Cathy Ballou Mealey

The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus by Jen Bryant with illustrations by Melissa Sweet

NOW A 2015 CALDECOTT HONOR BOOK!

The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus, written by Jen Bryant and illustrated by Melissa Sweet, (Eerdman’s Books for Young Readers, $17.50, Ages 6-10) is reviewed today by Cathy Ballou Mealey.

✩Starred Reviews – Publishers Weekly & Kirkus Reviews
Junior Library Guild Selection

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The Right Word: Roget and his Thesaurus by Jen Bryant with illustrations by Melissa Sweet, Eerdmans 2014.

List: index, inventory, agenda, series, menu, outline, docket. If you like to make lists, be sure to put this wonderful book about Peter Mark Roget on the top of your next one. A marvelous new nonfiction collaboration from the terrific team of Bryant and Sweet, here is the story of a man whose book resides in countless homes, schools, and libraries. The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus will boost your appreciation for this indispensable reading and writing reference tool as well as for the man who created it.

Young Peter’s early life was challenging. His family moved often following his father’s death in 1783, but Peter found that books were always plentiful, faithful friends that he did not have to leave behind. He began writing his own book, a list of Latin words and their English meanings. The list helped him study and gave him a sense of comfort and order while his mother fretted and worried.

Bryant’s lovely, lyrical text walks a well-balanced route through Peter’s shy teen years, medical school, marriage and family. While practicing medicine, Peter continued amassing words until his book of lists was completed. Always collecting, revising and perfecting, Roget’s lifelong dedication eventually created an organized, easy to use tool. In 1852, the first thousand copies of Roget’s Thesaurus flew off the shelves.

Sweet’s collage style illustrations are jaw-droppingly gorgeous, drawing fine threads of Roget’s story into focus with richness and clarity. I have studied the pages of this book for days, and still discover unique text samples and detailed subtleties in the pictures that amaze me. This is truly a book to savor over and over, noting fresh gems each time.

Indeed, in The Right Word we learn that thesaurus comes from the Latin and Greek roots meaning treasury. I cannot imagine a more apt description of this spectacular picture book biography. Be sure to note the extensive author and illustrator notes, timeline, bibliography and endpapers that will make this treasure an indispensable resource.

  • Reviewed by Cathy Ballou Mealey
  • Where Obtained:  I borrowed a The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus from my local library and received no compensation. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Download discussion guide here.

Read our review of Bryant’s and Sweet’s book A Splash of Red here.

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Frank! Written and Illustrated by Connah Brecon

Frank!, written and illustrated by Connah Brecon (Running Press Kids, $16.95, Ages 4-7), is reviewed today by Cathy Ballou Mealey.

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What is going on with Frank? He’s a hip, urban-dwelling kid bear in a red puffy vest and skinny jeans who is always late, but only because he is too helpful! Whether jamming with a pigeon trio, saving a cat up a tree, or helping bunnies bullied by an ogre, Frank always has an excuse. His teacher is less than pleased with his tardiness, although he does manage to be a little more on time each day.

Brecon’s illustrations are the star in this quirky, engaging story. While the story is conveyed in sharp black typeface, Brecon sets the tale in an Oliver Jeffers-esque palette and scatters hand-lettered text liberally on the page. Young readers will snicker at the odd pairings of animal and human classmates and fantastic versus realistic reasons that keep Frank from arriving on time. Seeking out the recurring pigeon and bunny trios tucked charmingly into page corners will further amuse sharp-eyed kids.

Interior art from Frank! written and illustrated by Connah Brecon, Running Press Kids ©2014.

Frank finally gets to school on time, but trouble has found him right at the classroom door. How will they cope with a giant zombie lizard king threatening the school? Frank shows that although he has not been in class very often, he has learned something about how to make friends.

Unique and delightfully unpredictable, Frank! is an imaginative tale with light-handed messages about punctuality, compassion and teamwork.

–       Reviewed by Cathy Ballou Mealey

–       Where Obtained:  I received a review copy from the publisher and received no compensation.  The opinions expressed here are my own.

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Edgar’s Second Word by Audrey Vernick

Edgar’s Second Word, a picture book written by Audrey Vernick and illustrated by Priscilla Burris (Clarion Books/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $16.99, Ages 3-6), is reviewed today by Cathy Ballou Mealey. obj488geo264pg21p25

Oh how sweet sister-to-be Hazel longs to welcome her baby brother! She’s drawn pictures and posters, chosen special bedtime stories, and practiced reading to her stuffed bunny, Rodrigo. But as Hazel finds in Audrey Vernick’s newest picture book, Edgar’s Second Word, babies don’t always want to go along with the plan.

