38. Even Robots Aren't Perfect

Even Robots Aren't Perfect. Jan Thomas. 2022. 64 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: I sure do like to paint with you, Red Robot!

Premise/plot: Even Robots Aren't Perfect is a new early reader by Jan Thomas. There are three stories: "Magnificent Paintings," "Nobody Likes to Rust," "The Perfect Plan." Each story celebrates friendship all the while acknowledging that "even robots aren't perfect." In "Magnificent Paintings" Red and Blue Robot unintentionally hurt each other's feelings while complimenting each other's artwork. In "Nobody Likes to Rust," a present has unintentional side effects! In "The Perfect Plan," well, things don't go exactly according to plan.

My thoughts: I really love Jan Thomas. I do. I really LOVED the first two stories. I found both stories relatable AND funny. Especially the first story, "Magnificent Paintings." Some days are just like that! You find yourself in a situation where the more you say--no matter your intentions OR your phrasing--the other person keeps getting more upset and accusatory. This story explores how feelings are hurt and stresses the importance of reconciliation. "Nobody Likes to Rust" was perhaps a little less relatable, but, I found it funny. While it is the thought that counts when giving a gift, a little common sense can go a long way!
The third story I just found weird.

I definitely would recommend to fans of Jan Thomas.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers

98. Isobel Adds It Up

Isobel Adds It Up. Kristy Everington. Illustrated by Ag Ford. 2021. [June] 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Isobel loved math. She loved the soft curves of the number three, the hard edge of seven, and how numbers always made sense to her.

Premise/plot: Isobel, our heroine, has a difficult time finding peace and quiet after noisy neighbors move in next door. Without that quiet, how can she settle into her math homework? This situation calls for some problem-solving, and not the math-on-paper kind. Can Isobel find a way to get her neighbors to settle down?

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this one. I was drawn to it because of the elephant on the cover. I thought it was fun that the neighbors that SOUNDED LIKE A HERD OF ELEPHANTS actually were an elephant family!!! I liked that Bernadette (the elephant) was able to make friends with Isobel. I liked that they both love math. Seeing these two work on their homework together was just fun.

 

© 2021 Becky Laney of Young Readers

40. The Story of Growl

The Story of Growl. Judy Horacek. 2008. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: This is Growl. Growl is a little monster. She lives in a castle at the end of Eucalyptus Drive.

Premise/plot: The Story of Growl is....you guessed it...the story of Growl. Growl, our delightful monster-heroine, has a great life. She's as happy as can be. As is evidenced by her singing, skipping, hopping, and above all her GROWLING. But her neighbors, well, they don't love living next door to a monster. Especially a monster that growls. Can Growl become friendly with her neighbors?! Or will she be silenced....forever?!

My thoughts: Oh. How. I. Loved. This. Book. Growl is a monster, a purple monster, a monster who loves, loves, loves to growl. Oh. And she loves, loves, loves to sing about herself and her love of growling. Could a book be more perfect for me? Here is what the jacket flap says,

"What's wrong with a little growling--or a little singing--anyway? Plenty, if you ask Growl's neighbors. But sometimes, you don't know how important something is until you don't have it anymore.
A story of neighbors, compromise, monsters, and singing, that will having them shouting growling, "read it again!"

And this is how the book begins,

"This is Growl. Growl is a little monster. She lives alone in a castle at the end of Eucalyptus Drive. Growl likes to hop...and skip...and jump...and run around her garden. But most of all she likes to...GROWL."

That's just a small glimpse of what this monster is like. I loved this book so much. I could (but I won't) quote *everything* because I loved everything just that much. The text. The illustrations. Perfect. Perfect. Perfect.



Definitely recommend this one if you have little monsters of your own.

 

 

© 2021 Becky Laney of Young Readers

The Giant Jam Sandwich

Lord, John Vernon. 1972. The Giant Jam Sandwich. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Board Book.

This one is a board book of a classic children's picture book, The Giant Jam Sandwich, maybe you remember it from your own childhood. Originally published in 1972, the story is just as fun as ever. Here's how this one goes, the town of Itching Down has a wasp problem. And they're looking for a BIG solution. What better way to cure the wasp problem than to bake a HUGE loaf of bread, trick the wasps out with a large "picnic," and trap the wasps in the oh-so-tempting strawberry jam? So that's what they do. Working all together as a team, this town solves its problem in a very creative way.

© Becky Laney of Young Readers

Night of the Veggie Monster

McClements, George. 2008. Night of the Veggie Monster. Bloomsbury.

Something terrible happens every Tuesday night.

Can you guess what it is? If you live with a picky eater, you just might have guessed what drama will follow. (Though you might not have guessed the exact vegetable causing that night's fuss.) Yes, every Tuesday night, the "something terrible" is a serving of vegetables. In this instance, it happens to be peas. (I love peas. Of all the vegetables to cause a fuss, I wouldn't guess english peas to be the culprit. Maybe the parents don't know about melting butter on frozen peas--the only way to go!) Yes, our little drama-king is being "forced" by his "mean" parents to eat three whole peas.


Oh the drama. For with the touch of the pea on his tongue, he turns into a Veggie Monster. "My fingers become all wiggly. . . My toes twist and curl up in my shoes . . ." and soon he's a fully transformed and ready to "smash the chairs. . . [and] tip the table." But then a strange thing happens, he swallows the pea and the world doesn't end. In fact, he admits that it was "all right, really." But the hysteria may return for tomorrow, Wednesday, is broccoli night!

Some of my other picky-eater picture book favorites are:



I Will Not Ever Never Eat A Tomato by Lauren Child
and

D.W. The Picky Eater

and Little Pea by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

The Cat in the Hat & Cat in the Hat Comes Back

The Cat In the Hat (1957) is a great Seuss book. Probably a fan favorite in many ways. And if you're honest, it's probably one of the Seuss's that pop in mind first when asked what he wrote. How does a reviewer review such a well-known book? This reviewer is going to share some favorite quotes and side-step evaluating it. Here's how it begins: "The sun did not shine. It was too wet to play. So we sat in the house all that cold, cold wet day." The book--as you know--is about a stranger--a Cat in the Hat--who comes to visit, to tempt, to play with two young children on a rainy day when they're mother is gone for the day. The other memorable character? The fish who did NOT like the Cat in the Hat at all. Why do I love Cat in the Hat? Thing One and Thing Two! But as much as I enjoyed it, I think I enjoyed The Cat in the Hat Comes Back even more.

The Cat In The Hat Comes Back (1958) is a really great book.

"This was no time for play. This was no time for fun. This was no time for games. There was work to be done. All that deep, deep, deep snow, all that snow had to go. When our mother went down to the town for the day, She said, "Somebody has to clean all this away. Somebody, Somebody has to, you see." Then she picked out two Somebodies. Sally and me."

I can't begin to tell you how many times someone has quoted that around the house "Somebody, somebody has to you, you see." Who should approach these home-alone children once more? None other than the Cat in the Hat. He leaves them to their work while he goes in to take a nice soak in their tub. But he leaves a ring in the tub.

"A ring in the tub!
And, oh boy! What a thing!
A big long pink cat ring!
It looked like pink ink!"

Then begins a long, dramatic attempt to clean up one mess after the other after the other after the other. Before it's all done, we meet many new characters beginning with Little Cat A. It was a fun book that is just a delight to read. Much more fun than the original.

Help Me, Mr. Mutt!

Help Me, Mr. Mutt! by Janet Stevens and Susan Stevens Crummel. April 2008. Harcourt.

I loved this book. It's true. I loved it. Whether you like cats or dogs OR cats and dogs, I have a feeling you'll like this one too. The full title of this one is Help Me, Mr. Mutt! Expert Answers for Dogs with People Problems. The premise is simple. Dogs write to Mr. Mutt for advice about the problems they're having with their owners. Mr. Mutt then responds. But never one to let a dog have the last word in anything, the Queen also responds. (The Queen--in case you didn't guess it from her name--is a cat.)

It was hard for me to choose a favorite part. It really was. It was hard for me to even narrow it down a bit. I really loved so many of the "letters" that Dr. Mutt received and answered. But of particular note--if I have to play favorites--I'd say that Overdressed In Oklahoma was one of my favorites.

Dear Mr. Mutt,

It's ridiculous!
Outrageous!
Preposterous!
Holidays are unbearable. First I'm a baby, next I'm a bunny, then I'm a bride, now I'm an angel.
I'm NOT a baby or a bunny or a bride or an angel.
I'm a dog.
Where is my dignity? I'm the laughingstock of the block! I'm in need of your assistance immediately!
Help me, Mr Mutt!

Overdressed in Oklahoma

P.S. My people never dress up the cantankerous cat!

Another one I simply loved was Confused in Connecticut. The truth is that I really loved them all. I HIGHLY recommend this book for everyone that loves pets--cats, dogs, whatever. It's a true gem of a book. The text, the illustrations, everything was just right!

Max Cleans Up

Max Cleans Up is one of many by Rosemary Wells that feature the lovable bunny characters of Max and Ruby. The characters are found in both picture books and board books. My childhood didn't include Max and Ruby. And this is actually the first Max and Ruby that I've actually sat down and read cover to cover. In this book, Ruby is bossing Max around telling him how to clean his room, how to clean up after himself. Max in what is most likely typical Max-fashion is stubborn and resistant.

Familiar scenario? There are many many books about messy rooms, about cleaning up messy rooms, books showing the conflict between messy folks and neat-and-tidy folks. So this isn't alone by any means. It is fun for what it is, but there are others I've enjoyed more. I've got to say though that if your little one loves Max or Ruby (or Max AND Ruby) then they will be more likely to enjoy this one. Knowing the characters, loving the characters can sometimes make a book funnier or 'better' all around.

Felix and the Worrier

Here's another book by Rosemary Wells. Like Yoko it is new-to-me. Again we're dealing with animal characters. I have mixed feelings about Felix as you'll see. Felix is good-to-go during the day. But at night, Felix becomes bogged down with worries. He has trouble sleeping at night because of all the worrying thoughts that pop up. These worries are personified as The Worrier. The Worrier is yellow and short. And dare I say it??? He's a bit freaky looking.

The Worrier hopped right in [from the window] and sat down. "I'm worried about that little black spot on your tooth," he said. Felix's clouds of happiness disappeared. Felix and the Worrier worried about the little black spot on Felix's tooth until the morning sun rose in the sky. "Bye-bye! " said the Worrier.

When morning comes, his mother's reassurances and calming presence makes all his fears, worries, doubts go away. He tells his mother what's on his mind, what's got him worried, what's got him down. And she is able to calm him, soothe him, tell him that everything is good, everything is okay, that his worries have been for nothing.

But at night, the worries creep back in. He worries about playing with other children at playschool, he worries about his birthday party, etc. On the night before his birthday, however, something happens that makes the Worrier vanish for good. That something is his birthday present--a small dog named Rufus.

What I like about the book. First of all, I like Felix. I didn't really know that many worried-and-anxious type book characters growing up. And I sure did need them. Believe me. But there wasn't Felix. There wasn't Wemberly. I think some kids do have anxious thoughts, worries, doubts, fears. And I think it's good that these real kids have fictional counterparts. And I like that the books illustrate that talking can help--talking to a parent, talking to a teacher, talking to a friend, etc.

But at the same time, this quick fix just didn't do it for me. Not really. If I'd read it as a kid, I would have thought all my problems could have been solved if I'd only been allowed to have a pet--a dog, a cat, etc. [That's not exactly true, at Felix's age, I was anxious about dogs.] There aren't really many quick fixes in life. Very rarely does a problem get solved with a magic poof. The story could easily have gone another way--a security object of some sort, a blanket, a teddy bear, a doll, etc. And all of these solutions--a pet, a toy, a blanket, a something--could help a person (a child) learn to cope, learn to self-soothe. There is no easy, quick solution. You can only deal with things one step at a time. You might calm your worries for the night, but sooner or later a new day, a new night is going to bring new worries for you to battle, to conquer. Worries just don't go poof. They have to be slain one at a time. But there is never a "completely finished, I'm perfectly cured, I'll never have another anxious thought as long as I live" moment.

But I mostly liked this one. It was good.

Yoko by Rosemary Wells

I love Rosemary Wells. I do. While I don't love, love, love each Wells' book I encounter, I enjoy them all. She's consistently good with a few stand-out titles. One thing you should probably know about Rosemary Wells? Most of her books feature animal characters. (But the animals aren't acting like animals. They're acting like people.) Yoko is a kitten, a gray kitten, a cute kitten. Yoko loves to eat all of her favorite foods. But when she takes these foods to school, sometimes the other students laugh at her or tease her. These favorite foods? Ethnic food--in this case sushi. "What's in your lunch?" asked one of the Franks.

"Ick! It's green! It's seaweed!"
"Oh, no!" said the other Frank. "Don't tell me that's raw fish!"
"Watch out! It's moving!" said Doris.

"Yuck-o-rama!" said Tulip and Fritz.

Of course Yoko is going to be upset. Fortunately, the teacher is watching and seemingly all-knowing. Will having an International Food Day make the children more tolerant and accepting of those that are different? Read and see for yourself.

Ella, Of Course!

Weeks, Sarah. 2007. Ella, Of Course! Illustrated by Doug Cushman.

