suits a purpose – even a bandana, which protects the cowboy’s face from dirt that’s kicked up by the cows.

-Reviewed by Debbie Glade


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A Very Odd Couple Indeed

Bird & Squirrel: On the Run! ($8.99, Scholastic, Ages 7-9) is the humorous story of  a squirrel, a bird and one very aggressive cat.  Author/illustrator James Burks STK466877used his 15 years of animation experience to create this most entertaining, fast action graphic novel for young readers.

Squirrel, who is blue with a square head covered with an acorn top, is busy hoarding acorns to prepare for the long winter ahead. He bumps into goggle-wearing Bird, who wants desperately to befriend Squirrel and even travel together. But Squirrel is just not interested – that is until he has to unload his stash of acorns to save Bird from the big, mean, orange Cat. With no food for winter, Squirrel has no choice but to head south with Bird to a warmer place. So he packs everything he owns (which is a lot!), and the two set out on their way. The entire book revolves around the challenges Bird and Squirrel face while trying to dodge Cat’s attempts to eat them. With one rather frustrating, yet hilarious adventure after another, Bird and Squirrel do all they can to survive.

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The cartoon illustrations are crisp, bold and so much fun to look at. I was happy to discover that both the words and the pictures are of equal importance to the story. Because there are so many illustrations, graphic children’s novels like this can really encourage reluctant readers to get interested in reading a book. The story is entertaining, adorable, and Squirrel and Bird remind me a bit of the unlikely friendship of the amusing characters in the Odd Couple. Despite their differences, they work together to reach their goal, and I promise you will be enchanted by the way this adorable story ends.

-Reviewed by Debbie Glade

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To Market to Market

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I cherish the unusual when it comes to reading a children’s book – especially when the author’s personal experiences led to the creation of the unique story. I also seek out titles that educate the youngest readers about different cultures and places. The Market Bowl ($16.95, Charlesbridge Publishing, Ages 5-8) meets all of the above and more.

Jim Averbeck spent four years in Cameroon – an African nation few Americans have visited – as a Peace Corps volunteer.  While there he ate many local dishes including Bitterleaf Stew. And so the story begins…

Yoyo is a young girl who goes to the market with her mother every day to sell her mama Cecile’s delicious bitterleaf stew. Mama teaches Yoyo exactly how to make the stew, taking no shortcuts and also tells her daughter that she must not ever reject a fair price for the stew in the market. Together they are successful selling mama’s secret recipe stew day after day.

One day Yoyo decides to make her own stew in her own way and try to sell it at the market when her mama was not there. Because the stew is sub par, a buyer grabs the bowl and offers Yoyo much less money for the stew than her mama was used to getting paid. Yoyo yanks the bowl back, and after that the family’s luck changes and Yoyo’s mama can no longer get a fair price for her food. When you read the book, you’ll see that the way Yoyo solves the problem is both brave and clever.

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The story has a folklore quality to it that I absolutely love. Along with the words are glorious, vibrant illustrations that bring the story to a whole new level. You’ll enjoythe way your children learn subtly about the Cameroon culture, too. In the front of the book are some vocabulary words and in the back is a reciepe for Bitterleaf Stew, the national dish of Cameroon.

There’s nothing else quite like The Market Bowl. It is a wonderful book for teaching children about cultures, honesty and quality work. And after reading this book, perhaps your child will even be willing to try tasting a new dish.

– Reviewed by Debbie Glade

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A Mind Full of Pictures

“Make a Picture For Us, Horace!”

Horace? Have you ever heard of Horace Pippin?

Take your children on a journey back in time to learn about a man compelled to make pictures from a very young age. I let A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin ($17.99, Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, ages 5-8) simply wash over me as I read about an artist whose works I now so want to discover and enjoy.

9780375867125From the team behind the Caldecott Honor-winning A River of Words (that would be Jen Bryant and Melissa Sweet) comes this remarkable, uplifting story of an African American WWI veteran who couldn’t stop drawing even with a war wound that badly damaged his right arm. I found myself rooting for this determined and resourceful man and was thrilled when fame finally caught up with him.

There are just so many interesting elements in this absorbingly written and creatively imagined and illustrated picture book. These include newspaper headlines, quotes, glimpses of the artist at work, some of his art and back pages with notes galore from both author and illustrator, further reading suggestions, websites and a map of where in the U.S. you can see Pippin’s art. Suffice it to say you will not be disappointed when reading about Horace’s youth in first Pennsylvania then New York, his assorted trials and travails following WWI all the way up to his eventual recognition some four plus decades later as a folk artist when he was once again living in Pennsylvania. The way this award-winning team of Bryant and Sweet have managed to capture the essence of all that was Horace Pippin, from his love of the feel of charcoal to his impressive drive to retrain himself to draw inspired by an iron poker, deserves tremendous praise.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin  and am delighted Pippin’s talent has been brought to the fore so everyone can have the opportunity to admire and enjoy his unique American art.

Reviewed by Ronna Mandel.

If you are interested in reading more about other celebrated African Americans, please click here.

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This Christmas Tree Rocks Big Time!

61wu1SZqM9L._SS400_The Carpenter’s Gift: A Christmas Tale About the Rockefeller Center Tree  ($17.99, Random House, ages 5 -8), written by David Rubel and illustrated by Jim LaMarche, is reviewed by Ronna Mandel.

I’ll admit my eyes teared up while reading this poignant picture book by David Rubel with evocative illustrations by Jim LaMarche. What could easily have been a sappy story is actually a touching tale from which children will learn, “The best presents are the ones you don’t expect.” Readers first meet an elderly man called Henry, reflecting on his youthful self and how he got through hard times with a vivid imagination and a positive attitude.