Hazel and Edgar’s mother dutifully notes all of Edgar’s firsts in his baby book, while Hazel waits patiently for Edgar to do more than grunt and point. His first word, NO, is celebrated and then quickly deplored as it becomes Edgar’s go-to response to all opportunities for entertainment.

Burris’ artwork is spot-on cheerful and bright for her young audience. Warm yellow tones and lovely lilac hues are nicely accented with springtime greens. Nothing is too perfect or precise, and delightfully captures Hazel’s springy curls, bubbly bath, and cozy bed. The detail contrast with plaids, polka-dots and zig zags adds lovely textural interest to every spread.

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Interior artwork from Edgar’s Second Word by Audrey Vernick with illustrations by Priscilla Burris, Clarion Books/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014.

Readers will know from the title that Edgar does eek out a second word by the book’s end. But the surprise is that there is also a third word that wraps the story to a harmonious and clever close. Edgar’s Second Word is a fresh, appealing story accenting the positive aspects of sibling relationships while underscoring the virtues of patience and persistence.

–       Reviewed by Cathy Ballou Mealey

–       Where Obtained:  I received a review copy from my library and received no compensation.  The opinions expressed here are my own.

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Don’t Turn the Page! by Rachelle Burk

Don’t Turn the Page!, written by Rachelle Burk and illustrated by Julie Downing, is reviewed today by Cathy Ballou Mealey.

 

1. Don't Turn the Page.coverDon’t Turn the Page! (Creston Books, $16.95, Ages 3-6) is a cozy bedtime tale that capitalizes on a universal truth: Children will resist going to bed. Burk and Downing cleverly execute this idea as a book-within-a-book featuring a cuddly hedgehog and a sleepy bear cub.

Although Sami Hedgehog doesn’t want to stop playing with blocks, she is eager to hear just the first page of her new book. Cuddled on the couch, we – the readers – peer over Mama Hedgehog’s shoulder to learn about sleepy Little Bear of Rambling Woods who is getting ready for bed. Although they stop after one page, Sami begins to wonder “How do bears get ready for bed?” so Mama reads on. Inspired by Little Bear, Sami is gently encouraged to follow her own bedtime preparations step by step, page by page.

Burk divides the text into rhythmic rhyme for obedient Little Bear’s nightly routine. Sami’s story is told in prose, punctuated perfectly with her repeated, resistant command, “Don’t turn the page.” Mama Hedgehog is ever patient and reasonable, adapting to Sami’s sleepy pace as the book unfolds.

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Interior spread from Don’t Turn The Page! by Rachelle Burk with illustrations by Julie Downing, Creston Books, ©2014.

9781939547064.039781939547064.03Downing masterfully weaves the two tales seamlessly together through clever illustrations that show clues of the story-in-story on each page in alternating fashion. Different typefaces and thick page borders also reinforce the message about which story is being told and ties it neatly together in the end. The creatures are charming, and the soft colors are rich and muted. A special treat are the book’s endpapers, which echo the animal’s pajamas!

Don’t Turn the Page! is an endearing winner for bedtime reading. There may be no guarantee that kids will ever willingly get ready for bed, but I’m willing to bet that they will ask for this book to be read again and again.

–       Reviewed by Cathy Ballou Mealey

–       Where Obtained:  I received a review copy from the publisher and received no other compensation.  The opinions expressed here are my own.

 

 

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Books Always Everywhere by Jane Blatt

Books Always Everywhere written by Jane Blatt and illustrated by Sarah Massini, (Random House Books for Young Readers, $16.99, Ages 2-6), is reviewed today by Cathy Ballou Mealey.

 

Books Always Everywhere is a celebration of books big and small, wide and tall! Geared to the youngest bibliophiles, this book is generously sized with sturdy pages for a lap read or storytime. The short, simple rhyming text is large enough to track with your finger as you read aloud to little listeners.

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Books Always Everywhere by Jane Blatt with illustrations by Sarah Massini, Random House Books for Young Readers, 2014.

