Monday, September 28, 2020

Review - Sick Simon

Sick Simon

by Dan Krall
Date: 2015
Publisher: Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 48
Format: e-book
Source: library

Are germs gross, or great? Sick Simon learns how to be health-conscious during cold and flu season in this clever picture book from the author-illustrator of The Great Lollipop Caper.

Simon is going to have the best week ever. Who cares if he has a cold? He goes to school anyway, and sneezes everywhere, and coughs on everyone, and touches everything.

Germs call him a hero! Everyone else calls him Sick Simon. When will it end? How far will he go? Will the germs take over, or can Sick Simon learn to change his ways?

(synopsis from Goodreads)

There were bound to be some books that were rendered completely useless by the COVID-19 episode. Sick Simon, published in 2015, is one of them.

Simon is a disgusting little kid. He's sick. He gets snot and puke everywhere and coughs on everyone around him. Soon, he makes the whole school sick. After a meeting with his germs, he realizes the error of his ways and starts to take better care of himself.

While the common sense suggestions of washing your hands, blowing your nose into a tissue, and getting plenty of rest are fine, they're rendered moot by today's climate. Children no longer have the opportunity to make decisions that affect their own health; everything--including whether or not they can go to school--is dictated by the government. And I fear that a book like this could potentially be damaging to vulnerable little psyches. Kids are already being told they're walking disease vectors that are going to kill their grandparents if they don't wear a mask 24/7 and develop a hand-sanitizer addiction (even if they're not sick). Showing Simon make all his classmates violently ill could be traumatizing for already stressed-out kids who have absorbed the messaging about being dirty and diseased.

Before this year, I might've looked on this one more favourably. Simon is suitably disgusting, and kids probably would've gotten a kick out of his nasty habits. But now... it just hits too close to home, and it reinforces the fact that children have no choice in the matter. They're not allowed to decide to go to school when they're sick (or even make the better choice to stay home) because all choice has been stripped away. Sick Simon reads like a paean to a simpler time, when a child with the sniffles was regarded as something other than a murderous disease vector.

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 - The Starkeeper

The Starkeeper

by Faith Pray
Date: 2020
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

A fallen star and one child's kindness lead to a chain of good works that change her town from a dreary, dark place to one of dazzling brightness.

When a girl finds a fallen star, she decides to keep it hidden. But this star encourages kindness and needs to shine, so it comes out from the shadows. At first the glow from the star starts to fade, and the girl worries--maybe she's not a very good starkeeper. Then a chance gesture of kindness seems to brighten the star, and soon this kindness leads to a chain of good works that light up the once-dreary town.

The art of the book follows the star's journey and lights up more and more with each act of kindness.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

The Starkeeper is a sweet little book about kindness. An unnamed girl in a gloomy city makes a wish to chase the darkness away. She subsequently finds a star, and knows that she needs to share it. But nobody seems interested. The girl is about to give up when she realizes that small acts of kindness are the things that help the star's light to shine and grow.

The message is simple, but the illustrations are where this book really shines. The time period is ambiguous (as is the setting, although it looks distinctly European), but the characters are appealing and the whole book has a luminous quality that makes the little girl and her star shine.

Books about kindness seem to be becoming more popular. This would be a lovely one to add to that bookshelf.

Quotable moment:


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

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.67 out of 5

Sunday, September 27, 2020

Review - Little Hoot

Little Hoot
(Little Books)
by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
illustrated by Jen Corace
Date: 2007
Publisher: Chronicle Books LLC
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: Amazon.ca

It's not fair! All Little Owl wants is to go to bed at a reasonable hour, like his friends do. But no... Mama and Papa say little owls have to stay up late and play. So Little Owl spends all night jumping on his bed, playing on the jungle gym, and doing tricks on his skateboard but he's hooting mad about it! Children who have a hard time going to bed will love this fun twist on the universal dilemma.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This was surprisingly disappointing. I've read the other two books in the series (Little Pea and Little Oink) and thought they were really cute. I can usually turn to Amy Krouse Rosenthal's books for some solid writing and storytelling. For some reason, though, this book was riddled with nonsensical dialogue tags and extra letters and punctuation that come across as way too casual for a published book. (Yes, I know we're dealing with an owl. He hoots. I get it. But I don't get the need for fourteen exclamation points on the end of one sentence.)

The illustrations are cute (I like Little Hoot's hooded sweatshirt) but they're not quite as engaging as those in Little Oink. And the story seemed like it was over so quickly in this one. Little Hoot's parents say he has to stay up for one more hour and play before he's allowed to go to bed. So the young owl occupies himself for the required number of minutes and then goes to bed. I get the schtick... but it doesn't seem to work as well here as it did in the other books.

Overall, I'd probably only recommend this if it were given with the other two books. As part of a set, it works. On its own, it's a little weak.

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

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3 out of 5

Review - How I Became a Pirate

How I Became a Pirate

by Melinda Long
illustrated by David Shannon
Date: 2003
Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 44
Format: e-book
Source: Amazon.ca

Pirates have green teeth—when they have any teeth at all. I know about pirates, because one day, when I was at the beach building a sand castle and minding my own business, a pirate ship sailed into view.

