Review - Little Penguins

Little Penguins
by Cynthia Rylant
illustrated by Christian Robinson
Date: 2016
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

Newbery Medal–winning author Cynthia Rylant and Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator Christian Robinson pair up to tell this wintry story about five little penguins enjoying a snowy day.

Snowflakes? Many snowflakes. Winter is coming. So begins this ever-so-simple story. As the snow starts to fall, the excited penguins pull out scarves, mittens, heavy socks, and boots, and Mama helps them bundle up. But when it’s time to go out, one timid penguin decides to stay home. Filled with waddling baby penguins, playful text, and delightful illustrations, this book feels like a young picture-book classic in the making.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I swear I don't actually dislike penguins. But I do dislike penguin books that conflate penguins with the Arctic region.

This is basically just a story about children (shown as extremely anthropomorphized penguins here) who experience a fun, snowy day. The illustrations left me cold (no pun intended) and I could not get past the penguins living in igloos. Seriously? Are we going to start our preschoolers off with confusion by showing an Antarctic bird living in a dwelling that's found in the Arctic?

The text is super simple and the illustrations colourful, and I can see little kids who don't know any better liking the book. But I wouldn't recommend it, simply because I don't think it's okay to appropriate Arctic culture to tell an Antarctic story. (Your mileage may vary, of course.) For better books about penguins, try Penguin and the Cupcake by Ashley Spires, Harriet Gets Carried Away by Jessie Sima, and Polar Opposites by Erik Brooks.

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

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.17 out of 5

Review - In November

In November
by Cynthia Rylant
illustrated by Jill Kastner
Date: 2000
Publisher: Harcourt Mifflin Harcourt
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

In November, the air grows cold and the earth and all of its creatures prepare for winter. Animals seek food and shelter. And people gather together to celebrate their blessings with family and friends.

Cynthia Rylant's lyrical language and Jill Kastner's rich, cozy paintings capture the cherished moments of this autumn month--the moments we spend together and the ones we witness in the world around us.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is a pretty picture book with lyrical text and lovely oil paintings... and a decidedly American bent that will likely limit its audience outside the United States.

I didn't realize that this was an American Thanksgiving book when I picked it up. And, to be fair, it doesn't start out that way. The book shows how nature changes and prepares itself for winter when November comes around. We see the weather changing. We see the plants changing. We see the animals' behaviour changing.

And then we get to the people. The last part of the book is taken up with Thanksgiving stuff. The food is better. People are nicer to each other. Everybody gets together to give thanks.

Is there anything wrong with that? Of course not! But it does come across as quite Americocentric, and by giving the book this focus, it could be confusing to children in other parts of the world whose experience of November is quite different.

Aside from that, the book is fine. It would make a nice addition to a holiday library of Thanksgiving picture books (especially since it doesn't focus on gluttony as so many others do).

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

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3 out of 5

Review - Alligator Boy

Alligator Boy
by Cynthia Rylant
illustrated by Diane Goode
Date: 2007
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: Open Library

A boy is just plain tired of being a boy. So, he becomes an alligator--and it suits him just fine! His worried mother is comforted by the vet, who reassures her that all will be well, as long as the young alligator boy continues to attend school, of course. Whether scaring the class bully with his commanding grin or singing from his impressive snout in the choir, this brand-new lizard is ready to live his life with great green gusto.

With Cynthia Rylant's buoyant rhyming text and Diane Goode's irresistible illustrations, this inspired celebration of the power of a child's imagination is full of whimsical details and reptilian glee.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

When I came across this book, my first thought was, "What the heck is this?!" Alligator Boy is actually a funny story about imagination, acceptance, and being yourself... even if that self is scaly and green.

A little boy decides he's had enough of being a little boy, so his aunt sends him an alligator costume. He wears it everywhere. His dad accepts him, but his mom is worried and calls for the doctor (who tells her to call a vet)! The vet basically just tells the parents to accept the kids and let him do his own thing... but he still has to go to school. At school, the alligator has to deal with a bully, but after that, he finds he quite enjoys learning.

The boy is happiest as an alligator, and the overall message of the book is just being yourself. Who's the kid hurting? Nobody. If being an alligator makes him happy, then he should get to be happy. I'm not quite sure if there would be such open attitudes at the time this book is apparently set (based on the clothes and technology, it appears to be the early 20th century), and such a child would likely be put in the corner and his costume confiscated. But I kind of like the fact that the author and illustrator took some artistic license here and combined the old-fashioned setting with the modern message. It makes for a really cute book.

Overall, this is a great picture book. I'd never heard of it before... but now that I've read it, I doubt I'll forget it!

Quotable moment:

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

Enjoyment: 5/5

Overall Rating: 4.57 out of 5 ladybugs

Review - Snow

Snow
by Cynthia Rylant
illustrated by Lauren Stringer
Date: 2008
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 45
Format: e-book
Source: Amazon.ca

Cynthia Rylant's lyrical descriptions of the sights and feelings evoked by falling snow blend gorgeously with the rich and beautiful world created by Lauren Stringer's illustrations, in which a young girl, her friend, and her grandmother enjoy the many things a snowy day has to offer.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This gentle, relaxing picture book is perfect for this time of year. If there's so much snow that you're forced to stay home, curl up with a book like this and just enjoy the peace that the snow can bring; it won't last forever, after all.

