Little Oink

Title: Little Oink
Author: Amy Krouse Rosenthal
Illustrator: Jen Corace
Publisher: Chronicle Books

A few weeks ago I reviewed Little Pea and Little Hoot, written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by Jen Corace. I anticipated the arrival of the third book of the series, saying, "I like Little Hoot, and will surely like Little Oink, but nothing matches the charm of Little Pea." Having read Little Oink, I still stand by that statement--but Little Oink is really delightful.

As with Little Pea and Little Hoot, Little Oink turns simple things of daily life, like cleaning your bedroom, upside down. Little Pea didn't want to eat candy, and was excited for his dessert of Spinach. Little Hoot didn't want to have to stay up all night, he wanted to go to sleep like all his friends did. Little Oink, as if you cannot guess, loves to have his bedroom clean. His chores include throwing his towels on the floor, and putting on dirty t-shirts, and throwing his toys out of his toy box. But, when his chorse are all done, he finally gets to go outside and play, and he ends up playing house.

These sorts of eat-your-vegtable stories can sometimes be too simplistic for kids to be entertained by them; they teach a lesson, and kids ignore it. But Rosenthal and Corace make an excellent team, combining just-shy-of-silly story lines with joyful illustrations. I think your child will delight in these opposites, and return to the books again and again.

Thursday Classics: The Book of Dragons

Title: Book of Dragons
Author: Edith Nesbit
Publisher: Chronicle Books, 2001

In honor of the Feast of St. George the Dragon Slayer, I thought I would review one of my favorite collections of short stories, Book of Dragonsby Edith Nesbit.

Nesbit is one of the most prolific and beloved authors of the early 20th century. Her prominence rose towards the end of the Golden Age of children's literature, and her biographer, Julia Briggs, said Nesbit was "the first modern writer for children." Unlike Lewis Carrol, J.M. Barrie, and others of the Golden Age, the adventures of her heroes (no matter how wildly fantastical) are always part of this world, rather than a never-never land into which the children escape.

This is true even with the fairy tales found in The Book of Dragons. My favorite of the stories, The Deliverers of their Country*, concerns the efforts of Effie and her brother Harry, as they deal with the sudden appearance of dragons, all over the English countryside. The story obviously takes place in Victorian England--their father is a scientist thrilled by "new specimens", the largest elephant in the London Zoo is taken off by an elephant, spurring the newspapers to report "ALARMING PLAGUE OF DRAGONS" at the top of their paper.

This placement of fantasy in the contemporary world turned what is essentially fairy tales into something immediate and accessible. And it started a huge trend in literature--Nesbit's own stories really are the precursors to Children's Adventure Stories, which now are a large percentage of new chapter books published every year.

Aside from her own important place in the history of Children's Literature, Nesbit is a marvellous story teller. The Book of Dragons is good for reading aloud to all ages--but I would also recommend giving it to those who are just starting with chapter books. The stories are compelling, the narrative is clear, and the language is not difficult, so it would be a delightful addition to a 7-9 year-old's library.

Project Gutenberg has the book in its entirety online, if you want to check it out before you purchase.

(*This particular story is gloriously illustrated by Lizbeth Zwerger though sadly it is out of print.)

Sophie's Masterpiece

Title: Sophie's Masterpiece: A Spider's Tale
Author: Eileen Spinelli
Illustrator: Jane Dyer
Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Sophie's Masterpiece: A Spider's Talewas one of those rare but happy accidental finds. My friend Anna's 2nd daughter, Z, was turning 1, and I was visiting for her birthday. I spent a good hour sitting in Border's looking at the shelves of picture books, looking for the perfect pick for Z.

I found Sophie's Masterpiece and instantly fell in love with it. Spinelli tells the story of a little spider who isn't wanted, even though she's just trying to provide for herself. She gradually climbs to the top floor of a tenement, where, exhausted, she settles in the knitting basket of a poor young woman expecting a baby. Rather than chase or try to kill Sophie, the young woman lets her stay, and Sophie, in gratitude knits a beautiful baby blanket out of silk and moonlight.

The illustrations, by Jane Dyer, are graceful and simple, and captivated Z and her sister, both. Though the publisher recommends this book for ages 4 and up, I found that 2 and 3 year olds love hearing the story of this sweet and generous spider.

Erika-San, by Allen Say

Title: Erika-San
Author & Illustrator: Allen Say
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin


To my mind, Erika-San, by Allen Say, is a early contender for one of the Best Illustrated Books of the Year. A little girl sees a beautiful painting of a Japanese Tea House, and decides that she wants to live there. Fast forward several years, and the little girl, Erika, is now a young woman, off to teach English in a Japanese school. Tokyo is too modern for her tastes, so she goes to a tiny village on a small island in Northern Japan. There she immerses herself in the local culture, becomes friends with a fellow teacher, and finds a real home.

The story is lovely--and teaches the joy of dreams fulfilled through curiosity and hard work. Say's characteristic Japanese influenced drawings enhance the story; anyone can understand why Erika wants to go there, and why she finds peace there.

I wish I had better images for you of the book--they really are beautiful. As in his previous books, Say manages to capture both the older and more peaceful Japan, and the rush of modern Tokyo, as well as the tension and displacement felt by a young woman of the West in a very foreign country.

It is an excellent book for girls ages 4-9, but I dare say some boys will enjoy it too!

A Few Updates

The First update is BOOK related:

Blueberries for Sal is, after a long rights battle, back in print, according to Publisher's Weekly:

According to Regina Hayes, president and publisher of Viking Children’s Books, the division first learned four years ago that McCloskey’s estate was interested in reclaiming rights to Blueberries for Sal and other titles. “As soon as we got notice that the estate was considering this, we began negotiating to keep those rights,” Hayes said. But coming to terms took time, and on April 3 of last year, Viking was informed by Penguin’s corporate counsel that they had to take the book off the market. “We essentially did not have the rights [to sell it], but neither did anyone else,” said Hayes.

“Hardly a day went by when reps didn’t say, ‘What’s happening with Blueberries?’,” Hayes recalled. Finally, last Thursday, an agreement was reached between Viking and the McCloskey estate for the entire body of McCloskey’s work. Blueberries for Sal will return to print, and will, along with the rest of McCloskey’s picture books (including Make Way for Ducklings, Homer Price and Lentil), remain at Penguin.

Viking plans to print 50,000 copies of Blueberries, which should be available in late May or early June.

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The other updates are blog related:

You may have noticed a few new features in the right hand sidebar. Little Lamb Books now has an Bookstore powered by Amazon, where you can purchase all the titles I review here, and see what other people are reading and recommending as well! I'm still working out some of the kinks, but I hope you'll shop here first when you need to find a title.

I've also added some direct links to my very favorite picture books, and in a couple of days will be adding links to my current reading list. I hope you enjoy this dynamic content. As always, please send feedback, recommendations, thoughts, and so forth to littlelambbooks [at] google [dot] com.

Finally: I apologize for being MIA this week. I was sick with the flu over Easter (sad!), and am trying to catch up with life now. I'll be posting again regularly next week. In the meantime check out some of the blogs linked in the sidebar, as they all have excellent content for you lovers of kids books.

Easter Books: Rechenka's Eggs

Title: Rechenka's Eggs
Author and Illustrator: Patrica Polacco
Publisher: Paperstar (Part of Penguin Group)

Rechenka's Eggs is, without question, my very favorite Easter book, so I have saved it for last. It tells the story of a Russian Babushka, known for her beautifully painted Easter Eggs, which she labors over all the cold long winter. She is a good woman, and provides what she can for animals as they begin to creep out of hibernation in the Spring.

One day a wounded goose lands in her yard, and she brings it in and cares for it. She binds it's wing, and feeds it cake and tea, and makes a place for it in her home. And she names the bird Rechenka. Then as Rechenka has gotten stronger and stronger, she knocks over Babushka's basket full of beautiful eggs, breaking them all. The whole winter's work is lost, and Babushka is so sad and upset. But her kindness towards Rechenka will not go un-rewarded: there next morning there is a bright and colorful surprise in Rechenka's nest.

This beautiful story is enhanced by Polacco's lush and detailed illustrations. She weaves together images with layers of color, pattern, mixing simple black and white line drawings with pasted icons, and the bright colors of the Russian city. It is a feast for the eyes, and a joy for the heart, and therefore, it is perfect for Easter.

*Nota Bene: I will not be posting till next Tuesday, as I am taking an Easter break. I hope you all have a blessed Easter, and will see you next week.

Easter Books (Saints)

There are lots of good picture books out there dealing with the life of the saints (and an inordinate percentage of them deal with Irish saints...), so I thought I would highlight five of the really really special books dealing with these great men and women of God.

1.) Saint George and the Dragonis a truly beautiful telling of the legend of Saint George, by Margaret Hodges, and illustrated and illuminated by Trina Schart Hyman. It is a classic story of valour, complete with the damsel in distress, and therefore, it is excellent for both boys and girls alike.

2) Joan of Arcby Josephine Poole, and illustrated by Angela Barrett is a mesmerizingly beautiful illustrated retelling of the life of the Maid d'Orleans. The story is simple; Poole lets Joan of Arc's life speak for itself, but the illustrations are truly magnficent. (See above.)

3) There are so many illustrated stories of the life of Saint Francis, but this is my favorite, because of the striking illustrations (done in a modified icon style), and the fact that it tells of both Clare and Francis. Clare and Francisby Guido Visconti, and illustrated by Bimba Landmann, is a treasure. Published by Eerdmans.

4) Ruth Sanderson's two volumes of illuminated lives of the saints are excellent compilations for children. Her illustrations are a little over the top for my tastes now, but I know I would have loved them as a child. Saints: Lives and Illuminationsand More Saints: Lives & Illuminationsare special because of both the scope and selection of saints she presents, and the gracious and respectful treatment she gives of each of them.

5) Lives and Legends of the Saints: With Paintings from the Great Art Museums of the Worldis both an art book and a saint's book. Pairing artistic masterpieces with short descriptions of the lives of each saint, Carole Armstrong makes art immediately accessible to children. By telling the stories of the characters in the paintings, children can enter into the painting and explore it (as they do with all picture books). I've given this to several friends for their children, and the kids all love it, which made me very glad.

Easter Books (Non-Religious)

When I was in Kindergarten, the first day back at school, we were all kept outside to play in the sunshine. Finally the teacher let us in, and our room had been transformed--there were candies and Easter eggs everywhere, a a spilt can of blue paint, with bunny footprints running out the back door of the classroom. We all rushed to the door, and saw the back of a big pink bunny, as tall as the principal, running across the yard. Since then (before then I'm sure), I've always loved the Easter Bunny, and all the celebratory spring aspects of Easter. It's not surprising, then, that I also love a great many non-Religious Easter books. Here are a few of my favorites:

The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes (Sandpiper Books)is another classic Easter story that has recently been republished. It is about a country bunny, mother of 21 little baby bunnies, who ends up becoming the exalted Easter Bunny. There is nothing really remarkable about this book, but it is sweet, and fun. It's comfortable, and good, and easily found in big box bookstores. Best of all (is it any wonder) are the illustrations by the brilliant Marjorie Flack.

Easter Treatby the beloved Roger Duvoisin, is sadly out of print. If you find it, buy it. Duvoisin was hugely popular in the 50s, but except for his well loved Petuniathe plucky duck, is mostly neglected today. It is a real shame, because Easter Treat is indeed a treat. Santa Claus, tired of the snow and cold, decides to visit the city for Easter, and see what spring is like. Though he goes "IN-COG-NITO" children tease him, and he ends up going to court (Miracle on 34th Street style) to defend his name, and prove that he really is Santa Claus. Duvoisin's cheery tri-color illustrations are a perfect match for Santa's adventure in the Spring sunshine.
The Easter Egg Artistsis another classic, sadly out of print. The hero of the story is young Orson Abbot, who loves decorating things with his family. The entire family paints eggs, and houses, and so forth, till one day Orson gets to paint an entire bridge. The illustrations are detailed and interesting, and the story is dear. It teaches the child to persevere in a creative venture, and the parent to encourage them in such creative outlets. And besides, it's really fun.

The Egg Tree is another classic, and brilliantly illustrated at that. This Caldecott Award Winner of 1951 explores the old and by that tie mostly forgotten tradition of the Egg Tree, which a young girl revives upon discovering her grandmother's collection of painted eggs. Milhous, a Pennsylvania native, adopts the style of the Pennsylvania Dutch in her rich (non pastel!) illustrations. This book is credited with the revival of the egg tree tradition here in the US. The book should definitely be adopted into your Easter tradition, too.

(More tomorrow!)

Easter Books (Biblical)

One of the most common questions put to me by parents is: "Where do I find good religious picture books?" I wish I could give you a consistently good source of religious picture books, and I'll try to hightlight as many as possible in this blog but here are a few authors/publishers/illustrators I do like. As Easter approaches, I am going to write a few posts dedicated to religious picture books. Today's theme is "Stories from the Bible":

Eerdman's Young Readers, is a very fine and consistent Children's literature publishing house. They come form a long tradition of quailty Christian publishing, and their Children's book selections are often adventurous (they published the biography of William Carlos Williams, which I reviewed here). Their religious pictures books are really fine. Here are a few of my favorites:
● At Jerusalem's Gate: Poems of Easter(pictured, left)
● To Everything There Is a Season(I especially love this one, because the illustrations are wonderful, and because she uses the words of Ecclesiastes--no paraphrasing.)
● The Coat of Many Colors(The story of Joseph is always popular among Children. This is a well told version, with excellent illustrations.)

Brian Wildsmith has published several books for Eerdmans. He once said "I believe that beautiful picture books are vitally important in subconsciously forming a child's visual appreciation, which will bear fruit in later life," and for that he 

deserves several whole posts dedicated to his work entirely. But for our purposes today, I'll just mention his religious works: 

● Exodus
● Joseph
● Jesus
● Mary(published by Oxford University Press)
● The Easter Story(also published by Oxford University Press)

"Demi" is another prominent illustrator who has focused on illustrating the lives of saints, religious figures, and the characters in the Bible. I have a copy of her Jesusand I love it. The illustrations are a richly layered collage of papers, line drawings, gilt painting, etc. And she uses the King James version of the bible, rather than paraphrasing. She also draws on many sources for an illustrated life of Mary.

It wouldn't be a LLB roundup without some mention of Tomie DePaola. I grew up on his illustrated the NIV traanslation of the Bible: Tomie DePaola's Book of Bible Stories and still love it best of all illustrated bibles. He has also created two books on the public ministry of Jesus, The Miracles of Jesusand The Parables of Jesus. If you find his illustrated Mary: The Mother of Jesusbuy it--it's pretty hard to track down, and it is truly wonderful. All of these have his characteristic folk style, and genuine respect for the subject matter at hand. I think his illustrations are incredibly accessible for children, they delight the eye, but are simple enough for the child to fully enter into the story.

The very best illustrated bible I've seen, however, is Stories from the Bibleby Lisbeth Zwerger. I'd buy the book alone for her image of the Annunciation. Remarkably, she shies away from the common subjects for her illustrations. Instead of a line of animals waiting the get on the ark, she shows the prow of the boat, with the animals peeking out. The "adoration of the Magi" is filled with gentle trepidation. The locations are all modern, but spare, the dress of the characters is also modern and simple, but the icons she creates are, of course, timeless. I can't find good pictures from it online, so you'll have to just buy it youself.