171. Cat Dog

Cat Dog. Mem Fox. Illustrated by Mark Teague. 2021. 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: So there was a scary dog, right? No! But there was a cat, right? Yes! And thew dog was wide awake, right? No! But the cat saw a mouse right? Yes! And the dog knew something was up, right? No!

Premise/plot: Cat Dog is Mem Fox's newest picture book. It stars a cat, a dog, and a mouse. But what is the *real* story?

My thoughts: The illustrations and narration sometimes clash in this call and response picture book. I thought it was funny. I think it would probably work best one on one--a parent and child. I think as a read aloud for a larger group of children, it would be harder to see all the details of the illustrations. And most of the story is told through the illustrations.

 

© 2021 Becky Laney of Young Readers

170. I Don't Want To Read This Book

I Don't Want To Read This Book. Max Greenfield. Illustrated by Mike Lowery. 2021. [November] 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: I don't want to read this book. I know it happens to be the title of this book, but let me make myself very clear. I really don't want to read it. I meany why would I read this book?

Premise/plot: The narrator--a reluctant reader--does NOT want to read this book. There are plenty of reasons WHY.

My thoughts: I loved, loved, loved this book. I did. I thought it was so much fun and definitely relatable. I wouldn't ever classify myself as a reluctant reader--not really. But I was reluctant to read most things attached to school assignments. I remember one time writing in an actual assignment that I chose to read this book--I believe it was a biography of Sam Houston???--because it had LARGE PRINT and pictures.
But back to the book in hand, I loved this one because the narrative was GREAT.

I think my favorite quote was, "I don't want to read any book that has a paragraph in it. Paragraphs belong in chapter books, and chapter books are for people with nothing better to do."

 

© 2021 Becky Laney of Young Readers

169. The Smart Cookie

The Smart Cookie. Jory John. Illustrated by Pete Oswald. 2021. [November] 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Greetings, I'm a cookie. I live in a bakery on a street corner near a river.

Premise/plot: The Smart Cookie is a motivational speech disguised as a children's story book. The narrator, a cookie, is a SMART cookie. But this cookie didn't always feel smart. There was a time this cookie felt anything and everything but smart.

My thoughts: There wasn't much there besides a motivational speech. I guess the message is a good one, a necessary one. But The Smart Cookie is FAR from Leo the Late Bloomer. There just wasn't much story or development beyond the didactic, motivational speech.

 

© 2021 Becky Laney of Young Readers

168. Interrupting Chicken: Cookies for Breakfast

Interrupting Chicken: Cookies for Breakfast (Interrupting Chicken #3) David Ezra Stein. 2021. [October 26] 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: It was bright and early for the little red chicken. "Good morning, Papa!" said the little red chicken. "Oog," said Papa. "Wake up!" "Chickennn," groaned Papa. "I don't want to wake up yet. It's Saturday!" "But look! I brought us breakfast in bed." "Really?" said Papa.

Premise/plot: LITTLE Chicken--our INTERRUPTING chicken--has brought his Papa breakfast in bed!!! Three guess as to what he's serving!!! But will Papa go for this? Will he really allow them to eat cookies....for breakfast???? This amusing exchange results in some stories...and some interrupting. Cookie may just find their way into some classic Mother Goose rhymes.

My thoughts: I really LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this one. I do recommend the other two books in the series. Though I don't think you'd have to read them first to enjoy this one. I love these two characters. I love the stories. I love the interruptions. I love Little Chick's one track mind!

I think my favorite dialogue is this,

"Cookies are healthy! They have lots of vitamins."
"What vitamins?"
"Vitamin C for Cookie!"
"Let's just read, okay?"
"Okay, Papa."

© 2021 Becky Laney of Young Readers

167. Little Red and the Cat Who Loved Cake

Little Red and the Cat Who Loved Cake. Barbara Lehman. 2021. [November] 64 pages. [Source: Library]

Little Red and the Cat Who Loved Cake is a wordless picture book. Mostly. There are technically words in this narrative free picture book, but the words are on signs, shirts, etc. It appears to be set in a fractured fairy tale world where all fairy tale characters mix and mingle. Little Red is delivering a cake to Grandma. But Little Red's CAT comes along--secretly or not so secretly. The cat is fairly insistent to be included in any eating of cake.

If I had known BEFORE borrowing from the library that it was a wordless picture book, I would have not checked it out. To be honest, I need words in my stories. It isn't that it is impossible for stories to be told without words, but all the best of the best stories have words. Even if the text is super-simple and just a few words per page--think of Max's communication skills in Max and Ruby--I need words.

But I was drawn to this one because of the word CAT in the title.

I thought the super-playful and "sneaky" cat was cute. Is the cat trying to steal cake enough of a gimmick to make me love a wordless picture book???? Probably not.
 

 

© 2021 Becky Laney of Young Readers.