Ella is a pig. Pigs made it big in 2007. There are piggies, piggies everywhere. Ella is a problem-solving piggy. But when Ella starts causing more problems than she solves, well, something has to be done. It all started with Ella's birthday. Her fourth birthday. Her present from her grammy? An umbrella. A blue umbrella--a sky blue umbrella with puffy white clouds. She loves everything about her umbrella. But most of all, she loves the whooshing sound it makes as it opens. She loves her umbrella so much she wants to take it everywhere with her. The problem? Umbrellas really don't belong everywhere. Especially when "everywhere" is mostly inside instead of outside. She whoosh-clicks into lamps. She whoosh-clicks into other people. She whoosh-clicks jars of honey at the grocery store. You get the idea. Ella has become a trouble-maker. Will Ella find a way to love her umbrella, to treasure her umbrella AND still be a problem-solver?

My favorite thing about Ella, Of Course! is the illustrations. Some of them are just perfect. They capture the playfulness of the text, the story. And the truth is that whether she's the cause or solution of the problems...she's one adorable little piggy.

New Socks

Shea, Bob. 2007. New Socks.

This one is one of my favorites of the entire year. It is so new. So fun. So unique. This is what the book says about itself: Imagine the best book ever. This is better. It's about my New Socks, and it's about me. Read it. You'll like it. Curious? Our little hero, our narrator, is presumably a chick with new socks. These new socks give confidence, give greatness, give inspiration. They are some mighty powerful socks, let me tell you. Hey New Socks...I'd like you to meet someone...Wood Floor! Whoa! Isn't that just too cute, too funny??? And Watch me not be scared on the big-kids slide! In New Socks! Good job, brave New Socks, good job! I love the text; I love the illustrations. This one is truly a must-read.

Bob Shea's Site

Coriander The Contrary Hen

Chaconas, Dori. 2007. Coriander the Contrary Hen. Illustrated by Marsha Gray Carrington.

This is a fun book about a contrary hen. A hen that prides herself from being different from the crowd, of following her own rules, of doing whatever she wants as long as it's the complete opposite of what's expected, what's demanded, what's commanded. Coriander will be bossed by no one. Noticing that all the other hens had their nests in the henhouse, she decides to build her nest in the middle of the road. It just so happened that the driver of the pickup truck didn't choose to run over her. He chose to stop. Mind you, he wasn't happy about it. He was full of grumbles and complaints. So there you have it, a hen holding up the traffic on a country road. Any predictions???If you guessed that there would be a traffic jam and a lot of unhappy people...then you're good at this... Any guesses as to what happens next...well, I won't spoil it for you. But I'll tell you this much--it doesn't end up with the farming family eating fried chicken.

Hedgehog, Pig and the Sweet Little Friend

Anderson, Lena. 2007. Hedgehog, Pig, and the Sweet Little Friend. Translated by Joan Sandin.

It's always interesting to read international books, especially picture books in translation. This one comes from Sweden. Hedgehog is apparently a recurring character, but this is the first I've seen of him. While I wouldn't say this one is a wonderfully, wonderfully outstanding book that you can't do without--I will say that it's a nice, pleasant, enjoyable read. Hedgehog is dining with her good friend Pig when they hear a knock on the door. Standing there alone and afraid is a young pig who is lost and wanting her Mama. The two take her in for the night. Give her a nice, hot meal. Give her a warm and cozy place to sleep. Both reassure her that the next day they'll set out to find her mama. And sure enough, the next day the three set off for town. Their noses lead them to the piggy's mother--a baker. And all is well and good again with the world and everyone enjoys a nice sweet roll.

Gator

Cecil, Randy. 2007. Gator.

Gator was once the happiest carousel animal in the world. He loved the flashing lights, the sound of the calliope, and the feeling of wind on his face. But most of all, he loved the laughter. Gator is the story of a carousel animal that is saddened by the closing of the amusement park. His life is dull and he and his other carousel buddies are all forgotten. Gator decides to seek out a new life, a life where laughter can once again be found. His journey takes him to several places--the local duck pond, the zoo, etc. Will he ever find that joyous sound of children laughing? Is there a way to breathe new life into his old home? Read and see for yourself!

While I didn't love, love, love this one. I think it is a fun title. It was certainly enjoyable. My favorite part was when he realized that the animals were real--there were such things as real, live ducks. And to Gator's amazement they could fly!!! And of course he has to visit his real, live alligator counterparts. He finds them big and scary--unlike him in every way. So overall, I recommend this one!

