What Am I?, Sterling Press 2003
This was one of those books that my son picked out from the library and didn't want to return. Because I am a former children's librarian, I cannot condone that. To prevent an ethical quandary, I ordered him his own copy before the three-week check-out period ended.
Although this book is wonderfully colorful and delightfully drawn, it is not one I would have bought on my own. Never underestimate the power of concentric circle eyes. Not only does my little boy love to run his finger over the ridges, he also discovered that the eyes are just the right size for the Pier One ceramic balls I bought for Spring. He also discovered that those balls do NOT bounce on a hardwood floor -- that would be another story.
As far as the writing goes, it is super-simple and rhymed, although sometimes the rhyming feels a bit forced. I can't fault it too much, because sometimes so does mine. Anyway, as I said, I would not have decided to buy this book except for the fact that my son loves it so much. And your child loving a book is a pretty darn good reason to buy it.
*For other reviews, please see Books I Buy and Why
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Here is my poetic entry for today (not a reverso). Instead, this one is for my little boy.
My Sweet Thomas--
For Easter last year, I bought you a rabbit.
You carry it wherever you go.
Stuffing has slipped from the neck where you grab it.
Now its head freely flops to and fro.
When you've grown, I wonder, will you love that rabbit
With its fur gone pilly and matty?
Will you carry it about, or break that habit?
Will you been seen with a rabbit loved ratty?
My Sweet Thomas--
For Easter last year, I bought you a rabbit.
You carry it wherever you go.
Stuffing has slipped from the neck where you grab it.
Now its head freely flops to and fro.
When you've grown, I wonder, will you love that rabbit
With its fur gone pilly and matty?
Will you carry it about, or break that habit?
Will you been seen with a rabbit loved ratty?
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Eloquent Tail -- 1
For this month's poetry challenge, decided I wanted to write a "story" in the reverso style that I can illustrate later this year if I'm feeling ambitious. I will NOT be writing a reverso every day -- maybe every other day -- I want a challenge, not a migraine!
For my subject, I chose my fat, lavender-eared, little wild cat. Her markings make her resemble a Mau, but her farm-cat build makes her look much more like an African wildcat. Anyway, she has a most expressive tail, so the title for the ongoing work will be The Eloquent Tail. Here is today's entry and the first verse of my reverso:
The little wild cat
arranges
and
twists
the eloquent tail
to speak
volumes
Volumes
to speak:
The eloquent tail
twists,
and
arranges
the little wild cat.
For my subject, I chose my fat, lavender-eared, little wild cat. Her markings make her resemble a Mau, but her farm-cat build makes her look much more like an African wildcat. Anyway, she has a most expressive tail, so the title for the ongoing work will be The Eloquent Tail. Here is today's entry and the first verse of my reverso:
The little wild cat
arranges
and
twists
the eloquent tail
to speak
volumes
Volumes
to speak:
The eloquent tail
twists,
and
arranges
the little wild cat.
Friday, April 1, 2011
April!
It's bad poetry month -- I mean poetry month, so as promised? threatened? here is my first entry:
It's the first day of April
And I was dressed like a fool,
For the sun was warm and bright
But the wind was Arctic cool.
And just think, I typed that with a wiggly two-year-old on my lap. :)
It's the first day of April
And I was dressed like a fool,
For the sun was warm and bright
But the wind was Arctic cool.
And just think, I typed that with a wiggly two-year-old on my lap. :)
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Book 69
Blue Moo: 17 Jukebox Hits from Way Back Never, by Sandra Boynton, Music by Boynton and Ford, Workman Publishing Company, 2007
In earlier posts, I mentioned I like silly books, and song books and Sandra Boynton books. Well, this book has all three. To be honest, I haven't really read the book, except to sing along with the enclosed CD, but the drawings are Sandra Boynton-charming and the words/lyrics are hysterical. What I really love about this book is the enclosed CD.
The CD contains the silly lyrics of a child's song with sophisticated tunes of really, really good music. And the recording artists -- well, B.B. King sings about a missing shoe, just to give you an idea of the quality of the recording artists on this CD. It's crazy. It's outstanding. I love listening to the CD. My son loves the music and loves the accompanying illustrations. Now if I could only get the Uninvited Parade by the Uninvited Loud Precision Band out of my head. Or maybe not. It is a great tune. Even if I don't know all the words. I just boom, boom, boom to the tune and my little boy is in giggles every time.
*For other reviews, please see Book I Buy and Why
In earlier posts, I mentioned I like silly books, and song books and Sandra Boynton books. Well, this book has all three. To be honest, I haven't really read the book, except to sing along with the enclosed CD, but the drawings are Sandra Boynton-charming and the words/lyrics are hysterical. What I really love about this book is the enclosed CD.
