Review: Not Just a Book by Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross

9781541535695

$17.99

A book is not just a book. It can be so many things: a hat or a building block, a flower press or a fly-swatter! But books are so much more than that. They can make you feel and can take you anywhere; they can make you laugh and can teach you anything you want to know.

There are certain author/illustrator duos that are guaranteed good for some fun, and Willis and Ross are definitely one of them. 

In fun and silly rhyme, with equally fun and silly illustrations, Willis and Ross muse about the many things one can do with a physical book: make a tent for your cat, prop up your teddy, or use it as a funnel when you are milking a cow*.  Fess up, grown-ups: how many of us have actually used a book to "hide your face if you are shy"?

*do not actually use your book as a funnel.

Then we open up the book and let it make us laugh or weep, or make us really clever! This would be a brilliant book to use in a school library to start off your year (and I may start using it in field trips here!) You can cover book care*, types of books, and the fun and learning we can get from them. Heck, bring it out after Christmas break and use it to freshen enthusiasm (and maybe review some rules) when you start library times back up again!

*I repeat: do NOT use your book as a funnel.

Review: Bah! Humbug! a magical retelling of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol by Michael Rosen and Tony Ross

9781536204797

$15.99

This Christmas, join Michael Rosen and Tony Ross with their unforgettable retelling of Charles Dickens's beloved holiday classic. Harry Gruber plays the role of Scrooge in his school's production of "A Christmas Carol," and he is extra nervous about tonight's performance because his father is in the audience — not away for business, as usual. Will the story's message of Christmas cheer and the redemptive power of love reach his father's distracted Scrooge heart?

Okay then, let's just file this under "books that did not go where I thought they were going"! I think I was expecting mostly an updated, "Great Illustrated Classics" type version of the original story. Nothing terribly deep, really. 

Instead, I got tension from page one, with conflicting emotions coming from in all directions, not just from Harry but from his parents and little sister. In between the lines of the play Harry is starring in, we have him musing about his father (Had he always been "there" rather than "here"?) , his mother's anger and frustration (Lisa turned to look at the man she thought loved her and their family more than anything in the world.), Eva feeling exasperated with her mother one minute, and reacting in a wise-beyond-her-years way to the parallels in the play and her own life the next. 

And Harry's father - who leaves the play almost as soon as it begins - having his own experiences with the ghosts of his past, present and future. While at first we may see him as the one-dimensional Scrooge, he has his own truths to reveal:(It was hard to be thankful when someone was telling you to be thankful...Ray felt as if he had never been allowed to enjoy anything in some pure, clear way.)

Definitely not a lighthearted read for the younger grades - and perhaps as much for the adults to read. I was worried that, for that very reason, it wouldn't mean very much to younger readers. Harry comes to some conclusions of his own, however, as he delivers his lines and notices his father's continual absence: "Maybe Dad wouldn't ever understand what really matters. At the end of the day, what mattered here was that Harry himself was understanding it."

Well. Did Dad ever understand it? I'm not going to tell you. I am just going to let you read it yourself - but make sure you have a tissue or two handy.

Review: The T-Rex Who Lost His Specs by Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross

9781541514560

$17.99

Poor T-Rex has lost his glasses. Without them, he can't tell toast from toasted slippers or a towel from an owl. Let's hope his friends can help!

There is plenty of silliness to be had in this one. Washing your face in the toilet? Wearing your sister's undies???! The humor is sure to please any young audience, while the rhythm and rhyme make it a natural read-aloud. You may, however, need to explain to American children what kippers are (and then someone will have to explain to me why you would eat such a thing). I'm also a bit confused as to why this particular T Rex is smaller than most of his friends. And why it says he ate his specs when they are clearly behind him. But I don't think the intended audience will be bothered by such details. Any Little Princess fan will be sure to recognize the illustration style of Tony Ross, making these two again a winning combination!

***This book will be available on shelves April 1.

Review: I Didn't Do It, by Tony Ross

9781512405989

$17.99

The Little Princess has long been putting into words (and pictures) feelings many children can identify with. Perhaps nothing is so frustrating for a little one (or a bigger one for that matter), than being accused of something you didn't do! In this case, it seems everyone is upset with her, and nobody believes her. Her parents even take each other's side, which is just SO unfair. What can she do? Find a friend to talk to, of course! And perhaps the mystery of who is really to blame will be solved along the way...

Parents will figure the answer out immediately, and whether children are surprised by the ending or not, they will certainly commiserate with the Little Princess. The illustrations, always expressive, seem to be particularly silly in this title, and add to the fun. Note: parents who want to see bad behavior punished should skip this one and go find something a bit more moralistic, and probably less enjoyable.

Review: I Feel Sick, by Tony Ross

9781467757973

The Little Princess is never sick except when anyone asks her to do something. She's too sick to walk the dog and she's far too sick to go to school. But when she's invited to a party, all that changes. Or does it?

Ohhhhhhh boy do we need to read this one at our house. A certain five-year-old girl races around and hangs from trees all day long, but as we are headed home and she remembers the mess she still has to clean up in her room, all of a sudden "I feel really, really sick in my stomach!"

