Review - What If...

What If...
by Samantha Berger
illustrated by Mike Curato
Date: 2018
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

Creativity, the power of imagination, and the importance of self-expression are celebrated in this inspiring picture book written and illustrated by real-life best friends.

This girl is determined to express herself! If she can't draw her dreams, she'll sculpt or build, carve or collage. If she can't do that, she'll turn her world into a canvas. And if everything around her is taken away, she'll sing, dance, and dream...

Stunning mixed media illustrations, lyrical text, and a breathtaking gatefold conjure powerful magic in this heartfelt affirmation of art, imagination, and the resilience of the human spirit.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This book is really an ode to creativity. What if, as an artist, you didn't have your traditional supplies? What If... explores that question through simple rhyming verse and unique mixed-media illustrations.

It's a fun book to look at, and while I wholeheartedly appreciate the overall message, I'm a bit wary of some of the early ideas. No paper? No problem. Just chisel the table and carve the chair. No furniture? Chip the paint off the walls (you'd better hope your house doesn't still have lead paint)! I'm not sure these are the best things to be suggesting to bored kids who might not have access to art supplies.

Overall, though, I liked the message of using what you have (even if it's just your voice) to create art. The mixed-media illustrations are pretty neat, and could offer inspiration to budding young artists.

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

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 4 out of 5

Review - Sometimes You Fly

Sometimes You Fly
by Katherine Applegate
illustrated by Jennifer Black Reinhardt
Date: 2018
Publisher: Clarion Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

Illustrations and simple, rhyming text remind the reader that any achievement may be preceded by mistakes, and learning from them makes accomplishments sweeter.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This book is so sweet. I can't help but think it's also pretty... meme-able (is that a word?), in that its little verses and pictures are cute reminders of things that all of us would do well to remember when we make mistakes.

The rhyming verse is simple but meaningful, and the illustrations are adorable. I can't find much to complain about here. This is a great picture book for those who are still learning and growing... which is pretty much everyone, really.

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

Enjoyment: 5/5

Overall: 4.71 out of 5

Review - Tyrannosaurus Rex vs. Edna the Very First Chicken

Tyrannosaurus Rex vs. Edna the Very First Chicken
by Douglas Rees
illustrated by Jed Henry
Date: 2017
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

Tyrannosaurus Rex wants breakfast. He stomps and he roars and he gnashes his teeth—and he scares all the other dinosaurs right out of the forest.

Only Edna, the very first chicken, is unafraid. She won't let that bully T. rex push her around! But will Edna's mighty beak and terrible flapping wings be a match for T. rex's mighty claws and terrible jaws?

This hilarious tale of bravery will have readers clucking in triumph!

Jed Henry's charming illustrations accompany Douglas Rees' upROARious tale.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This cute little book had me right up until the end when it implied that there are no Tyrannosauruses anymore because they were all chased away by chickens. Have you heard a dinosaur-obsessed kid talk? They'll be sure to let you know how wrong that idea is.

Other than that, the pictures are cute and the story of a tiny chicken using what is at her disposal (her feathers, sharp claws, and tenacity) to put a bully in his place is empowering.

This is a fun book for a few laughs, but if your kid is really serious about dinosaurs, be prepared for the inevitable corrections.

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

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.17 out of 5

Review - Little Pea

Little Pea (Little Books)
by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
illustrated by Jen Corace
Date: 2005
Publisher: Chronicle Books (CA)
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 36
Format: e-book
Source: library

If Little Pea doesn't eat all of his sweets, there will be no vegetables for dessert! What's a young pea to do? Children who have trouble swallowing their veggies will love the way this pea-size picture book serves up a playful story they can relate to.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is a cute little story that might appeal to picky eaters. Little Pea is... well, a pea. He lives with Papa Pea and Mama Pea and does fun stuff like getting flung off the end of cutlery by his father. But the one thing he doesn't like doing? Eating his dinner. All he wants is dessert, but he has to eat all of his dinner first. And for a pea, dinner is... candy.

The illustrations are simple but charming, and the illustrator managed to give personalities to a family of vegetables. My main complaint with this book (and it's really nothing to do with the book itself) is the e-book formatting. The text was one step ahead of the pictures throughout, which I found confusing until I figured out what was going on. So, if you're going to read this one, I'd suggest sticking with the physical version.

