Re-Post: Harold at the North Pole by Crockett Johnson

NB: While Christmas is approaching, I will post one Christmas Book review every afternoon--some new reviews and some reposts from last year. You can find all my Christmas reviews here, and you can find lots more wonderful Christmas books in the LLB Christmas Book Shop

TITLE: Harold at the North Pole

AUTHOR + ILLUSTRATOR: Crockett Johnson

PUBLISHED BY: Harper Collins

ISBN: 978-0060586287

PURCHASE: Amazon

Harold and the Purple Crayon is, of course, a classic.  With one color and one line, Crockett Johnson gave us the perfect illustration of the imaginative life of a little boy.  It is an absolutely must own for any family.

But did you know, Johnson didn't stop at just one volume.  Indeed, he made an entire series.  They don't have the same immediacy and charm of the first book, but they are still quite good.  One of my favorites happens to be a...Christmas Book.  Sort of.

In Harold and the North Pole we find Harold waiting for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve.  He decides if he really wants to see Santa, he must travel to the North Pole.  So he draws the moon and big dipper, and many more stars.  Then, because the North Pole has snow, he begins to draw a snow storm (and a grumpy snow man).  But the blizzard is worse than he imagined.  As he climbs a big drift, all he sees is snow--and then he realizes he's actually on Santa's workshop, and poor Santa is snowed in.  Will Harold, and his trusty purple crayon save Christmas?

The narratives of Johnson's books feel like reading the minds of a 5 year old.  There are certain things that are true and real and absolutes (like Santa's workshop is in the North Pole, and there is snow there too), and other things that adapt to changing circumstances (the snowman is grumpy because its too cold even for him.  He obviously needs a muffler).  His restrained simple drawings are a perfect balance to the imaginative (but not fantastic) workings of young Harold's mind. 

When I found this on the shelf of my library, I realized that it was a rediscovery for me.  We had this book growing up (or some friend did), and it is as dear to me as Harold's first adventure.

The Boss Baby by Marla Frazee

TITLE: The Boss Baby
AUTHOR + ILLUSTRATOR: Marla Frazee
PUBLISHED BY: Beach Lane Books
ISBN:  978-1442401679
PURCHASE: Amazon

Marla Frazee has had a very good couple of years.  Her incredibly silly and delightful A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever won the Caldecott in 2008, and her evocative illustrations for All the World won a medal again last year. I will be very surprised if she wins again for The Boss Baby--a playful take on the way babies rule our lives.  Don't get me wrong: the book is fantastically funny, a real delight, but I can't imagine it as Caldecott material.

In a dark suit onesie, with a commanding face, and outrageous demands, the Boss Baby clearly rules the lives of his family.  He requires late hours, demands the perfect drink, throws a fit when things aren't done correctly--even if he never makes it clear what he wants.  He's the worst boss to work for, and his poor parents look more and more haggard as the day wears on.  Frazee's prose is simple and direct: "From the moment the Baby arrived, it was obvious that he was the boss. He put Mom and Dad on a round-the-clock schedule with no time off...If things weren't done to his immediate satisfaction, he threw a fit."

The illustrations really shine.  With a few strokes, Frazee captures each expression of the baby.  There is a slight retro feel to the drawings, and the surrounding environment is balanced with just enough detail to remain interesting.  But the focus is always, clearly, on the baby.

So what happens when mom and dad collapse with exhaustion, and none of the babies demands are met?  I won't spoil the punchline for you, but it really makes the book.  This would be an excellent, fun choice for a family with a new baby; tongue firmly planted in cheek, it will make the older kids laugh and laugh and laugh--while making clear the importance of caring for family.

Re-Post: A Small Nativity by Aquiles Nazoa

NB: While Christmas is approaching, I will post one Christmas Book review every afternoon--some new reviews and some reposts from last year. You can find all my Christmas reviews here, and you can find lots more wonderful Christmas books in the LLB Christmas Book Shop

The Journey to Bethlehem
(Click on the image for a larger look)

TITLE: A Small Nativity

AUTHOR: Aquiles Nazoa

ILLUSTRATOR: Ana Palmero Caceres

PUBLISHED BY: Groundwood Books

ISBN: 978-0888998392

Nazoa, a winner of the Venezuelan National prize for Journalism, created this little poem about the birth of Christ. Embellishing tradition somewhat, he brought the figures of Mary and Joseph into the culture and context of Venezuela.

His poem captured the imagination of Caceres, another native Venezuelan, who decided to create fitting illustrations. Or should i say "illuminations"? because her illustrations are inspired by medieval manuscripts--and due worthy homage to that great tradition.

Much like the wonderful exotic nativities from around the world, both poem and illustrations reflect the tradition, as well as their own ethnic heritage. The poem and illuminations are perfectly suited to each other--matching line by line in eloquent detail. Take the following example:

The lovely Virgin shivers,

and he stops along the road

to take off his linen coat

and offer it to her.

Come my fairest damsel,

wrap this coat around you."

he says with forced good humor

as he feels the mischievous cold

tugging at the holes

in his striped shirt.

Now! Isn't that lovely? What language! "Mischievous cold" and "fairest damsel." And surely, St. Joseph did not wear a striped shirt--but if he had been a peasant in Venezuela, he would have.

Note, as well, Cacares' illustrations. Above we see Joseph wearing his humble yellow linen coat. But when he takes it off to shroud Mary in it, we find that it is lined in rich blue. There are other wonderful details--the villagers who turn away Mary and Joseph are drawn as different creatures (Jackal, tiger) that are were associated with evil in old illuminations. Likewise, she has a glossary of images in the back of the book.

This book is a real beauty, and--dare I say it?--my favorite illustrated Nativity thus far.

The Virgin is so tired and forlorn
(Click on the image for a larger look.)

Here are some other Nativity books I'd recommend:

Of Thee I Sing by Barack Obama

TITLE: Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters
AUTHOR: Barack Obama
ILLUSTRATOR: Loren Long
PUBLISHED BY: Knopf Books for Young Readers
ISBN: 978-0375835278
PURCHASE: Amazon

I felt like I had to write a review of President Obama's newly released loving picture book dedicated to his daughters--Of Thee I Sing--which will surely be the hot seller this Christmas. It is a sweet book, meant to stir their hearts and inspire them with the examples of those great Americans who came before them: George Washington, Martin Luther King Jr, Georgia O'Keefe, Albert Einstein, Billie Holiday, Jackie Robinson, Helen Keller.  These men and women are indeed inspiring, if predictable, choices.  (But, ah!  I must mention: he includes Cesar Chavez. Alas!)  As he introduces each figure, he asks his girls if he's told them that they should always be kind, or they each have a song, or they stand up for the weak, etc. etc. Reviewers everywhere are fawning over these questions, as if they hold some great insight into child rearing or human character.  To me, they seem expected, a little over-wraught, and certainly not groundbreaking. the text is largely prosaic and self-important.

What is inspiring and noteworthy about this book? The illustrations.  Loren Long has really outdone himself in this one.  He has created stirring portraits of these inspiring men and women: truly capturing much of their spirit and strength--all in brilliant colors and sumptuous details.  Each facing page shows Malia and Sasha standing, their backs to us, joined by a child version of each of the men and women their father is suggesting should be a role model: young Georgia with a paint brush, and Jackie Robinson with his bat, etc. etc.  As the crowd grows bigger, and the book ends, they turn to face us.  Visually, it is a much stronger statement than the President's burdensome prose.  We do have to answer to all those faces, and live as well as they did.

Have I told you, you are a healer? Sitting Bull

Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

I only have time today for this (new book reviews continue tomorrow):

The Beginning of the End

Did you see it last night at midnight? I wish I had. It's going to be a busy couple weeks, so I don't know when I'll get to it!

Kirkus Reveiw's BEST OF 2010 Lists

Chicken Spaghetti said it best: The Kirkus Review went crazy this year.  They produced not one best of 2010 list, and not two (like one for chapter books and one for picture books), but FIFTEEN best of lists.  There are some real gems which I will try to get my hands on to review in the coming weeks:

Best Non-Fiction:














Best Picture Books That Make You Think:













Best Children's Books: Celebrating Friends & Family for Young Readers & Listeners:














And there are many many more: check out the whole list. Do you see any of your favorites from 2010?

Quick Fall Roundup

I know. I KNOW. In most of the world the leaves are gone and fall is almost over. And everyone is preparing for Christmas. Well, I throw up my hands in protest, because fall isn't over until after Thanksgiving. And besides, the big maple outside my window is the most lovely red color, and still has all its leaves.

So, here's a very quick roundup of some of my favorite fall and Thanksgiving books. With lots of autumnal love.





(There are some real gems in here, but my favorite by far is Hooray for Fall, where a family of squirrels all get new red sweaters, and notice that everything else in the world puts on red: the berries, the leaves, etc. It is quite charming. (And just recently brought back into print.)

New Old Favorites: Three Little Kittens by Jerry Pinkney

TITLE: Three Little Kittens
AUTHOR + ILLUSTRATOR: Jerry Pinkney
PUBLISHED BY: Dial, September 2010
ISBN: 978-0803735330
PURCHASE: Amazon

Sometimes the best stories are not new, right?  Classic fables and fairy tales can be told again and again with fresh interest to each generation.  But it takes real artistry to make that old familiar tale really shine in its re-telling, so that we feel like it is brand new.  Jerry Pinkney is becoming a master at this: I saw themes in last year's The Lion and the Mouse which I had never seen in that story before.  He deservedly won the Caldecott; that book was the best picture book I'd seen in many many years.

Pinkney has re-imagined another classic tale--the Mother Goose story of the three kittens who lost their mittens.  Stylistically, this is vastly different from the restrained splendor of The Lion and the Mouse.  The kittens are sumptuously drawn, with bold autumn colors, big eyes, cheerful countenances.  (How he gets so much personality in the face of a house cat is utterly beyond me.) The kittens play in the leaves, make a mess of Mother's Apple Pie, and generally get into a lot of cheerful mischief.

School Library Journal says "This is another superb entry in the artist's catalog of classics for a new generation." and I quite agree.

Alas, I don't have any more photos of the book, but let me show you this fun video to get a sneak peek (and a look at Pinkney hard at work):

New Old Favorites: The Red Hen by the Emberleys

TITLE: The Red Hen
AUTHOR + ILLUSTRATOR: Rebecca and Ed Emberley
PUBLISHED BY: Roaring Brook Press, October 2010
ISBN: 978-1596434929
PURCHASE: Amazon

I love seeing new interpretations and variations on old favorites.  Last year's best book, Jerry Pinkney's The Lion and the Mouse, was a masterful retelling of old Aesop's story.  Also wonderful from last year was Ed Emberley and his daughter Rebecca's retelling of Chicken Little.  


The Emberley's have teamed up again, to my lasting joy, retelling a similarly crazy old folk tale, The Red Hen.  This was always one of my favorite tales--the poor hen goes around asking all the barnyard animals to help her with the different parts of making a cake.  They all refuse help, and she has to labor alone.  But once the cake is done they all want their share.

The almost frenetic, goofy collages made by Emberley--with energetic colors and silly touches throughout--breathe new life into this old story.  His daughter's new prose is a joy. Though this has not been on any of the new "best-of" lists, I can't help but love and recommend it as an essential, timely addition to any library.  It has gotten great reviews from all the usual suspects, as well.

One More Acorn by Don Freeman

TITLE: One More Acorn
AUTHOR + ILLUSTRATOR: Don Freeman and Roy Freeman
PUBLISHED BY: Viking
ISBN: 978-0670010837
PURCHASE: Amazon

I'm not going to lie.  One of the things I love most about this book is that it is set in a lovingly rendered Washington D.C.--the Mall and White House lawn, in fact.  Oh, Don Freeman.  You are one of the greats.  Between Corduroy and (two of my favorites): Fly High, Fly Low, and Manuelo the Playing Mantis, you just wrote and illustrated the most wonderful, playful, real stories, and I love you for it!

This manuscript was discovered and completed by his son, Roy Freeman (for more on them, click here)--so this is not a reprint, but rather an entirely new release.  It is about a squirrel (clearly), who lives in a tree on the Mall, and goes scampering about one late fall day to finish storing up for the winter.  I can't help but think that there is a lovely, and completely in the background message about the book, given these lean times and the excesses of our federal government, but never mind about that.  The book is a treasure--beautifully illustrated, charmingly told, and lovingly offered by a devoted son as a tribute to his father.  You can't get better than that!
 

Shadow by Suzy Lee

TITLE: Shadow  and Mirror
AUTHOR + ILLUSTRATOR: Suzy Lee
PUBLISHED BY: Chronicle Books
ISBN:  978-0811872805 (Shadow) and 978-1934734391 (Mirror)




Suzy Lee is very dear to the heart of LLB.  Her Caldecott medal winner Wave was one of the first books I featured here.  It is one of those remarkable picture books that transcends age, and was an instant classic (I don't use those words lightly).

And she's done it again.  I haven't found a single book in 2010 that is as delightful and imaginative, insightful and immediate as Ms. Lee's Shadow.  Another wordless picture book, our bobbed heroine runs up to an attic, and plays games with the shadows cast by a single lightbulb.  Lee only uses 2 colors: yellow and black.  The book flip horizontally, so that reality is show on the top of the page and the imaginative world on the bottom. Stunning and vibrant, it portrays the world of imagination in the most eloquent terms.

Shadow

Chronicle Books has also re-released a similar Suzy Lee book, Mirror.  In this a little girls sees herself in a mirror, and plays with her reflection.  Eventually the reflection takes on a life of its own--and startles the girls.  In the end, as with the girl in Shadow, the reflection and reality are united.

Shadow is perhaps my favorite book of 2010.  I hope you'll check it out, and tell me what you think!

Mirror

Best of 2010 Lists

Shadowplay

This weekend many of the most important "Best of Children's Literature" lists were released. These serve as the first public clues of what book will receive the Caldecott, and what books will be easily found on the clutter shelves of your local Barnes & Noble. And the choices aren't bad, though not a single book overlaps on the Publisher's Weekly or New York Times list, which is rather shocking. (There is no clear winner, like last year's The Lion and the Mouse.)

Publisher's Weekly put out an awfully fun list.  One could hardly go wrong with any of these picture books, though I especially loved (and will be reviewing at some point) Boss Baby by 2009 Caldecott Winner Marla Freeze, Farm by Elisha Cooper (review), City Dog, Country Frog by Mo Willems.  A dark horse on the list is It's a Book by Lane Smith, which I still love, a LOT, but am beginning to see that it's not really funny for kids.

The New York Times list is surprisingly unpredictable.  Their focus is on illustration in this list, and they have a good eye, but they usually pick a few duds, or a few that capture the spirit of the year, but nothing more.  This year's list is pretty near flawless: Henry in Love (review), Shadow by Suzy Lee (above), The Big Red Lollipop illustrated by the brilliant Sophie Blacknell.

The Kirkus Review has also released their Best of 2010 Children's Supplement.  Download the pdf here.

But if all this is too much for you to process, don't worry: new release book reviews begin tomorrow!
(For a frequently updated round-up of best-of lists visit Chicken Spaghetti.)

Ah!  Young love!

The Illustrated Gospel by Jean-Francois Kieffer and Christine Ponsard

TITLE: The Illustrated Gospel for Children
AUTHOR:  Jean-Francois Kieffer
ILLUSTRATOR: Christine Ponsard
PUBLISHED BY: Ignatius Press and Magnificat
ISBN: 978-1586175115
PURCHASE: Amazon

I have to say, of all the new titles from Ignatius Press, this is the one that interested me the least.  I have mentioned before that comics are not my forte.  But I also am naturally inclined to distrust anything that makes the Christian tale cartoonish--and I didn't see how a comic book of the Gospel could be anything but cartoonish.

Boy was I wrong: this retelling of the life of Christ, along with a number of important parables, is wonderful.  I had the great pleasure of reading it with the three beautiful daughters of my friend, author and illustrator and comic artist, Ben Hatke, and we had a great time reading it!  And the girls--aged 2, 5 and 8, followed along, engaged and attentive.  When I read the miracle of the loaves and fishes, A (age 8) couldn't wait to re-tell it to me.  Then Z (age 5) jumped in retelling it (more simply, but still correctly).  They were so thrilled, and amazed.

The scenes of Christ preaching and telling parables often have little children in it, and the girls zeroed in on these kids instantly, picking which one was their favorite, and imagining they were there with Jesus.  As far as I am concerned, that makes this book a winner.

My only complaint, and it is minor, is that in the Crucifixion we only see Christ's back.  This is mostly a stylistic choice, and I am not fond of it, but it is a minor thing.  Otherwise, I think this is a great adaptation of the Gospel stories, and one that can be enjoyed by children of all ages, and many different reading levels.  It will plant the seeds of this great story (the greatest!) in their hearts and imaginations, to unfold later with vibrant faith!