Say Cheese

School picture day has never been so much fun as it is in Say Cheese by Lauren Child. Picture day is fast approaching as Charlie and Lola prepare to be their best. But Lola, like always, will need a miracle to get through the day all clean and tidy by the time it is time for pictures. Will Lola take that perfect picture? Can she resist the many temptations that will beset her before school, during art, during recess, and during lunch? You'll have to see for yourself what this duo ends up doing to get the 'perfect' picture for their mom!

The Boy With Two Belly Buttons

The Boy With Two Belly Buttons by Stephen J. Dubner. Illustrated by Christoph Niemann. HarperCollins. 2007.

Honestly, I didn't know quite what to expect from The Boy With Two Belly Buttons. It's obviously a silly book with a cutesy message of self-acceptance...but somewhere between the covers of this one...I was charmed and pleasantly amused. It begins off simply, "Solomon never thought it was strange that he had two belly buttons until he got a baby sister. Anya had only one." At first he was concerned, his sister was missing a belly button. Then the devastating news hits him: one was the right number of belly buttons a person should have. He was the odd one, the different one, the freak. The next pages has Solomon seeking out the bellies of young and old...trying to find some answers. His quest even takes him to a professor of buttonology. But it isn't until he meets a famous movie director that our young hero learns that being special, one-of-a-kind, unique is the best thing he could be. While I suppose some might find it silly or over-the-top, I find it charming and enjoyable. I haven't tried it out with kids, I don't have easy access, but I would imagine that it would inspire a few giggles along the way.

I think what makes this story a success, besides the text of course, is the artwork by Christoph Niemann. See what I mean...

Rickshaw Girl

Mitali Perkin's Rickshaw Girl is a great early chapter book. Set in Bangladesh, the main character, the narrator, is a young girl named Naima. Naima is well-known for painting/drawing alpana patterns for the traditional Bangladeshi celebrations. But her skills may prove useful in another way, as she discovers just how much she is made of. Naima and her family are poor. Her father drives a rickshaw--that is their income. If he is sick or if business is low, or if something happens to the rickshaw--then their lives--their futures--are up in the air. Naima feels that it is all her fault, if only she hadn't been born a girl--if she'd been a boy--then she'd be out working side by side with her father. Able to help the family earn money to survive. But as it is, a girl's proper place is the home...or is it? Can Naima find a way to be true to herself without dishonoring her family and her culture? This book is an enjoyable read.

Hair For Mama

Tinkham, Kelly A. 2007. Hair for Mama. Illustrated by Amy June Bates.

October is usually family picture time for the Carters, but this year is different. Mama has cancer and all of her beautiful hair is gone because of her chemotherapy treatments. She doesn't want to be in the photo. Eight-year-old Marcus knows that the photo won't be right without Mama, but what can he do?

The book was inspired by a conversation Kelly Tinkham had with her five-year-old son when she told him she had cancer and would be losing her hair. Hair for Mama is a loving, sweet story about a family facing the uncertainty of the future. Although many things are different know that the mother is sick, one thing remains constant: love. This family loves and cares for one another deeply. Marcus's determination to save the day and give his mother hope is a wonderful thing to see depicted in a picture book. While I'm sure it's not the only picture book out there depicting serious illnesses affecting a family, it is one of few. This is a topic that is just not addressed as frequently as it should be. The text and illustrations are just right.

The Apple Doll

Kleven, Elisa. 2007. The Apple Doll.

Lizzy is a young girl with a common fear: the fear of starting school, the fear of not being able to make friends. But with the help of the girl's favorite apple tree and some creativity, both fears are overcome rather well.

Lizzy loved her apple tree. She loved to pretend it was a skeleton rattling in the autumn wind...a gingerbread cake with snowy frosting...a blossomy springtime cloud...a leafy summer circus. She loved to eat its apples. Apples for crunching, apples for munching, apples for applesauce, cider, and pies. The day Lizzy started school, she picked her favorite apple of all. It was round as a ball, warm as the sunlight--too happy to pack in her lunch box.

This apple is too special for munching. No, it is about to have a special honor--becoming the girl's friend and starting life as an apple doll named Susanna. Susanna also accompanies Lizzy to school--at least on the first day. Soon, the girl realizes that there are plenty of friendly children she can play with instead of an apple doll. But Susanna is no less important. As the weeks pass, Susanna's looks begin to fade away. And I began to fear the worst. (After all, how long can a piece of fruit with a twig body last?) Luckily, her mother remembers how her grandmother made her a dried-apple girl when she was growing up. And fortunately, she still remembers how it was done. Now this special doll can last a lifetime.

The book concludes, as you can imagine, with instructions on how you can make your own apple doll. I really enjoyed this one, and I think that others--kids and adults--will like it as well. It is the perfect read aloud for this time of year.