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

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.67 out of 5

Review - Vegetables in Underwear

Vegetables in Underwear
by Jared Chapman
Date: 2015
Publisher: Abrams Appleseed
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

A bunch of friendly vegetables wear colorful underwear of all varieties—big, small, clean, dirty, serious, and funny—demonstrating for young ones the silliness and necessity of this item of clothing. The unexpectedness of vegetables in their unmentionables is enough to draw giggles, but the pride with which the “big kid” attire is flaunted in front of the baby carrots in diapers will tickle readers of all ages. With rhyming text that begs to be chanted aloud and art that looks good enough to eat, this vibrant story will encourage preschoolers to celebrate having left those diapers behind!

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is one of those books where you get exactly what the title says. The text is pretty sparse, but the illustrations are amusing. The potato showing his buttcrack is priceless.

It's not earth-shattering in its profundity, and it probably won't teach anyone anything (unless, for some reason, you need to be told to put clothes on over top of your underwear). As a kid, I probably would've looked at this once and then moved on to something more interesting... but I'm sure there are probably kids out there for whom this could become a favourite.

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

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.33 out of 5

Review - Malala's Magic Pencil

Malala's Magic Pencil
by Malala Yousafzai
illustrated by Kerascoët
Date: 2017
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

Nobel Peace Prize winner and New York Times bestselling author Malala Yousafzai's first picture book, inspired by her own childhood.

Malala's first picture book will inspire young readers everywhere to find the magic all around them.

As a child in Pakistan, Malala made a wish for a magic pencil. She would use it to make everyone happy, to erase the smell of garbage from her city, to sleep an extra hour in the morning. But as she grew older, Malala saw that there were more important things to wish for. She saw a world that needed fixing. And even if she never found a magic pencil, Malala realized that she could still work hard every day to make her wishes come true.

This beautifully illustrated volume tells Malala's story for a younger audience and shows them the worldview that allowed Malala to hold on to hope even in the most difficult of times.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is a lovely little book. Between the uplifting, hopeful message and the delightful illustrations, it's an enjoyable and educating read.

I haven't read Malala's full-length memoir, but this picture book is a nice introduction to her story. It doesn't get too scary or graphic for kids (for example, what happened to her at the hands of the Taliban isn't explicitly stated), but it's still able to get the main points across, showing children how much of a struggle getting a basic education is in certain parts of the world.

I highly recommend this one for those looking to introduce their kids to the inspiring person that is Malala Yousafzai. (Although, as an adult, I enjoyed it, too.)

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

Enjoyment: 5/5

Overall: 4.5 out of 5

Review - Cinnamon

Cinnamon
by Neil Gaiman
illustrated by Divya Srinivasan
Date: 2016
Publisher: HarperCollins
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

A talking tiger is the only one who may be able to get a princess to speak in this beautiful picture book set in a mythic India by the Newbery Medal-winning and New York Times bestselling author of American Gods and Norse Mythology, Neil Gaiman, and illustrated in bold colors by Divya Srinivasan.

This stunning picture book will transport readers to another time and place and will delight parents and children alike. "Full of Gaiman's wit and whimsy, this one is great for reading aloud. Gorgeous, with lush illustrations by Divya Srinivasan" (Brightly.com).

Previously available only as an audio book, Cinnamon has never been published in print before, and Divya Srinivasan's lush artwork brings Neil Gaiman's text to life.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

WARNING: Major Spoilers! To read this review with the spoilers hidden, check it out on Goodreads.

What the hell? This is a children's book? It's awful. The only thing it really has going for it is decent grammar and passable illustrations.

Here's the real synopsis: A blind princess won't talk. So her parents offer lots of material goods to the one who can get her to speak. A man-eating tiger comes along, and her parents think, "Why not? It's just a man-eating tiger," and close their kid up in a room with the beast. The tiger, through physical and psychological abuse, gets the girl to speak at last. Her mother's aunt--whose only crime appears to be getting old and disappointed by life--makes a snarky comment and is eaten by the tiger. Nobody cares. The princess's parents allow the girl to go off into the jungle with her abuser. Apparently, nobody thinks this is a bad idea. They may have lived happily ever after, but probably not; in any case, we're never told what happens to anyone except the aunt: everyone remembers her as a beautiful young woman, based on her portrait.