To see the rest of the Ignatius Press newly released series of picture books, please click here.

Scenes from the early life of Christ.

Giveaway Winners + Shop Announcement

So, a while back I asked (and no one but Stephanie responded), when you thought I ought to start posting about Christmas books and Christmas presents. Since most of the best books of 2010 have been released by now (they don't really release books in November or December), I am going to spend the rest of November talking about them.

After thanksgiving, I'll do a week of new Christmas books, and then for the rest of December, I'll continue with new releases in the morning and repost Christmas reviews from previous years in the afternoon. It's going to be a lot, but I think I can handle it.

As always, you can find my favorite Christmas books in the LLB Bookshop.  All you moms out there, be sure to spread the word to people buying gifts for your little ones! And remember, 10% of any money I earn from Amazon, etc, goes to literacy charities. (And the rest goes straight back into LLB...and by that I mean my library!)


Now that you can be a rational and equipped consumer, lets get to what you're really waiting for: THE GIVEAWAY! Ah! The hardest part about a giveaway is that I want to give books to all of you! Your comments were all so sweet! And every time I got one from someone I knew, I thought to myself, "Oh! that book would be perfect for X; I hope she wins!" But you can't all win.

So, I whipped out my handy random number generator (I keep it in my back pocket at all times. You never know when you might need a number.) And, dear friends, here are the winners:

  

#1 goes to comment #5: Stephanie! She and her little ones will be getting the new Ignatius Press prayer books, My First Prayers for Family and My First Prayers for Christmas.  
  
#2 goes to comment #4: Patty!  Patty is my hero because she is a foster mom and is trying to adopt and besides that she just has so much joie de virve, so I am so glad she's getting Ton by Taro Miura.

  

#3 goes to comment #8: Megan.  (I assume this is MMcN, but I am not sure...)  Anyway, congratulations!  You get The Noisy Book!

#4 goes to comment #7: Kristen, an expectant mother who I know will love The Keeping Quilt because it is really about motherhood!


If the winners would please email me with their addresses, so I can send these great books off before the Holiday rush!  You can reach me at: littlelambbooks[at]gmail[dot]com

Thank you all for participating in this giveaway, and for all your readership, your comments, your encouragement!  Here's to year 3!

Blog Giveaway #4: The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco

Saturday marked the 2nd birthday of Little Lamb Books, and we're celebrating all week long!

Today's give away is of one of Patricia Polacco's most beautiful and moving books: The Keeping Quilt.

Leave a comment below to enter. If you commented yesterday, Tuesday or Monday, 

you are still eligible to comment today.  You can only win once but you can 

enter as many times and for as many books as you like! 

Winners will be announced on Friday.  

  

Birthday Giveaway #3: The Noisy Book

Saturday marked the 2nd birthday of Little Lamb Books, and we're celebrating all week long!

Today's give away is of the wonderful Margaret Wise Brown book The Noisy Book (which I cannot believe I have not reviewed yet!  Well...It's great.) (This is a library copy).

Leave a comment below to enter. If you commented yesterday or Monday, 

you are still eligible to comment today.  You can only win once but you can 

enter as many times and for as many books as you like! 

Winners will be announced on Friday.  

Blog Birthday Week, Giveaway #2!

Saturday marked the 2nd birthday of Little Lamb Books, and we're celebrating all week long!

Today's give away is of the wonderful Taro Miura book Ton (reviewed here).

Leave a comment below to enter. If you commented yesterday, you are still eligible to comment today.  You can only win once but you can enter as many times and for as many books as you like!

Winners will be announced on Friday.  

Birthday Week on LLB (with Prizes!)

Happy Birthday to Little Lamb Books

Saturday marked the 2nd birthday of Little Lamb Books, and I want to take this opportunity to thank all my readers and new blogging friends who have made writing this blog so enjoyable.

SO...I'm doing a give-a-way every day this week!  

Today's give away is of the two new Ignatius Press prayer books, 

My First Prayers for Christmas, and My First Prayers for Family.

Leave a comment below to enter. Winners will be announced on Friday.  

(You can enter every day, but you can only win once!)