8. Silent Movie

  

 

8. Silent Movie. Avi. Illustrated by C.B. Mordan. 2003. 64 pages. [Source: Library] [picture book, 4 stars, historical picture book, immigration]

First sentence: One hundred years ago people from all over the world are moving to the United States of America. Some want adventure. Some are fleeing hardship. Others come because they believe America is the "Promised Land." Among those who seek a better life is a family from Sweden. The first to go is Papa...

Premise/plot: Silent Movie is not a wordless picture book. However illustrations--told within black and white frames--do the heavy lifting in terms of story telling and characterization. The words assist the artwork.

The premise is relatively simple: A mother and son who have recently arrived in America--New York City, I believe--struggle to find the "Papa" who came before. Relatively alone and without resources, the pair struggles to find a way to make it. A chance--oh so fortunate--encounter with a movie maker (director?) leads to a happy ending! The boy is cast in a silent movie and the father recognizes his son on screen and the family is able to reunite!

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this one. The illustrations and text pair wonderfully together to convey the story of immigration experience at the turn of the twentieth century. (The story is set circa 1909.) 

This one might be appreciated more by readers who have seen at least one or two silent movies and understand the concept. However, there's no reason why this picture book couldn't come first and serve as an introduction to the early days of movies. 

Some/many silent movies are "shorts" and are about twenty minutes in length. There are silent movies for just about any genre. 

This one could be read by a wider range of ages.

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers

191. Autumnblings

Autumnblings. Douglas Florian. 2003. 48 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Autumn falls in late September.

Premise/plot: Autumnblings is a picture book poetry collection by poet/artist Douglas Florian. There are forty-eight autumn/fall themed poems celebrating this season of the year. It blends two art forms--poetry and art [painting]. Many--though not all--involve word play. Almost all are a celebration of nature. 

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. I did. I think my favorite poem from this collection--or one of them at least--is the poem "Awe-tumn."

When summer's seams
Have come undone,
Then greens to reds
And purples run.
A palette falls
To forest floor,
And autumn leaves
Leave me in awe.

I also liked the pumpkin poems! I think they would be such a great read aloud in school classrooms. 

The poem about hibernation [aka Hi-bear-nation] was so much fun!!! I loved the word play.

© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers

44. The City of Ember

The City of Ember. Jeanne DuPrau. 2003. 270 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: In the city of Ember, the sky was always dark.

Premise/plot: The City of Ember is one of my all-time favorite books. Ember was built by the BUILDERS to protect humanity from its biggest threat in dark, dark days. Hundreds of years have passed, the inhabits of Ember know nothing of the world outside. They know nothing of blue skies and yellow sun. In part, the builders wanted it that way--to protect the people from knowledge of the past. But the time has come--has almost come and gone, in fact--for the people to leave Ember behind and rejoin the world above. The problem? The instructions have been lost. And only one person even knows that something important--something vital--has been lost and is worth searching for. And few take her words seriously because she's "senile" and "not herself." Lina Mayfleet, our heroine, stumbles upon these instructions quite by accident, and really all in thanks to her baby sister, Poppy. Will she be able to decode the instructions--what remain of them after Poppy's little snack--and solve the mystery? It is too big to solve on her own. But Lina has a few good friends that she thinks are trustworthy--and clever. The one who becomes her best friend is Doon Harrow. These two grow close as they work on solving the problems that threaten life as they know it.

My thoughts: I love this book. I do. I can't believe--in a way--that it was the author's first book. It is just MARVELOUS. I love the world-building. I love how thought-provoking it is. And I love the characterization. It is one of those rare books that defies expectations. It is premise-driven, plot-driven, and character-driven.

One of my favorite quotes:

The trouble with anger is, it gets hold of you. And then you aren't the master of yourself anymore. Anger is. (89)

 ETA: I have read this book half a dozen times at least. It is a true favorite. I don't always write new reviews of books that I have read *that* many times. There are only so many ways you can come up with an original-ish summary of the plot. And my love of the book hasn't diminished through the years. I believe I first read it in 2007.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers

36. Bubba and Beau Go Night-Night

Bubba and Beau Go Night-Night. Kathi Appelt. Illustrated by Arthur Howard. 2003. 32 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: Bubba and Beau love to go bye-bye. Whenever Big Bubba went to town, he packed those two up in his trusty pickup, Earl, and off they went. 

Premise/plot: Bubba and Beau are back for their second adventure. In this one, Bubba and Beau spend their day with Big Bubba (Bubba's daddy, of course). It is a long, tiring day--with plenty of fun and excitement. So why aren't Bubba and Beau ready to go to bed?!?! How could they not be as tired as Mama Pearl and Big Bubba?!

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one! I would definitely recommend reading the first book first. (Bubba and Beau Best Friends.) This second book captures the fun and excitement of a summer day. (It is my best guess that it is summer. They go watermelon thumping and get ice cream too!) It is just as cute and charming as the first book in terms of narrative style.

I think my favorite part was when everyone got ice cream with PLENTY OF NAPKINS. There was just something JOYFUL and wonderful about the illustrations.

It was nice to see a father in a picture book doing a lot of the child care. That isn't always the case. Mama Pearl has a keeper in Big Bubba. 

© 2021 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Bow Wow Meow Meow

Bow Wow Meow Meow: It's Rhyming Cats and Dogs. Douglas Florian. 2003. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 56 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence:

"Dog Log"
Rolled out of bed.
Scratched by mhead.
Brought the mail.
Wagged my tail.
Fetched a stick.
Learned a trick.
...

Premise/plot: Bow Wow Meow Meow is an animal-themed poetry collection by Douglas Florian. There are twenty-one poems in all. Eleven poems feature dogs. (One of the dog poems is about a wolf.) Ten poems feature cats. (Only four poems are about house cats. The other six are about BIG cats: lions, cheetahs, leopards, panthers, etc.)

One of my favorite poems is "The Siamese"

I am a cat.
A cat I am.
My ancestors
Were from Siam.
My ears are brown.
My eyes are blue.
And I'm the boss, you know,
Not you!

My thoughts: I really, really loved this one. I liked Zoo's Who, which I reviewed earlier today, but I LOVED this one even more. I had favorite dog poems and favorite cat poems. Overall, I think most readers will find at least one or two poems to absolutely love.

Text: 5 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 8 out of 10

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

The Case of the Fidgety Fox

The Case of the Fidgety Fox ( The High Rise Private Eyes #6). Cynthia Rylant. Illustrated by G. Brian Karas. 2003. 56 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: On Saturday Bunny did her yoga. Bunny did yoga every Saturday. When she was finished, she called Jack. "You're missing all the cartoons," Jack said. "Yes, but I am very, very calm," said Bunny. "Mighty Monkey is trapped," said Jack. "I'm too calm to care," said Bunny. "He's in a room full of gardenias," said Jack," And he's allergic." "Really?" said Bunny. "That's not good." "I know," said Jack. He's sneezing to high heaven." "Goodness," said Bunny.

Premise/plot: Bunny and Jack are as different as can be. But they have a few things in common. They love chips--the ruffly kind--and dip. They love detecting. In this one, Bunny and Jack eat a lot of chips in an effort to get calm...and stay calm. IT is when they are out "exercising" off those chips that they discover a new case.

Someone has stolen the bus driver's lucky fuzzy dice? He won't drive without those dice. And there are a lot of angry people who depend on the bus to get where they are going. Can Bunny and Jack solve the case and discover the thief?!

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. I especially enjoyed the illustrations. Readers see Bunny when she's agitated and stressed out and when she's super-calm. The story is silly. Would someone really, truly get that worked up over the "dangers" facing cartoon characters? Especially if this is all word-of-mouth. But then I think about it in this way. Haven't I got upset over the "dangers" facing characters in books?! So maybe it's not ridiculously silly. Are chips the answer to anyone's stress? They shouldn't be. Though realistically, I would say many people DO turn to food as a coping mechanism.

I enjoy spending time with Bunny and Jack.

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Mr. Putter and Tabby Stir the Soup

Mr. Putter and Tabby Stir the Soup. (Mr. Putter and Tabby #12) Cynthia Rylant. Illustrated by Arthur Howard. 2003. 44 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence:  Mr. Putter and his fine cat, Tabby, lived in an old house with an old porch and an old swing and lots of old things inside. Mr. Putter and Tabby didn't mind old things. They were old, too, so they felt right at home.

Premise/plot: Mr. Putter loves soup, but he never seems to have all the ingredients he wants to make soup all at the same time. And the one day it seems that he does, well, his old stove, Bessie, gives out. What's he to do? Who will come to his rescue?

My thoughts:  I enjoyed this one! I too love a good bowl of soup. And this early chapter book is funny. Mr. Putter ends up going to Mrs. Teaberry's house to cook his soup. Zeke, well, he has two sides to him: a good side and a terribly naughty side. Guess which Zeke Mr. Putter encounters?!

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Ollie

Ollie. Olivier Dunrea. 2003/2007. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 16 pages.

This is Ollie.
Ollie is waiting.
He won't come out.
Gossie and Gertie have been waiting for weeks for Ollie to come out.

Gossie and Gertie are impatient. They are tired of waiting for Ollie to hatch out of his shell. Ollie keeps protesting that he won't come out, he won't come out, he won't come out. And these two friends keep pleading with Ollie again and again. Will this egg ever hatch? He may when he's ready--in his own time. Perhaps after the two tell him NOT to come out!

While Ollie isn't my favorite board book by Olivier Dunrea, it is still a fun read! There are other Ollie adventures, I believe, that I haven't had the opportunity to read: Ollie the Stomper, Ollie's Halloween, Merry Christmas, Ollie, Ollie's Easter Eggs, etc.

© 2011 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Fame and Glory in Freedom, Georgia

Fame and Glory in Freedom, Georgia. Barbara O'Connor. 2003. FSG. 112 pages.

Harlem Tate hadn't been in Freedom, Georgia, more than three days before it was clear that nobody wanted anything to do with him. Nobody except me, that is. I had a burning desire to be his friend.

Bird has two main goals--to be noticed by her hometown of Freedom, Georgia, and to go to Disney World. Neither goal seems likely at the start of Barbara O'Connor's delightful Fame and Glory in Freedom, Georgia. What Bird needs even more than a trip to Disney World is a friend--a good friend, a best friend. Because she's a lonely girl. Her best hope for a friend seems to be the new kid, Harlem, a kid the others in her class dismiss almost immediately. But how can she "get" him to be her friend?

What brings these two together--in the end--is a spelling bee! What can Bird and Harlem learn from one another?

I really, really liked this one. I just love Barbara O'Connor. I do. She has a gift with creating characters that I can love and understand. (My favorite books so far being Greetings From Nowhere and The Small Adventure Of Popeye and Elvis.) I would definitely recommend this one!

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! Mo Willems. 2003. Hyperion. 40 pages.

Hi! I'm the bus driver. Listen, I've got to leave for a little while, so can you watch things for me until I get back? Thanks. Oh, and remember: Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!

Pigeon is the star of this one. Pigeon is one stubborn bird. Opinionated too. He is willing to beg, plead, whine, and more....all in one valiant attempt to do something he has no business doing. Will his reasoning make you and your little one giggle? Maybe!

I thought this one was fun. I liked it well enough. But I don't love it the same way as I love Mo Willems' other books--especially his Knuffle Bunny ones and the Elephant and Piggie ones.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers