Review - Goodbye, Friend! Hello, Friend!

Goodbye, Friend! Hello, Friend!
by Cori Doerrfeld
Date: 2019
Publisher: Dial Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

From the creator of The Rabbit Listened comes a gentle story about the difficulty of change . . . and the wonder that new beginnings can bring.

Change and transitions are hard, but Goodbye, Friend! Hello, Friend! demonstrates how, when one experience ends, it opens the door for another to begin. It follows two best friends as they say goodbye to snowmen, and hello to stomping in puddles. They say goodbye to long walks, butterflies, and the sun...and hello to long evening talks, fireflies, and the stars. But the hardest goodbye of all comes when one of the friends has to move away. Feeling alone isn't easy, and sometimes new beginnings take time. But even the hardest days come to an end, and you never know what tomorrow will bring.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Cori Doerrfeld seems to be able to effortlessly depict complex emotional issues and convey deep meaning in her stories. And I never really feel like I'm reading an "issues" book.

In The Rabbit Listened, we saw a child trying to deal with their emotions with advice from a variety of animals (except the rabbit, who--as the title suggests--simply listened). In Goodbye, Friend! Hello, Friend!, the subject is endings and beginnings, represented by the words "goodbye" and "hello", respectively. The friendship of two little kids, Stella and Charlie, is the basis for exploring these concepts. When something ends, something new always begins. And even when a particular ending might feel final, there's always something new to pop up in its place. Various scenarios--from the changing of the seasons to the death of a pet--are explored in an easy-to-understand way. The pictures, done in much same style as in The Rabbit Listened, are detailed and appealing.

This is another lovely book from Doerrfeld. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

Quotable moment:

Premise: 5/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 5/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 4.33 out of 5

Review - The Little Book of Big What-Ifs

The Little Book of Big What-Ifs
by Renata Liwska
Date: 2019
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

What if your imagination runs wild? In this charming, whimsical book, New York Times bestselling creator Renata Liwska explores “what if” scenarios from silly to serious, gently examining the curiosities of everyday life with humor and imagination. Perfect for fans of I Wish You More and The Quiet Book.

Every day is filled with opportunities to wonder... what if?

In this charming book of big questions for little readers, New York Times bestselling creator Renata Liwska explores scenarios that span the spectrum from silly to serious, gently examining both the anxieties and curiosities of everyday life.

Wondering what might happen helps expand our imaginations, whether the options are humorous or thought-provoking—or both!

So: what if... you turned the page?

(synopsis from Goodreads)

The Little Book of Big What-Ifs is a little disappointment. I loved the author's coloured-pencil illustrations in The Quiet Book (and its sequels). She somehow managed to make the critters look like they were fuzzy and felted. Here, though, the animals look more sketch-like than fuzzy.

This book is done by Liwska alone (rather than in conjunction with an author). The premise is simple, just like in The Quiet Book, but... I almost wonder if it's going to be too much for some kids. A few of the what-ifs are a bit worrisome (like the one where someone swallows a seed), and could potentially cause stress in kids who are already prone to worrying about any number of weird things that might befall them. (Thankfully, the bear who sleeps through her winter birthday is shown waking up to enjoy her party in the spring; I know I would've been worried about the outcome of that situation when I was a little kid!)

I can see what Liwska was trying to do here, and on some of the pages, it works. But I don't think the illustrations are quite as strong as in some of the other titles she's illustrated. If you want to see her artwork at its best, I'd recommend checking out The Quiet Book, The Christmas Quiet Book, and The Loud Book instead.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.33 out of 5

Review - Asiago

Asiago
by Adam McHeffey
Date: 2012
Publisher: Two Lions
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: Amazon.ca

Asiago is a vampire, and like all vampires, he avoids the sun, wood, and garlic. When his friends invite him to the beach, he is excited to go. But after getting a sunburn, a wooden splinter in his foot, and a stomachache from eating clams with garlic sauce, Asiago can't wait to get home. Luckily, his friends come up with a clever solution that makes it possible for Asiago to enjoy the beach. Author/Illustrator Adam McHeffey used color pencils to create a vampire that is so appealing, children will want to meet him again and again.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is a cute book about a non-threatening vampire named Asiago. (Apparently, vampires are named after cheeses, if Asiago and his great uncle Gouda are anything to go by.) One day, Asiago's friend Wendy invites him to the beach. Never having been to a beach before, and unsure what to expect, Asiago agrees to go... only to find that the beach is full of hazards for vampires: sunshine, wooden splinters, and garlic clams. Exhausted, Asiago goes home to rest. But his friends don't give up, and come up with a clever way for them to all enjoy the beach together.

Asiago's sweet rather than scary. He's definitely a vampire, though, and I enjoyed seeing all the ways the threats to vampires were incorporated into the story. Just when Asiago thinks the beach is no place for him, his friends use their brains and come up with a way that he can join in on the fun. (Unfortunately, in real life, many times some kids are simply left out of fun situations because it's too much of a hassle for others to make accommodations. I like the way Asiago's friends are shown being thoughtful and compassionate.)

The illustrations are cute. Let's just leave it at that. If you're looking for a book with scary vampires, you'll need to look somewhere else. Even Great Uncle Gouda is more stylish than scary.

Being a vampire book, this will probably be placed on the Halloween shelf. But because of the beach theme, it's actually more of a summer read. I would recommend this one to readers who are interested in stories about friendship, kindness, and... well, vampires.

Quotable moment:

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.67 out of 5

Review - Vlad the Rad

Vlad the Rad
by Brigette Barrager
Date: 2019
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

NEW from the bestselling illustrator of Uni the Unicorn! A new mythical--and totally rad--character to laugh with and love.

Vlad is always getting in trouble at Miss Fussbucket's School for Aspiring Spooks. Unlike the other little vampires, witches, mummies, and ghosts, Vlad isn't very interested in learning spookiness. That's because...Vlad loves to skateboard! How can he possibly think about being a good spook when all he wants to do is practice his latest gnarly trick? Maybe Vlad can find a way to do both!

Brigette Barrager's debut author-illustrator project is full of energy, fun, and sweet tricks! Passionate kids will identify with Vlad, and will take heart from the way he combines his love of skateboarding with his schoolwork. A perfect Halloween read-aloud for the classroom!

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Vlad the Rad is the story of a little vampire who's passionate about skateboarding. His teacher, however, does not approve. Miss Fussbucket thinks Vlad should put more energy into learning how to scare people. But Vlad isn't ready to give up what he loves, and he eventually comes up with a way to show his teacher and all his classmates that skateboarding and scaring aren't mutually exclusive.

I've read both of the Uni the Unicorn books, so I'm somewhat familiar with Barrager's work. The style of drawing in Vlad the Rad is a bit different, however. It's not quite as colourful and makes more use of black (which is understandable, given the subject matter). The characters are still wonderfully drawn, however (especially his very diverse classmates), and Vlad himself is adorable. The accompanying text is simple, but easy to follow.

For those looking for stories about not-so-scary vampires, Vlad the Rad might be just the book you're looking for... especially if you also like skateboarding.

Quotable moment:

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 4 out of 5

Review - Tallulah the Tooth Fairy CEO

Tallulah the Tooth Fairy CEO
by Tamara Pizzoli
illustrated by Federico Fabiani
Date: 2019
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux (BYR)
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

Meet Tallulah.

She’s the Tooth Fairy CEO.

Tallulah knows practically everything about being a tooth fairy. How to collect teeth. Dispense money. Train other fairies. And it’s all in the Teeth Titans Incorporated Employee Manual.

But when something happens that’s not covered in the manual, what's a fairy to do?

Hilarious and smart, this modern take on the classic tooth fairy story is perfect for powerful little leaders ready to take on the world — one tooth at a time.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

While not necessarily a bad book, Tallulah the Tooth Fairy CEO may represent a bit of a mismatch between itself and its intended audience. As an adult, I was slightly bored with the first part of the book that sets up Tallulah's enterprise as a large corporation (Teeth Titans Inc.) and places her as the head of this vast tooth-collecting empire. Does a little kid really want to read about an adult's schedule of therapy, yoga, and errands? The story really only gets going later, when Tallulah has to deal with a kid named Ballard who has misplaced his lost tooth. There's no protocol for such a situation, so Tallulah has to figure out what to do.

Part of the reason I feel like this book is a mismatch for its audience is because of the race issue. Despite the exchange of teeth for money (known as tand-fé) originally being a Northern European tradition, in this book, the whole Tooth Fairy empire is presented as the purview of people of colour. Only two white characters appear in the whole book, and both of them are portrayed as annoying activists. (If you want to try to explain to a five-year-old child the significance of Tom's #AllFairiesMatter t-shirt and his complaint about the lack of diversity on the board of directors, more power to you.) While I don't necessarily have a problem with the Tooth Fairy being black (she's a fictional character, after all, and could potentially be any colour), the way the race issue is handled--probably as a wink to adults who might be reading the book--seems kind of unnecessary for a children's story about a fairy... especially since most little kids won't "get it" without some sort of explanation.

For these reasons, I have a feeling that parents reading this book to their kids will probably enjoy it more than the kids themselves. While the idea of the Tooth Fairy heading up a multinational corporation dedicated to collecting teeth is amusing, the attempts to make it current and diverse kind of push it out of the suitability range for the five-to-seven age group. If you're still young enough to believe in the Tooth Fairy, you're probably not going to have a great grasp of intersectionality and political hashtags.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3 out of 5

Review - The Gift of Time

The Gift of Time
by Jean Tolfa Hansen
illustrated by Jill Tolfa
Date: 2019
Publisher: Dog Ear Publishing
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 34
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

Buttercup is a quirky caterpillar that is in no hurry to become a butterfly. Her wish for time to learn, to discover, and to play is granted by star fairies who love her earnest heart. Buttercup chooses a path of discovery that is different from the other caterpillars. With love and guidance from the star fairies, Buttercup transforms into a beautiful butterfly and joins her friends.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I'm afraid I don't understand the premise here. What can a caterpillar do that a butterfly can't? Apparently, caterpillars have hands with opposable thumbs, allowing them to do things like play the flute, do science experiments, and write with a pencil. Butterflies aren't so gifted. (This just seems like a weird use of fantasy. If you're going to give human traits to insects, there needs to be a better reason than trying to shoehorn those traits into the already weak plot.) As a result of this strangeness, the message seems to be that, once you're an adult, all learning stops.

Buttercup the caterpillar is given the "gift of time" by some fairies who prolong her "childhood" and prevent her transformation into a butterfly so she has more time to do stuff. It almost sounds to me like this was written for parents who don't want their children to grow up. With few exceptions, most children can't wait to grow up... so I'm not sure if they'll be able to relate to the premise here (especially since Buttercup uses her extra time to do what looks like the equivalent of homework).

This is a book in rhyme, and those rhymes are surprisingly not terrible, given the other problems the book has. I wasn't quite sure for the first few pages ("line" and "behind" don't exactly rhyme), but then it got a little better. However, those rhymes are the building blocks for a pretty weak story.

I'm also not enamoured with the illustrations. They look more like doodles than something that belongs in a children's book. Buttercup herself often looks kind of queasy (even when she isn't supposed to be), and the fairies are flat and kind of boring.

Maybe it's because I've grown up that I can't see the magic in this, but I prefer a little more logic in the fantasy I read. Add in the message that older people can't do anything, and it's not a book I'd recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dog Ear Publishing for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 2/5
Meter: 3/5
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 2/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.43 out of 5

Review - Fancy Nancy: Apples Galore!

Fancy Nancy: Apples Galore! (Fancy Nancy)
by Jane O'Connor
illustrated by Ted Enik
Date: 2013
Publisher: HarperCollins
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

Join Fancy Nancy on the perfect fall field trip—to the apple orchard. Fall is an extra-fancy season. Even the trees wear fancy colors! Nancy is determined to find a perfect Gala apple for her dad—it’s his favorite kind, and even the name sounds fancy. But what if the perfect apple is just out of reach?

Fans of Fancy Nancy will delight in this festive fall adventure story about a class trip to the apple orchard. Fancy Nancy: Apples Galore! is a Level One I Can Read book, which means it’s perfect for children learning to sound out words and sentences.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is one of the weaker Fancy Nancy titles I've read in the I Can Read! series. The story's not that great, and the illustrations (surprisingly) aren't at the level I expect from Ted Enik (who does the illustrations for most of these books in the style of Robin Preiss Glasser).

Nancy's class goes on a field trip to an orchard. Nancy's trip buddy is Lionel. He keeps making jokes (crying wolf, basically) all day, and eventually, when he's in real trouble (after doing something he was told not to), Nancy and Ms. Glass have to come to his rescue.

Now, I know Lionel is spirited, but here he's an outright brat. I really disliked him in this book. His misbehaviour drives the story and Nancy has to save the day. My favourite Fancy Nancy books are those in which the problem Nancy solves is partly (or entirely) of her own making; that's not really the case here. Because Nancy and Lionel are trip buddies, she sticks with him and tells him not to do things, but he doesn't listen. I'm glad that he's at least disciplined for his actions, but... this is really a Lionel story, not a Nancy story.

The illustrations aren't quite up to the standard I've come to expect from Enik. Also, they're usually fairly realistic, but in this book, we've got a rather Disney-esque squirrel smiling and cuddling up to Lionel's shoe, and nobody seems too concerned (or even interested).

Fancy Nancy: Apples Galore! is definitely not one of my favourites. There's too much focus on Lionel and his bad behaviour, to the point where Nancy herself is almost an afterthought. And while there is (as always) a selection of "fancy" words used throughout, I feel the inclusion of "tasty" is just insulting; if kids don't know what "tasty" means, they're probably not going to be reading I Can Read! books yet, anyway.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3 out of 5

Review - Fantastic You

Fantastic You
by Danielle Dufayet
illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin
Date: 2019
Publisher: Magination Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

There's one special person you get to spend your whole life with: YOU! Which means there's no one you should take better care of! When you cheer yourself on and cheer yourself up, you make the world a happier place. Life is amazing when you share it with the people you love: family, friends, and always with YOU!

Fantastic You shows readers how to develop and nurture a loving and positive relationship with themselves. Kids will learn that self-care includes positive self-talk and self-compassion for a happy, self-empowered life.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is basically a book about self care. Kids learn strategies for coping with their emotions in a healthy, positive way via a pleasantly illustrated narrative.

