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26,800 | 0 | Featuring stunning, evocative black-and-white art, this Caldecott Honor book concerns a boy growing up in the 1920s who aspires to be a jazz musician--"Ben thinks the trumpeter is the cat's meow." Ages 4-8. Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.Many children dream of becoming dancers, musicians, actors, and artists, but few have the opportunity, the skill, and the determination to live out those dreams. Rachel Isadora is the exception. When she was young, she wanted to be a ballerina--and she became one. And now she has firmly established herself in a second career as an artist with an impressive string of picture books, including Ben's Trumpet, a Caldecott Honor Book.Born and raised in New York City, Rachel studied at the School of American Ballet (associated with the New York City Ballet) as a Ford Foundation scholarship student. She danced with the Boston Ballet until a foot injury forced her to consider another career: book illustration. "I had always drawn for my own entertainment," says Rachel, "but I'd never had any instruction, and I wasn't sure how to proceed. So I just took a collection of sketches-odds and ends on bits of paper-to the first editor who would see me. She suggested I do a book about what I knew best." The result was Max, published in 1976 and named an ALA Notable Book.Since Max, Rachel has written and illustrated many other books, and has illustrated three books by her editor, Elizabeth Shub. When Rachel begins a new book, she first imagines the story through the pictures. I 'see' each illustration separately," she says. "I write a description of what I envision on each page; then I go over it with my editor and make revisions. Next I do the actual drawing, and finally I write the text."Rachel Isadora lives in New York City with her two children. When she is not busy with her family, she spends most of her spare time drawing. "Work like this is a dancer's fantasy," she says. "Because ballet is so demanding, dancers' stage careers are short. They can only dream of going on and on forever. With art, I can go on and on, and for me it's the only work that compares in intensity and joy."; Title: Ben's Trumpet | [
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26,801 | 2 | Jack knows better than any bunny that selecting a holiday gift for someone you love is never easy. But after he finally locates the "perfect present" for his sweetheart Ginger, he faces something even more distressing: it hops right out of his hands. The energetic gift ends up with Ginger, but not before Hague (Sleep, Baby, Sleep) leads readers on a spirited romp through bustling village streets. Jack's urgent chase bounds beyond the book's normal trim size onto four expanded foldout spreads featuring quaint European streets and an enormous animal cast of dapper shoppers. Hague's sumptuous wintry watercolors are among his strongest work. All ages. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.Jack knows better than any bunny that selecting a holiday gift for someone you love is never easy. But after he finally locates the "perfect present" for his sweetheart Ginger, he faces something even more distressing: it hops right out of his hands. The energetic gift ends up with Ginger, but not before Hague leads readers on a spirited romp through bustling village streets. Jack's urgent chase bounds beyond the book's normal trim size onto four expanded fold-out spreads featuring quaint European streets and an enormous animal cast of dapper shoppers. Hague's sumptuous wintry watercolors are among his strongest work. All ages.; Title: The Perfect Present | [] | Validation |
26,802 | 0 | PreSchool-Grade 1-- The texture, colors, and layout found in this photographic concept book are outstanding; it's a winner for classroom, story time, and individual use. Young ESL students will find the question-and-answer pattern amusing and useful for learning the language. Each of nine children, in turn, shows off socks, toothbrush, jacket, etc. Readers are asked ``Where does it go?'' before confronting four silly possibilities. A turn of the page reveals the sensible, correct answer. The humorous absurdities of the choices will appeal to the intended audience. A piano, bicycle, books, ice cream, and crayons, as well as other familiar objects fill these pages, but the children steal the show. These delightful youngsters seem natural and unposed. Naming, counting, and eventually reading are just a few of the pleasures possible with this work. --Anna Biagioni Hart, Sherwood Regional Library, Alexandria, VACopyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Where Does It Go? | [
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26,803 | 0 | Set in a contemporary England that is only slightly beset by enchantments, these three stories brim with the wry takes on everyday situations and the marvelous slapstick wizardry that have made Jones's novels ( The Ogre Downstairs ) so howlingly funny. In "Chair Person," a chance encounter with a genuine magic kit brings gloriously grumpy life to "an armchair with a sofa opinion of itself." Armed with an insatiable appetite, a formidable lack of tact and a ceaseless flow of facts gleaned from an entire career spent in front of the television, the self-styled Chair Person threatens to take over Marcia and Simon's home. A chopstick that may or may not be a magic wand wreaks supernatural havoc when the title characters of "Four Grannies" come to take care of Erg and his step-sister Emily. In "Who Got Rid of Angus Flint?" an exceedingly unpleasant houseguest is finally vanquished when the tables--along with the grand piano, the carpet and assorted chairs--turn on him. None of these lighthearted stories possesses the emotional depth and the layers of meaning found in the author's novels for older readers--nor are they intended to. Aimed at a slightly younger audience, this book is an ideal introduction to the quirky humor and witchery that characterize this author's work, nicely complemented by the line drawings and spot illustrations scattered throughout the text. Ages 8-up. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 3-5-- Jones, best known for her books for older readers, turns to the younger set here with three short, easy-to-read fantasies, presented in inviting large type. Published originally in Britain in the 1970s and 80s, the stories have been brought together and reillustrated for their debut in this country. Each selection is made up of six or seven very brief chapters. All three overflow with the kind of slapstick humor children love, involving ordinary household objects brought to life by magic. "Chair Person" is the best: children will enjoy the trials of a family whose old armchair is mysteriously (and disastrously) transformed into an overstuffed, and overbearing, little man. Although their themes are appealing, the other two selections are confusing and the last one moves at a breathless pace. Briticisms, while an integral part of an import's style, here weigh down the text. Readers just honing their skills should not have to deal with such an overload of unfamiliar usage. --Ruth S. Vose, San Francisco Public LibraryCopyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Stopping for a Spell: Three Fantasies | [] | Train |
26,804 | 11 | George Ancona lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.; Title: Pablo Remembers | [
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26,805 | 2 | The latest picture book from the creator of Silly Billy! and Tidy Titch offers a look at how the strengths and weaknesses of best friends tend to play off each other. Two ebullient African American girls demonstrate that someone who can run fast, climb high, untie her shoes and read books is certainly special. But being able to comfort a chum when she is frightened is equally important. Laudably, the girl who doesn't run fast or read never feels inadequate, nor does her best friend act superior. With their numerous homey touches, Hutchins's gouache paintings enliven the very slight text, making this a supportive slice of life. Ages 3-up. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreSchool-Grade 1-- What qualities make for a best friend? To the narrator of this book, they include knowing how to run, climb, and jump better than anybody else. The ability to eat spaghetti without dropping any on the table also helps. The two little girls appear to be about the same age, but their skill levels are quite different. One knows how to paint neatly, untie her shoelaces, and button her pajamas; the other does not. When the night wind blows the curtains, however, it is the less accomplished child who has the common sense and bravery to deal with the situation. The story is heartfelt and reassuring, and the friends gaze at one another with true affection and admiration. Hutchins's artistic skill is reflected in the juxtaposition of background scenes reflecting tidiness and chaos, but her depictions of the black children with their huge claylike heads and buck teeth are exaggerated and lifeless. --Anna DeWind, Milwaukee Public LibraryCopyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: My Best Friend | [
