Sunday, August 17, 2025

*The Night Gardener (2016)

*The Night Gardener by The Fan Brothers (2016) is a story of hope and good will. There’s not much text, but it doesn’t need much. When you’ve got a good story and complimentary illustrations, all you need are the basics. A young boy  named William appears to live in an orphanage on a sad little street called Grimlock Lane. When trees in the neighborhood are sculpted into animal topiaries, the mood on Grimlock Lane lifts. William learns who the secret artist is and spends a night helping transform trees in Grimlock Park. People come together to see these marvelous creations, and when they do, they create community.


Friday, August 15, 2025

13 Words (2010)

 13 Words by Lemony Snicket (2010) perhaps represents the definition of enigma. I think maybe the story flew over my head. What I need is a well-informed person to explain this book to me. It has a clever format. The story structure is provided by 13 words that have been sewn together into a story. Or, this unusual story was organized by selecting 13 words after it was written. A mezzo-soprano visits a dog and a bird at the end of the story; she sings about the story events. For example, “The goat suggested a convertible drive, To purchase a cheering-up Hat. At a Haberdashery with a Scarlet door, And a baby to sell them just that.” Right. There is no copyright page in the book I found at a library sale. However Goodreads says it was published by Harper Collins in October, 2010. Maira Kalman’s illustrations are fitting for this story, I guess. 


Wednesday, August 13, 2025

*Old Bear (1986)

 *Old Bear by Jane Hissey (1986) is a warm and cuddly story about warm and cuddly plush toys. Duck, Rabbit, and Little Bear recall a day when Old Bear was sequestered away into the attic for safe keeping. The story is about their multiple attempts to rescue him. When they build a tower of blocks, it tumbles down. They make a tower of themselves: Little Bear climbs on top of Rabbit and Rabbit climbs onto Duck. This attempt also fails. They bounce on the bed and climb up a tall plant. Then, they come up with a successful plan and find Old Bear. Now, how to get him out of the attic? I’ll let you discover the resolution to this tale. The illustrations in this book are wonderful. This book deserves the adjective “charming.” 


Monday, August 11, 2025

The Money Tree (1991)

 The Money Tree by Sarah Stewart (1991) is a book I requested from the library after I read The Library by this same duo. I was so impressed by The Library that I had high expectations, but I was disappointed with the illustrations and the story. The story confused me. What is the message? Miss McGillicuddy has no idea what money looks like? And when increasing numbers of people visit her tree and walk off with its “leaves",  she doesn’t talk to them? I suppose the obvious take-away is that money creates a craving in people to want more of it. But Miss McGillicuddy has no personality. Her face has a consistent look of boredom. And while the illustrations were similar to those in The Library, the same supremely clever design is absent. And, upon closer inspection, I see that Small drew only a few faces in The Library. 

I also borrowed Stitches: a Memoir by David Small. It won awards as a graphic novel about “a childhood from hell”. The illustrations of people in this story were unnerving. It’s a disturbing book that, I admit, I could not finish. And then, I couldn’t unsee the creepy faces of Stitches when I read The Money Tree nor when I read Company’s Coming by Arthur Yorinks (1988). 


Sunday, August 10, 2025

Something, Someday (2023)

Something, Someday by Amanda Gorman (2023) describes hope becoming action and action creating change. The text is philosophical. Christian Robinson took Gorman’s  invitation to put her words into any context. As a young child of color notices a  pile of trash, the text begins: ”You are told That is not a problem. But you’re sure something is wrong.” The story validates the young child’s perspective, despite messages they receive to the contrary. This child cleans up the trash.  Two more children help transform the small space into a garden.”Together, working. Together beginning, over and over And over and over. Until you’re  no longer beginning, You’re winning.” I think this is a story with the potential for many interpretations. I look forward to seeing how other illustrators place Amanda Gorman’s universal story into a variety of contexts.


Saturday, August 9, 2025

Flower Garden (1994)

Flower Garden by Eve Bunting (1994) is brought to life by illustrator Kathryn Hewitt. This book is written in rhyme. Only one sentence, in a large font size, graces each gorgeous two page spread. A young child and her mother purchase flowering plants and carry them home on the bus to their city apartment. Father and child assemble a window box that brightens up their own space and the exterior of the building. I’ll leave the motivation for you to discover. This is a book for very young readers. The characters are people of color.

Sunday, August 3, 2025

*Puffling Patrol (2012)

*Puffling Patrol by Ted and Betsy Lewin (2012) is an astonishingly beautiful book. The authors are both Caldecott winners. It seems to be a nonfiction description of their experience in Iceland learning about pufflings. The illustrations are stunning. The text is for the older elementary school or middle school reader. This story is about young puffins that accidentally fly onto into town instead of out to sea. People on the island save these young birds and toss them into the ocean. There are two pages of “Atlantic Puffin Facts”, Glossary and Pronunciation Guide, a description of “The Volcano of 1973”, and “Vestmannaeyjar’s Puffins Today “ at the back of the book. A few references complete this artistic masterpiece.

Friday, August 1, 2025

The Pain and the Great One (1974)

The Pain and The Great One by Judy Blume (1974) that I found is two stories in one book published with illustrations copyrighted in 1984. It's a clever format. This is another story about sibling rivalry. Blume’s approach is to tell each sibling’s perspective separately. First we read about how an older sister feels about her younger brother. Then we read about how the younger brother feels about his older sister. There’s parallels in their list of complaints. Irene Trivas captures the emotional drama well. This is a timeless story that deserves being reprinted many times over.


*The Night Gardener (2016)

* The Night Gardener by The Fan Brothers (2016) is a story of hope and good will. There’s not much text, but it doesn’t need much. When you...