165. Genius in a High Chair

165. Genius in a High Chair. Rosemary Wells. 2024. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars] [picture book, family, learning to talk]

First sentence: Like all new babies, Koko was born happy and giggly. But Koko had a secret. Inside Koko's head was an inbox! The way into the inbox was through Koko's ears. Koko's mama knew about the inbox behind the ears. She told Daddy about it. "What a baby!" said Mama.

Rosemary Wells has written some GREAT books and some not-so-great books. I will always love her because of Max and Ruby (Ruby and Max) in addition to Noisy Nora! 

This picture book is about Koko learning to talk! The premise is cutesy and clever. Koko's "inbox" is every word--spoken or sung--that she's ever heard. When her inbox is FULL and OVERFLOWING, Koko begins talking, her "outbox" has been activated at last. 

This is a cutesy way to think about how babies process language. 

I definitely enjoyed this one more than most of her most recent books. I think it would be a good read aloud for young readers.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

175. Max Can Read

Max Can Read. Rosemary Wells. 2022. [October] 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: One day the mail carrier brought a big package to Max and Ruby's house. It came all the way from Uncle Gyorgy in Bulgaria. Inside were two boxes. "Happy Valentine!" said Max. "No, Max," said Max's sister, Ruby. "The picture on the card says Happy Double Birthday, Macks and Rubi!" 

Premise/plot: Max's gift from his uncle doesn't have instructions written in English. For most of the book, he struggles with trying to read the instructions. Frustrated that Ruby is playing with her gift, he is persistent and stubborn. If Ruby is too busy to help, it's Grandma to the rescue!!! But Grandma can't read Bulgarian either! But then Max realizes something--he doesn't need to read the words. He can READ the pictures in the instructions and perfectly-perfectly put together his air-powered jet-pack space suit. 

My thoughts: I am just going to confess at the start that I absolutely love, love, love, crazy love Max and Ruby. The television show is one of my absolute favorites. The theme song is a masterpiece. (I'll leave it to you to determine if I'm in jest.) I crazy love and adore Max and Ruby (Ruby and Max). So when it comes to reading books about Max and Ruby, well, I might be biased. 

What I love about this one is that Max (once again) proves he's smart and clever. He also makes a good point, there are many ways to READ. And you might even argue that the life skills of being able to read instructional pictures can be just as difficult as learning to read. Both skills are needed. Mechanical skills are important too.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers

166. The Welcome Chair

The Welcome Chair. Rosemary Wells. Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. 2021. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: In the year 1807, Sam Seigbert is born in the kingdom of Bavaria.

Premise/plot: An immigrant, Sam Seigbert, crafts a wooden rocking chair and engraves it with the word 'welcome.' (Technically WILLKOMMEN) Through the years, the word 'welcome' is engraved in a handful of different languages. The picture book provides a glimpse into almost two hundred years' worth of immigration stories. (Not that there is a story for every year--or even decade. But the book allows for readers to see how immigration and immigrants has been viewed. The first story taking place circa 1820s.) 

My thoughts: I went into this one wanting to love it or at the very least like it. It has at least three starred reviews (Booklist, BookPage, Kirkus). It is on a timely subject--immigration. The fact that the author was inspired by a family diary from a hundred years ago, it made me want to love it. 

But it just didn't work for me. I thought the story linking all these immigration stories together into one bigger story was weak. The individual stories had merit--I just didn't see the need to link them all together by using a physical chair. I didn't see how one chair could find its way about so many families, so many generations, so many places. 

The author's note reveals that some of the earlier stories were from her own family tree, but she felt the need to tack on other immigration stories from other decades to bring the story to the present day. And the other stories do feel tacked on. Yes, that's just my opinion. Yes, I'm just one person. There are many, many, many people who seem to love and adore this one just as is. But for me it just didn't work. 

© 2021 Becky Laney of Young Readers

110. Noisy Nora

Noisy Nora. Rosemary Wells. 1973. 32 pages. [Source: Bought]

First sentence: Jack had dinner early; Father played with Kate; Jack needed burping; So Nora had to wait. First she banged the window, then she slammed the door, then she dropped her sister's marbles on the kitchen floor.

Premise/plot: Nora is "the middle mouse" and she is feeling FRUSTRATED and OUT OF SORTS. Would anyone even miss her if she ran away?

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. I did. There's something unforgettable about it--namely the last line, "'But I'm back again!' said Nora with a monumental crash." Max and Ruby are probably still my favorite characters created by Rosemary Wells. But I do love Nora. 

It does have the word 'dumb' so if you are in a 'dumb-free' household, you might want to know ahead of time before reading it aloud so you know to switch the word. 

© 2020 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Felix Eats Up

Felix Eats Up (Felix and Fiona) Rosemary Wells. 2019. Candlewick Press. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Felix brought the same sandwich to school every day. He had no need to try anything new. He was happy with just his sprouts on buttered oat bread.

Premise/plot: Felix will be spending the night at Fiona's house. That would be good news--great news--if they were staying home for dinner. Fiona's mom makes macaroni and cheese. Felix is okay with macaroni and cheese. But they are going out to dinner. And he has no say in where they go. Felix will most likely have to go somewhere he does not want to go. Felix will most likely have to try something new--or go hungry. Will he survive the night?!

My thoughts: I have mixed thoughts on Felix Eats Up. On the one hand, Felix is much braver--in general--than I was/am. Felix does NOT think of an excuse to postpone the sleepover. Felix does NOT let his fear or worry change his plans. If Felix had known about eating out BEFORE saying yes to the sleepover, would he have suggested a different night? We'll never know. Fiona is kind and compassionate. But firm. She's not such a people-pleaser that she'll let Felix's picky eating influence where she celebrates her half-birthday. Felix needs to be taken care of--nurtured--and Fiona steps up to do just that. She'll coax him steadily through every single "scary" experience.

On the other hand, how realistic is it that Felix would actually LIKE and FIND DELICIOUS every single one of the twelve new foods he tries?!?! I could easily see a person liking some of what they try new. Also there is a difference between liking enough to eat just the one time and actually like-liking enough to order it again.

And another thing, the writing seemed a bit off/weird. "All of a sudden, Fiona's mama called the Dragon's Belly. She made a reservation for four." Also, how do you get birthday candles in a fortune cookie? Also, who really celebrates half-birthdays with half-birthday songs and blowing out of candles?

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10

© 2019 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Fiona's Little Accident

Fiona's Little Accident. Rosemary Wells. 2018. Candlewick Press. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: Fiona and her best friend, Felix, had built a volcano. It was going to erupt big-time at show-and-tell. At bedtime Fiona laid out her aloha dress, her sunshine undies, and her new red shoes.

Premise/plot: Fiona finds herself way too busy to go to the bathroom. The consequences of her putting it off again and again and again is an accident in front of everyone during the show-and-tell presentation. Will Fiona EVER be able to live this down?

My thoughts: The answer is YES. I haven't decided if that's because it's actually true OR if it's because Felix and Fiona live in a happily-ever-after kind of world where problems--big and small--are resolved neatly and wonderfully within thirty-two pages.

Felix is a good friend. There's no doubt about that. He's a keeper. Another hero is Victor. If Victor's show and tell had not gone so above and beyond Fiona's "little" accident and wowed the class, I'm not sure Fiona's accident would have been forgotten in less than a minute.

Text: 3 out of 5
Illustrations: 3 out of 5
Total: 6 out of 10

© 2018 Becky Laney of Young Readers

Max at School

Max at School (Max and Ruby). Rosemary Wells. Illustrated by Andrew Grey. 2017. [Oct. 24] 32 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Max gives Mama a kiss. Ruby gives Papa a kiss. "Bye-bye," say Mama and Papa. "Bye-bye," say Ruby and Max. Mama and Papa wave. Ruby and Max wave. They hop on the bus. The big bus is yellow.

Premise/plot: It is Max's first day of school. I'm not sure if this is preschool or kindergarten. But a first day is a first day, right?! The book--in typical fashion--shows Max going through the routine of a school day.

My thoughts: I love Max and Ruby. (Ruby and Max). It's not unusual for me to be going around singing the Max and Ruby theme song. Recently, the show introduced Max and Ruby's parents. Before they had lived by themselves and only had a grandmother to check in on them now and then. The new episode(s) also featured Max saying more than one word per episode. Max had grown up a bit. This new reader--level two--reflects that. The text is simple, and there is something methodical about it.

© 2017 Becky Laney of Young Readers