The tips in here are probably valuable for anyone, young or old. And the pictures are fun to look at, which will keep children reading.

Being a book from Magination Press, there are pages of fine print at the back for parents and caregivers. Am I the only one who even reads these things? I can't see most parents sitting down to read through the long notes that many of these books have, let alone adopting the suggestions (including putting your kid through CBT if they're not behaving like you think they should; what kind of self-talk is a child likely to have after their behaviour has been pathologized?). I understand that this is just the way this publisher's books are, but it's a little disappointing that pages that could be used for the main text are instead taken up by notes for adults.

Overall, this is a decent book about treating yourself kindly. Kids are likely to get something out of it, even if their parents don't bother to read the notes at the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Magination Press for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.33 out of 5

Review - The King of Kindergarten

The King of Kindergarten
by Derrick Barnes
illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton
Date: 2019
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

A confident little boy takes pride in his first day of kindergarten.

The morning sun blares through your window like a million brass trumpets. It sits and shines behind your head--like a crown. Mommy says that today, you are going to be the King of Kindergarten!

Starting kindergarten is a big milestone--and the hero of this story is ready to make his mark! He's dressed himself, eaten a pile of pancakes, and can't wait to be part of a whole new kingdom of kids. The day will be jam-packed, but he's up to the challenge, taking new experiences in stride with his infectious enthusiasm! And afterward, he can't wait to tell his proud parents all about his achievements--and then wake up to start another day.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I thought I would enjoy this one more than I actually did. Don't get me wrong; it's a cute book. But the whole "royal" gimmick seems kind of unnecessary (and aimed more at adults than kids), and with a child who has a different understanding of what being king means, the premise could be potentially problematic.

The narration is a bit odd, to begin with. It almost sounds like it's one of the parents talking to the child, but both parents are referred to in the third person, so it's obviously somebody else. (Who? I have no idea.) The boy wakes up and goes about getting ready for school. This part of the book makes references to Chiclets and Osh Kosh (as if all 4- and 5-years olds are going to understand what those signify). Then the boy is off to school.

The problem I see with telling a child that they're the King of Kindergarten is that, if they have an idea of a king as someone who issues orders and expects to be obeyed, they're going to be in for a rough first day. In the case of this book, being king refers more to mastery than it does ruling... but I don't know if children this young are going to have such a nuanced view of royalty. The boy in the story is kind, polite, generous, and thoughtful, which are all great things to model. But it makes me wonder if the whole king thing is even necessary, since it might add a bit of confusion to what is, otherwise, a sweet story about the first day of school. (Making him a knight rather than a king might have made more sense in this context.)

I might have some problems with the text, but I don't really have any issues with the illustrations. They're absolutely adorable! The boy and his classmates are all portrayed with bright, colourful diversity. This is the third book I've read that was illustrated by Brantley-Newton, and I think I like the illustrations here the best.

Overall, I think whether this book works for kids will depend on their concept of what a king is. For those who think it's all about power, it might not work. But for those who have an expanded concept of what it means to be a king, this could be a winner.

Quotable moment:

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 5/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.5 out of 5

Review - Truman

Truman
by Jean Reidy
illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins
Date: 2019
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

After his best friend Sarah leaves for her first day of school, a tortoise named Truman goes on an adventure across the living room and learns to be brave in this thoughtful and heartwarming twist on a first experience story.

Truman the tortoise lives with his Sarah, high above the taxis and the trash trucks and the number eleven bus, which travels south. He never worries about the world below…until one day, when Sarah straps on a big backpack and does something Truman has never seen before. She boards the bus!

Truman waits for her to return.
He waits.
And waits.
And waits.
And when he can wait no longer, he knows what he must do.

Even if it seems…impossible!

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Aww. This is too cute.

This simple story is about a tortoise named Truman who lives with a little girl named Sarah (adorably referred to as "his Sarah") in an apartment above a busy street. One morning, she gives him some extra green beans, takes her "large" backpack, and gets on the bus! Truman waits and waits for her to return, but when she doesn't, he decides he'll just have to get on that bus and go after her himself. The only problem is, he's in a tank on the far side of the living room.

The story is pretty basic, but it clearly shows the friendship between the two and how much they value and love each other. The ending is cute, too (as well as completely plausible). The sketch-like illustrations complement the story perfectly; the characters may not be drawn realistically, but their facial expressions still convey plenty of emotion.

This is a great story about going to school for the first time, and might be appreciated by small children whose older siblings are off to kindergarten. Even though they're going away for a while, they're going to come back. It's a reassuring message for those left behind.

Quotable moment:

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 4/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 5/5

Enjoyment: 5/5

Overall: 4.5 out of 5

Review - Maybe Dying Is Like Becoming a Butterfly

Maybe Dying Is Like Becoming a Butterfly
by Pimm van Hest
illustrated by Lisa Brandenburg
Date: 2019
Publisher: Clavis
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

“Are you going to die, Grandpa?”
“Someday, sweetheart. But I hope not too soon.”

