Book Love 2018

February has turned out to be such a busy month that I nearly forgot my Valentine's book installment.  This year, I am writing about a book that I love because Henry LOVES it.  Apple Bear Orange Pear by Emily Gravett didn't impress me when I first saw it.  We got it in a welcome bag at our first baby storytime last year.  I was happy to get a new book, but wasn't sure how the kids would like it.

Henry insists we read it multiple times a day.  He points at it and says "ap, ap, apple"  The book is very simple and has only five distinct words, but man does Henry love that bear.  I love this book, because it is so fun to watch kids fall in love with books. 

Book Love 2017

"Peter," she whispered, "turn around very, very slowly."

The boy turned in his chair.  He couldn't believe his eyes.  Lying on the piano was a lion, staring at Peter and licking his lips.  

Every year on Valentine's Day, I like to share a book that I absolutely adore.  This year, it is Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg.

In elementary school, I was the type of kid that always got my work done quickly.  This gave me a lot of time to explore my teachers' classroom libraries.  In third grade, I would almost always choose this book to read.  I loved the idea of a horrific board game that comes to life.  I would sometimes read every word of the book, but mostly I poured over the illustrations. 

Van Allsburg is one of my favorite illustrators because he takes fantasy and turns int into the most lifelike images I ever ever seen.  I love every detail.  The cobra has the same pattern as the arm chairs.  The lions hip bones poke out as he hunts for the children under the bed.  The lamp cord wraps around the rhinoceros's snout. 

Santa was good to me this year and got it for me.  It is difficult to find an available copy of this book at the library.  My at home library is one book closer to completion. 

Martin's Big Words by Doreen Rappaport, Illustrated by Bryan Collier

He said "together"

when others said "separate."

He said "peace"

when others said "war."  

If you visit the children's biography section of a public library, you will likely find many - dozens even - biographies about Martin Luther King.  Many are okay, some are great, but Martin's Big Words is my favorite.  During my Christmas posts, I mentioned that I enjoy nonfitction picture books and this one truly stands out.

This is a fast-paced, simplistic telling of Martin Luther King Jr.'s life.  There is no way to detail the nuances and details of his life in 32 pages.  But what stands out to me is he importance of the themes in his life - fight for equality with words not fists.  Love will change the world, not war. 

And the illustrations?  Well, Bryan Collier expertly bases many of them off photographs from Martin Luther Kings life.  I also love how many of the images have stained glass in them making the book feel a bit religious.  I highly recommend this book especially if you are introducing King's life to younger audiences.  Judging by the medals on the cover a lot of other librarians agree with me. 

SIlent Night: The Song and Its Story by Margaret Hodges, Illustrated by Tim Ludwig

Perhaps he might write a little song, something as simple as the Bible story, something that every child could understand.

It all started with a broken organ at the church in Oberndorf, Austria on Christmas Eve.  The Christmas mass just wouldn't be the same without music.  Father Joseph Mohr knew his congregation needed a song so he wrote a simple poem then rushed it over to Franz Gruber who created a lullaby on his guitar.  Today this is one of the most loved and most spiritual of all the Christmas carols.

One of the greatest discoveries I made as a librarian was nonfiction picture books.  There are many I like, but this one stands out because of excellent pacing and illustrations that perfectly match the subject.  This book tells the story of the origins of Stille Nacht, it's travels as a folk song across Austria and Germany, the rediscovery of the song's true origin, and it's popularity across the world.

It recounts the famous Christmas Eve truce during the First World War.  Then highlights other lesser known moments.   The peaceful tune reminded a Russian soldier that his enemy prisoners were humans, and coaxed a soldier during the Korean War to cease fire.  This book taught me something remarkable about the my most cherished Christmas song.  The things that draw us closer to the divine, also remind us of the humanity in others. 

Great Joy by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline

Frances ran up and put a nickel in the monkey's cup. "I'm going to be in the Christmas Play tonight," she said.  "I get to wear wings, and I have one line to say.  Do you want to hear it?"

From her bedroom window, Frances can see an organ grinder and his monkey play for coins in the cold December weather.  One night, she stays up late to see where they go and is disappointed to discover that they sleep on the street.  Her mother urges France not to worry about the man and his monkey, but she does.  On her way to her Christmas Eve play, she drops a nickel in the man's cup and invites him to see her performance.  On stage Frances is speechless until she sees her new friend arrive.  Then she is joyful.

