Come to the Ocean's Edge (2003)

 Come to the Ocean's Edge by Laurence Pringle (2003) is another book that basks in the beauty of the beach. The first page is a foggy dawn. We begin the day with a peek at gentle waves close to shore, larger waves far away, and gulls as shadowy forms flying "like ghosts in the mist." Turn the page and the sun begins to shine. "Sanderlings race a wave up, up on the beach." Soon a few people arrive and explore the tide pools. When families leave at the end of the day, illustrator Michale Chesworth reveals sea life below the ocean's surface. And then, it's a new day. "Once again the cries of gulls, the rhythm of waves, and the scent of sea air call people to the edge of something vast, wild, and mysterious." When I first came upon a book like this one, I was enchanted. Some artists render the multi sensory experience of the ocean so well. Chesworth does fine work with this limited text. To experience the ocean's edge is a gift.

*The Scarecrow's Hat (2001)

 *The Scarecrow's Hat by Ken Brown (2001) is an ingenious story. The title and cover art beckon the reader without a hint of what the story is about. It doesn't take long to figure out Chicken's brilliant plan. And Brown's splendid watercolor paintings fill the pages with personality. Chicken covets Scarecrow's hat. Scarecrow says says they would trade the hat for a walking stick any day. Chicken happens to know that Badger has a walking stick. And so the pattern repeats itself. Badger would love a ribbon. Chicken knows someone with a ribbon. And so on. We meet Crow, Sheep, Owl, and Donkey. Everyone gets what they want. Except Duck. Duck isn't going to get the hat that Chicken worked to hard to get.

Doctor Rabbit's Lost Scout (1979)

 Doctor Rabbit's Lost Scout  by Jan Wahl (1979) is a frightening drama made less harrowing by the Wahl's choice of animal characters. A collection of young wildlife are on a camping trip with their troop leader, Doctor Rabbit. On the first page, Doctor Rabbit sits outside a tent, a full moon in the night sky, while his charges sleep inside. The text reads, "Summer's night shimmered. Lightning bugs glowed like soft silver buttons. Tall grasshoppers danced while their skinny legs sang like fiddles." Then, a sleepwalker leaves the tent. "It was Spotty Chipmunk, walking with eyes staring open." Miss Mouse, the scout nurse, follows him--until she doesn't. In the darkness, he's lost. All the members of the troop wake up and join the hunt for Spotty. It takes much longer to find him than I expected. I began to worry that they wouldn't. But, of course, they do, thank goodness. I like Cyndy Szekeres illustrations. She captures happiness, fear, worry, grief, and then jubilation on all the little furry faces.

*Mr Archimedes’ Bath (1980)

* Mr Archimedes’ Bath by Pamela Allen (1980) is a brilliant book. There’s very little text and it’s in a large font. That’s ok because the pictures tell the story. Mr Archimedes puts “just a little water in the bath, as he always did, and this time he measured the depth.” He’s wondering why water spills out of the tub when he and his animal companions climb in. When they all climb out of the tub, the water level drops. Each animal takes turns not joining the others in the tub, and yet, the water still rises. He finally figures out that they are the ones making the water level rise and fall. “The friends had so much fun that night, jumping in and out, making the water go up and down, that they made more mess than ever before.” This is the Arcimedes’ principle.

The Tower of Life (2022)

 The Tower of Life: how Yaffa Eliach rebuilt her town in stories and photographs by Chana Stiefel (2022) is a true story. At the beginning of the book, we meet Yaffa as a young girl living in a small Jewish town called a shtetl. Life is good. Yaffa’s grandmother is one of the town photographers who took photographic portraits of many residents. “And on the eve of each Jewish New Year, people from all over Eishyshok would mail their treasured photographs to their families around the world with greetings for good health and happiness.” Then the German tanks and motorcycles arrived. Yaffa and her family escaped. Eventually, she married and moved to America where President Jimmy Carter asked her to help build a memorial for the Holocaust. Yaffa traveled the world searching for photographs of the former residents of her town. At back of the book is an illustration of Yaffa’s “Tower of Life “ in the US Holocaust Memorial Museum with references. Susan Gal’s illustrations present Yaffa’s story in somber colors that capture the seriousness of history. 

The Dangerous Alphabet (2008)

 The Dangerous Alphabet by Neil Gaiman (2008) is a horrid looking book populated by creepy characters. It’s a book for children living a nightmare or looking for frightening dreams. An excessively long sentence, which is a forward to the story, describes it as “A piratical ghost story in thirteen ingenious but potentially disturbing rhyming couplets. . .” Two unhappy children ride in a tiny makeshift boat through underground sewers filled with scary creatures. I think it may be a story about child trafficking, but I’m not sure. Four devious looking men lure one of the children with candy on the page for the letter e. “e’s for the Evil that lures and entices;” On the page for the letter u, there are several children tied up and chained: “U are the reader who shivers with dread;” These terrifying scenes are the work of Gris Grimly. This is the first time I threw a book in the garbage.

Ducks on the Run! (2001)

 Ducks on the Run! by Annette Smith (2001) is a thin book with the label PM Plus Turquoise Level 17. The US edition has a copyright of 2013. In other words, this seems to be a leveled reader. It’s about a family of four who are driving down a road and come upon a mother duck and several ducklings. The two children want to help the ducks so they don’t risk getting hit by a car. The father captures them all in a net, and the family takes them to a nearby lake. There’s plenty of dialogue and a mild bit of drama. Can’t say that I agree with the family capturing able-bodied wildlife. But, their intention is honorable. Where I live it’s illegal to interfere with wildlife. Jenny Mountsephen’s pictures are adequate. The family looks kind but there’s little in the way of context. 

Patrick Gets Hearing AIDS (1994)

 Patrick Gets Hearing Aids by Maureen Cassidy Riski and Nikolas Klakow (1994) looks to be a self-published book. There is no ISBN. Riski dedicates the story to her brother, Patrick, who is hearing impaired. Her brother inspired Riski to become a pediatric audiologist. All the characters in this book are animals. Patrick is a rabbit. He doesn’t play with friends because he doesn’t understand what they are saying. He listens to the television at a very high volume. After getting a hearing test, he gets hearing aids and his life improves dramatically . He’s amazed by all the sounds in his environment. “Patrick was surprised at the songs coming from the birds! And the noisy cars! There was so much to hear." The colorful illustrations mimic the text. They do the job of illustrating life before, during, and after hearing testing. 

Toto The Tornado Kitten (2012)

Toto The Tornado Kitten by Jonathan Hall (2012) appears to be a self-published book about a true story. Toto was born a wild kitten. When a tornado blew through the landscape, Toto landed in a tree. It was rescued and eventually adopted. Illustrations by Carol Ruzicka show Toto’s journey through many kind, helpful people. More information is at www.totothetornadokitten.com 

*What You Know First (1995)

 *What You Know First by Patricia MacLachlan (1995) is a stunning book. It’s one of those very special treasures I sometimes find at library book sales. This copy was actually on the free shelf because it didn’t sell at the sale a few days prior. The dark silhouettes on the cover don’t attract like the brightly colored digital art so common nowadays, I guess. The enigmatic title invites only the thoughtful to open the book. Barry Moser’s illustrations are engravings based on photographs from Patricia MacLachlan and Barry Moser’s family albums. The copyright page reads “The images in this book were engraved in Resingrave, a synthetic wood engraving medium manufactured by Richard Woodman in Redwood City, California. They were printed from the blocks by Vance Studley at the Archetype Press, Pasadena, California.” 

The story is about a child’s resistance to her family's move move off a farm on the prairie. There’s an emphasis on the people and the special landscape of the child’s home. We never do find out out why the family is moving, but we know the parents are sad about it. Mama cries about selling the farm. “And Papa took a long walk when they came to take the cows away after he whispered good-bye to Bess after she leaned against him the way she always does.” The message is not to forget; remember what you first knew. 