I mean, seriously. What the hell?

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

Enjoyment: 1/5

Overall: 2.17 out of 5

Review - Ten Little Zombies: A Love Story

Ten Little Zombies: A Love Story
by Andy Rash
Date: 2010
Publisher: Chronicle Books (CA)
Reading level: A
Book type: picture book
Pages: 48
Format: e-book
Source: library

When being chased by ten little zombies (no matter how cute they are), your only option is to systematically destroy them one by one, or else become zombie number eleven. In this love story wrapped in a tale of zombie mayhem, a resourceful couple flees from and picks off their undead pursuers with fast-paced ingenuity and an entertaining range of zombie-thwarting tools. As the zombies shuffle and stumble their way toward a variety of gruesome ends, our heroes must come up with new ways to escape sticky situations and stay together. This darkly funny illustrated tale--think Bunny Suicides meets Edward Gorey meets Hallmark--celebrates the romantic side of a zombie plague, with plenty of BRAINS and a lot of heart.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is actually pretty good. It reads like a children's picture book, but it's not really for kids (it's pretty graphic). The twist at the end was cute.

There's not much more to say about this. It provided a few minutes of amusement. Ghastly, gory amusement...

Quotable moment:

Four little zombies coming after me
Fired up the chainsaw
Now there are three

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

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 4 out of 5

Review - Secret Path

Secret Path
by Gord Downie
illustrated by Jeff Lemire
Date: 2016
Publisher: Simon Schuster
Reading level: A
Book type: graphic novel
Pages: 96
Format: e-book
Source: library

Secret Path is a ten song album by Gord Downie with a graphic novel by illustrator Jeff Lemire that tells the story of Chanie "Charlie" Wenjack, a twelve-year-old boy who died in flight from the Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School fifty years ago.

Chanie, misnamed Charlie by his teachers, was a young boy who died on October 22, 1966, walking the railroad tracks, trying to escape from the Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School to return home. Chanie's home was 400 miles away. He didn't know that. He didn't know where it was, nor how to find it, but, like so many kids—more than anyone will be able to imagine—he tried.

Chanie's story is Canada's story. We are not the country we thought we were. History will be re-written. We are all accountable. Secret Path acknowledges a dark part of Canada's history—the long suppressed mistreatment of Indigenous children and families by the residential school system—with the hope of starting our country on a road to reconciliation. Every year as we remember Chanie Wenjack, the hope for Secret Path is that it educates all Canadians young and old on this omitted part of our history, urging our entire nation to play an active role in the preservation of Indigenous lives and culture in Canada.

The next hundred years are going to be painful as we come to know Chanie Wenjack and thousands like him—as we find out about ourselves, about all of us—but only when we do can we truly call ourselves, "Canada."

Proceeds from Secret Path will be donated to The Gord Downie Secret Path Fund for Truth and Reconciliation via The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) at The University of Manitoba.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is kind of a hard book to categorize. It's a graphic novel, but it's also poetry. Most of the story is told without words (at least, in the traditional narrative sense), but the poems fill in the blanks. The sparse monochromatic scheme works here, especially given the subject matter. The illustrations are haunting, and add more emotion to what is already a heart-wrenching read.

It's a sad story, and it boggles the mind that it could happen so recently. This would be a good introduction to the topic of residential schools, and should be required reading for all Canadian adults.

Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Pace: 4/5
Writing & Editing: 4/5
Illustration: 4/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 ladybugs

Review - The Creeps

The Creeps (Deep Dark Fears Collection #2)
by Fran Krause
Date: 2017
Publisher: Ten Speed Press
Reading level: A
Book type: comic collection
Pages: 144
Format: e-book
Source: library

A follow-up to the New York Times best-selling Deep Dark Fears: a second volume of comics based on people's quirky, spooky, hilarious, and terrifying fears.

Illustrator, animator, teacher, and comic artist Fran Krause has touched a collective nerve with his wildly popular web comic series--and subsequent New York Times best-selling book--Deep Dark Fears. Here he brings readers more of the creepy, funny, and idiosyncratic fears they love illustrated in comic form--such as the fear that your pets will tell other animals all your embarrassing secrets, or that someone uses your house while you're not home--as well as two longer comic short-stories about ghosts.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I'm not sure if I liked this one. Some of the fears were kind of funny, and the illustrations made me smile, but there were an awful lot of these fears that made me feel like most parents need to take a mandatory class on how not to make their kids neurotic. Between telling their children they're actually a cyborg that they switch off every night, to implying they'll turn into a fish if they stay in the bathtub too long, to planting a fear of the Rapture that's triggered every time the kid sees a pile of laundry, many of these parents really needed a time-out on the naughty spot.

The illustrations are crude and simple, but they work. I didn't really like the few longer "stories" that were included. They didn't follow the format of the rest, and I didn't see why they were singled out.

This is apparently the second book in a series, but it's not like there's any continuity between the fears themselves, so I doubt you have to have read the first book to get something out of this one. This was okay for a few minutes of entertainment, but it's probably something I'll forget about pretty quickly.

Quotable moment:

Fear #69:

Sometimes when the sun is bright,
I worry my glasses will amplify the light,
like a magnifying glass can do to ants,
and I'll get two holes burned through my head.

Writing & Editing: 3/5
Illustration: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 ladybugs

Review - Pink Is for Boys

Pink Is for Boys
by Robb Pearlman
illustrated by Eda Kaban
Date: 2018
Publisher: Running Press Kids
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

An empowering and educational picture book that proves colors are for everyone, regardless of gender.

Pink is for boys... and girls... and everyone! This timely and beautiful picture book rethinks and reframes the stereotypical blue/pink gender binary and empowers kids-and their grown-ups-to express themselves in every color of the rainbow. Featuring a diverse group of relatable characters, Pink Is for Boys invites and encourages girls and boys to enjoy what they love to do, whether it's racing cars and playing baseball, or loving unicorns and dressing up. Vibrant illustrations help children learn and identify the myriad colors that surround them every day, from the orange of a popsicle, to the green of a grassy field, all the way up to the wonder of a multicolored rainbow.

Parents and kids will delight in Robb Pearlman's sweet, simple script, as well as its powerful message: life is not color-coded.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I wanted to like this one. In some ways, I did. The text is simple and straight to the point, and the illustrations are very, very cute. Pink for girls and blue for boys is a fairly recent idea; before that, it was the other way around. I was looking forward to a book that smashes those gender conventions and lets kids know they can wear (and like) whatever colour they please.

But... when you have a book that's supposed to be about demolishing gender stereotypes, it's not great to see them reinforced within the first few pages! While there is diversity in ethnicity (many children of colour are represented) and abilities (there's a boy in a wheelchair), it's very much a Western representation of children. The very first colour (pink) has children of both genders dressing up in their fancy clothes... which, for every single girl on the pages, means a dress. To make matters worse, the next colour (blue) is implied as being for sports uniforms. So there's still a subconscious gender divide: pink is for "girly" activities like fancy dance parties, and blue is for "boyish" activities like sports. Maybe if the book hadn't started with those two colours, I wouldn't have noticed this issue as much as I did. But, once I saw it, I couldn't unsee it. That made me read the rest with a more jaded eye. While the girls do wear pants and shorts as casual clothes, any time they're dressed up, they're in a dress. Boys are always in bifurcated garments (so don't expect to see any kilts or sarongs here).

I guess this book is heading in the right direction. The illustrations are so cute that they kind of saved it for me. The overall message is nice, but I think things could've been shaken up even more to really shatter those gender stereotypes. When we get a book with a little boy in a bright pink sarong and a little girl in a fancy blue three-piece suit and a non-binary kid wearing whatever they choose simply because they like it, then we'll really have made some progress.

Quotable moment:

Pink is for boys.
And girls.

And bows
on fancy clothes.

Blue is for girls.
And boys.

And uniforms
on a team.

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

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.33 out of 5

Review - Brother. Prince. Snake.