Kare DiCamillo is one of the greats.  She has written Because of Winn Dixie, Flora and Ulysses, and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.  I even like The Tale of Despereaux, and I do not like rodent stories.  This book is naturally much simpler than her other stories, but still carries the feeling of wonder and goodness of all of her stories.

It's a good reminder to adults to not make snap judgements about people based on their lowly circumstances.  Frances's naivety actually benefits her.  She can only see the good in this poor gentleman whose music entertains her during the day.  She finds joy in the happiness of others.  Isn't that what Christmas is about? 

The Spider's Gift by Eric A. Kimmel, Illustrated by Katya Krenina

"Please, Mamaniu!" Katrusya begged.  "These baby spiders are so small and helpless.  If we take them outside, they'll die in the cold  Let them stay until Christmas is over."

Katrusya is crushed when she discovers that her family is too poor to have a traditional Christmas.  But after a bit of lamenting her family decides to make the best of it.  They drag a tree from the forest to the house and decorate it with wooden buttons and a paper star.  The next morning Katrusya's mother is horrified to find tiny baby spiders spinning webs in her tree, but is convinced to keep the tree rather than throw it out and kill the spiders.  When the family returns home from Christmas Eve mass, they discover that their tree is sparkling.  At first they think it is beautiful webs, but realize that the spider webs are silver and their wooden buttons have turned to gold. 

This folktale is masterfully retold by the master of folktales, Eric A. Kimmel.  (I highly recommend him especially his Anansi stories.)  Kimmel weaves Ukrainian traditions into the story.  The family leaves a seat open to represent their ancestors.  Three rings of bread represent the Trinity.  Even the names of the family are distinctly Ukrainian.  The illustrator, Katya Krenina, is Ukrainian and beautifully depicts the rustic village.

The gestures of gratitude stand out to me.  The spiders give the family riches as a thank you for preserving their life.  Then, this family provides for their neighbors instead of hoarding their treasure.  This folk story truly embodies the spirit of Christmas.

I'm Not Santa by Jonathan Allen

"I am not Santa!" said Baby Owl.

"And I am not big and fat like Santa!

I'm very fluffy like a Baby Owl!"

On Christmas Eve, Baby Owl is headed home from a long day of play.  When Baby Hare sees his red hat and sled, he becomes convinced that Baby Owl is actually Santa Claus.  A childish back and forth ensues and ends in tears.  But the real Santa arrives in the nick of time, to settle the woes of the animal friends.  Baby Owl then runs home to recount the evening's events to his mom.

As I looked at the list of books that I chose for this project, I was afraid that I might be giving the impression that I take picture books very seriously.  The truth is I love books that are silly and a little rowdy.  I love making kids roar with laughter when I read.  That's what this book is ... silly.

I've shared this book with large groups as well as one on one.  The large groups got a kick out of my over exaggerated crying.  Joshua has requested this book over and over at bedtime.  He would probably ask to read it more if it included reindeer.

This book is fun and great for toddlers.  And don't tell Baby Owl, but he is seriously cute.

The Story of Holly and Ivy by Rumer Godden and Barbara Coomey

I decided that my blog is important enough to invite a guest writer .  What isn't sarcastic is that when I embarked on this project, I immediately thought of how much my sister loves this story.  Thanks, Jen!

It is when shopping is over that Christmas begins.

In second grade my sweet teacher read this story aloud to my class. I loved it. It was about a little girl and a doll, and it was magical. Every year I would check an old copy out of the city library and enjoy the story in December. When I was in high school my mom bought me this beautifully illustrated version! (Apparently, the library had this copy too, but it was always checked out by the time I got there. Looking back, I realize my mom must have done lots of searching to track down this book in the pre-amazon.com days.)

This story is about a little orphan girl (Ivy) who longs for a doll for Christmas and for a family, and about a doll (Holly) who wishes for a girl for Christmas. It is also about a childless couple who are rediscovering the joy that come come at Christmas time. It recounts the crossing paths of several characters. Both Holly and Ivy are determined and unwavering, and with a little luck, many wishes come true for Holly, Ivy and the other characters in the story. 

As I read this story I am always filled with the joy that comes from watching Christmas through a child's eyes. I am reminded that simple things truly matter most, and that Christmas can be a time of miracles.

The Christmas Train by Thomas S. Monson, Illustrated by Dan Burr

I watched the windup engine make its labored way around the track and saw Mark's face beaming.  I felt a supreme joy, difficult to describe and impossible to forget.  