We do love The Little Princess at our house (and, so far, my kids have no idea that she is also on television). I love that the royal family are so very normal and down to earth, and that Fancy Nancy would be thoroughly appalled at The Little Princess's lack of bling. The other palace inhabitants are just plain goofy.

Children will easily see through The LP's ruses, and will probably be able to tell you why she is sick 'for reals' at the end. As often happens, Ross does not spell out the 'moral lesson', for lack of a better term, which children and parents alike will appreciate.

Another welcome addition to the collection!

Review: Boa's Bad Birthday by Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross

There are certain illustrators any book enthusiast can pick out a mile away. Tony Ross is definitely one such illustrator.

 

 

9781467734509

 

Poor Boa. They say it's the thought that counts, but what do you do when the gifts you get for your birthday don't show a whole lot of thought behind them.

 

"But what he really wanted to say was, 'Why buy me mittens? Are you crazy? I have no hands!'"

 

Who would have thought that the best gift would be a ball of dung?*

 

A very cute story, with wonderful facial expressions in Ross's illustrations, and a stated but not heavy-handed message. I predict being asked to read this one over and over.

 

*For the record, I once asked for, and was very happy to receive, 300 pounds of manure as a gift. But, I'm a grown-up, and we're weird.

Review: Drat That Cat, by Tony Ross

9781467720304

 

"Whenever anything bad happened, Suzy got the blame...usually because she had done it."

 

Whether your family has a cat, or a certain someone wants one, kids of all ages will enjoy Suzy's antics - as well as the way she reminds her family to appreciate her in spite of them. The illustrations are always a strong point in Ross's books, with plenty of details to chuckle over - the fur landing on Granddad before Suzy even does, the smelly brown substance on brother's finger as he goes poking through the dirt - as Suzy smirks nearby.

 

New pets make a tempting Christmas gift, but there are so many reasons to wait until the chaos dies down. Perhaps pair this with a stuffed kitty, or a date to volunteer at a local shelter. This one, for example, offers obedience classes (for dogs, not cats), and is always looking for volunteers to bring their adoptable animals to classes, so they can learn to be a BIT better behaved than Suzy!

 

Thank-you to Anderson Press for the review copy!

Three New Picture Books

978-146-771-1432

 

Stories about pets are usually a sure bet with children, and this is no exception. The little boy telling the story can't understand why his sister loves her guinea pig so much, when there are so many other, much more exciting pets to have! I can't call it a stereotypical conversation, when I see it played out so frequently in my own home. Taylor's illustrations are adorable - I want to reach into the pages and scoop up that adorable little guinea pig, while the dragon, on the other hand, is quite satisfyingly fierce.

 

978-146-771-1418

 

Speaking of adorable...you can't get much cuter than a panda, and here we have two. They live next door to each other, and both would like to be friends, but neither can quite work up the courage to say that first, "Hello!" The rhyme pattern is a bit awkward in places, so I probably wouldn't use this in a story time. I think the gentle encouragement towards making friends will be appreciated, however, by my younger patrons.

 

978-146-771-1555

 

A new Little Princess story! The LP is VERY big at our house, and she had her very own story time here at the library a few months ago. Her other titles all start with "I Want", a fact not unnoticed by commiserating mommies: now, we have the opposite.

 

The Little Princess has a lump in her nose, and while the General offers to get take care of it with his sword, the Doctor (who is always covered in spots), decides the hospital would be a better bet. The Little Princess does not want to go, but is eventually carted off...er...tied to her stroller. She recovers there quite nicely, and has so much fun, she decides her tonsils need to come out as well! It is never quite explained what the lump in her nose is, but I can't help thinking this seems a bit familiar.

 

Thank-you to Andersen Press for the review copies!

 

 

 



Two New Read-Alouds

Both of these are from Lerner, and we have been enjoying them at home. Both have a great sing-songy rhyme pattern that will make them perfect for some future read-alouds at the library, too!

 

Hippospotamus by Jeanne Willis

Illustrated by Tony Ross

978-146-770-3161

 

There's a spotamus on hippo's bottomus! Her friends try to diagnose and treat her, with increasingly hilarious results. Finally, a boy wanders by and solves the mystery with a satisfying "Ewwwwwwwwww!" moment. The rhymes are just tongue-twistery enough to make reading it aloud a fun challenge, and kids will love the made-up words. Even with only one human in the book, the colors and facial expressions of the illustrations screamed Tony Ross, which may be part of the draw for my Little Princess fan club at home.

 

Oopsy, Teacher! by Stephanie Calmenson

illustrated by Sachiko Yoshikawa

978-076-135-8947

 

Poor Mr. Bungles is having one of those days, and when his ill-timed sneeze gives the class hamster a chance to escape, the whole class jumps in to help. The wonderfully rhythmic rhymes put the last word on a subsequent page, allowing students the chance to guess and yell that word out. S. had a great time with that, and even L. flabbergasted me by guessing two! (Have I mentioned he is 18 months old? My children frighten me.) Yoshikawa's vibrant illustrations and fun little touches had both C. and S. leaning in to check them out.

 

The first is from Anderson Press, and the second from Carolrhoda Books, both a part of Lerner Publishing Group, so you can order them both from the same spot. Or, come check them out here at the library - as soon as I can tear them away from my kiddos!