75. Bear and Bird The Picnic and Other Stories

Bear and Bird: The Picnic and Other Stories. Jarvis. 2023. 64 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Ding-dong! Bear and Bird had a big day planned. Bird was early. "I'll be out in a minute," shouted Bear from his big bed. "I haven't just woken up. I promise!" 

Premise/plot: Bear and Bird is the first in a new early chapter book series. Bear and Bird are friends--dear, close friends. However, Bear and Bird have many differences. These short chapters, short stories, are interconnected--loosely. The first two stories are definitely closely related. 

The stories/chapters are: "The Flower," "The Picnic," "The Painting," "The Blanket."

My thoughts: I loved, loved, loved, loved this book. The writing  is WONDERFUL. 

Quotes:

This is from "The Flower" chapter:

"Sorry I'm late!" said Bear. "I thought my feet would move quicker than they did."

This is from the "Picnic" chapter:

"Have you used the bathroom?" said Bird.
"Yes," said Bear.
Bear had not used the bathroom.
"Did you pack the music player?" said Bird.
"Yes," said Bear.
Bear had not packed the music player.
"And the lawn chairs?" said Bird.
"Yes," said Bear.
No lawn chairs either.
"And most importantly--have you packed the picnic?" said Bird.
There was a bit of a pause before Bear said, "Yes, I've packed the picnic."
Bear had not packed the picnic.

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

73-74. A biography and "biography"

73. The Story of Jim Henson. Stacia Deutsch. 2021. 70 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Jim Henson was 13 years old when he saw his first television show.

A early chapter book biography of the legendary Jim Henson. It is a biography that covers his whole life focusing mostly on his career and legacy. It isn't just the story of Sesame Street or the Muppet Show. 

My thoughts: I really enjoyed the illustrations. It was great for nostalgia. I don't know that I learned anything as an adult reader. (I grew up watching many though not all of Henson's works). I think for the target audience it would be a good--though basic--introduction. I do love the inclusion of Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas. Though it would have been awesome to see the inclusion of the BEST Christmas production that he did--The Muppet Family Christmas (1987). 

74. What is the Story of Captain Picard? David Stabler. 2023. 112 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: On the evening of September 28, 1987, Star Trek fans all over the world turned on their TV sets with great anticipation.

Is it a biography? Not really. Only a little. It is the story of Star Trek's Captain Picard. It explains a little bit about Star Trek and the fandom, the restart of the series in the "next generation," and provides a fictional biography of Captain Picard. But it also does give a tiny biography of the actor who played Picard, Patrick Stewart, as well as the tiniest biography of Star Trek's creator, Gene Roddenberry. 

My thoughts: Is this one necessary? Probably not. Is it fun? A little. I do remember watching Star Trek the Next Generation as it aired [for the first time.] I have very fond memories of watching the show. I did read Patrick Stewart's memoir earlier this year.

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

68-72. Early readers and early chapter books

68. Fox versus Fox. Corey R Tabor. 2024. [March] 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Hi, I am Fox! No, I am Fox. I am Fox, too! Hmm.

Premise/plot: Fox is starring in yet another adventure. In this newest book Fox is meeting another Fox--a white fox. Will these two foxes get along? become friends? Perhaps. 

My thoughts: This newest book has less adventure, perhaps it has less than a plot. It is enjoyable in that it stars FOX. I have really come to love, love, love this character. Fox is always having adventures and getting into trouble. In this one, it is just two foxes getting to know a little bit about each other. This is accomplished technically by action (as opposed to conversation). 

69. Bear and Bird: The Stars and Other Stories. Jarvis. 2023. [October 10] 64 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Bird woke  up and made herself some tea. She was thinking about the argument from the day before. She couldn't quite remember what it was about. Something to do with a spoon. Bust she knew she had fallen out with Bear and needed a new best friend.

Premise/plot: Bear and Bird are friends--best friends. This is an early chapter book for young readers. It features four stories: "The Spoon," "The Cake," "The Rock," and "The Stars." In the first story, Bear and Bird start out in the middle of a fight. Bear is looking for a new best friend. Bird is looking for a new best friend. There's an exchange of [anonymous] letters where each is seeking a new best friend... In the second story, Bird makes Bear a cake....and Bear makes something far from a cake. In "The Rock" Bear and Bird go on the search for a new cake for their tea party. Things take a twist when the "rocks" start moving. In "The Stars," Bear and Bird are reflective about the good things in life. This conversation happens when they are stargazing.

My thoughts: I absolutely love, love, love, love, LOVE this early chapter book. Bear and Bird are delightful characters. The stories are enchanting in a delightful, lovely way. I just learned that this is the second book in the series. I will definitely be checking to see if the first book is at the library.

