Ripple Grove Press

Epic 18 Twofer Tuesday: Penguin & Tiny Shrimp Don’t Do Bedtime! and Iver & Ellsworth

Unlikely friends have delightfully different,
unexpected adventures in two new picture books
from debut, Epic 18 authors.

PENGUIN & TINY SHRIMP DON’T DO BEDTIME!
Written by Cate Berry
Illustrated by Charles Santoso
(Balzer + Bray; $17.99, Ages 4-8)

&

IVER & ELLSWORTH
Written by Casey W. Robinson
Illustrated by Melissa Larson
(Ripple Grove Press, $17.99, Ages 4-8)

are reviewed today by Cathy Ballou Mealey.

Penguin & Tiny Shrimp Don't Do Bedtime! cover imageWhat do a penguin and a shrimp have in common? It’s their dogged insistence that PENGUIN & TINY SHRIMP DON’T DO BEDTIME!, no matter what sleep aids and comfy settings surround them. Author Berry poises the pair in the midst of a typical toddler bedtime routine. With toothbrushing over and jammies on, Penguin and Shrimp remain positive that they are not heading to bed. Their anti-bedtime speech bubbles pop in counterpoint across the page, tracking their sleep evasion tactics despite big soft beds, cozy covers, or squishy soft pillows.

The story quickly ramps up as the pair celebrate colorful fireworks, escape from lions, swing on rainforest vines and ride hot air balloons. Minute by minute, they grow zanier and more out-of-control as their desperate-but-denied need for sleep escalates. Song, jokes, and the arrival of a uni-hippo aside, the pair confidently assert that,  “One thing this book will never do is make you tired … This book will never make you yawn.”

Santoso’s comic digital art contradicts and amplifies the duo’s predicament in bright, strong colors and crisp outlines. Penguin and Tiny Shrimp gush personality with big eyes and expressive mouths which eventually–inevitably–transition to droopy eyelids and gigantic yawns. The fun and games draw to an appropriately snoozy conclusion that will ring true with all parents who must wrangle not-sleepy kids and toddlers to bed.

 

Iver & Ellsworth cover illustration Another unlikely pair, a solitary senior factory worker and an immense, inflatable polar bear, star in IVER & ELLSWORTH, a sweet story about steadfast friendship and devotion. Iver, a trim, mustachioed gentleman with square rimmed spectacles, packs his lunch and heads to work in an urban factory. Ellsworth, a chubby and observant bear, remains tethered to the factory roof. High above the city, the stationary bear watches the world rushing by. Iver visits at lunchtime, offering commentary on the view and bustling traffic.

Robinson makes it clear that the two share a bond built over many years. Iver tenderly cares for Ellsworth season after season. He dries away spring rain, sweeps away autumn leaves, and clears snow before his daily final check to make certain the anchor ropes are secure. But one day, the day Iver is retiring from his factory job, he is slow to perform his tasks and say farewell to his faithful, inflatable friend.

Illustrator Larson employ several wordless spreads to show us the separate adventures that unfold next. Iver begins to embrace retirement, and Ellsworth becomes unmoored from the factory roof. Her delicate pencil and watercolor images are restrained and subtle, ranging from muted gray greens to glorious rosy sunsets. The peaceful landscapes pair beautifully with Robinson’s spare, understated text, leaving ample room for readers to absorb and appreciate this unique friendship tale that ends with joyful reunification. IVER & ELLSWORTH is a cozy book perfect for reassuring readers that true friendship endures.

  • Reviewed by Cathy Ballou Mealey

 

Where obtained:  I reviewed either an advanced reader’s copy from the publisher or a library edition and received no other compensation. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Read another of Cathy’s recent Epic 18 reviews here. 

 

Trailer for PENGUIN & TINY SHRIMP DON’T DO BEDTIME! here:  

Share this:

The Peddler’s Bed by Lauri Fortino

THE PEDDLER’S BED
Written by Lauri Fortino
Illustrated by Bong Redila
(Ripple Grove Press; $16.99, Ages 6-9)

 

The_Peddlers_Bed

 

Lauri Fortino’s debut picture book, The Peddler’s Bed, is a feel good story that reads like a folktale, and simply begs to be shared with the entire family. Illustrator Bong Redila’s artwork, mixing ink with watercolor, complements Fortino’s engaging text and brings a magical and colorful quality to the book as seen in the images included in this post.

 

Peddler and Cart_Peddlers Bed
Interior artwork from The Peddler’s Bed written by Lauri Fortino with illustrations by Bong Redila, Ripple Grove Press ©2015.

 

The Peddler’s Bed is about a hard working old man who is greeted by a traveling peddler. Upon his cart is a fine bed, “crafted … from the hardy oak trees that grow on the other side of the hills …” Tending his garden, the little man looks up and then, showing common courtesy, gives the salesman his undivided attention. When the peddler promises then demonstrates how this wondrous bed doesn’t squeak, my guard went up, convinced the peddler was laying on a hard sell with the end goal of taking advantage of the polite, maybe naive little man. I just had to read on to find out what Fortino was planning.

 

Peddler Jump_Peddlers Bed
Interior artwork from The Peddler’s Bed written by Lauri Fortino with illustrations by Bong Redila, Ripple Grove Press ©2015.

 

Clearly impressing the old man, the traveling salesman offers the bed “at a very fair price,” only the little man hasn’t a penny to spare. When the peddler proposes to give the man the bed provided he “can think of a way to make my oak bed squeak by sunset,” he’s assured the comfy bed will be his, and cannot refuse the challenge.

Hopeful of the prospect of winning such a fine bed, the little man shares the shade of his porch then prepares dinner for the salesman as the two enjoy each other’s company. Fortino’s peppered the story with lots of teasing, red-herring squeaks everywhere inside and outside the old man’s tiny house, everywhere except the bed.

 

Little Man Asleep_Peddlers Bed
Interior artwork from The Peddler’s Bed written by Lauri Fortino with illustrations by Bong Redila, Ripple Grove Press ©2015.

 

Realizing he’s lost the bet, the man accepts the peddler’s invitation to try out the bed anyway and proceeds to fall into a deep, squeak-filled (snoring) sleep. The final gesture by the departing peddler, one of kindness and generosity after noting the little man’s grace and hospitality despite his hand-to-mouth existence, is one that will reward readers in the best possible way. The Peddler’s Bed is a charming story of humanity and brings a renewed faith in the random kindness of strangers found in the most unexpected places in the most delightful ways.

  • Reviewed by Ronna Mandel
Share this:
Back To Top
%d bloggers like this: