144-145 Two Picture Books That Slightly Disappointed

144. The Little Chefs: Three Stories by Rosemary Wells. 2024. [October 22] 80 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars] 

First sentence: When Mama came home from a long day's work, Sylvie made her a cup of tea with honey.

Premise/plot: Three illustrated short stories starring animal families. Each story revolves around a failed cooking/baking attempt--usually by a child. The "little chefs" come to the rescue via a hidden telephone (landline, old school telephone]. Each story is introduced by historical facts about cooking. The stories are written in rhyme.

My thoughts: This is an odd book. I have so many great memories of Rosemary Wells' books. However, this one just didn't work for me. I'd rather have one great story than three smaller stories. I also didn't quite "get" the history lessons. Because the audience for the stories probably aren't the same audience as the history lessons. Also I can't imagine Rosemary Wells' typical preschool/toddler audience sitting still for three stories. And the stories are so similar in many ways. Yes, different families, different recipe disasters, but still.

145. Brandon and the Totally Troublesome Time Machine. Seth Fishman. Illustrated by Mark Fearing. 2024. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars] [picture book]

 First sentence: The morning started like any other day except that....Brandon invented a time machine!!

Premise/plot: Brandon has invented a time machine. However Brandon struggles with time management and a time machine can't solve all his problems. Especially when self-sabotage is at play. Can Brandon learn to better manage time?

My thoughts: I was here for the silliness. I loved the premise of this one. I do wish, in part, it was less lesson-y. On the one hand, it was relatable! It was slightly funny to see Brandon so at odds with himself. On the other hand, it leaned more towards teaching a lesson than telling a story here and there. Now, it is more silly than serious. I did enjoy it some. I just didn't love, love, love, crazy love it. I think the potential to love was definitely there.

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

142-143. Two Books About Books

142. My Book and Me. Linda Sue Park. Illustrated by Chris Raschka. 2024. 36 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars] [picture book]

First sentence: This is my book. My favorite book. I carry it with me wherever I go. There's jam on the cover from yesterday's toast and crayon inside from when I was little. I read it alone. We read it together. Again and again, and, please, just once more?

Premise/plot: This book celebrates BOOKS and reading and family reading time. It is written in verse (though it doesn't rhyme) and stars several different children with their favorite books.

My thoughts: I liked it. I really liked it. I wanted to love, love, love it...because READING. However the thought of jam on a cover of a book was a little too much for me! (I jest???)

143.  The Book That Almost Rhymed. Omar Abed. Illustrated by Hatem Aly. 2024. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [picture book] [5 stars]

First sentence: The other day, I wrote this book.
You won't believe how long it took.
It rhymed, and I was super proud.
It sounded great when read aloud.
But then my sister came along,
and now the story sounds all wro--

Premise/plot: A young boy has written the perfect rhyming book....until his sister comes along and changes everything. 

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one. It could definitely be read by TWO readers for some extra read aloud fun. It could also be dramatized perhaps. It celebrates creativity, imagination, adventure, and spontaneity. I'm not sure the brother would agree it celebrates family. But it is super silly to have squabbling siblings on an imaginative adventure. 

 

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

140-141. Two Sensory Board Books

140. Sensory Ocean. Rose Harkness. Carlo Beranek (illustrator). 2024. 10 pages. [Source: Library] [2 stars] [Board book]

First sentence: Look! It's a Seahorse! Can you pet its scaly tummy? What does it look like? What does it feel like? Look! It's a seashell! Try rubbing it with your fingertips! What does it feel like? What does it sound like?

Premise/plot: On the surface, this appears to be a fairly straightforward interactive touch and feel book for young readers. And in some ways it does deliver that. The ocean setting may make it more unique than other touch and feel books, but, it also offers some limitations...for more literal thinkers.

My thoughts: I always want to love touch and feel books. They are my favorite types of board books to read and review. I love the tactile, textures. I love the interactive experience. I hope for the best each time.

Some readers may not care that there's not much authentic truth in this one. It seems silly to care that none of the "sensory" objects line up with reality in any way shape or form. But some of the interactive sensory elements just seem lazy in my personal opinion. The sea shell spread, for example, is particularly horrible. If you care about details. No sea shell *sounds* like that sound. And no sea shell looks like that either. A few spreads don't seem to even try. Asking readers to feel essentially smooth paper and pretend its a sensory experience. No "petting" an illustrated jellyfish isn't sensory anything. 

Little ones probably don't care. And some spreads do seem to be engaging in one way or another--visually, for example.

141. Sensory Pets. Rose Harkness. Carlo Beranek (illustrator) 2024. 10 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars] [Board book]

First sentence: Look! It's a puppy! Can you pet his soft, furry ear? what does it look like? what does it feel like? Look! it's a cat! Can you scratch her tall scratching post, too? What does it feel like? What does it sound like?

Premise/plot: What you see IS what you get. This is a pet-themed touch and feel book. It stars a dog, a cat, a fish, some rabbits, and a bird. Some of the interaction comes from the pets themselves--or sometimes the environment.

My thoughts: I read Sensory Pets first. For the most part--four out of five spreads--I greatly appreciated it and found it solidly pleasing. The last one is a little questionable. But for the most part a HUGE quality difference from the Sensory Ocean which I reviewed earlier today.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

139. Board book: ABC Touch and Trace Nursery Rhymes

ABC Learn with Me: Touch and Trace Nursery Rhymes. Editors of  Silver Dolphin Books. 2024. 10 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars] [board book]

First sentence: A is for Apple
B is for Bee
C is for Cow
D is for Dog
E is for Elephant

Premise/plot: What you see is exactly what you get. Mostly. I would say the emphasis is definitely more on the alphabet and tracing the alphabet than on the nursery rhymes. There is at least one line from a nursery rhyme per spread, but, you have to know to look for it, perhaps. That being said if you were looking for a book of nursery rhymes, this wouldn't be the one you'd reach for anyway. 

My thoughts: The tracing element is especially well done for capital letters. There's a groove of sorts for little fingers to follow. I appreciated the tactile experience. It is not a touch and feel book by any stretch, still, there's something to engage the senses a little bit. The book is basic, but really there's nothing wrong with basics when it comes to concept books.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers

138. Detective Beans: The Case of the Missing Hat

Detective Bean and the Case of the Missing Hat. Li Chen. 2024. 208 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars] [graphic novel; j mystery; j fiction; j friendship]

First sentence:  It's Over! I know it was you! 

Premise/plot: Beans is a detective-loving kitten with detective dreams of his own. His first "big" case involves his own missing hat! He left it on the bedside table--next to the open window--and in the morning it is GONE. Can he follow ALL the clues--no matter how many twists and turns--to find the whereabouts of his hat??? 

My thoughts: I loved, loved, loved, loved BEANS. The world of this one is peopled by CATS, and I'm here for it. I love and adore the illustrations AND the story. I love Beans, his mother, and his best friend, Biscuit. I love the main mystery and the back-burner mystery as well. This is a great graphic novel for young readers...and older readers who love all things CAT.

 

© 2024 Becky Laney of Young Readers