So proclaims Jeremy Jacob, a boy who joins Captain Braid Beard and his crew in this witty look at the finer points of pirate life by the Caldecott Honor–winning illustrator David Shannon and the storyteller Melinda Long. Jeremy learns how to say “scurvy dog,” sing sea chanteys, and throw food . . . but he also learns that there are no books or good night kisses on board: “Pirates don’t tuck.” A swashbuckling adventure with fantastically silly, richly textured illustrations that suit the story to a T.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I recently read Pirates Don't Change Diapers, the second book about Jeremy Jacob and his crew of pirate friends. When I came across the story that started it all, I just had to take a look.

In this first installment, Jeremy Jacob is just minding his own business, building a sand castle on the beach, when a group of pirates rows ashore. They're looking for a good digger, so they take Jeremy Jacob with them so he can help them bury their treasure. The kid thinks it's great... at first. But when it comes time for bed, he realizes that pirates might be fun, but they're not so great at doing things like reading stories and tucking in.

Both books feature the same highly detailed illustrations by David Shannon. The pirates are a fun bunch to look at, with their various quirks and unique characteristics. The accompanying text is simple and captures the wonder of a little boy's imagination.

I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as its sequel, but I still think both books are a lot of fun. They'd be great to give together as a gift for pirate-loving readers.

Quotable moment:


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

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.67 out of 5

Saturday, September 26, 2020

Review - Wonderful You

Wonderful You

by Lisa Graff
illustrated by Ramona Kaulitzki
Date: 2020
Publisher: Philomel Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

From award-winning author Lisa Graff comes a sweet and poignant picture book that celebrates the arrival of new babies!

Before you were with us, we already knew
that the thing most worth doing was waiting for you.


So begins this warm and loving picture book all about the joy of waiting for a new baby to be born. Month by month, parents and families of all sorts watch the baby-to-be grow, from a sweet pea to a mango and eventually to a pumpkin--until finally, the babies are born as their wonderful little selves.

Perfect for any family expecting a new bundle of joy, this book celebrates the anticipation and happiness that only a baby can bring.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I think we need a category for picture books that are intended for parents. This one, while sweet in its theme, is just plain weird and could be quite confusing to literal-minded children.

Told in rhyme, Wonderful You charts the course of a pregnancy. Along the way, it compares "you" (the developing fetus) with various fruits and vegetables. The problem, though, is not that the book says something like "When you were the size of a lemon." It says "When you were a lemon." How is a child supposed to process that, especially as the fetus keeps morphing into larger and larger footstuffs?

The illustrations are cute and do tie in with the fruit-and-vegetable theme, but since that's super weird, I'm not sure if I like it.

Some children might get a kick out of hearing about how they mutated from a pea all the way to a pumpkin (passing through the stages of fig, eggplant, and pineapple along the way), but others are likely to be confused as to why their mother was growing produce in her womb.

I don't think I'd recommend this one (except maybe to parents who will be old enough to actually get the food metaphors).

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

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 3.14 out of 5

Review - Pugtato Finds a Thing

Pugtato Finds a Thing

by Sophie Corrigan
Date: 2020
Publisher: Zonderkidz
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

When Pugtato’s simple, quiet life is disrupted after he digs up a strange object in his garden, he enlists his best “spuddies” to help (they are more clever than he is, after all). Tweetroot is certain it’s a new egg for her nest. Tomatoad is quite sure it’s a toy just for him. And Purrsnip simply won’t stop scratching it! Luckily, Pugtato has another very special spuddy to ask …

(synopsis from Goodreads)

A fun, trippy romp through the garden, Pugtato Finds a Thing is the story of a pug-shaped potato who finds a mysterious Thing in the dirt. He asks all his friends what they think the Thing might be, only to be presented with a number of answers... none of which feel quite right. It takes a trip to the wisest creature in the garden before Pugtato manages to figure out what his beloved Thing is.

This is pretty imaginative. The garden is populated by a number of creative creatures, who are all hybrids of vegetables and animals. There's the titular Pugtato, of course, but there's also Tweetroot, Tomatoad, Carrat, and the piggish Brussels Snouts (among others). The whole story is told in rhyme; although it's a little clunky in places, it works overall.

Kids (and parents) will find a lot to giggle over and smile at here. The sweet ending wraps up the story nicely. Overall, I'd recommend this one to readers with a sense of humour who enjoy puns and a little bit of fantasy with their veggies.

Quotable moment:


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

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 4 out of 5

Thursday, September 24, 2020

Review - The Bug Girl: A True Story

The Bug Girl: A True Story

by Sophia Spencer & Margaret McNamara
illustrated by Kerascoët
Date: 2020
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book non-fiction
Pages: 44
Format: e-book
Source: library

Real-life 7-year-old Sophia Spencer was bullied for loving bugs until hundreds of women scientists rallied around her. Now Sophie tells her story in this picture book that celebrates women in science, bugs of all kinds, and the importance of staying true to yourself.

Sophia Spencer has loved bugs ever since a butterfly landed on her shoulder--and wouldn't leave--at a butterfly conservancy when she was only two-and-a-half years old. In preschool and kindergarten, Sophia was thrilled to share what she knew about grasshoppers (her very favorite insects), as well as ants and fireflies... but by first grade, not everyone shared her enthusiasm. Some students bullied her, and Sophia stopped talking about bugs altogether. When Sophia's mother wrote to an entomological society looking for a bug scientist to be a pen pal for her daughter, she and Sophie were overwhelmed by the enthusiastic response--letters, photos, and videos came flooding in. Using the hashtag BugsR4Girls, scientists tweeted hundreds of times to tell Sophia to keep up her interest in bugs--and it worked! Sophia has since appeared on Good Morning America, The Today Show, and NPR, and she continues to share her love of bugs with others.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

The Bug Girl is a wonderful (true) story of a young girl who follows her passion, even if the other kids her age don't understand it.

Sophia loved bugs from an early age. And the other kids thought that was cool... up until first grade. And then she was bullied for her interest. (Kids get mean earlier and earlier, it seems.) Hating to see her daughter so sad, Sophia's mom reached out to entomologists for support. And support they got! Sophia was inspired to allow herself to keep loving bugs and exploring the world of insects.

The story is lovely and the illustrations, done by husband-and-wife team Kerascoët, complement the text perfectly. There's also an informative (but easy-to-read) section at the back where Sophia shares facts about some of her favourite bugs.

This would be an excellent title for other budding entomologists, as well as for readers looking for books about bullying with an ultimately uplifting message.

Quotable moment:


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

Enjoyment: 5/5

Overall: 4.5 out of 5

Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Review - My Best Friend

My Best Friend

by Julie Fogliano
illustrated by Jillian Tamaki
Date: 2020
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

A story of first friendship.

she is my best friend i think
i never had a best friend so i’m not sure
but i think she is a really good best friend
because when we were drawing
she drew me
and i drew her.


What is a best friend, if not someone who laughs with you the whole entire day, especially when you pretend to be a pickle?

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This book is adorable. Combining beautiful artwork with spare, poetic text that evokes the simplicity of childhood friendships, My Best Friend is a lovely look at two little girls who decide they are best friends... after only knowing each other for a few minutes.

There's little more to be said about a book like this; it really needs to be experienced by the reader.

Quotable moment:


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

Enjoyment: 5/5

Overall: 4.5 out of 5

Review - My Rainy Day Rocket Ship

My Rainy Day Rocket Ship

by Markette Sheppard
illustrated by Charly Palmer
Date: 2020
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

There are only so many puddles a child can jump in on a rainy day. A stormy afternoon and an order from Mom to stay inside are no match for this little dreamer, who uses everyday household items--a rocking chair, a cardboard box, an old dishrag, and his super-duper imagination--to whip up an indoor space adventure he won't soon forget. A spectacular launch into outer space ultimately lands him on a new planet called X-Y-Z, also known as B-E-D, in a faraway galaxy known as the Land of ZZZZZZs.

This rhythmic read-aloud is, on the surface, all about the soaring ingenuity of a child who refuses to let boredom outdo his inventiveness: he builds a rocket ship, designs his space gear, waves his flag, and uses his magical mind to take flight. Dig deeper and see a celebration of a little boy's imagination and all the ways he uses it to transform the mundane into the extraordinary and to dream out loud.

My Rainy Day Rocket Ship is a high-spirited, engaging salute to the imaginations of black boys who use their beautiful minds to boldly go where not even the sky is a limit.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

The premise here is fine, and the illustrations are unique and adorable. But what is up with that rhyme scheme? Some words that are supposed to rhyme don't. There's no meter. A couplet is stuck in there for no good reason. This would be tricky to try to read aloud.

A little boy using his imagination on a rainy day is fine. But the writing just doesn't work for me. This book could've been something really special if more attention had been paid to the text.

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

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.57 out of 5

Review - Tikki Tikki Tembo

Tikki Tikki Tembo

by Arlene Mosel
illustrated by Blair Lent
Date: 1968
Publisher: Square Fish
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 48
Format: e-book
Source: library

Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-
chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo!


Three decades and more than one million copies later children still love hearing about the boy with the long name who fell down the well. Arlene Mosel and Blair Lent's classic re-creation of an ancient Chinese folktale has hooked legions of children, teachers, and parents, who return, generation after generation, to learn about the danger of having such an honorable name as Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I'll spare you talk of the problematic aspects of this book (there are plenty of discussions about them online, if you're interested). I picked this book up because I have such fond memories of it from my childhood.

The story is amusingly horrifying in spots, with the adults' indifference to the children's plight spelled out for all to see. The idiot kids obviously don't learn their lesson about playing near wells after Chang falls in. When it's Tikki tikki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo's turn to take the plunge, you can't help but think that Child Protective Services might need to get involved with this oblivious single mother and her unruly offspring. The moral of the story turns out to be not "don't play around dangerous wells" but "don't give your kids long names just in case they fall into wells". It's rather absurd, no matter how you look at it.

I can't help but feel that this one is a little dated, though. Cultural appropriation rears its ugly head. 
Stereotypes abound. But what do you expect from a book published in 1968?

A year ago, I read another book based on the same old Japanese folktale. Pacho Nacho by Silvia LĂłpez is an updated version that takes place in Mexico, that uses real Spanish nicknames to create the great moniker, and doesn't make any claims about naming tradition origins. If you're looking for something with the same silly starting point, Pacho Nacho is a much better choice for modern audiences.

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

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3 out of 5

Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Review - The Night Is Deep and Wide

The Night Is Deep and Wide

by Gillian Sze
illustrated by Sue Todd
Date: 2021
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 20
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

Rich imagery, gentle rhythm and soothing repetition will lull your little one to sleep as the tulips close for the night, one by one. In this bedtime story written as an Italian villanelle, poet Gillian Sze makes use of the poetic forms of cyclic pattern and rhyme scheme to create a melodious lullaby.

A young child comes in from picking flowers as the creatures around their home all settle down for the evening. Songbirds curl against their mothers’ sides, the house slumps and sighs low, a hush settles as times slows. And little readers are invited to rest their heads and be soothed to sleep as moonlight falls on eyes that close.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Sure, newborns might only be able to see black and white (or so the book claims), but let's be honest: the pictures here are more for the adult reading the book to them. (How do you read a picture book to a newborn? Hold the thing over their head in the crib?)

I'm not sure I like the poetry in here, anyway. It's apparently an Italian villanelle. Okay... To me, it just sounds repetitive. The sentiment is nice, but I don't think a book like this is magically going to get a fussy (and possibly gassy) newborn to sleep. It's not like they'll hear the words and think, "Oh, my! An Italian villanelle. That's my cue to shut my eyes and ignore my tummy-ache."

The illustrations are certainly interesting, and as an adult, I can appreciate the technique. The spots of colour in the otherwise-monochromatic palette are striking.

There's really no reason not to recommend this. I'm just not sold on how it's being marketed. Newborns don't care about poetic forms and linoleum carving. They just want to hear your voice.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orca Book Publishers for providing a digital ARC.

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

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3 out of 5

Review - Duffy the Christmassy Dragon

Duffy the Christmassy Dragon

by Kate Noble
illustrated by Kara Olson
Date: 2007
Publisher: BooksGoSocial
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 24
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

Beautiful, unique rhyming verse Christmas story, suitable for 3-8 year olds. Duffy The Dragon helps Santa one icy Christmas Eve. 24 pages - fully illustrated. A lovely gift and fun to read.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This book has been around for over a decade. It's obviously being released again. And a re-release would've been the perfect time to give the text a polish. Sadly, that opportunity wasn't taken.

Duffy appears to be the pet dragon of a king. On Christmas Eve, the king is away visiting an aunt, leaving Duffy with his friends in the castle. Santa Claus ends up slipping on all the icy roofs, and he needs Duffy's help to melt the snow with his dragon breath. The dragon helps, and Christmas is saved.

And what does Duffy get for his troubles after all of that? A photo of himself. Way to cheap out, Santa. (Aren't dragons supposed to be fond of... well, "stuff"?)

The whole book is written in rhyming verse. The meter isn't great, but I've seen worse. (Oops... Sorry about that inadvertent poem there.) The problem is the writing. The punctuation is off. Capitalization is inconsistent. There are made-up words that I can't figure out (like "wooping"... which may just be a misspelling of "swooping"). The continual use of "reindeers" as a plural is just annoying.

Overall, this is a fairly weak Christmas story. Kids might like it if they're big fans of dragons, though.

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

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

Enjoyment: 1/5

Overall: 2 out of 5

Monday, September 21, 2020

Review - Robobaby

Robobaby

by David Wiesner
Date: 2020
Publisher: Clarion Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

Robots are much more than machines in the emotionally resonant world of Robobaby, where the arrival of a new baby in a robot family is a festive occasion. Iconic picture book creator David Wiesner captures the excitement as Lugnut (father), Diode (mother), and big sister Cathode (Cathy) welcome the newcomer. Cathy, with her handy toolbox and advanced knowledge of robotics and IT, is ignored while the adults bungle the process of assembling baby Flange, with near catastrophic results. As the frantic, distracted adults rush about aimlessly, Cathy, unobserved, calmly clears up the technical difficulties and bonds with her new baby brother. Robobaby is a shout‑out for girl scientists and makers, and a treat for all young robot enthusiasts.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I think I expected more from David Wiesner. This is chaotic, messy, and somehow boring. A whole bunch of characters are dumped onto the page, and we're expected to care. I'm afraid I don't.

Basically, a family of robots is welcoming a new addition. In their haste to assemble their new baby, they neglect to install the updates. The thing goes haywire and the family has to call in the experts. The daughter, Cathode (Cathy), saves the day with her tinkering skills.

The illustrations are skillfully done. But the text almost seems like an afterthought. And there was so much going on in some of the pictures that I was a bit overwhelmed.

I might recommend this to fans of robots, but that's about it. The story isn't anything special.

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

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.33 out of 5

Review - SumoKitty

SumoKitty

by David Biedrzycki
Date: 2019
Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 50
Format: e-book
Source: library

Watch out, mice! This cat is a sumo champion!

A stray kitty gets a job in a sumo stable, chasing mice in exchange for food. But when eating like a sumo wrestler slows our feline hero down, he realizes he must train like a wrestler, too. Through hard work and perseverance--and with a little help from a big buddy--SumoKitty is born!

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Sumo wrestling isn't a common topic for a picture book (at least, I haven't seen very many that incorporate the sport into the story). SumoKitty is about a cat who lives with some sumo wrestlers in exchange for keeping the mice at bay. But soon, weighed down by too much good food, he starts to lose his edge. And then he loses his job. He must persevere and try hard to win back his place... all while being inspired by his much larger human friend.

The message is lovely and the illustrations are adorable. Sumo terms are sprinkled throughout (along with pronunciations) so readers will also learn a bit about the sumo way of life as the story progresses.

Cat lovers will probably appreciate this one, but it's a nice choice for anyone looking for books about never giving up, as well as books set in Japan that focus on sumo wrestling.

Quotable moment:


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

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 4.17 out of 5

Sunday, September 20, 2020

Review - Piglette

Piglette

by Katelyn Aronson
illustrated by Eva Byrne
Date: 2020
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

Will a pristine piglet find perfection in Paris?

Piglette can be a bit particular by her siblings' standards. She always wants everything to be perfect. While her many brothers and sisters like rolling in the mud, Piglette prefers pampering in a mud bath. While her siblings eat slop, Piglette prefers pastries. But what she's most passionate about is flowers. She loves to smell the lilies and lilacs in the pasture. So Piglette decides her precise nose is destined for the perfume shops of Paris!

But Piglette soon realizes that there's nothing more precious than the pleasant scents of home, and she finds a way to bring a little Parisian perfection back where she belongs. Debut author Kateyln Aronson and #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator Eva Byrne have created an unforgettable, playful piglet who stays true to herself and the message that home is where the heart is.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Piglette is the seventh piglet born on a farm in France. She doesn't like the piggish things her siblings do, however. She's a lot more... well, refined. The first chance she gets, she leaves for Paris, where she lives a glamorous life working for a perfumery. Everything is great... for a while. But soon the city loses its lustre and Piglette longs for the countryside. When she returns home, though, she misses the city. Will she be able to bring together the two places that she loves?

I'm not sure why I didn't love this one more. The illustrations are adorable and the text is fairly strong. Maybe I'm just picking up on Piglette's indecision and uncertainty. She spends the book trying to figure out where, exactly, she belongs... and by the end, I'm not convinced that she knows.

Overall, this is a cute picture book. Lovers of pig fiction will eat it up.

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 - One Golden Rule at School

One Golden Rule at School: A Counting Book

by Selina Alko
Date: 2020
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

Award-winning creator Selina Alko's One Golden Rule at School is a charming story that's two books in one--a counting book and a school primer for little ones.

Young children experience a day of preschool, beginning with morning meeting, story time, and art projects, then on to outside play, puzzles, and snack and nap time, ending with a heartwarming golden rule.

Set against the familiar and dynamic backdrop of a daily school adventure, this vibrant counting book showcases a diverse and inclusive classroom of learners. The text counters from one to ten and back again while the back matter counts higher to twenty.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is a rhyming counting book that focusses on a day at school. The text counts upward from one to ten, with most pages reinforcing the number more than once, before counting back down again to one. The illustrations are collages and feature a diverse class of students.

I was a bit taken aback by the first page for "6". Parents who are sensitive about 9/11 might want to be aware that the page features a little girl in a hijab with a sign about a skyscraper... which another child is throwing paper airplanes at. This might be viewed as tone-deaf and distasteful by some.

Other than that, the meter is good and I don't have any complaints with the illustrations; they're fun to look at. The overall premise is fine and the text and pictures work well together as they show young children what a typical day at school might be like. I'm not sure that the "golden rule" part of it really works; it seems tacked on more than anything and doesn't really integrate with the text. But it's always a nice message to see in picture books, even if it isn't the focus like it should be.

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

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 3 out of 5

Thursday, September 17, 2020

Review - Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress

Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress

by Christine Baldacchino
illustrated by Isabelle Malenfant
Date: 2014
Publisher: Groundwood Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

Morris has a great imagination. He paints amazing pictures and he loves his classroom's dress-up center, especially the tangerine dress. It reminds him of tigers, the sun and his mother's hair.

The other children don't understand--dresses, they say, are for girls. And Morris certainly isn't welcome in the spaceship his classmates are building--astronauts, they say, don't wear dresses.

One day Morris has a tummy ache, and his mother lets him stay home from school. He stays in bed reading about elephants, and her dreams about a space adventure with his cat, Moo. Inspired by his dream, Morris paints a fantastic picture, and everything begins to change when he takes it to school.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Kids can be little stinkers. Especially when they're so steeped in gender stereotypes that they make other kids' lives miserable. Gender is kind of weird, if you think about it. Based on the bodies we're born with, society assigns us a set of rules that we're supposed to follow. And if you don't follow them... well, trouble often ensues.

That's the case here for Morris, who absolutely adores the tangerine dress in his classroom's dress-up center. It swishes and crinkles and reminds him of his mom's hair. But the other kids don't get it. The girls make fun of him. The boys refuse to engage with him, afraid they'll end up as girls if they play with a boy in a dress. Morris ends up with a stomachache and stays home from school. But then he paints a picture about a grand adventure and ends up sharing that with the other kids... who come to realize that it doesn't matter what you're wearing, as long as you're having fun.

The message is nice. I like the way that Morris's affection for the dress was tied into his love for other things that the dress reminded him of (his mother, tigers, etc.). The pictures highlight the text well.

Overall, this is a good story that teaches compassion, empathy, and kindness. Oh, and that astronauts can so wear dresses.

Quotable moment:


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

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.5 out of 5

Tuesday, September 15, 2020

Review - Rain Boy

Rain Boy

by Dylan Glynn
Date: 2020
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

A heartfelt picture book about differences, acceptance, and loving yourself for who you are.

Wherever he goes, Rain Boy brings wet—which means he's not very popular. Sun Kidd brings sunshine everywhere she goes, so everyone loves her. Only Sun Kidd sees what's special about Rain Boy. But when she invites him to her birthday party, disaster strikes, and Rain Boy storms. Now the world is nothing but rain. Will the other kids ever love Rain Boy for being himself? And. more importantly, can Rain Boy learn to love his rain? Debut author and illustrator Dylan Glynn's colorful and evocative illustrations color this story with all the emotions of the rainbow in this universal story of reaching out to those who look different from you, making new friends, and learning to love yourself.

• Important lessons on acceptance, bullying, self-reliance and empathy told in a beautifully illustrated, accessible story
• A great read-aloud book for families of children struggling to fit in and find their self-confidence
• Perfect book for educators, caregivers, and librarians to help with lessons on bullying, kindness, LGBQT themes, and friendship

Fans of One, The Big Umbrella, and Be Kind will find Rain Boy's striking artwork and positive message an important addition to their bookshelf.

• Read-aloud books for kids age 3–5
• #ownvoices
• Kindness books for kids

(synopsis from Goodreads)

LGBQT themes? Um... excuse me? How does a book about an anthropomorphized cloud have LGBQT themes?

This is bizarre. I think it's supposed to be about bullying, but it's just strange. Rain Boy is an actual cloud. He rains on everything and the kids don't like him. Sun Kidd is a little black girl who glows (or something) and everybody likes her. So Rain Boy gets pissed off and causes it to rain for months, until everybody comes to like the rain. Then he peeks outside (it's not explained how he made it rain while he was inside) and sees people having fun. The book ends with "So the next time you're feeling down and your world is dark and gray... just look up." Because tilting your head back solves all your problems? I don't even know.

Rain Boy ruined the birthday party. He ruined the presents. He melted the cake. He soaked the basement. Sure, the other kids could've been kinder, but getting mad at Rain Boy for doing those things isn't the same thing as bullying. The word "bullying" becomes more and more meaningless when it's used like this. Rain Boy wasn't bullied. He was simply unpopular... and understandably so. If a kid gets invited to a birthday party and then throws all the presents in the pool and pees in the punch, it's not "bullying" when the other kids get angry. It's justified annoyance, and they shouldn't have to be friends with a kid like that if they don't want to.

I just don't get the characters, either. Rain Boy is a floating raincloud. Sun Kidd is a human child. Why isn't she just the sun? What a weird choice.

The writing isn't technically too bad, but the message is weak. And the illustrations are really not my thing. They're so scribbly and frenetic, and most of the characters look either deranged or angry. The pictures aren't appealing to look at.

Overall, I'd skip this one. There are better books out there about friendship and bullying.

Premise: 1/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 1/5
Originality: 1/5

Enjoyment: 1/5

Overall: 1.33 out of 5

Sunday, September 13, 2020

Review - If You Give a Deer a Carrot

If You Give a Deer a Carrot

by Paul Pineapple
illustrated by Balarupa Studio
Date: 2020
Publisher: Paul Pineapple
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 15
Format: e-book
Source: Amazon.ca

Feeding deer leads to lunacy -- but it only gets worse when you stop!

A girl feeds a deer on her front lawn. The next day there are two deer...a family...a herd. A stag crashes through her window. A herd chases her car. Her parents are upset. Her sister is insanely jealous. But if she stops handing out carrots, what kind of mischief will those deer get into next?

Written in rhyming quatrains, with ebullient, absurd illustrations, If You Give a Deer a Carrot will make your kids spit out their milk laughing.

Order If You Give a Deer a Carrot and share a laugh with your kids today.

(synopsis from Amazon.ca; see it on Goodreads)

Quite frankly, I'm surprised Mr. Pineapple hasn't been sued.

If You Give a Deer a Carrot has the same premise (and even the same title structure) as Laura Joffe Numeroff's If You Give... series in which one act of giving leads to a cascade of related events. Unfortunately, it doesn't measure up. It doesn't even come close.

The meter is off. The illustrations are boring. The deer are more scary than cute. I thought maybe this was going to be a parody with the deer going postal on the humans... but then I remembered that this was a children's book. (Too bad. That could've been hilarious.)

Premise: 2/5
Meter: 2/5
Writing: 2/5
Illustrations: 2/5
Originality: 0/5

Enjoyment: 1/5

Overall: 1.43 out of 5

Review - Butterball Goes to the Beach

Butterball Goes to the Beach

by Julia Seaborn
Date: 2019
Publisher: Ocean Reeve Publishing
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 17
Format: e-book
Source: Amazon.ca

This story picture book is about a curious fun-loving poodle, called Butterball, who can’t wait to go to the beach. She has fun playing and makes new friends with some unusual sea creatures. Why should she stop playing when she’s having so much fun? But then Butterball’s seaside adventure goes slightly wrong and her new found friends must come to her rescue. This easy to read picture book, with cute illustrations, features some basic literacy, comprehension and numeracy skill development as well as some fun activity pages. Young readers will enjoy the activities at the end of the book.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Some little kids like anything. That doesn't mean they should be exposed to crap. Sorry if that sounds harsh. But I honestly cannot believe that this trainwreck of grammar has such a high rating on Goodreads and Amazon. There are two editors listed on the copyright page... and yet the book is absolutely riddled with errors.

The story is bland. The illustrations are unappealing. The last few pages are padded with stupid questions for kids to answer and a few activities (colouring, connect-the-dots, etc.)

This was a freebie, so all I wasted was my time. Still. This needed a lot of work before it was released to the public. It may have had editors... but I question whether they were professional ones.

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

Enjoyment: 0/5

Overall: 0.67 out of 5

Friday, September 11, 2020

Review - Firebirds

Firebirds
edited by Sharyn November
Date: 2003
Publisher: Firebird
Reading level: YA
Book type: short stories
Pages: 421
Format: e-book
Source: library

Firebird-the imprint-is dedicated to publishing the best fantasy and science fiction for teenage and adult readers. Firebirds is an equally special anthology. Its sixteen original stories showcase some of the genre's most admired authors, including multiple award-winners Diana Wynne Jones, Garth Nix, Lloyd Alexander, Nancy Farmer, Meredith Ann Pierce, and Patricia A. McKillip. Here you will find a sparkling range of writing, from dark humor to high sword and sorcery to traditional ballads-something for every sort of reader. Finally, to make this anthology even more of a standout, it appears first as a deluxe, jacketed hardcover. Welcome to Firebirds-a must-have for fans of contemporary speculative fiction.

Edited by Sharyn November.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I've had this hardcover sitting on my shelf for... well, I think I bought it shortly after it came out, so it's been over at decade, at least. I don't even know if I read any of the stories at that time. I figured I should probably get around to doing that!

Here are my thoughts on the individual stories:

"Cotillion" by Delia Sherman

This is a variation on the "Tam Lin" story, in which a girl named Janet has to save a young man from being a fairy sacrifice. I didn't love it, but part of that was because I was a bit confused about the setting. I guess we were supposed to figure out that it was set in 1969 just from a vague Vietnam reference and the way the main character was dressed (honestly, I thought she was just retro). I've read a few variations on this story, and to be honest, I didn't think this one really offered anything new or unique.


"The Baby in the Night Deposit Box" by Megan Whalen Turner

I thought I might enjoy this one because I really love the author's The Thief. This definitely does have an interesting premise (a baby is mysteriously left in a deposit box at the local bank). The baby--who eventually grows to be a young woman and the hero of her own story--is black, which isn't an issue... except that it's revealed kind of late, resulting in a sort of violent mental adjustment for the reader. (I like knowing what the characters look like from the beginning.)


"Beauty" by Sherwood Smith

Here's a story by the author of another of my childhood favourites, Wren to the Rescue. I didn't realize until I read the author's note at the end of it that it's based on characters from another of her series. It doesn't really matter, though; this story can stand on its own. And now I'm kind of curious about the world it's set in and the characters it follows. (I mean, there was a guy who got turned into a tree. Now I really want to know the details of how that happened!)


"Mariposa" by Nancy Springer

I guess not every story can be a winner. I can sort of see what the author was trying to do here, but it didn't quite work. The story comes across as dated, repetitive, sexist, and slightly racist. The basic premise is that girls tend to lose their souls in the pursuit of being what society says they should be. I mean, you could look at it that way... but I also got the uneasy feeling that the story was also implying women were weak and silly for letting this happen. (Also, the phrase "remembering as if cozening back a dream" is used twice. That prose is so purple, it probably needs to let out the breath it didn't realize it was holding.)


"Max Mondrosch" by Lloyd Alexander

I guess I was expecting a little more fantasy from this particular author. With the exception of the ending (which could also be viewed as simply metaphorical), there's really nothing fantastical about this story. It's really more of a tragicomedy about a man trying (and failing) to find a job. It's well written and a quick read, but I don't think it really fits in this anthology of fantasy and sci-fi.


"The Fall of Ys" by Meredith Ann Pierce

This is actually one of the stronger stories in this collection. It's inspired by an old Celtic myth, but changed up a bit so that it's not so misogynistic (the author's note at the end explains the original; wow... women just couldn't win). It reads like an old fairy tale, and I quite liked the style. It's one of the shorter stories in the book, but I wouldn't have minded if it had been a little longer.


"Medusa" by Michael Cadnum

This story is too short. It's also kind of misogynistic and victim-blamey. It's interesting that what would've been okay in 2003 raises red flags in 2020. Basically, this is a retelling of the Medusa myth from Medusa's point of view. Athena is the villain, cursing Medusa because she dared to have consensual sex with a hot god. So the poor cursed girl turns her family to stone (and presumably lots of others, too, although that part is glossed over) and then we get to the point where Perseus chops her head off. With her last thought, Medusa begs Athena to give her the life she deserves... and Athena turns her into a rock. WTF? She deserves an eternity as a rock because some goddess got her peplos in a twist and cursed her? Whatever.