An important picture book that gives children free rein to express their questions, fears, thoughts, and ideas about death. For children ages 5 and up. Including an epilogue by the grief therapist Rebecca Dabekaussen, with tips on how to discuss this difficult but inevitable subject with children.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

The intention behind this book is good. I can't deny that. Unfortunately, the technical aspects of the writing just aren't strong enough to make this a book I could enjoy or recommend.

This is basically a conversation between a boy named Christopher and his grandfather, in which they share their thoughts about death. The grandfather cleverly asks the child repeatedly what he thinks, never forcing any one way of thinking. Heaven, reincarnation, and even a more materialist point of view are covered as the two muse about what might come after death.

The problem is the way the story is written. It's mostly dialogue, but it lacks speech attributions for much of the book. (And, in one place where they were included, the verb tense was switched!) I couldn't figure out who was talking at quite a few points in the story. A few more dialogue tags could've easily cleared this problem up.

The illustrations are cute and show the duo imagining various things about death. The pictures complement the story well.

For me, I think the best part of the book is Christopher's letter to his grandfather at the end. It's probably the most profound thought in the story. (It's also where the title comes from.) That page alone probably would've been sufficient for me! It's a very astute observation, and a nice thing to think about.

Overall, this was just an average book for me. While I like the premise and the illustrations, I think the writing really lets it down. I don't know how much of that is a translation issue; in any case, the text needs some work for clarity.

Thank you to NetGalley and Clavis for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 2/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.17 out of 5

Review - Through the Elephant's Door

Through the Elephant's Door
by Hélène de Blois
illustrated by France Cormier
Date: 2019
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 48
Format: e-book
Source: library

It's a rainy day so the boy and his elephant, Émile, decide the perfect way to pass their time is with a trip to the museum. Their problems start before they even walk through the doors. First, what door does an elephant fit through? And second, why does the grumpy guard assume they are going to cause problems? It seems like as soon as they start to enjoy an exhibit, he's right there yelling at them not to touch anything. Like they would ever do that!

Then, in a flash everything changes and suddenly Émile and the boy find themselves in a very precarious situation. Will the guard be right about these two after all?

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Through the Elephant's Door tells the story of a boy and his elephant, Émile. One day, they decide to go to the museum. They try to enjoy themselves, but a guard makes assumptions about Émile simply because he's an elephant, and he threatens the duo with expulsion. It isn't until the friends help foil a burglary that the guard comes around.

This is a bit of a strange title. It's heavy on the text, and the language is fairly advanced for a picture book. The guard character is also likely a statement about prejudice and assumptions. (Just because Émile is an elephant doesn't mean he's going to go stampeding through the galleries.) The guard is actually so brazen, he hurls insults directly at Émile, whose feelings understandably get hurt.

The foiling of the burglary isn't so much an intentional act as it is Émile reaching his breaking point. It works, but it's a bit of a cop-out, plot wise.

As an adult, I enjoyed this rainy-day romp through the museum. (I especially like the pretentious painting that the boy and Émile puzzle over: Blue Rectangle on Blue Background. Is that really art, or is the artist just pulling our leg?) But I'm not sure if kids will be as enamoured with the story or the writing. There's a cute elephant who wears a raincoat, though, so that's something.

Quotable moment:

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.67 out of 5

Review - Skulls!

Skulls!
by Blair Thornburgh
illustrated by Scott Campbell
Date: 2019
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book non-fiction
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

Debut picture book author Blair Thornburgh and award-winning illustrator Scott Campbell put their heads together to celebrate one of the most important bones in your body: the skull!

You probably don’t think much about skulls.
So what’s the big deal about them?

Well, every head
of every person
you’ve ever seen
has a skull inside.

And that includes YOU!

This smart, skull-positive story cheerfully dispels any fears kids might have about their skeletons, flipping our view of skulls from a spooky symbol to a fascinating, cool, and crucial part of our bodies.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is a lighthearted look at some of the most important bones in the body: the ones that make up the skull. The playful watercolour illustrations show skulls in all their glory, and the accompanying text explains all about their function.

There's a page of cool skull facts at the back, but there's a lot of information in the main text, too. The book mainly focuses on the science, so there's really no mention of skull symbolism (e.g., the Day of the Dead, Halloween, etc.) which would've been nice. Still, it's a decent non-fiction picture book that introduces the topic of skulls in a somewhat amusing, completely non-threatening way. This would be a great title for kids who are just starting to get interested in their bodies and the function of various parts.

Quotable moment:

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.5 out of 5

Review - Clever Little Witch

Clever Little Witch
by Mượn Thị Văn
illustrated by Hyewon Yum
Date: 2019
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

Magical mayhem and hilarity ensue when a clever little witch tries to turn her baby brother into a goldfish in this funny and imaginative picture book about sibling rivalry.

Little Linh is the cleverest little witch on Mãi Mãi island. She has everything she could need: a trusty broomstick, a powerful spell book, and a magical pet mouse. She also has a new brother named Baby Phu, and she does not like him one bit. He crashes her broomstick, eats pages out of her spell book, and keeps her up all night. Little Linh tried giving Baby Phu away, but nobody will take him, not even the Orphanage for Lost and Magical Creatures.

So, she’ll just have to try something else…like turning him into a goldfish. The only problem is, Baby Phu ate the second half of the spell. Still, there’s a reason Little Linh is the cleverest little witch. She can guess the second half of the spell…but it might take a few tries.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is a cute story about sibling rivalry. Little Linh considers herself to be a clever witch. But there's one thing she can't stand, and that's her baby brother. He rides her broomstick without permission, eats pages out of her spell book, and uses her magical mouse as a flashlight. So Linh decides to turn him into something a little less annoying. Something like... a goldfish. But when it comes time to actually do the spell, she realizes that her brother has eaten part of the page with the spell on it. She does the spell anyway... with unexpected results. And, eventually, Linh learns that baby brothers might be good for something after all.

Kids (especially those plagued by younger siblings) will probably appreciate Linh's attempts to get her baby brother out of her hair. Those attempts are pretty amusing. I'm not sure I love the ending of this one, though; it seems kind of convenient and isn't explained. But I guess it's magic, so you just have to go with it.

The illustrations are cute and colourful. The pages where Linh tries to give away her baby brother are some of the most amusing (especially the ones featuring the Orphanage for Lost and Magical Creatures).

This is a fun picture book with a fairly innocuous storyline and some amusing elements. While it's not my favourite book about little witches (Patricia Coombs's Dorrie books are hard to beat), it's not bad, especially for younger children.

Quotable moment:

I aimed my wand at my brother and said, "From the tip of your nose to the top of your toes, bubble eyes, marble size, let me see those fishy eyes!"

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.5 out of 5

Review - Bruno Has One Hundred Friends

Bruno Has One Hundred Friends
by Francesca Pirrone
Date: 2019
Publisher: Clavis
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

Bruno is very happy when he finds a mobile phone. Suddenly, he has many friends, all over the world! But he spends so much time with his "magic box," he forgets all about Renzo & Rico.

A story about what makes a real friendship. For children ages 5 and up.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Bruno Has One Hundred Friends is the story of a bear who finds a cell phone in the woods. He's soon obsessed with it, preferring to watch movies, listen to music, and collect virtual friends rather than spend time with Renzo and Rico, his flesh-and-blood pals.

I love the premise here, and the illustrations are adorable (I especially like the fox hiding in the outdoor scenes). But Bruno's teachable moment kind of comes out of the blue. His understanding comes so abruptly that I actually thought my copy had a page missing. One moment he's crying about his cell phone not working (and the loss of his virtual friends), and the next he's realizing that he's neglected his real friends. Other than a bear hug, there doesn't seem to be anything that acts as the catalyst for this change of heart. So that was a bit disappointing.

Other than that, though, the message of Bruno Has One Hundred Friends is a good one. I'm not sure if children are really the ones who need to hear this message, but perhaps some of the parents reading this with their kids will take Bruno's lesson to heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and Clavis for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 4/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.5 out of 5

Review - A Warm Friendship

A Warm Friendship
by Ellen DeLange
illustrated by Jacqueline Molnár
Date: 2019
Publisher: Clavis
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

Squirrel and Snowman are the best of friends. Will their friendship last forever?

A warm story about making friends and letting them go. For friends ages 5 years and up.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This book makes little sense. It's all about a snowman who's cold. That's the first problem right there. A snowman should be cold! He's made of snow. From there, it gets a bit ridiculous...

See, the animals all bring scarves and blankets to warm the snowman up. Then they all snuggle in together to sleep. For whatever reason, this doesn't melt the snowman.

But the sun does. One morning, the animals discover nothing but a pile of blankets and scarves in the middle of the forest. The snowman is gone. Some of the animals are upset. Owl, thinking he's probably helping, tells Squirrel not to be sad. (Yeah, kids. Don't be sad when your best friend dies! Just don't.) I understand Owl's point about remembering the good times, but telling children not to have emotions after a loss just doesn't sit right with me.

There was only one way this story could end, really, but I'm still confused as to why the animals spent the first part of the book trying to warm up the snowman if they didn't want him to melt! There's a failure of logic here...

The illustrations are okay. They're colourful and there's plenty to look at, but I don't really like the style. Your mileage may vary, of course.

Overall, I found this one rather disappointing. I wouldn't have minded a story about forest animals having to deal with the loss of their snowman friend... but the fact that they spent the first part of the book trying to warm up a snowman--that they didn't want to melt--didn't make a whole lot of sense.

Thank you to NetGalley and Clavis for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 2/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 3/5
Originality: 2/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.33 out of 5

Review - Mr. Cat and the Little Girl

Mr. Cat and the Little Girl
by Wang Yuwei
Date: 2019
Publisher: Clavis
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

Mr. Cat spends his days alone. When he goes out to paint a beautiful winter landscape, he finds a little girl. He decides to take her home. The girl colors his world... until she disappears

A poetic story about friendship and saying good-bye. For daydreamers ages 5 years and up.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

What a strange little book! It's surreal, but also kind of charming. Friendship, loss, and hope are all explored here with fascinating illustrations and a unique story.

Mr. Cat is an artist, and one day when he's outside painting, he comes across a tiny girl under a green leaf in the otherwise barren landscape. He takes the girl home with him, and takes care of her almost like a pet. When he takes her outside into the snow, he notices that wherever she steps, yellow flowers appear. Curious, he turns to the encyclopedia and discovers that she's some sort of creature who will only last the season. Eventually, the girl disappears, and Mr. Cat is left wondering if he'll ever see her again.

The illustrations are so wonderfully weird. The cat is drawn fairly realistically, but he's also anthropomorphized quite a bit. He paints at an easel, he wears clothes, and he has his own house, complete with snazzy decor. I loved seeing him take the little girl outside, having dressed her in a little yellow dress and a cat-eared hat. (Can it get much cuter?)

I'm not sure if young children will really "get" the message about loss and hope, but it's such a wonderfully quirky story that it's bound to find some fans. I'd recommend this one for readers who are looking for something slightly different in their picture books. It's worth taking a look at for the illustrations alone.

Thank you to NetGalley and Clavis for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.67 out of 5

Review - Lucy's Light

Lucy's Light (Once Upon a Garden)
by Jo Rooks
Date: 2019
Publisher: Magination Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

Lucy is a lightning bug and the most talented flyer in the squad. There's just one problem: she doesn't light up! When it's time to learn night flying, Lucy is anxious. She tries everything to get her light to shine but nothing works. Lucy is about to give up when her friends are captured by a nasty toad and his gang, who hatched a plan to brighten up their bog. Does Lucy have what it takes to save her friends? Or is she just an "ordinary" bug after all? A sweet story which shines a light on inner confidence, self-acceptance, and courage. Lucy learns that doing a good deed will always make you shine bright!

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is the second book in the Once Upon a Garden series I've read, the first being Sophie's Shell. Technically, Lucy's Light would come first chronologically, but you really don't need to read them in any specific order.

Given how much I enjoyed Sophie's Shell, I was surprised to find that Lucy's Light is nowhere near as good. The editing needs some work (the punctuation is especially bad) and the overall story doesn't really appeal to me. I suppose it's about using your strengths, whatever those might be, even if they're different from the strengths of others.

The illustrations are still really cute, and the toad, frog, and newt villains are formidable without being too scary. The pictures are definitely the strength of this book.

Overall, I was a little bit disappointed. Lucy's Light is still a decent picture book, but it's nowhere near as good as Sophie's Shell.

Thank you to NetGalley and Magination Press for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 2/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3 out of 5

Review - Sophie's Shell

Sophie's Shell (Once Upon a Garden)
by Jo Rooks
Date: 2019
Publisher: Magination Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

Discover a world of lovable creatures in the Once Upon a Garden series.

Sophie was always ponders big questions, like:
Why is the sky blue?
Why are raindrops wet?
and What are stars made of?

But when Sophie starts school, there's a wobbly feeling in her tummy and she can't help popping back into her shell. She is left with one big question: Why am I so shy?

When Sophie meets Stanley, she realizes that she's not the only one who feels shy. Can she gain the confidence to help a new friend?

A heart warming tale about a sensitive snail who overcomes her shyness with a little help from her new friends.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Sophie's Shell is about a little snail named Sophie who starts school and must face her newfound shyness with the help of a friend.

I actually enjoyed this one quite a bit. Often, I'm not that impressed with books that tackle emotional subjects with the aim of "helping" kids; they usually seem like they're trying too hard. But this book is pretty cute. I loved Sophie's classmates (all creepy-crawlies you might find in a garden), and the writing was fairly strong. If I have one complaint, though, it's with Sophie's defense mechanism, at least at first. When she feels shy, she suddenly (and involuntarily) retracts into her shell. This is accompanied by the word "Pop!" The first time it happened, though, it took me a moment to realize what was going on. After the pop, we see Sophie's shell, but not her head. The text doesn't say anything like, "She popped back into her shell!" so the reader needs to be paying attention to the pictures. (It's definitely not going to work as an audiobook.)

Overall, though, this is a cute story with fun illustrations about overcoming shyness and fear with the help of friends. It might be a good choice for shy kids who are just starting out at school as a tool for reassurance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Magination Press for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.67 out of 5

Review - New Friends for Zaza

New Friends for Zaza (Zaza)
by Mylo Freeman
Date: 2019
Publisher: Clavis
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 24
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

Zaza is going to daycare for the first time. Will she and Rosie make new friends?