The text is lyrical free verse, and it's a nice choice to accompany the soft illustrations. Some of the pictures I like more than others, but they all work together to give the book a particular feeling. Children will probably understand the sentiment more than adults (who might be forced to brave the snow to get to work, and curse it repeatedly); it's a nice reminder, though, of how we all used to love snow at one point, for the magic landscape it created and the unique winter opportunities it offered. You can't build a snowman in the middle of summer, after all.

I quite enjoyed this one. If you're looking for good seasonal picture books, I'd definitely recommend taking a look at Snow.

Quotable moment:

And the snow,
while it is here,
reminds us of this:
that nothing lasts forever
except memories.

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 - Life

Life
by Cynthia Rylant
illustrated by Brendan Wenzel
Date: 2017
Publisher: Beach Lane Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 48
Format: e-book
Source: library

Cynthia Rylant and Brendan Wenzel explore the beauty and tenacity of life.

Life begins small, then grows…

There are so many wonderful things about life, both in good times and in times of struggle. Through the eyes of the world’s animals—including elephants, monkeys, whales, and more—Cynthia Rylant offers a moving meditation on finding beauty around us every day and finding strength in adversity. Brendan Wenzel’s stunning landscapes and engaging creatures make this an inspiring and intriguing gift for readers of all ages.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Sometimes certain picture books miss the mark for their audience. I have a feeling this is one of those books. While I appreciate the message (and the lovely illustrations), I'm not sure if it'll find broad appeal among children who are looking for a good story. What we have here is not so much a story as an after-school special about not giving up on life; it's not explicit, but I certainly couldn't help but notice the anti-suicide messages in the text:

And it is worth
waking up in the morning
to see what might happen.

I realize that children can struggle with depression and dark thoughts, but I also question whether a book like this will find its audience. The people who would get the most out of a book like this may be at an age where they think themselves "too old" for picture books.

There are parts of the text I'm not crazy about; near the beginning we get a lot of sentence fragments. The illustrations are quite lovely, with colourful full-page spreads of animals living their lives. The pictures are actually stronger than the text, in my opinion.

This might make a lovely gift for older children (ones who wouldn't turn up their noses at a picture book, anyway) or even adults. But as a kids' book, I'm not sure it quite hits the mark.

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 - The Old Woman Who Named Things

The Old Woman Who Named Things
by Cynthia Rylant
illustrated by Kathryn Brown
Date: 1996
Publisher: Harcourt Brace and Company
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

How does an old woman who has outlived all her friends keep from being lonely? By naming the things in her life she knows she will never outlive--like her house, Franklin, and her bed, Roxanne. When a shy brown puppy appears at her front gate, the old woman won't name it, because it might not outlive her. Tender watercolors capture the charm of this heartwarming story of an old woman who doesn't know she's lonely until she meets a plucky puppy who needs a name--and someone to love.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is one of those books that just makes you want to say, "Aww!" It's an interesting premise, and not something I would've expected to see in a children's book. The old woman lives all alone, and she names her house, her car, her chair... anything that will outlive her. One day, a little puppy shows up, and she's afraid to give it a name for fear she might outlive it (the same way she's outlived all of her friends). I'm not quite clear on why she hesitates to name the dog--wouldn't that mean she expected it to outlive her?--but her reluctance to do so helps drive the story, so I guess it kind of had to be that way. Basically, I guess, she didn't want to get too attached for fear of losing yet another friend, but she got attached, anyway. I mean, it was a puppy. How do you not get attached to a puppy?

The illustrations were gentle and sweet, and fit the tone of the story perfectly. I particularly liked the old woman's awesome hairstyle.

This is a fairly strong picture book, even if the reasoning of the main character is a bit wobbly. The prose flows beautifully and the illustrations are a perfect accompaniment.

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

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.67 out of 5

Review - God Went to Beauty School

God Went to Beauty School
by Cynthia Rylant
Date: 2003
Publisher: HarperCollins
Reading level: YA
Pages: 64
Source: Kobo

What would God do if he was just a normal guy? Get a dog? Sit around and watch TV? Cook up a storm in the kitchen?

This novel, written in free verse, explores what God's life might be like. It's by turns humorous, profound, and thought provoking.

Ever since reading (and really enjoying) Inside Out & Back Again, I've been wanting to read some more novels written in verse (if you have any recommendations for me, please leave them in the comments of this post... 'cause I'm still looking for more!).  I came across this book and thought it sounded like it might be interesting... although, to be honest, I had some reservations because I'm not a fan of Christian fiction.

This book turned out to be nothing like what I expected, though.  It's rather non-denominational (well, it's told from a mostly Christian perspective, but not an exclusively Christian one.  Yeah, that's kind of confusing... but you'll see what I mean if you read it).  Really, this is a book that just about anyone might enjoy.  There's no real plot to speak of; rather, the book is a series of short vignettes that offer a glimpse into the everyday life of God.

I giggled out loud at some of the early poems.  There's something amusing about the creator of the universe trying to make spaghetti or getting addicted to his cable TV.  But each poem makes you think as well, about some of the deeper questions that we all have.  The last poem, especially, is a doozy, but it manages to stay consistent with the flavour of the rest of the book without getting too preachy or dogmatic.

God Went to Beauty School is a very quick read, but a worthwhile one.  I really enjoyed it.

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

Overall: 4.43 out of 5