*Time Train (1991)

 *Time Train by Paul Fleischman (1991) is a wonderful concept that Claire Ewart illustrates with a helping of humor. This is the story of a class trip to see dinosaurs. In New York City, they try to purchase tickets for the Rocky Mountain Limited train that will take them to the Dinosaur National Monument in Utah. But the ticket seller instead books them on the Rocky Mountain Unlimited. As this train crosses the country, it also travels back in time. In Utah, the teacher and her students land in a prehistoric never land. As the teacher sits baffled beside her suitcases that night, the children sleep in a gigantic dinosaur footprint. The dinosaurs are real and friendly. The children have a wonderful time working on class projects. Fortunately their teacher hears the Rocky Mountain Unlimited making returning and the students arrive home. Only their teacher, Miss Pam, looks worn out. 

Blueberries for the Queen (2004)

 Blueberries for the Queen by John & Katherine Paterson (2004) is based on a true story. And, I think, b Susan Jeffers found away to include horses in it. William is the younger of two brothers who live in the countryside of Lee Massachusetts. It’s the time of World War II. Williams’s father works in a factory, his mother helps at the Red Cross, and his older brother works on a farm growing vegetables for the army. William is “too young to do anything to help win the war.” But he dreams that he’s a brave night, armor clad, riding a magnificent horse, fighting dragons. Then one day, the queen of Wilhelmina rents a nearby estate to escape the dangers in her home country, The Netherlands. Despite his brother’s harassment, William brings blueberries to the queen. Jeffers blends fantasy and reality: William both walks to the nearby estate but also rides rides a magnificent steed to the castle of the Queen. After handing her the blueberries, he runs home to tell his father that she was disguised as a grandma. The final page is an historical note describing the true tale.

*Little Red Riding Hood (1983)

 *The copy of Little Red Riding Hood I found at a library sale is an Anniversary edition published in 2003. It is retold and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman and won a Caldecott Honor award. There’s a forward by Jason Chin that praises the art of Schart Hyman. And it's the kind of beautiful and detailed story illustration I never see  in contemporary picture books. The story is “retold” but it closely resembles the version I recall hearing as a child. Maybe an investigation of the the many revisions of Little Red would make an interesting Wordpress post. But for now, I can echo Chin’s forward—this is a beautifully illustrated picture book. 

Now One Foot, Now the Other (1981)

 Now One Foot, Now the Other by Tomie dePaola (1981) is an emotional story about the relationship between a young boy and his grandfather. We watch the grandfather teach the young boy to walk and play with blocks. The grandfather tells stories, especially the one about teaching the little boy to walk. Then one day, the grandfather has a stroke and is hospitalized for months. When he returns home, he cannot walk or talk or even recognize family members. But the little boy helps him heal. Roles reverse. The little boy helps his grandfather to eat, to talk, and to walk. Illustrations are classic de Paola; this time the pallet is limited to shades of blue, beige, and green. 

The Hermit and the Well (2003)

 The Hermit and the Well by Thich Nhat Hanh (2003) is intended to be a simple story with a profound message. It’s written in the first person and describes a day in the life of a child whose age is unknown. This child takes a class trip to the top of a mountain to visit a hermit. When the class reaches the hermit's hut they find it empty. The narrator is so disappointed that he leaves the group and climbs further up the mountain. I couldn’t help but worry that the hermit had been eaten by a tiger. I couldn’t help but wonder if the classroom teachers panicked at noticing the narrator missing and what dangers he might find in the forest alone. Of course, the story was more spiritual than that. The narrator is extremely thirsty and finds a pool of water clear and delicious. He is very happy. He is calm and peaceful. He returns to his group. Now an old man, He councils readers regarding the hermits they meet. “Maybe it was a rock, a tree, a star, or a beautiful sunset. The hermit is the Buddha inside of you.” Illustrations by Vo-Dinh Mai somewhat ethereal.