A warm book about cuddly friends and new friends. For toddlers ages 24 months and up, with a focus on the child's world.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This book was first published in Europe. Maybe it's still acceptable there to depict black children like this, but North American readers are likely to find the illustrations offensive.

My first thought upon seeing the cover was that the black kids looked kind of like golliwogs. For those who don't know, a golliwog is often viewed as a form of blackface. Golliwogs were made as children's toys (gotta start training the racists young, right?) and had features such as black skin, white-rimmed eyes, and red lips. Now, the black kids in this book may have pink lips, but they've got the lighter-rimmed eyes. Perhaps if the eyes on the white children had been done the same way, it wouldn't have been as much of an issue; but the white kid's eyes are merely dots, leaving the black kids to be the only ones drawn in this borderline offensive style (which also makes them look a bit deranged).

The story itself is simple and boring (it's a toddler book, so I wasn't expecting anything complex), and with the grammatically incorrect (or at least grammatically awkward) first line, the writing didn't impress me. Besides, I was far too distracted by the illustrations, and wondering how a book like this got published in 2019. (There are apparently other books about Zaza, so the horse is already out of the barn, so to speak. Maybe Europeans aren't as sensitive to these kinds of depictions of black people, but I really don't understand why a North American publisher chose to publish the books in English over here!)

Thank you to NetGalley and Clavis for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 2/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 2/5
Illustrations: 0/5
Originality: 1/5

Enjoyment: 0/5

Overall: 0.83 out of 5

Review - Stay

Stay
by Lewis Trondheim
illustrated by Hubert Chevillard
Date: 2019
Publisher: Lion Forge
Reading level: A
Book type: graphic novel
Pages: 128
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

Roland has the perfect vacation planned for Fabienne - everything is organized, booked, and paid for in advance, with the entire itinerary recorded in a notebook. It's going to be a wonderful week where they can discuss their future together.

But before they can even get their luggage to their rental, Roland is decapitated in a freak accident. And Fabienne, stunned and alone, has no idea how to process it. So in her daze of denial, she decides to stay and follow the itinerary as planned, as if the tragedy never happened.

Ghost-like, she wanders the tourist-filled streets, a passive spectator to the joys of others' lives. Along the way, she meets Paco, a local vendor with some eccentric views on life and death. Being rather private normally, it isn't hard for her to lie about the companion that never seems to be there at that very moment, but Paco soon puts the pieces together. His minor fascination with bizarre deaths has him all too familiar with the tale of the recently decapitated tourist. And he realizes this woman needs a friend right now more than anything else. So they spend a platonic week off and on, neither of them talking about what happened.

And that seems to be precisely what she needs to process everything.

A moving and mesmerizing look at life, death, and the many different ways we cope with each, written by celebrated author Lewis Trondheim and illustrated by Hubert Chevillard.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is the kind of book that makes me feel stupid. And I don't read to feel stupid.

Fabienne's partner, Roland, gets his head rather graphically cut off in the first few pages, and the rest of the story is about her dealing--or, rather, not dealing--with her grief. She decides to stay and enjoy the vacation that Roland had planned for them, refusing the funeral and even telling her mother that she's not traumatized. (Yeah, right. She was holding his hand when his head came off. How could she not be traumatized?)

Anyway, as she's going about her vacation in complete and utter denial, she meets a Manic Pixie Dream Boy by the name of Paco. He may or may not be married, and may or may not have lost his penis as a child. He carries around a bottle of his own urine so he can dump it on the head of a barking dog, so it's obvious that we're supposed to view him as "quirky".

Unfortunately, I was so distracted by that disgusting little detail that I was pretty grossed out for the rest of the story. Fabienne starts hanging out with Paco, and even sharing meals with him, which... hello? Bottle of urine? *shudder*

The resolution to the story feels utterly hollow. Fabienne, having "worked through" her grief by refusing to acknowledge it, dumps Roland's stuff and goes home. The end. Seriously? If this book hadn't been such a quick read, I would be even more annoyed by that ending than I already am.

The far more interesting questions aren't answered. What drew Paco to the grieving widow in the first place? Has Fabienne really put the whole messy business behind her (and, if so, what does that say about her mental state)? There are too many unanswered questions.

I don't know what the point of this story even is. When you start out with something as dramatic as a decapitation, you better follow it up with a great story. This book almost seems like it was told in reverse, with the climax coming at the beginning. Unfortunately, that doesn't really hold a reader's interest or ultimately satisfy them... especially if the characters don't grow or change as a result of the inciting dramatic event.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lion Forge for providing a digital ARC.

Plot: 2/5
Characters: 2/5
Pace: 3/5
Writing & Editing: 2/5
Illustration: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 1/5

Overall Rating: 2.13 out of 5 ladybugs