"The Black Fox" by Emma Bull (adaptation) and Charles Vess (illustrations)

This one struck me as kind of unnecessary. It's an old ballad given a graphic-novel treatment. The poem is included, and after reading it, I can't really see why anyone would want to go to all the trouble of illustrating it; it's pretty boring. Charles Vess apparently did a whole series of these illustrated adaptations for a book. That's probably where this one should've remained. It doesn't quite fit here. It's all English snobbery with the devil thrown in at the end... and it's odd, to say the least.


"Byndley" by Patricia A. McKillip

This is well-written, standard fantasy fare about a wizard named Reck who's trying to find a way into a magical realm so he can return something he stole from the faeries many years ago. While I wasn't blown away, I wasn't irked by anything, either, and quite enjoyed the writing style. I might have to check out more of McKillip's work in the future.


"The Lady of the Ice Garden" by Kara Dalkey

While this retelling of "The Snow Queen", set in ancient Japan, is well written, it suffers from trying so hard to be feminist that it comes across as misandristic. Coupled with the statutory rape of a 13-year-old boy, the themes here aren't really appropriate for inclusion in a YA anthology. (And if you're hoping for something akin to Frozen, you'd best look elsewhere. Not that Frozen is even a good example of a retelling of "The Snow Queen". But I digress. "The Lady of the Ice Garden" is dark, depressing, and left me feeling like I'd just wasted a few minutes of my life.)


"Hope Chest" by Garth Nix

This almost seems like it could've been written today as a commentary on charismatic politicians who threaten society. It seems to be an alternate history/fantasy sort of story about an abandoned girl who comes to town with an unopenable trunk. When she finally gets it open at age sixteen, she finds that it's full of guns. She then tries to take back the brainwashed town in a bloody display of marksmanship.

This is really gory, and focusses so much on the guns that I was about ready to scream. (I don't know what it is with some authors and their need to describe the guns in such excruciating detail. It's a gun. We get the idea.) Being a young adult story, it also featured the much-hated phrase about the unrealized held breath. Overall, it had some interesting moments, but I doubt I would ever read it again.


"Chasing the Wind" by Elizabeth E. Wein

This story is a complete rip-off. It's pure historical fiction, so I don't know what it's doing in a sci-fi/fantasy anthology. (In the author's note, she says something about how she started writing a Somali-inspired alternate history fantasy... then decided she really wanted to write about "aeroplanes". Okay, so write about "aeroplanes" on your own time and write something in the assigned genre for inclusion here! I really don't get why this was allowed.)

And the story wasn't even that good. Aside from Martha wishing she were a Mary (it's a Biblical reference), there's no character development. It's just three people (and a couple of barfing cats) taking a plane ride across Kenya. There's little conflict, and the only interesting parts of the characters' histories are merely hinted at. This was a waste of time.


"Little Dot" by Diana Wynne Jones

This is probably my favourite story in the book, and it's about cats. Since I don't like cats, that says something about my enjoyment of the rest of the book.

But this is a cute little story, told from the point of view of a cat named Little Dot, about a group of rescued cats, their wizard, and a beast that's stalking the neighbourhood. Magic and hijinks ensue. This was as strong as I expected it to be (it's Diana Wynne Jones, after all) and I quite enjoyed the feline characters, despite my initial misgivings.


"Remember Me" by Nancy Farmer

A strange story about an unusual sister and an odd camping trip. I usually enjoy Nancy Farmer's writing, and I did enjoy this story (even though it was quite short).


"Flotsam" by Nina Kiriki Hoffman

This is awful. The writing is stilted, the dialogue is even worse, and the whole thing comes across like it was written by a time traveller from the 1950s. (The bully's name--in a contemporary fantasy--is Shoog Kelly! I kept waiting for him to whip out his comb and give his hair a tweak.) Full of insignificant and confusing details (who gets changed in the hall closet when there's a perfectly good bathroom a couple of steps away?), this story is a whole lot of "skip it".

"The Flying Woman" by Laurel Winter

This story struck me as a bit sexist. The main character is a girl, but it's her brother who has all the power and the emotional journey. As a result, the main character seems like a bit of an accessory, there only to prop up the male secondary character. Basically, a sister and brother are sent to a deserted island because they can find and use magic (respectively). One day, a winged woman washes ashore. The brother appears to fall in love with her (probably because she's the only female around who isn't his sister). The winged woman is miserable and just wants to leave. She eventually does, and there's some sort of weird emotional resolution from the main character that doesn't seem to follow from the rest of the story (no matter how much the author might explain it in the note at the end; if you have to explain what you meant, and the reader still doesn't see it, you didn't do a very good job with the story itself).


Overall, I'm disappointed. This is supposed to be an anthology of fantasy and science fiction, yet there were no science fiction stories that I could see, and "Chasing the Wind" is historical fiction with zero fantasy elements whatsoever.

If you're looking for fantasy stories, you might want to check out this collection. Just be aware that some of them seem a bit dated. If you're looking for science fiction, you'll have to look elsewhere.

Overall: 2.34 out of 5