When Thomas S. Monson, the current President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, was a little boy, he desperately wanted an electric train for Christmas.  His family had more than many other families and he was delighted to get what he  his much longed for train set.  His mother had purchased a windup train set for Tommy's neighbor Mark.  When he inspected the set, he saw a train car that he wanted.  He knew his powerful train would easily pull it along with the other cars.  His mother allowed him to keep the car, but when they arrived at Mark's home, Tommy realized that the train car was truly meant to bring someone else joy.  He learned that Christmas was more about giving than getting.

This book stood our to me this year because I have a little guy who would sure love a train set for Christmas.  (He's getting one.)  Even though the book is a bit long for Joshua's age, he loves to read it and look at the pictures.  I keep reminding him that it is important to help all kids have presents on Christmas. 

There are moments in every person's life where getting seems far more important than giving.  We think that adding a metaphorical train to our collection is more important than ensuring that someone else has a bit of joy in their life.  I view Thomas S. Monson as a pinnacle of unselfish behavior, and it is great to see how the seed was planted early in his life. 

My favorite quote of Christmas 2016 comes from President Monson.  "Christmas is the spirit of giving, without a thought of giving."

The Friendly Beasts: an Old English Christmas Carol by Tomie dePaola

Two years ago, I did a countdown to Christmas of some of my favorite carols.  I had a lot of fun doing it and wanted to make it a tradition, but last year life got in the way.  I've decided to resume the countdown this year, but focus on Christmas books.  There are thousands to choose from and I've decided to narrow my focus to books that aren't wildly popular, but are still beautiful.  Enough explaining, here goes ...

"Jesus our brother, strong and good,

Was humbly born in a stable rude:

And the friendly beasts around him stood.

Jesus our brother, strong and good."

When I was growing up, we had a collection of Christmas books that came out every year when we decorated the Christmas tree.  One little paperback was a collection of songs and poems.  I was so taken with "The Friendly Beasts"in the book that I memorized it and performed it on Christmas Eve.  Last year, I discovered that Tomie dePaola, one of my favorite illustrators had done a version of the book.  I bought it.

This book uses a technique that I truly love.  The words to the song are only on every other double page spread.  Thus slowing down the book and making the reader focus on the illustrations. With folksy illustrations, he draws a close up of the animal sharing his gift.  On the following page the animals engage with Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.  The verse of the doves is my favorite.  The birds sing the Baby Jesus to sleep.  Perhaps it is because I love calming my boys with song, that I love this simple gift. 

On the pages without words, a subtle story is being told.  Similar to the Bible version, Jesus and Mary arrive on a donkey.  Then the cow gives place for Jesus in the stable.  The sheep arrive with the shepherds as the story tells.  But then the illustrations diverge from the Bible telling.  When the doves give their gift of song, three women arrive to greet the Savior.  It is not until the following page that you see three men entering the tale.  The final double page show villagers, children, and carolers all arriving to worship the Lord.  

It is obviously not meant to be historically accurate, but it brings to mind "O Come, All Ye Faithful." They have all arrived to adore or worship the Lord.  This is a beautiful story of giving and faith.

Hardscrabble Harvest by Dahlov Ipcar

The farmer plants

early in the spring.

He'll be lucky 

if he harvests a thing.

As a librarian, I have found it difficult to find picture books about Thanksgiving.  All I could ever find were drab, lengthy histories or mass market editions like Dora Eats Turkey.  A couple of years ago, I was lamenting about this to my mother.  Then a couple weeks later, she found Hardscrabble Harvest, a shining needle in  the Thanksgiving book haystack.

The story begins in spring when the farmer plants.  In romping rhymes, it tells the troubles the family has toga England a plentiful harvest.  Crows swoop down,  bunnies burrow, and the sheep get loose. But after a season of toil, they bring in the harvest.  The relatives visit and all feast on the year's success.

Dalhov Ipcar manages to use what could be drab harvest colors to make a lively, folksie picture book with a story in each illustration.  My test case, Joshua, loves seeing the naughty bunnies and restless horses.  When I read it to him the first time, I was sure he would wander away bored, but he was enthralled.

I love having books around for my kids to prepare for holidays or other events and this one has made our year round pile.  I am thankful to have finally found a Thanksgiving book worth sharing.

Faster, Faster by Leslie Patricelli

It's been awhile since I have used my blog to gush about how much a love a specific picture book, but we recently found a new family favorite on the library shelves.  (Seriously, using the library is starting to cost me more money than it is intended to.)

In Faster, Faster, a little girl and her daddy are playing at the park.  Her daddy is giving her a ride, then suddenly a wild adventure ensues riding on a horse, ostrich, and even a sea turtle.  All the while the little girl commands, "Faster, Faster."

This book is for young toddlers and could not be a better fit.  It's very simple.  I counted eleven distinct words.  The illustrations are full of foreshadowing and humor, if you're willing to look beyond the simplicity of the book.  Subtle details in the background of the story lead to the next page.  And the daddy's tie .. well ... it tie's it all together.

And this book was personally tested on my toddler, and I thought he was going to asphyxiate with laughter each time we read it. 

Book Love 2015

In keeping with my tradition, I have returned for a third year to gush over a favorite book.  In breaking with tradition, I've decided to share a "new classic" rather than a piece of nostalgia.  I discovered this gem early in my career and have a high success rate with it.

Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas 

Four dust bunnies set out to prove their rhyming expertise, but Bob doesn't seem to understand the game.  Or is it the others who don't understand Bob's warnings?  This book has simple and humorous illustrations and dialogue.

At 11 months, Joshua seems to think the way I read is hilarious, and he is captivated by the illustrations.  At 11 years, one of my nieces truly understood the utter hilarity of simple story.  I love that many a child has giggled while I have shared it.  Read this book!  It will make your day a little happier. 

2013 Reads

Whenever I think of books that I've read, I always feel a very strong sense of the place I was when reading it.  I remember the subway rides, winter chill, or smell of dinner cooking.  That's one reason why I like to keep track of what I read.

Here are some of the highlights and lowlights of 2013.  (Keep in mind this is what I have read this year and not necessarily books published in 2013.)

Highlights

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys - Don't be distracted by the title.  This is a sad but powerful story of labor camps in the Soviet Union. 

Heist Society by Ally Carter - I have read all three books in this series.  They are fun art thievery stories that are light and fun but well-written.

Colin Fischer by Ashley Edward Miller & Zack Stentz - this is a creative, high school story about a boy with Asperger's who sets out to the solve the mystery of a gun going off in the school cafeteria.

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate - 2013's Newbery Medal winner.  It's a sweet, sad story based on true events, but Applegate brings the animal characters to life.

In a Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz - This is the second in a three book series.  Gidwitz takes the most gorey fairy tales and strings them together in clever stories.

Lowlights

Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage - This children's book received a lot of acclaim, but I felt that the characters were unbelievable and the story was slow.

Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz - This was another that critics seemed to love, but I can't even begin to describe everything I thought was wrong with it.

The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson - I thought this book was okay, but it wins my award for the most overrated book of the year.

Matched by Ally Condie - Condie jumped on the love triangle, dystopian novel bandwagon without success.  I've read the first two in the series, but have decided to leave the third alone.

The Storyteller by Jodi Piccoult - Definitely my least favorite book of 2013.  As with Splendors and Glooms, there is just so much wrong with it.

Picture Books

As a children's librarian, I read hundreds of picture books a year.  Most are forgettable, but here are just a few standouts from my readings.  Again, they were not necessarily published this year.

• Love Waves by Rosemary Wells
• Hush: a Thai Lullaby by Minfong Ho, illustrated by Holly Meade
• Up, Tall and High by Ethan Long
• Oh, No Gotta Go by Susan Middleton Elya illustrated by G. Brian Karas
• The Tooth Fairy Meets El Raton Perez by Rene Colado Lainez, illustrated by Tom Lintern

Literary Tourism - Maine

Recently, I watched a series chronicling one's journey through the 50 states.  Someday I would like to boast that I have done the same, but that day is not today.  It caused me to wonder if I have read books set in each of the fifty states.  I'm fairly sure that I haven't.  I thought it would be fun to blog about the books that I have read however.

My journey through each state is not meant to be a complete bibliography, but more a few interesting finds,  My criteria is limited, but I would like to find books where a) setting is vital (more than just a stereotypical school setting that happens to be in a suburb of Boston), but not overwhelmingly stereotypical of the location (i.e. "Look we're eating lobster because that's what Mainahs do ALL THE TIME.")

We're going to start in Maine for obvious reasons, but I plan to travel in no particular order.


 

Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney - This book is in my top five favorite picture books of all time.  It's about a lady who travels around Maine spreading lupine seeds thus making the world a more beautiful place.  Cooney's stunning illustrations truly do make the world a more beautiful place.

Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary Schmidt - This historical novel is not the most flattering to Maine history.  It tells the story of Malaga Island which was home to an interracial group from about the time of the Civil War until 1911.  Other Mainers drove them away from the island and put both children and adults into a sanitarium in order to develop the land for tourists.  Yeah, not Maine's finest moment.  But the book is well-written with excellent characters.  

As I said this is not comprehensive.  I didn't include a single rural horror novel.  Stay tuned for more to come.

A Post About Books

I decided to post about books because it has been awhile. For those of you with young children, you may find this interesting. Enjoy!

Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman

Bear’s friends party at his house while he sleeps through the winter. Rhymes and repetition make this a fun book to share.

Bubble Bath Pirates! By Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Kids celebrate bath time with this fun filled pirate rhyme.

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems

Kids love to say “no” to this selfish, but fun-loving pigeon.

Don’t Worry Bear by Greg Foley

Bear is a faithful friend and watches anxiously while his caterpillar friend lives in a cocoon and turns into a silk moth.

Guji, Guji by Chih-Yuan Chen

This is great story about the power of family. Mother duck hatches a crocodile and eagerly accepts him. It’s up to him to save the day when the mean crocodiles want to hurt the duck family.

Jamberry by Bruce Degen

Rhyming, counting, and beautiful illustrations make this book fun to read over and over.

Llama, Llama, Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney

Llama, Llama loves his mama and can’t wait for her to tuck her in at night, but he goes a little too far. This is a fun, bedtime story.

The Magic Hat by Mem Fox, illustrated by Tricia Tusa

A magic hat floats into town and starts turning people into animals. Use the rhyming text to guess what animal they will be transformed into.

Move Over, Rover by Karen Beaumont, illustrated by Jane Dyer

Rover is feeling very lonely until a rainstorm hits and the doghouse becomes a little uncomfortable. Have kids chant “Move over, Rover,” along with the text.

My Favorite Doctor

This week the library/education world has celebrated Dr. Seuss' birthday with a nationwide program called "Read Across America." Yesterday, I was invited to read at a local school, and today, we celebrated at that library. This means that I have spent the last 2-3 days thinking in Seussian rhythm. Each of my thoughts seems to include some strange word or radical invention. What I love about Dr. Seuss is how well his books translate to my life.

"I am the Lorax I speak for the trees." from The Lorax

The Lorax is an enviromentally motivated story starring this lovable creature. I would never describe myself as "green," but did I ever tell you that I am obsessed with redwood trees. Someday I will see them. Seeing as I live in the right place for that it will be sooner rather than later. I am Michelle, and I speak for the sequoia.

"The Waiting Place" from Oh, the Places You'll Go!


Seuss describes a place where people wait and wait for their lives to happen to them. I'm sick of waiting for the perfect time to fix my internet connection, clean my desk, and organize my drawers. The time to apply for a promotion is now not in a few months. I'm moving out of the never-ending waiting room and moving on.

"Say! I like green eggs and ham! I do! I like them Sam-I-Am" from Green Eggs and Ham

I recently read that trying new things actually contributes to a person's happiness. I believe this. One simple example is that I just finished reading Percy Jackson and the Olympians. A friend of mine pestered me for months to read it. I have a ton to read so I kept putting it off. Plus, I did not want to find a replacement for my love of Harry Potter. Yep! The books are fun. (It was no Harry Potter, but it was entertaining.)

"I said GO and GO I meant..." from Marvin K. Mooney Will Please Go Now

This is how I feel every day at closing time.

Thank you, Dr. Seuss, for being a life-long influence.

A Winner

Swanson, Susan Marie. (2008) The House in the Night. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

I was at the press conference when they announced that this book had one the Caldecott Medal. I'm always a little skeptical. When all of the librarians practically started doing the wave, I became cynical. What I did not know is that I had read the book before and loved it.

I went to read it today and I realized what a fabulous and beautiful book it is. The author rewrote the words of a favorite nursery rhyme into a beautiful, peaceful bedtime story. The illustrator contrasts shadowy black and white illustrations with golden light as you can see on the cover. The combination creates a serene wonderful book. It made me feel good all over. I would say it is even "virtuous, lovely, ... of good report [and] praiseworthy." Check it out from the library! Read it to your kids! It is wonderful!

P.S. I read a lot of picture books and most don't stand out to me.