70. Duck and Moose: Duck Moves In. Kirk Reedstrom. 2024. [March] 64 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Ahhh. What a beautiful day. The sun is shining....the birds are chirping....the bees are buzzing....Blech. I hate it. I want some quiet.

Premise/plot: Moose meets Duck. Duck is SO different from Moose. Duck definitely knows how to liven things up a bit. Moose is a little reluctant to be friends with Duck....yet Duck may just win Moose over by the end. These two may even become best friends.

My thoughts: I liked this one. I don't know that I crazy loved it. However, it was, I believe, the first in a new series. The characters may very well grow on me if I keep reading the series. And this early chapter book is graphic novel. 

71. Duck and Moose: Moose Blasts Off. Kirk Reedstrom. 2024. [March] 64 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: I wonder where Moose is. 

Premise/plot: Moose is VERY imaginative in this one. (A bit out of character maybe from his introduction???) He loves to imagine he is an astronaut in space. Duck is NOT imaginative--at least not at first. (Again not how I'd imagine him to be based on the introduction). Moose is happy to imagine alone...Duck wants to be involved. But Duck's plans for playing together and Moose's plan conflict. Duck wants dinosaurs involved. Moose decidedly does not. Can these two friends stay friends when their imaginations go wild?

My thoughts: This one was silly. I enjoyed how the imaginings were illustrated. I definitely enjoyed this one more than the first book. Though I still don't know if I actually KNOW-KNOW the characters. But it was silly and fun. 

72. Happy Pudding. Kimberly Gee. 2023. [August] 64 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Is that sunshine?

Premise/plot: Arlo invites friends over to celebrate the end of a storm. Sounds relatively predictable, right????

My thoughts: This book is WEIRD. W-E-I-R-D. Namely because Arlo has a stove that HAS A FACE and TALKS back to him (and sometimes sings). Arlo and Cooky (the stove) have a strong friendship. Arlo's friends seem unusual choices--but friendships can at times be unusual and unexpected. (I just never personally thought a rhino (that is what Arlo is???? isn't it????) would be good friends with a [tiny] worm. But really it is all about the talking stove to me. It was just a NO from the get go.

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

67. Five Stories

Five Stories. Ellen Weinstein. 2024. 48 pages. [Source: Library] [picture book for older readers]

First sentence: Buildings are like people: each one has a story. This building is over a hundred years old and holds thousands of stories about the people who have lived here on New York's Lower East Side. Lots of families have come to the Lower East  Side from different parts of the world and made it their home. And though their reasons for being here are different, they still share many of the same questions, fears, hopes, and dreams. And each generation contributes tastes, stories, and sounds to the neighborhood.

Premise/plot: Five Stories tells the story of five immigrant families--five decades/generations, five cultures, one apartment building in one neighborhood. The Epsteins (1914), The Cozzis (1932), The Martes (1965), The Torresses (1989), and The Yes (present day). Each story has a child at the center: Jenny Epstein, Anna Cozzi, Jose Marte, Maria Torres, and Wei Yei. Their narratives give a slice of life view to their times and culture. There are plenty of similarities--for example--though the means of communication with loved ones change, all families want to hold onto and remember the loved ones left behind when they immigrated.  

My thoughts: This is a picture book for older readers. Definitely a good fit for elementary school students. I don't think it would be as good a fit for younger readers. I definitely liked this one. I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE if this idea had been a chapter book so we could follow the families more--longer. The concept was good. The author's note reveals she is a descendant of Jenny Epstein.

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

66. Orris and Timble: The Beginning

Orris and Timble #1: Orris and Timble the Beginning. Kate DiCamillo. Illustrated by Carmen Mok. 2024. 80 pages. [Source: Library] [early chapter book, animal fantasy, friendship, storytelling]

First sentence: Orris the rat had made a nest for himself in a hole in the wall and papered it with pages from a box of discarded books. In the rat's nest were his treasures: a red velvet slipper, a yellow marble, and a sardine can. Sometimes if the light shone into the rat's nest at just the right angle, the king on the sardine can looked Orris in the eye.

Premise/plot: Orris and Timble are unlikely friends: one is a rat and the other is an owl. But when Timble (the owl) finds himself TRAPPED in a mouse trap (in the hayloft), Orris faces a hard decision. Should he make a good and noble choice and save the owl??? Or should he leave things well enough alone??? The owl, after all, might eat him anyway after he has been freed. True, it's distressing to hear him screech and cry out, but, is it truly his problem to solve? Maybe. Maybe not. 

My thoughts: I love, love, love, love, love, love, love Kate DiCamillo. I do. I expect great things and am rarely disappointed. (Though there are a handful of books that I don't particularly like. But when you consider the vastness of her body of work, then it's clear that she's absolutely fabulous.) I love, love, love the focus on STORYTELLING, the way stories can bring two people together despite the differences in their backgrounds. I enjoyed the characterization and the narrative itself. Beautiful writing. 

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers