Review - Sophie Johnson, Unicorn Expert

Sophie Johnson, Unicorn Expert
by Morag Hood
illustrated by Ella Okstad
Date: 2018
Publisher: Aladdin
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

Meet the master of magical creatures: Sophie Johnson! She’s an expert on unicorns…or so she thinks!

Sophie is a unicorn expert. She dresses up her toys, stuffed animals, and even her baby brother as unicorns! But living with enchanted animals can be tricky business. And Sophie is so caught up in teaching others that she fails to notice the magic right under her nose.

This funny and fresh picture book tells the story of a unicorn hiding in plain sight and a little girl who is totally oblivious to his presence!

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Sophie Johnson thinks she's a unicorn expert. After all, she lives with lots of unicorns (which are really just her baby sibling, stuffed animals, and pets--notably, however, not the cat). One day, however, a real unicorn shows up with its rainbow lunchbox, presumably to spend the day with a unicorn expert. But does Sophie notice? No! She's too busy teaching her other "unicorns" everything they need to know.

This is really two stories in one. The first is Sophie's narrative. But the more entertaining story is what's going on behind the scenes with the unicorn. It sits in on the unicorn lessons, engages in bath time, and looks suitably terrified when Sophie teaches her unicorns about their enemies. But Sophie never realizes that the very creature she's so obsessed with has been right under her nose all day!

The illustrations are cute and colourful. The unicorn (the real one) is particularly amusing, with its perpetual stunned expression and rainbow dandruff.

Kids will probably get a chuckle out of seeing Sophie's obliviousness when they themselves can clearly see the unicorn hiding in plain sight. As an adult, I kind of enjoyed this one, too; it's a cute take on a little know-it-all who's so busy being an expert that she doesn't have time to appreciate the magic that's come to visit.

Quotable moment:

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

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.5 out of 5

Review - The Promise Basket

The Promise Basket
by Bill Richardson
illustrated by Slavka Kolesar
Date: 2019
Publisher: Groundwood Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

A stone when it’s thrown can damage, can break,
but nothing can shatter the promise I make.

So begins the poem a mother writes on a scrap of paper. She wraps the paper around a stone and places it in a basket to give to her daughter on her first birthday. They are poor, but the mother is determined that gifts will be given when gifts need giving. She keeps her promise, and the Promise Basket, too.

Every time there is a need for gifts, the mother finds a pretty stone to tie up with paper and ribbon, and gives it to her daughter in the basket. She continues the tradition over the years until her daughter has a baby of her own…

The love between a mother and her daughter is celebrated in this lyrical story from Bill Richardson, featuring colorful illustrations by Slavka Kolesar.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

I'm not sure if kids are going to like this one. It seems more like something aimed at parents (particularly mothers). The writing is lovely, the illustrations are nice, and the message is heartwarming... but a part of me can't get past the idea of giving a choking hazard as a birthday present.

When a poor mother needs a present for her daughter's first birthday, she finds an old basket and a shiny pink stone. She writes a promise to her child, and gives it--along with the basket and stone--as a birthday gift. As the years go by, more stones and promises are added, until at last the tradition comes full circle when the daughter grows up and has a child of her own.

I think if this had been marketed as a picture book for adults, I would've liked it a bit more than I did. As it is, though, I don't like the fact that the book seems to be teaching that small stones are appropriate gifts for babies (who tend to put everything in their mouths).

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

Enjoyment: 3/5

Overall: 3.33 out of 5

Review - Just Because

Just Because
by Mac Barnett
illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault
Date: 2019
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 40
Format: e-book
Source: library

Curious minds are rewarded with curious answers in a fantastical bedtime book by Mac Barnett and Isabelle Arsenault.

Why is the ocean blue? What is the rain? What happened to the dinosaurs? It might be time for bed, but one child is too full of questions about the world to go to sleep just yet. Little ones and their parents will be charmed and delighted as a patient father offers up increasingly creative responses to his child’s nighttime wonderings. Any child who has ever asked “Why?” — and any parent who has attempted an explanation — will recognize themselves in this sweet storybook for dreamers who are looking for answers beyond “Just because.”

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Though this might look like a book for children, it's not. It's for adults, aimed at those who already know the answers to lots of basic questions and can appreciate the creativity of the answers in this book. Children are often credulous. A book like this will only serve to confuse.

A little girl is going to bed, and she asks all sorts of questions of her father. His answers are fantastical and imaginative... but they're not truthful. I can just imagine the embarrassment and feeling of betrayal when a child tries to tell their teacher, "My dad says the ocean is blue because fish sing sad songs and cry blue tears," and is subsequently told that daddy lied.

The illustrations by Isabelle Arsenault are kind of fun (especially for fans of her work). The limited colour palette is kind of an odd choice here, though, since the story is dealing with such... well, colourful ideas.

I don't think I could recommend this as a children's book. If adults want to read it, they might get more out of it. But I think it would be confusing as heck to many children.

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

Enjoyment: 2/5

Overall: 2.33 out of 5

Review - Freda and the Blue Beetle

Freda and the Blue Beetle
by Sophie Gilmore
Date: 2020
Publisher: Owlkids Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

Freda lives in a town where people are always telling her to be more careful. But Freda loves to explore—which is how, one day, she discovers an injured beetle. She names him Ernest, feeds him, and befriends him. They become inseparable as Ernest grows ever bigger and stronger.

Noticing Ernest’s now-enormous size, the townspeople put him to work. But Ernest is strange, and has a strong appetite, and when a prize ewe goes missing, people start to talk. Freda listens to their appeals and sends her beloved friend away. But when a terrible storm puts the villagers in real danger, Freda knows who can help—and she stands up and says so. After Ernest uses his unique strength to save the day, everyone wants him to stay. But maybe this time, Freda and Ernest choose to listen to their hearts.

Illustrated in watercolor and gouache, this is a fantastical modern fable about the value of listening to your heart, not always listening to others, and making your own voice heard.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is a bit of a surreal tale about a girl named Freda and her friend, a giant blue beetle named Ernest. Freda is a girl who doesn't listen. She climbs trees and swims in dangerous waters. The townspeople think she's going to come to harm, but she often makes fascinating discoveries as a result of her disobedience. One day, she finds a little blue beetle with a broken wing. She takes him home, nurses him back to health, and gives him a name. But Ernest grows quickly, and when he proves to be strong, the villagers put him to work. That growth and strength relies on being fed, though, and after a prized sheep goes missing (and Ernest is blamed for eating it), he is cast out of the village. It isn't until a calamity befalls the village and Ernest comes to the rescue that the townspeople start to see his value (or, rather, how he can benefit them). The story ends with Freda making an unusual, though completely logical, choice.

I'm not sure about the message in this one. It might be just a bit too nuanced for younger readers. (It's basically: Don't listen to your elders if they're being self-serving bigots.) Learning when not to listen is an important skill, but I'd be concerned that some kids might take that too far. Discernment is key. As an adult, I like the message just fine, as I think it's important; we shouldn't listen to our elders if what they're telling us to do is potentially harmful. I just wonder if that message is clear enough in this particular book.

Overall, though, I think this could be a good picture book for slightly older kids who are starting to learn more about boundaries (and that adults--even if they have good intentions--aren't always right).

Thank you to NetGalley and Owlkids Books for providing a digital ARC.

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

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.67 out of 5

Review - Lali's Feather

Lali's Feather
by Farhana Zia
illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman
Date: 2020
Publisher: Peachtree Publishing Company
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

This endearing story of identification and values shows the rewards in looking closely and thinking imaginatively.

Lali finds a little feather in the field. Is it lost? Lali sets out to find feather a home, but one bird after another rejects it. The feather is too small for Rooster, too slow for Crow, and too plain for Peacock. Once Lali decides to keep the little feather and discovers all the things she can do with it, the other birds begin to recognize its value.

Farahan Zia's charming tale employs an inventive circular structure that reveals the importance of looking beyond first impressions. Illustrator Stephanie Fizer Coleman brings this delightful story of imagination and inspiration to life.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Jai Ho! What an adorable book! Comparisons to Cao Wenxuan's Feather are going to be inevitable, though this is, in my opinion, a far better book.