Brother. Prince. Snake.
by Cecil Castellucci
Date: 2012
Publisher: Tor.com
Reading level: YA
Book type: short story
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: Tor.com

A retelling of the Prince Lindwurm fairy tale, Brother Prince Snake is a story of love, sibling rivalry, and how a monster became King.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I came across this obscure fairy tale just a few days ago on Sarah Beth Durst's page of... well, obscure fairy tales. (If you haven't checked those out, I highly recommend it. The commentary is hilarious.) The story has a sort of "Beauty and the Beast" vibe with some of its themes... although the poor girl in this one has to overlook a lot more than just some fur and horns; this Prince Lindwurm guy sounds totally disgusting.

But he's actually not, at least not in Castellucci's version of the story, which is told by the creature himself. This character has a heart and a soul, even if nobody can see it past his hideous physical appearance. While I thought it would be difficult to relate to a woman-eating monster, his gentle heart and his love for reading won me over. I mean, sure, he's basically a snake with wings (which makes me wonder about the jacket he was wearing at one point), but he's intelligent and compassionate, and who wouldn't love a guy who'll stay up all night talking about books?

As with many of the Tor short stories, there are a few typos, but the rest of the writing is pretty good. And the pace is great. Sometimes when I'm reading one of these, the 32 pages seem more like 320; that wasn't the case here. I was pleasantly surprised at how fast the story clipped along.

Overall, this is one of the stronger Tor short stories I've read. If you like fairy tales, you might enjoy this one, too.

Quotable moment:

"When I see a book, my heart races as though I'm in love," Irinia said.

"It makes me sad that not every book is good," I said. "Not every book can be loved."

"But when I pull a book off a shelf, and examine it, turning it this way and that, inspecting the cover, flipping through the pages and glancing at the words as they flash by, a thought here and a sentence there and I know that there is potential between those pages for love. Even if in my opinion the book is bad, someone else may find it good. Isn't that like love?"

Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Pace: 5/5
Writing & Editing: 3/5
Originality: 4/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 ladybugs

Review - Love

Love
by Matt de la Peña
illustrated by Loren Long
Date: 2018
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

From Newbery Medal-winning author Matt de la Peña and bestselling illustrator Loren Long comes a story about the strongest bond there is and the diverse and powerful ways it connects us all.

"In the beginning there is light
and two wide-eyed figures standing near the foot of your bed
and the sound of their voices is love.
...
A cab driver plays love softly on his radio
while you bounce in back with the bumps of the city
and everything smells new, and it smells like life."

In this heartfelt celebration of love, Newbery Medal-winning author Matt de la Peña and bestselling illustrator Loren Long depict the many ways we experience this universal bond, which carries us from the day we are born throughout the years of our childhood and beyond. With a lyrical text that's soothing and inspiring, this tender tale is a needed comfort and a new classic that will resonate with readers of every age.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

You know how, if you say a word over and over again for long enough, it starts to lose its meaning? Unfortunately, I think that's what happened here. In this book everything is love, and while on some level that might be true, it's a message that would probably ring hollow when your parents are fighting or your building is burning down or you have a nightmare after seeing something awful on TV. Equating all of those things with love didn't make much sense to me as an adult, and I'm not sure it would make much sense to kids, either.

However, the artwork in this one is just lovely. I really like Long's illustration style (I encountered it before in Barack Obama's delightful picture book, Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters). The cast of characters is culturally, economically, and socially diverse, and the charming pictures save what would otherwise be a confusing and confused narrative.

Have a look at this one for the illustrations, but don't expect too much from the writing.

Quotable moment:

In a crowded concrete park,
you toddle toward summer sprinklers
while older kids skip rope
and run up the slide, and soon
you are running among them,
and the echo of your laughter is love.

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

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.33 out of 5

Review - Mighty Moby

Mighty Moby
by Barbara DaCosta
illustrated by Ed Young
Date: 2017
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

A Moby Dick-inspired picture book adventure unlike any you've ever seen--with a surprise ending--from Caldecott Medal-winning artist Ed Young.

Deep in the dark ocean, Mighty Moby lurks. Up above the ocean waves, a one-legged captain pursues the whale he clashed with long ago.

Mighty Moby and the captain are soon locked in another battle... but things aren't always what they seem.

Caldecott Medalist Ed Young brings us a dynamically interactive story with a surprise twist that will have you rocking along to the waves of the ocean.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Well, that was a waste of a few minutes. From the rough mixed-media artwork to the boring text (some of which you can't even read well because of where and how it's formatted), this book left me kind of cold. The "twist" didn't impress me, either.