The Puddleman (2004)

 The Puddleman by Raymond Briggs (2004) is a clever story that I wish someone else had illustrated. The main character is a very young boy who is spending time with his grandparents. This little guy uses a leash attached to his grandfather‘s wrist to pull him outside to see puddles, which I presume they saw during a previous walk. “There won’t be any puddles! It hasn’t rained for ages,” complains the grandfather. He’s annoyed at having to put down his paper and cup of coffee. When the child discovers the puddles on a dirt road are no longer there, we learn that he’s named each one after family members. Then, they meet a neighbor who is walking her dog. The grandfather chats with the neighbor and the boy wanders off down the road. He encounters the puddle man carrying several puddles on his back. “ I’m putting the puddles in,” he says. Needless to say, at the end of the story, the grandfather is puzzled at the reappearance of the puddles. This story is illustrated with multiple illustrations per page and the text is in the form of speech bubbles. The medium looks to be crayon or colored pencil. They just didn’t appeal to me and I don't know why. And I found the little boy quite obnoxious. 

Rain Makes Applesauce (1964)

 Rain Makes Applesauce by Julian Scheer (1964) bears a silver Caldecott Honor Book on it's cover, which is why I look at it. I don't see an ISBN number, just a note that it was published in 1964 by Holiday House. This has got to be the most unusual book I've seen, and I've made at least 550 posts so far. The text is nonsense and the elaborate illustrations are equally silly. For example: "My house goes walking everyday, and rain makes applesauce.. . Salmon slide down a hippo's hide, and rain makes apple sauce." I'm at a loss to describe it in any more detail. Readers who like the silly and different will enjoy this book.

Night of the Gargoyles (1994)

 Night of the Gargoyles by Eve Bunting (1994) surprised me. The text and illustrations by David Wiesner are a bit frightening for young children. On the very first page is a definition of a gargoyle.  "A waterspout in the form of a grotesque human or animal figure projecting from the roof or eaves of a building.” The accompanying illustration hints at the frightening faces inside the book. These gargoyles top a museum. When they come alive at night, they peer through the windows and play in a water fountain. A night watchman reports them to a man in a museum office. The man wears a suit and tie, smokes a cigar, and looks skeptically at the night watchman. “‘ Gargoyles, indeed! You’re seeing things,” he says, even as gargoyles look through the window behind him, apparently mocking his ignorance. “ The gargoyles rasp their wings, and put their thumbs behind their crumbling ears to show their scorn.” When the sun rises the gargoyles crawl up walls and fly back to their rooftops. Eve Bunting’s poetic text and David Weiner’s brilliant illustrations create a genuinely spooky story. I will shiver the next time I see a gargoyle.

That Neighbor Kid (2017)

 That Neighbor Kid by Daniel Miyares (2017) is pretty much wordless. The boy and girl speak only once, and that's to say "Hi". I think it's the young boy who moves into the neighborhood, next door to the young girl. The girl watches as the boy rips off pickets from the tall stockade fence that separates their back yards. He's trying to build a tree house. Maybe we can speculate on how he feels about the move. The girl offers to help. They build an awesome house in the tree between their homes. It's friendship at first sight. The color palette is gray and white until the children start to cooperate on the construction of the tree house. Then yellow and blue sneak in, along with a few colorful fall leaves. 

Trouble Gum (2009)

Trouble Gum by Matthew Cordell (2009) is about the many ways that bubble gum can become a disruptive distraction on a rainy day. Ruben is bored. It's raining and he's stuck in the house with his little brother Julius. Grammy "helps" the situation by offering the siblings some gum. Mom says to remember the rules: don't swallow it, don't play with it, don't blow big sticky bubbles with it. You can't get better foreshadowing than that! Ruben chews his gum--his first piece of gum--all kinds of ways before swallowing it. Mom says no more gum! But Ruben pleads and Grammy gives in. You guessed it, more disasters await. BTW, this is a family of pigs. You have to wonder if Cordell witnessed this first hand in his own family.