Lali finds a feather in the field. She doesn't know who it belongs to, so she sets out to find its owner. Each bird that she encounters tells her it's not theirs (and why it couldn't be). Having no luck, Lali decides to simply have fun with the feather. She writes with it, sweeps with it, fans the fire, and even torments her family with it. But when the feather is lost, the rest of the birds come to the rescue in a delightful display of empathy and friendship. And after all that, the story ends with the promise of another adventure.

Unlike the aforementioned Feather, this book is far more lighthearted and appealing. The illustrations are fun and colourful. Hindi interjections are sprinkled throughout and, combined with the pictures, they give the book a definite Indian flair. It's likely to be much more engaging to children, with the relatable main character.

Overall, this is a strong picture book showing a little girl searching for a lost feather's home, as well as highlighting the value of seemingly insignificant things, like a dropped feather. I'd definitely recommend this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree Publishing Company for providing a digital ARC.

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

Enjoyment: 5/5

Overall: 4.5 out of 5

Review - Salsa Lullaby

Salsa Lullaby
by Jen Arena
illustrated by Erika Meza
Date: 2019
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

How to get baby to sleep? Mami and Papi will try anything in this bouncy, loving, bilingual lullaby that gently says good night in both Spanish and English.

Mami starts a salsa song.
Papi keeps the beat.
Baby loves this lullaby,
moves those dancing feet.

Baila, baby, baila!
Dance, dance, dance.

When nighttime falls, it's time for baby to go to sleep. In this household, that means it's also time for mama, papa, and baby to baila/dance, canta/sing, salta/jump, and more all the way to bedtime!

This bouncy bilingual text and gorgeous, inviting illustrations gently wind down to make this a bedtime favorite no matter what language families say "good night" in!

(synopsis from Goodreads)

Setting aside the wisdom of winding a baby up with salsa music right before bed, this is actually a really cute book featuring a family of three (four, if you count the dog) as they get ready for the baby's bedtime. Mami puts some music on, and then they go through the process of getting the kid settled down for the night: having a bottle, getting out a favourite toy, the dog lying down beside the crib as a protector. The exuberance and fun of the rituals come across clearly on the pages.

The illustrations, done in a limited colour palette by Erika Meza, are lots of fun. They have a distinctly animated feel to them, which I like. The baby and the dog are super cute.

This is a charming bedtime book that shows a loving family. As long as you don't actually put salsa music on when you read it to your kids at bedtime, you should be fine.

Quotable moment:

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

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.71 out of 5

Review - Little Red Rhyming Hood

Little Red Rhyming Hood
by Sue Fliess
illustrated by Petros Bouloubasis
Date: 2019
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: library

Because Little Red only speaks in verse, it's tough for her to make friends. The schoolyard bully, Big Brad Wolf, is always picking on her. One day, her grandma shows her a flyer for a poetry contest, and Little Red thinks it could be her big chance to make a friend. But on the day of the contest, Big Brad Wolf sneaks up on Little Red and scares the rhyme right out of her—and into him! How will they rhyme their way out of this dilemma?

(synopsis from Goodreads)

This is a cute take on the story of Little Red Riding Hood, featuring a little girl in a red hoodie who can't stop rhyming and a bully named Big Brad Wolf. Brad torments Little Red every day, but she tries to ignore him... until one day, he scares the rhymes right out of her and into him! It's the day of the big poetry contest, too. Brad is freaked out by speaking in rhyme, so Little Red agrees to try to help him.

I quite liked this book, except for one line that sort of implies that boys are mean to girls because they like them. It's time we get rid of that dangerous idea. Other than that, though, the story is cute and the illustrations are pleasant. I enjoyed the twists on the classic story (especially with the grandmother and her red hoodie). The rhymes and prose are pretty solid, too. So, overall, I would recommend this one, with just slight reservations. (Yes, Brad does eventually learn he doesn't have to scare a girl to be close to her, but the fact that the book gets a little close to the old "boys will be boys" stereotype makes me a little uncomfortable.)

Quotable moment:

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

Enjoyment: 4/5

Overall: 3.5 out of 5