The illustrations feature tots and animals holding books, building with books, even climbing books! Books are featured on each page in all sorts of games and fantastic settings. For example, on the pages showing “Book build / Book mat / Book chair / Book hat” toddlers perch on piles of cleverly titled books (Sitting Pretty, 100 Best High Chairs). Lest your children mistake this for an instructional manual, it would be best to tell them that they shouldn’t really use books for anything other than reading!

The pictures subtly teach comparison of size and shape as well as types of books like scary and funny. The children are delightfully multicultural and sport cleverly textured and patterned clothing, hats and accessories. A sweet tiny mouse is featured on every page, a fun friend to follow from beginning to end.

Books Always Everywhere is a charming book to encourage little ones to appreciate books and reading!

 –       Reviewed by Cathy Ballou Mealey

 

Where Obtained:  I received a review copy from the publisher and received no other compensation.  The opinions expressed here are my own.

 

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Sleepyheads by Sandra J. Howatt

Sleepyheads written by Sandra J. Howatt and illustrated by Joyce Wan, (Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster, $16.99, Ages 2-6), is reviewed today by Cathy Ballou Mealey.

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Sleepyheads by Sandra J. Howatt with illustrations by Joyce Wan, Beach Lane Books, 2014.

Here in the Northern Hemisphere, the sun sets quite late in the summer. I relied on room-darkening blinds and soft music to lull my toddlers to sleep when the sun was still shining. If only I had owned a copy of Sandra Howatt’s delightful, yawn-inducing Sleepyheads about a decade ago!

Howatt’s story begins outdoors under soft moonlight with a delightful assortment of cuddly creatures snoozing in nests, trees, caves and waves. The cozy dozers – bear, duck, rabbit, pig – are relaxed and content. Quiet oozes throughout the soft “S” assonance sprinkled through the rhyming lines. While an owl keeps vigil (This one’s not a sleepyhead – this one slept all day!) we transition inside the house where the cat and dog are sound asleep. There is one last special sleepyhead to be found, where a pillow, bed and blanket await.

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Interior spread from Sleepyheads by Sandra J. Howatt with illustrations by Joyce Wan, Beach Lane Books, ©2014.

Wan’s illustrations are perfectly sweet, soft and soothing. Fuzzy, thick-edged images reinforce the look of deep night sky, with subtle pops of pink, green and brown. The creatures are rounded into large, simple shapes that are just right for little ones learning animal names and homes. The night sky is sprinkled with luminous, glowing stars as tiny fireflies dot pages in a lovely rhythm.

Sleepyheads is just long enough, just soft enough, and just dreamy enough to cause even the most sleep-resistant tots to rub their eyes. Kirkus gave Sleepyheads a starred review, calling it “A superb execution of soporific shapes and sounds perfect for the bedside table.” Perfect for sweet nighttime tuck-ins!

–    Reviewed by Cathy Ballou Mealey

Where Obtained:  I received a review copy from the publisher and received no other compensation.  The opinions expressed here are my own.

 

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Gaston by Kelly DiPucchio

GASTON

Written by Kelly DiPucchio

Illustrated by Christian Robinson

(Atheneum BYR; $17.99, Ages 4-8)

is reviewed by Cathy Ballou Mealey

 

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Two little pups, as cute as can be, discover that family comes first, even when you must struggle to find your place in the litter. Kelly DiPucchio’s adorable GASTON doesn’t look like his poodle sisters Fi-Fi, Foo-Foo and Ooh-La-La but he works hard to master mama’s lessons in sipping, yipping and walking with grace. During a stroll through the park, Gaston encounters Antoinette, who doesn’t quite fit in with her rough-and-tumble bulldog brothers Rocky, Ricky and Bruno. Trading places makes the canine families look right, but they just don’t feel right. Can the mixed-up pups reconcile how they appear with who they really are?

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Interior spread from Gaston written by Kelly DiPucchio and illustrated by Christian Robinson, Atheneum BYR ©2014.

 

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DiPucchio’s clever, zippy text makes this a delightful book about families, belonging, and being true to oneself. The silly names and playful phrases (nibble their kibble/proper or precious or pink) will guarantee giggles through multiple readings. Robinson’s delightful acrylic illustrations capture the bouncy theme perfectly, wrapping the text around the energetic action of the pups and enhancing their distinctive personalities. Springy greens, mustard yellows, and mauve taupes give a retro feel to a fresh and fun story.