The CD contains the silly lyrics of a child's song with sophisticated tunes of really, really good music. And the recording artists -- well, B.B. King sings about a missing shoe, just to give you an idea of the quality of the recording artists on this CD. It's crazy. It's outstanding. I love listening to the CD. My son loves the music and loves the accompanying illustrations. Now if I could only get the Uninvited Parade by the Uninvited Loud Precision Band out of my head. Or maybe not. It is a great tune. Even if I don't know all the words. I just boom, boom, boom to the tune and my little boy is in giggles every time.
*For other reviews, please see Book I Buy and Why
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Book 68
Over in the Jungle: A Rainforest Rhyme, written by Marianne Berkes, illustrated by Jeanette Canyon, Dawn Publication, 2005 (board book 2008).
As mentioned in a previous post, I am a sucker for signed books, so when I saw one of Marianne Berkes' books in a pamphlet of 100 Picture Books for Preschoolers, I just knew I could renew our acquaintance and have her sign a book or three for my son. Actually, Marianne is very gracious and would sign a book for anyone who asks.
Over in the Jungle: A Rainforest Rhyme was the book listed in the pamphlet, so I'll review it first. This book is deceptively simple. Marianne Berkes takes a simple tune (Over in the Meadow) and replaces the lyrics with counting verses about rainforest animals. Sounds pretty easy in theory, but not so much in practice. Anyway, it works very well in this book.
Jeanette Canyon uses polymer clay to create brilliant, dimensional illustrations. I'm not sure I would like that style of illustration in too many books, but with the rainforest book, it is a perfect marriage.
*For other reviews, please see Books I Buy and Why
When I was reading this book for the first time to my two-year-old son, he walked over and pointed to the 4 on the leaf and said "four". I thought he was a genius. Then he pointed at the 5 and said "four" and the six. Oh well. So much for great expectations. :)
As mentioned in a previous post, I am a sucker for signed books, so when I saw one of Marianne Berkes' books in a pamphlet of 100 Picture Books for Preschoolers, I just knew I could renew our acquaintance and have her sign a book or three for my son. Actually, Marianne is very gracious and would sign a book for anyone who asks.
Over in the Jungle: A Rainforest Rhyme was the book listed in the pamphlet, so I'll review it first. This book is deceptively simple. Marianne Berkes takes a simple tune (Over in the Meadow) and replaces the lyrics with counting verses about rainforest animals. Sounds pretty easy in theory, but not so much in practice. Anyway, it works very well in this book.
Jeanette Canyon uses polymer clay to create brilliant, dimensional illustrations. I'm not sure I would like that style of illustration in too many books, but with the rainforest book, it is a perfect marriage.
*For other reviews, please see Books I Buy and Why
When I was reading this book for the first time to my two-year-old son, he walked over and pointed to the 4 on the leaf and said "four". I thought he was a genius. Then he pointed at the 5 and said "four" and the six. Oh well. So much for great expectations. :)
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Book 67
The Cow That Went Oink, written and illustrated by Bernard Most, Voyager Books 1990
For Valentine's Day this year, I painted a big shipping box to look like a barn and put in it a plush cow and a pig and this book, and gave it to my two-year-old son. Weird -- yeah, maybe. Smart -- yeah, definitely. He looks the toys and the book, and all of his farm animals are now housed in the barn box.
I first encountered this book in its oversized version when my friend and former colleague, Louise N., were looking for books for Reader's Theatre. We found this book, and since we already had the pig and cow puppets, it was a cinch to use. The only challenging part was turning those oversized pages and working the puppets at the same time, but that's another story. Anyway, whether this story is being read to thirty five-year-olds or one two-year-old, it's a riot. Which makes it hold up really well for repeated reading and is one of my standards in buying a child's book.
The title of the book tells about half the story, so I won't give away any more. It does have a happy ending, which is another one of my standards in buying a child's book, especially for a toddler.
*For other reviews, please see Books I Buy and Why
For Valentine's Day this year, I painted a big shipping box to look like a barn and put in it a plush cow and a pig and this book, and gave it to my two-year-old son. Weird -- yeah, maybe. Smart -- yeah, definitely. He looks the toys and the book, and all of his farm animals are now housed in the barn box.
I first encountered this book in its oversized version when my friend and former colleague, Louise N., were looking for books for Reader's Theatre. We found this book, and since we already had the pig and cow puppets, it was a cinch to use. The only challenging part was turning those oversized pages and working the puppets at the same time, but that's another story. Anyway, whether this story is being read to thirty five-year-olds or one two-year-old, it's a riot. Which makes it hold up really well for repeated reading and is one of my standards in buying a child's book.
The title of the book tells about half the story, so I won't give away any more. It does have a happy ending, which is another one of my standards in buying a child's book, especially for a toddler.
*For other reviews, please see Books I Buy and Why
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