Unless you're hoping to get your children to read Moby Dick at some point, you probably won't find much of interest here. Neither will kids, I suspect.

Quotable moment:

The sailors sat
scared and silent,
as the whaleboats rocked
upon the rolling waves,

when came

a rumbling

a rushing

an
earthquake
rising
from
the
deep--
THE
WHALE!

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

Enjoyment: 1/5

Overall: 1.83 out of 5

Review - Somewhere Else

Somewhere Else
by Gus Gordon
Date: 2017
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

George has absolutely no interest in exploring the world. None at all.

He's far too busy enjoying his home life and baking delicious pastries. Or so he tells all his friends when they invite him along on their wonderful adventures.

But when George's friend Pascal digs a little deeper, the real reason George refuses to travel away from home is finally revealed...

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is a cute story about a bird (a duck?) named George Laurent who likes to bake, so much so that he's always too busy to fly anywhere like all the other birds. The story was simple, but sweet, and I liked the secondary character, Pascal Lombard. He's a bear, so he doesn't fly anywhere, but he still yearns to travel.

The artwork is really neat in this one. It's a combination of illustration and collage, with much of the material seeming to have come from old catalogues.

The writing is okay... until about 3/4 of the way through, and then the author--for some reason--thought it would be a good idea to have a character "smile" their dialogue. Not only is this incorrect (and impossible, as a smile is silent), but it's also one of my biggest pet peeves. I hate seeing this sort of thing in children's books especially; the last thing we need is yet another generation thinking this error is acceptable.

Overall, though, this was a cute story with unique artwork, and I quite enjoyed it.

Quotable moment:

As the seasons passed by, everyone stopped asking
George if he wanted to go somewhere else with them.
He was far too busy, it seemed.

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

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 4 out of 5

Review - Little Humans

Little Humans
by Brandon Stanton
Date: 2014
Publisher: Macmillan Australia
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 36
Format: e-book
Source: library

Street photographer and storyteller extraordinaire Brandon Stanton is the creator of the wildly popular blog "Humans of New York." He is also the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Humans of New York.

To create Little Humans, he's combined an original narrative with some of his favorite children's photos from the blog, in addition to all-new exclusive portraits. The result is a hip, heartwarming ode to little humans everywhere.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I'm not sure what the point of this children's book is supposed to be. Yes, the photos are lovely, but the book could've benefited from a stronger narrative to tie everything together. As it is, it's so weak that kids will probably only enjoy this book if they like looking at photos of other kids. The rhymes are clumsy and inconsistent, and I can't really take a book seriously when it throws in a misspelling like "alright".

Overall, this one is pretty forgettable. For a more interesting book that features photos of real children, try to find Barnabas and Anabel Kindersley's Children Just Like Me instead.

Quotable moment:

Little humans can put on a show,
to make you proud of what they know!

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

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.14 out of 5

Review - In a Small Kingdom

In a Small Kingdom
by Tomie dePaola
illustrated by Doug Salati
Date: 2018
Publisher: Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

In a small kingdom along an ancient road, a bell rings out. The beloved king has died, leaving his magnificent and powerful Imperial Robe to his heir, the young prince.

But when the prince’s jealous older half-brother steals the Imperial Robe, slashing it to bits, the prince can no longer rule—and the small kingdom is in great danger. Now the young prince must find another source of power and of strength—and he finds it in a surprising place.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

WARNING: Minor Spoilers! To read this review with the spoilers hidden, check it out on Goodreads.

I know I read a lot of Tomie dePaola books when I was a small child, but I don't really remember any of them. When I saw this relatively recent title at the library, I thought I'd give it a try.

The story is simple (maybe a little too simple) and the themes are... well, nice, but I felt like something was lacking. The book reads like a fairytale, and yet the resolution is too easy. The villain runs away before he can be caught, never to be seen or heard from again. I would've liked to see a little more development of that part of the story; as it is, it's pretty unsatisfying.

The illustrations were just okay, and they needed to be really great to make up for the thin story. Overall, this book was mediocre and not very memorable.

Quotable moment:

The young prince's older half brother seethed with jealousy. "The old king was my father too," he said to himself. "How dare he choose my half brother to be king?"