In addition to starred reviews from Horn Book and Shelf Awareness, GASTON received a starred review from Kirkus, which proclaimed it “A perfect read aloud that will leave them begging for more—an absolute delight.” I couldn’t agree more. Whether tough or tender, precious or brutish, young book lovers will fall head over heels for the charm of Gaston.

  • Reviewed by Cathy Ballou Mealey

Where Obtained:  I received a review copy from the publisher and received no other compensation.  The opinions expressed here are my own.

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Mama Built a Little Nest by Jennifer Ward

Mama Built a Little Nest, written by Jennifer Ward and illustrated by Steve Jenkins, (Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster, $17.99, Ages 4-8), is reviewed today by Cathy Ballou Mealey.

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Mama Built a Little Nest written by Jennifer Ward and illustrated by Steve Jenkins, Beach Lane Books/Simon & Schuster, 2014.

Big, beautiful collage illustrations and a sweet rhyming text make MAMA BUILT A LITTLE NEST the perfect choice for young nature lovers and bedtime snugglers. Ward’s bouncy, playful sing-song text borrows from the familiar “Mary Had a Little Lamb” to introduce fourteen bird species that build an amazing variety of safe, cozy nests.

Each page zooms in close to a nest to reveal its special details. The cover features a weaverbird pulling layers of grass over, under, around and through its pear-shaped nest, hanging delicately from a thorny branch. Ward writes: Mama built a little nest/ She used her beak to sew/ a woven nest of silky grass/ the perfect place to grow. Those who want to know more will delight in the additional paragraph providing information about each species.

Jenkins, a Caldecott-honoree, brings his signature cut paper collage style in a manner that showcases Ward’s text without overwhelming it. His careful pairing of textures and color accents are bold but simple, depicting the birds and their habitats in realistic fashion. Jenkins makes the familiar birds like eagles, penguins and robins look as beautiful as the more exotic species like hornbills and swiftlets. Their nests are equally detailed and impressive.

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Interior spread from Mama Built a Little Nest written by Jennifer Ward and illustrated by Steve Jenkins, Beach Lane Books/Simon & Schuster, ©2014.

 

This book is a terrific introduction to nonfiction for little ones, and is also a welcome addition to classrooms and libraries. An author’s note shares the story that inspired the book, and offers online resources for more information.

 –       Reviewed by Cathy Ballou Mealey

Where obtained: I borrowed a copy from my public library. The opinions expressed here are my own.

 

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Lost for Words by Natalie Russell

Lost for Words, written and illustrated by Natalie Russell (Peachtree Publishers, $16.95, Ages 4-8), is reviewed today by Cathy Ballou Mealey. Tapir has a lovely new notebook, and yearns to fill it with something marvelous. If only he could think of something to write! Staring at the page, he tries to come up with of something, anything! But his head is as empty as his page.

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Lost for Words written and illustrated by Natalie Russell, Peachtree Publishers, 2014.

Anyone who has suffered writer’s block will identify with this cuddly tapir’s dilemma. And how cute is this Winnie the Pooh-shaped tapir as a main character? He turns to his friends for inspiration, and finds Giraffe writing poetry, Flamingo composing a song, and Hippo writing a story. Poor Tapir! He tries imitating their methods, chewing leaves, wallowing in mud, and humming with his eyes closed. Alas – the harder he tries, the grumpier he gets.

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Interior spread from Lost for Words written and illustrated by Natalie Russell, Peachtree Publishers, ©2014

 

Russell’s illustrations are fun and engaging, using soft lines and gentle blue, green and yellow earthy pastel tones. She draws distinct, beautiful suns over panoramic Central American landscapes and smudges realistic muddy textures onto Hippo and Tapir. The colorful pages are bright and filled with simply sketched details like dragonflies and curly, twisty plant life.

Tapir wanders off by himself to think atop a quiet hill, and finds a creative solution to his blank notebook problem. Although the ending may come as no surprise to experienced picture book readers, it is sure to delight young listeners. This sweet, warmhearted story will win artists of all sorts who observe, appreciate and develop their own creative inspiration.

–   Reviewed by Cathy Ballou Mealey

 

Where obtained: I borrowed a copy from my public library. The opinions expressed here are my own.

 

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JUBILEE! One Man’s Big, Bold and Very, Very Loud Celebration of Peace

JUBILEE! One Man’s Big, Bold and Very, Very Loud Celebration of Peace by Alicia Potter, with illustrations by Matt Tavares

☆ Publishers Weekly – Starred review

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JUBILEE! One Man’s Big, Bold and Very, Very Loud Celebration of Peace, written by Alicia Potter and illustrated by Matt Tavares (Candlewick, $16.99, Ages 7-10), is a new picture book reviewed today by Cathy Ballou Mealey.

Big events – really BIG events – are not a new idea for most of us these days. We witness enormous crowds at sporting events like the Super Bowl and World Cup soccer matches. Political rallies, marathons, even royal weddings draw spectators and participants by the hundreds of thousands. But this idea was more novel in 1869, when Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore pulled off an incredible festival in Boston; the National Peace Jubilee.

Alicia Potter and Matt Tavares have captured Gilmore’s story with enthusiasm in this picture book biography extolling one man’s determination to mark the end of the Civil War with a celebration of unheard-of proportions. As a child in Ireland, Gilmore developed a passion for music that he brought to America as a professional bandleader and a member of the Massachusetts 24th Regiment. After the war ended, Gilmore dreamed up a five-day musical concert bigger, bolder, and louder than any other to celebrate peace and restore national unity.

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Interior spread from Jubilee! One Man’s Big, Bold and Very, Very Loud Celebration of Peace by Alicia Potter with illustrations by Matt Tavares,
© 2014 Candlewick Press.


Potter writes masterfully, building anticipation toward the big event by chronicling the steps Gilmore took to raise funds and public support over several years. She chooses great aural vocabulary to describe the roar of the organ and the thundering of drums. Tavares wisely incorporates toots, booms, and shreets into his soft, detailed illustrations that fill both the eyes and the ears with impressions of the experience.

An extensive author’s note and bibliography provide supplemental information about Patrick Gilmore’s life and subsequent events that led to his designation “Father of the American Band.”

Potter and Tavares’ fascinating tale will captive elementary-age readers and ensure that this important chapter in American music history is not forgotten.

  •  Reviewed by Cathy Ballou Mealey

Where obtained: I received a review copy from my public library. The opinions expressed here are my own.

 

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Dare the Wind by Tracey Fern

DARE THE WIND:
The Record Breaking Voyage of Eleanor Prentiss and the Flying Cloud

Dare The Wind: The Record Breaking Voyage of Eleanor Prentiss and the Flying Cloud, (Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, $17.99, Ages 5-8), written by Tracey Fern and illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully, is reviewed by Cathy Ballou Mealey.

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DARE THE WIND: The Record Breaking Voyage of Eleanor Prentiss and the Flying Cloud, written by Tracey Fern and illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully, Farrar, Straus Giroux, © 2014.

In celebration of Women’s History Month, I am thrilled to recommend Dare The Wind, an exciting picture book biography of a brave and inspiring naval pioneer, Eleanor “Ellen” Prentiss. Born in 1814 in the maritime hub of Marblehead, Massachusetts, Ellen “had always felt the sea tug at her heart, strong as a full-moon tide.” Her father, a schooner captain, said she had saltwater in her veins and gave her lessons in the fine points of sailing and navigation.

While other girls stitched samplers and swept floors, Ellen learned that “A true navigator must have the caution to read the sea, as well, and the courage to dare the wind.” She sailed and raced for fun, then married a man given command of a clipper ship called the Flying Cloud. Ellen accompanies him as navigator on an exciting voyage from New York, around the tip of Cape Horn, and into San Francisco. Despite a broken mainmast and a fierce storm, she charts a course that led the Flying Cloud to set the world record for speed along that route, 89 days and 21 hours.

Interior image from DARE THE WIND:
The Record-breaking Voyage of
Eleanor Prentiss and the Flying Cloud
Tracey Fern, illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully,
© 2014 Farrar, Straus and Giroux

The best picture book biographies transport the reader into a new time, place or perspective. Dare The Wind pairs vivid description and elegant illustrations so effectively that you can almost feel the spray of salt water on your face, and hear the weighty snap of thick canvas sails overhead. McCully’s fabulous seascapes masterfully depict the roiling, dangerous journey through grey-green storms, and the deadly blue calm of equatorial doldrums. Fern’s lovely turns of phrase keep readers deeply rooted in the nautical world, as Ellen’s face “turns white as whalebone” and her heart races “like a riptide.” The tale zips along at an engaging, page-turning pace despite the highs and lows of their daring voyage.

An author’s note and glossary provide supplemental information about Ellen Prentiss’ life and the technical tools of her trade as a navigator. There are suggestions for further reading as well as endpages detailing the 1851 voyage of the Flying Cloud. While wind-driven clipper ships became obsolete in the late 1800s, Fern and McCully’s skillful storybook will ensure that the accomplishments of Ellen Prentiss will continue to inspire young readers to pursue their own groundbreaking journeys.

–  Reviewed by Cathy Ballou Mealey

Where obtained: I received a review copy from the publisher and received no other compensation.  The opinions expressed here are my own.

 

 

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Nest by Jorey Hurley

NEST by Jorey Hurley

“Newcomer Hurley lets her bright, clean illustrations do her storytelling … a handsome, disciplined debut.” —-Publishers Weekly

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Nest written and illustrated by Jorey Hurley, Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books

Nest, written and illustrated by Jorey Hurley (Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, $16.99, Ages 3-7) is reviewed today by Cathy Ballou Mealey.

Although the view from my window is still a frozen, icy snowscape, yesterday I saw two brown robins flitting in and out of the bare branches on my forsythia bush. Too early, friends! I thought, but I remain hopeful that their appearance means spring will soon arrive.

Nest is the perfect book to lure young readers into noticing and appreciating this first sign of spring, the arrival of the American Robin. Matte, bold illustrations draw us immediately into the life cycle of a robin family from nest to egg to bird. Featuring just one word of text per page allows plenty of time to attend to the action at hand, whether hatch, fly, feast or snuggle.

Hurley reserves the perfect shade of blue for the robins’ egg, which appears only twice in the book but rolls gloriously across the endpapers. The bird family poses against backgrounds of lush green leaves, pale beige daylight, and pink rosy dawn. Rain and snow, sun and moon, and even the wind play significant roles in the ever-changing natural landscape.

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Interior spread from Nest by Jorey Hurley, © Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books

The storyline of Nest is scant but familiar; family, home, seasons, and nature. But don’t be lulled by the simplicity of the text – the illustrations in Nest have a powerful pull that will lead you to flip through the book again and again. Poring over the pages reveals subtle textures, dimensions and details that enrich every image.

For readers eager to know more, the author’s note at the end provides interesting supplemental information about the American Robin.

 

 

–   Reviewed by Cathy Ballou Mealey

 

Where obtained: I received a review copy from the publisher and received no other compensation.  The opinions expressed here are my own.

 

 

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Sparky! by Jenny Offill

Savor the Silly, Slothy Delights of Sparky!

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Sparky! by Jenny Offill with illustrations by Chris Applehans, © 2014 Schwartz & Wade/Random House Books for Young Readers.

Sparky!, written by Jenny Offill and illustrated by Chris Appelhans (Schwartz & Wade Books, $16.99, Ages 4-8) is reviewed today by Cathy Ballou Mealey.

An earnest young girl asks her mother every day for a month if she can have a pet. Mom finally acquiesces, as long as “it doesn’t need to be walked or bathed or fed.” A bit of research in the Animal Encyclopedia leads her to select a sloth, which arrives by Express Mail. Our sweet narrator optimistically names him “Sparky,” finds him a tree home, and attempts to engage him in games like Hide-and-Seek and Kung Fu Fighter.

Sparky! will delight any young reader who has or desires a non-traditional pet. The narrator is a fine role model who exudes patience and acceptance, allowing her new friend to acclimate at his own very, very slow pace. All is well until she endeavors to teach Sparky “countless tricks” to perform in a Trained Sloth Extravaganza. Funny scenes ensue as she implores the be-glittered Sparky to play dead, roll over, and speak.

Appelhans’ warm brown illustrations are both subdued and comical, perfectly capturing the dull but endearing expressions of the sloth on a limited creamy colored background. Splashes of blue-green and gentle red add warm, bright accents in soft detail. Offill’s text is spot-on for the reflective and thoughtful child, expressing a lovely balance between hope, humor and twinges of doubt.

Sparky! is filled with slow sweetness and quirky humor that is appealing and fun. Don’t speed past this story without savoring its silly delights.

– Reviewed by Cathy Ballou Mealey

NOTE: This book will be on sale March 11, 2014. In the meantime, kids can begin enjoying some slothy activities by clicking here.

Where obtained: I received a review copy from the publisher and received no other compensation. The opinions expressed here are my own.

 

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