51WNx1OyuFL._SS400_It’s the Great Depression and young Henry’s folks are struggling to make ends meet, living in a cold shack and cutting down conifers to earn some money. The boy, though grateful for a roof over his head, dreams of “warm places in his mind,” to stave off winter’s chill. One day Henry’s dad takes him to Manhattan to set up shop alongside a construction site. Before long the two befriend Frank, a carpenter helping to build Rockefeller Center. After a successful day, the father/son pair leaves the unsold trees to Frank and his crew. These men, fortunate to have steady work, have figured out that the tree seller is down on his luck and hatch a plan. On Christmas morning they bring a surprise for Henry’s family that will have a lasting and meaningful effect on the boy. Henry vows to somehow give back in the future.

51eCQRICAzL._SS400_That chance arrives decades later when a tree he once planted gets selected to be the Rockefeller Christmas tree. The celebrated spruce, after bringing joy to countless people, will be milled for lumber to build a home for a family in need courtesy of Habitat for Humanity working with Tishman Speyer, the company that owns Rockefeller Center. End pages with a history of the Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center and info about Habitat for Humanity are included to round out the giving theme this holiday season.

 

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Living With Autism

Ronna Mandel  reviews a new picture book that allows parents to start a conversation about autism with their children.

With current statistics at 1 out of 88 children having autism, chances are that either you have a child with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder or know one.  Therefore it makes good sense that we should learn as much as we can to help educate our children.

There’s a saying in the autism community that if you’ve met a child with autism, you’ve met one child with autism because no two children are affected the same way. Keep this in mind when reading David’s World: A Picture Book  About Living With  Autism ($16.95, Sky Pony Press, ages 5-8) by Dagmar H. Mueller with illustrations by Verena Ballhaus and translated by Kim Gardner.

David’s World brings us into the home of a family with one autistic child, David, and told from the perspective of his brother. I was immediately touched by the economy of words in a book that manages to speak volumes about such a serious subject. Every word the author has chosen works, quite powerfully in parts, in this wonderful new 28 page picture book. That David speaks another language, the language of autism is carefully conveyed in page after page and will open not only your child’s eyes but yours as well.

“Sometimes I don’t like David. He’s so different.” This is often a major struggle for siblings of children on the spectrum and it is handled so sensitively and appropriately. “He doesn’t laugh when we laugh, and he doesn’t cry when he’s sad.” But David is his brother and our narrator is going to do everything possible with the help of his parents to understand his brother’s world.

Sometimes David gets angry, sometimes David is sad, and most of the time, according to the narrator, he and David don’t like the same things. And while David likes to play piano and can play amazingly well, by ear, David’s brother plays soccer. However, from time to time he’ll “plop down on the carpet and listen …”  What I found particularly encouraging was that Mueller chose to focus on David’s strengths such as his musical gift and his innate ability to relate to animals such as a neighbor’s dog. This is extremely vital when explaining autism to children. Because it is a spectrum, there are varying degrees of how it impacts a child’s abilities.  Children need to appreciate the whole person and what special qualities every individual has, autistic or not.

Ballhaus’s illustrations are a blend of surreal and spot on when she depicts David with a brick walled body; overwhelmed by assorted annoying noises such as a mixer and a vaccuum; soaring free like a bird at the keys of a piano. There’s also a Matisse-like feel to the colors selected making the illustrations feel positive and complementary to the text.

I highly recommend this original picture book for all that it says and all that it does not have to say.

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Both Sides of Bullying

The award-winning team of Jacqueline Woodson and E.B. Lewis tackles bullying from behind a bully’s eyes.

Each Kindness ($16.99, Nancy Paulson Books, ages 5-8), an exceptional children’s picture book written by Jacqueline Woodson with illustrations by E.B. Lewis, will touch you and your children in ways you hadn’t expected and that’s a good thing, a very good thing.

Asking us to walk in a bully’s shoes, in this case narrator Chloe’s, author Woodson takes us down a path of a child’s unkindness that is certain to strike a chord. How many of us have been in young Chloe’s position choosing not to befriend someone based on appearances only to regret that decision when it was too late? Can we imagine the pain the bullied child feels?

When a new student, Maya, joins Chloe’s class and is seated beside her, Chloe turns toward the window, ignoring Maya’s friendly smile. Why? Simply because her clothes were tattered. Though Maya makes many gestures to become friends with Chloe and the other kids, they continue to whisper about her second-hand clothing and ostracize her, never once thinking how hurtful those actions might be.

One day, well into the school year the teacher, Ms. Albert, gives a seemingly simple yet ultimately powerful lesson using a bowl of water and a small stone dropped in. She explains how kindness works. “Every little thing we do goes out, like a ripple, into the world.”  Unfortunately for Chloe she realizes too late that she, like that tiny stone’s ripples, could have had a positive effect on another person. Maya does not return to school and that chance is lost forever.

Though Maya’s family circumstances are never clearly explained, this worked for me and perhaps is deliberate. Maya becomes symbolic of all those vulnerable children often targeted by bullies whether it be for financial reasons, a disability or just not having the right clothing. Between its lyrical text and the marvelously moving watercolors, Each Kindness provides an opportunity for parents and educators to broach the topic of bullying from both the perspective of the bully and the bullied.  This meaningful and moving book is a must-have that is certain to make a difference in many a youngster’s life.

Today’s reviewer is Ronna Mandel.

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