In an instant the angry half brother knew what he would do. Without the Robe, the young prince cannot rule, he thought. He is too young, too weak. But I am not.

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

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.5 out of 5

Review - A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo

A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo
by Marlon Bundo & Jill Twiss
illustrated by EG Keller
Date: 2018
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

100% of Last Week Tonight's proceeds will be donated to The Trevor Project and AIDS United.

HBO's Emmy-winning Last Week Tonight with John Oliver presents a picture book about a Very Special boy bunny who falls in love with another boy bunny.

Meet Marlon Bundo, a lonely bunny who lives with his Grampa, Mike Pence - the Vice President of the United States. But on this Very Special Day, Marlon's life is about to change forever...

With its message of tolerance and advocacy, this charming children's book explores issues of same sex marriage and democracy. Sweet, funny, and beautifully illustrated, this book is dedicated to every bunny who has ever felt different.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This picture book is wonderful. I wasn't sure what to expect from a book supposedly written by Mike Pence's pet rabbit, but Marlon Bundo is a sweet bunny with a big heart.

The story is a simple message of love and tolerance. The characters--from Marlon Bundo and his diverse set of friends to the obnoxious Stink Bug--are great. The illustrations are cute. There are some laugh-out-loud moments that kids and adults alike will probably enjoy. And I loved the last lines; they're a reminder not to give up hope.

Highly recommended!

Quotable moment:

I live with Mom, Grandma, and Grampa in an old, stuffy house on the grounds of the U.S. Naval Observatory. That's because my Grampa is the Vice President. His name is Mike Pence.

But this story isn't going to be about him, because he isn't very fun. This story is about me, because I'm very, very fun.

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

Enjoyment: 5/5

Overall: 4.5 out of 5

Review - Frazzled: Everyday Disasters and Impending Doom

Frazzled: Everyday Disasters and Impending Doom (Frazzled #1)
by Booki Vivat
Date: 2016
Publisher: HarperCollins
Reading level: MG
Book type: graphic novel
Pages: 240
Format: e-book
Source: library

Meet Abbie Wu! She’s about to start middle school and she’s totally in crisis.

Abbie Wu is in crisis—and not just because she’s stuck in a family that doesn’t quite get her or because the lunch ladies at school are totally corrupt or because everyone seems to have a “Thing” except her. Abbie Wu is in crisis always.

Heavily illustrated and embarrassingly honest, Frazzled dives right into the mind of this hilariously neurotic middle school girl as she tries to figure out who she is, where she belongs, and how to survive the everyday disasters of growing up. With Abbie’s flair for the dramatic and natural tendency to freak out, middle school has never seemed so nerve-racking!

Packed with hilarious black-and-white illustrations and doodles throughout, Frazzled takes readers through Abbie Wu’s hysterical middle school adventures.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I wasn't sure I was going to like this book when I started it. After all, I can't really relate to the middle school experience. I seem to have missed it! When I was in fifth grade, the K-6 school I attended made some changes that would see the sixth graders at the junior high (originally 7-8) the next year. But then I moved over the summer... to a place where elementary school was K-7. I should've gone into junior high (8-10) after that, but the year I finished grade seven, the schools combined the junior and senior highs (8-12), dumping us poor grade eights at the bottom of a very tall ladder. We endured a year of listening to the chants of, "Grade eights suck!" at every single assembly, in front of all the teachers (this was in the days before anyone cared much about bullying), and when we finally made it to grade nine, we thought the worst was over. Nope. "Grade nines suck!" echoed through the first assembly of the year.

It kind of reminded me of what happened to Abbie in this book. For whatever reason, the eighth graders at her middle school felt threatened by the incoming younger students, and took out their frustrations in the only way that was permissible: by making lunch miserable for anyone below the eighth grade. So... this is completely unrealistic (you can't tell me that you wouldn't have at least one irate parent calling in about the underhanded bullying by the older kids and the lunch ladies, which basically forced the younger kids to eat crap), but it was kind of necessary to drive the story, which revolves around Abbie finding her Thing.

I wasn't crazy about Abbie at all points during the story, but it was mostly where she felt contrived that I didn't like her as much. She whines about ending up in Study Hall for her elective, but her refusing to choose an elective is what put her there in the first place! (Of course, she needs to be in Study Hall so that she can find her Thing, so I get why it was done. Still, I didn't enjoy reading about someone complain, when she was only in that situation because of her own choices.)

The artwork kind of grew on me. At first, I thought it was too simple. I mean, it looked a lot like the doodles in my own notebooks from school! But I think it really worked here because the illustrations looked like something a middle-schooler might have scrawled during a particularly boring class.

This book would probably be enjoyed more by people who are in the midst of (or who have had) a middle-school experience, but even without that perspective, I still enjoyed it. Although the story was a bit light on plot, I liked the characters and the tone. I think I might like reading more about Abbie Wu and her melodramatic observations about the Middles.

Plot: 3/5
Characters: 4/5
Pace: 3/5
Writing & Editing: 4/5
Illustration: 4/5
Originality: 3/5

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall Rating: 3.63 out of 5 ladybugs

Review - Crescent Moons and Pointed Minarets

Crescent Moons and Pointed Minarets: A Muslim Book of Shapes
by Hena Khan
illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini
Date: 2018
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

From a crescent moon to a square garden to an octagonal fountain, this breathtaking picture book celebrates the shapes--and traditions--of the Muslim world. Sure to inspire questions and observations about world religions and cultures, Crescent Moons and Pointed Minarets is equally at home in a classroom reading circle and on a parent's lap being read to a child.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is a beautiful little book that I happened to see at the library. At first, I thought it might be aimed at toddlers (considering that it's a "book of shapes"), but it would probably be a little better suited to children who are a bit older.

The illustrations are really gorgeous, incorporating a diverse cast of Muslim characters from all over the world, along with shapes and patterns and arabesques that give the book a unique flavour. If I had one complaint, it was that I didn't realize there was a glossary at the back, and I was confused throughout much of my first reading because there were a lot of words I didn't understand. Because of that, I thought that the book might only be suitable for Muslim children whose parents could explain these words. But after I found the glossary, I went back and read the book again, and it all made sense.

Overall, this is a great little picture book for teaching children about the art and architecture of Islam. I'd definitely recommend this one!

Quotable moment:

Oval is the table
where we break our fast.
When the sun sets,
it's iftar time at last.

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

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.86 out of 5

Review - Swing It, Sunny

Swing It, Sunny (Sunny #2)
by Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm
Date: 2017
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Reading level: MG
Book type: graphic novel
Pages: 224
Format: e-book
Source: library

Summer's over and it's time for Sunny Lewin to enter the strange and unfriendly hallways of... middle school. When her Gramps calls her from Florida to ask how she's doing, she always tells him she's fine. But the truth? Sunny is NOT having the best time.

Not only is the whole middle school thing confusing... but life at home is confusing, too. Sunny misses her brother Dale, who's been sent to boarding school. But when Dale comes back, she STILL misses him... because he's changed.

Luckily Sunny's got her best friend and a mysterious new neighbor on her side... because she is NOT going let all this confusion get her down. Instead, she's going to remain Sunny-side up!

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Well, that was just as underwhelming as the first book in the series.

I know this is middle grade, so you can't get too far into the darker themes, but I really don't get Sunny's brother. Something nasty has to be going on behind the scenes, because he's so messed up. The whole time I was reading it, I was thinking about things like secret abuse, or something going on in that family. It's implied that he's a delinquent "just because", and while that might be the way it sometimes is in real life, in fiction it just seems like lazy storytelling. (I don't think that synopsis is particularly accurate, either. Other than his haircut, Dale is pretty much the same troubled teenager he always was. I was hoping for a bit more character development there.)

Aside from that, the plot is non-existent. It's just a bunch of random scenes loosely connected by Sunny's feelings about missing her brother. She meets a new neighbour, learns to play with batons, and laughs at her little brother eating sand. That's about it. It's very sparse, and it comes to a halt so abruptly that I didn't realize for a moment that the book had ended. The resolution was pat. The actual ending was abrupt.

I didn't enjoy this one any more than the first book in the series. I think I'm done with Sunny.

Plot: 1/5
Characters: 2/5
Pace: 2/5
Writing & Editing: 3/5
Illustration: 2/5
Originality: 1/5

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall Rating: 1.86 out of 5 ladybugs