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26,806 | 2 | "Illustrated with bright-colored, rough hewed pictures."--"Horn Book"A joyous book."--"San Francisco ExaminerPat Hutchins, one of seven children, was born in Yorkshire, England, and grew up in the surrounding countryside, which she still loves. At a very early age she knew that she wanted to be an artist and was encouraged by an elderly couple who would give her a chocolate bar for each picture she drew. A local art school offered her a scholarship and she studied there for three years, continuing her training at Leeds College of Art, where she specialized in illustration. Her career in the children's book field began with the highly acclaimed Rosie's Walk, a 1968 ALA Notable Book. Since then she has written five novels and created more than twenty-five picture books. She was awarded England's prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal in 1974 for The Wind Blew. Pat Hutchins lives with her husband in London, England.; Title: You'll Soon Grow into Them, Titch | [
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26,807 | 2 | PreSchool-Grade 3?This simply written picture book focuses on the transition from day to night, contrasting the activities of humans in Johannesburg with those of the animals in Kruger National Park after the sun sets. First, readers see twilight in the city as stores close and people return home. Children and their parents take a stroll before dark. House lights come on as a little girl sleeps with a doll tucked close beside her. As day slides into night, the inhabitants of Kruger Park come to life. A mamba snake, lionesses, a leopard, a hippopotamus, and elephants are shown in their respective quests for food and water. With the sunrise, the animals seek shade to sleep, while in the city, flower vendors line up their goods on the streets. Isadora's vibrant watercolor illustrations are evocative of both the human bustle and the wild untamed life force of the animals; the open vistas of the park are effectively contrasted with the crowded streets. This excellent read-aloud will also serve well as a lucid concept book.?Gebregeorgis Yohannes, San Francisco Public Library, CACopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.Ages 2^-5. Isadora's stirring picture book At the Crossroads (1991) about a family under apartheid was a Booklist Youth Editors' Top of the List, but Over the Green Hills (1992), also about South Africa, was more a scenic landscape than a children's story. Here, Isadora begins with glorious watercolor spreads of Johannesburg at sunset, first the broad view of skyscrapers and freeways, then close-ups of the streets and park as people go home after a long day. A small black child falls asleep in bed, and 200 miles away in the Kruger National Park, the animals begin to stir. A black mamba snake, lionesses, a hungry leopard, a hippopotamus, and an elephant and its baby are shown in dramatic sweeping paintings. Then at sunrise the animals lie down and the city wakes up. There's not really a story, but it is refreshing to have busy urban life a part of the southern African scene, and children will enjoy the exciting close-ups of animals in the wild. Hazel Rochman; Title: A South African Night | [
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26,808 | 0 | In this absorbing first chapter book, a resourceful Chinese girl helps the poor of her country and brings an evil emperor to grief. Ages 6-up. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc."A superb book." -- --School Library Journal; Title: Tye May and the Magic Brush | [
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26,809 | 2 | Kindergarten-Grade 2-Donnie's Gramma gets around in a wheelchair, but through the magic of imagination, the two of them walk to the beach; listen, feel, and smell the sea; identify prints in the sand; and admire the wildlife. The wake from a passing ferry collapses the sand castle they build, leaving only the flag and footprints when they head for home. "'You know what, Gramma?'" Donnie says. "'You're the best walker in the whole world.'" Soft-lined, muted watercolors and colored pencils create pristine, full-page seascapes. No big deal is made of Gramma's condition, nor is the reason for it given; what comes through is total acceptance and intergenerational love. A warm and wonderful story for helping children understand aging, much like Tomie dePaola's Now One Foot, Now the Other (Putnam, 1992), and Sally Whitman's A Special Trade (HarperCollins, 1985).Virginia Opocensky, formerly at Lincoln City Libraries, NECopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.Ages 2-4. With a combination of storytelling and imaginative play, a boy and his Gramma pretend they're walking together at the seashore. She's in a wheelchair; his head is in her lap; together they take a walk where they have been before and make it new. The text is on the left hand page, along with a small picture that shows Donnie and Gramma playing their game; filling the right hand page is a realistic, delicately textured scene in watercolor and colored pencil picturing what they imagine on their walk at the beach. The experience is precise and physical, including details of sound and touch as well as what they see: the waves lapping the rocks, the warm sand on the beach, the peeper birds, an otter, a shell. "See it," they say to each other. The intimacy and shared adventure has the appeal of stories and games done over and over. Hazel Rochman; Title: Gramma's Walk | [
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26,810 | 13 | "Can't miss with preschoolers." -- -- KirkusGeorge Shannon has always felt close to frogs. "I was very frog-like when I was a kid," he says. "I was all long legs and long feet and nowhere to put them." Frogs have appeared in several of Mr. Shannon's previous books, including April Showers, illustrated by Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey. In fact, the poet says he wrote the twenty-four poems in this book because he wanted the frogs in April Showers to have more songs to dance to. He is the author of many books for young people, including three Stories to Solve books. George Shannon lives on Bainbridge Island, Washington. In His Own Words..."It feels as though I have always been wrapped in stories and books. My parents read to me, and I in turn read to younger brothers. Books and family stories filled our home, and going to the library was as common as going to the market. I began writing stories when they were given as assignments in elementary school, but I came to enjoy the writing so much I began writing extra ones. Then I wrote even when there was no assignment at all. My dream of making books was so vivid I submitted my first "formal" children's manuscript to a publisher when I was sixteen. Eleven more years of school, work, reading, writing, and luck finally brought about Lizard's Song, my first children's book to be accepted."Looking back, it seems especially appropriate that Lizard's Song was my first book. Even though I had been writing for years, I always felt everyone else's life held better ideas for stories than mine did. I thought there was nothing about me that was interesting enough to make a good story. But I finally learned what Lizard teaches Bear. My best stories come when I tell or sing about what makes my home. What I love. What I fear Things that have happened to me, and things I hope will happen. Things I like about me. Things I dislike about me. Things I'm starting to understand. Things that still confuse me. And, always, the books and art and friends that make me feel at home. So even though I am not a lizard, squirrel, or dancing frog, when you read my books you'll find little bits of what my heart calls home tucked inside the stories."My years as a children's librarian and, later, a professional storyteller continue to influence my writing, whether it is a collection of folktales like Stories to Solve or original stories like Dance Away and April Showers. I want my stories to sound as if-they are being told out loud with the rhythm of the words providing as much emotion as the words themselves."I also write many things few people ever see. Sometimes I begin a story but, as with a puzzle, can't find the missing piece. So I file it away to grow into another story at another time. I am also constantly writing letters and postcards to friends, and daily filling pages in my journal with anything that sparks my mind-all possible "missing pieces" for writing-puzzles yet to come."One of my favorite proverbs is "less is more," though that may seem odd for someone six feet four inches tall, with feet that need a size thirteen shoe. But I truly believe it. Distilled art forms like haiku and sculpture by artists like Isamu Noguchi and William Edmondson have always been my favorites. I believe books for young readers fall beautifully into this area as well. The challenge of sharing a story in as few words as possible and with a vital theme inside a "light-hearted" plot is one I sense I'll always enjoy as surely as I do reading."; Title: Lizard's Song | [
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26,811 | 11 | A young aficionado of dragons gets the chance of a lifetime when his parents take him to the Indonesian island of Komodo, home to the Komodo dragon--the world's largest lizard, and the sole extant carnivorous dinosaur. The place proves a tourist trap, complete with a staged Dragon Show, but the unnamed narrator ventures into the jungle and has a fleeting but profoundly satisfying encounter with one of the creatures. Although Sis's story is, in the main, rather slight, dragon enthusiasts will be charmed by its mixture of fact (lots of information about the Komodo dragon is included) and fancy (the boy's improbable meeting). The book's true richness, though, lies in its illustrations--watercolors given texture by fine pen-and-ink hatching--which are almost as lush as the Indonesian landscape itself. They contain an abundance of detail and even sly jokes ("It is always easy to find me in school pictures because of my dragon T-shirt," the narrator proclaims, as he stands well camouflaged in a crowd scene worthy of Waldo). Moments of deliberate visual ambiguity add to the fun: is that jungle foliage we see, or a dragon's emerging form? Ages 4-up. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreSchool-Grade 3-- A young boy's lifelong fascination with dragons takes him on a mystical journey to Indonesia. From cover to endpapers, there are dragons everywhere. On the title page, mysterious eyes peek out of the foliage-filled letters that spell Komodo! The boy's bedroom is bursting with dragon paraphernalia: live lizards lurk in leafy tanks, dragon toys hide in nooks and crannies, colorful dinosaur posters grace the walls--there's even a graphic of a dragon on the computer screen. In a living room decorated with dragon-bedecked wallpaper and rugs, the child's parents announce their plans for a trip to see a "real dragon." After sailing to the island of Komodo, the family is disappointed to find a large throng of tourists. When the boy wanders off alone into the lush jungle, where cleverly drawn dragon shapes and features hide in vines and leaves, he finally comes face to face with a majestic Komodo dragon. By combining simple, straightforward sentences with carefully detailed, imaginatively designed drawings, Sis extends and enhances the text through a visual feast of images. His pen-and-ink and watercolor paintings have the texture of aged parchment and the charm of an antique map, adding to the adventurous mood of a safari. With its subtle environmental message and interesting facts about the largest monitor lizard, this picture-book fantasy successfully combines information with imagination. --Joy Fleishhacker, New York Public LibraryCopyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Komodo! | [
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26,812 | 18 | "From prehistory through the Age of Columbus," the many voyages of discovery to America are examined in lucid, fact-filled text and colorful illustrations and maps. Ages 6-up. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc."An outstanding introduction."--" Kirkus"(Pointer)"An outstanding achievement in both history and art."--" School Library Journal(starred review); Title: Discovery of the Americas, The (American Story) | [
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26,813 | 2 | Growing up in the Midwest, Lisa Campbell Ernst enjoyed traveling with her family to the Gulf Coast and other popular vacation spots. Today she continues to appreciate the summer sand and sea when she takes her own family to the shore. Lisa Campbell Ernst has written and illustrated over twenty picture books, including Stella Louella's Runaway Book, which won the Children's Choice Award in Kansas, and the ever-popular Sam Johnson and the Blue Ribbon Quilt. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Kansas City, Missouri.; Title: Sam Johnson and the Blue Ribbon Quilt | [
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26,814 | 0 | All he had was hope.When twelve-year-old Donn Fendler gets tired of waiting for his father and brothers to join him on the summit of Maine's highest peak, he decides to find his own way back to camp. But Donn doesn't expect a fast-moving fog to obscure his path, knocking him completely off course. He doesn't count on falling down an embankment that hides him from sight. And he never could have imagined taking a wrong turn that leaves him alone to wander aimlessly for nearly two weeks in the empty mountain wilderness.A true and inspiring story about a boy's harrowing journey through nature's unforgiving terrain.Since his close encounter with death in the mountains of Maine more than seventy years ago, Donn Fendler has visited countless schools, speaking to eager readers about his journey to civilization. He still receives countless letters from fans inquiring about that time in his life—which he always answers. He carves out months of time to speak to students at many schools about his experiences. Now retired from the U.S. Army, Donn lives half the year in Tennessee, while spending summer and early fall in Maine.; Title: Lost on a Mountain in Maine | [
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26,815 | 5 | Grade 2-4?Talbott began retelling Sir Thomas Malory's Morte D'Arthur with King Arthur: The Sword in the Stone (Morrow, 1991). This sequel contains roughly three episodes. The first is that of the civil wars raging through Britain. Arthur fights, views the desolation, and asks Merlin how to unify his people. The second is his fateful meeting with Guinevere, his love for her, and finally their marriage. The third section concerns the Round Table, but ends after Arthur assembles his knights around it and their names magically appear on the backs of their chairs. There is no lingering on the peace-bringing quality that roundness supplies. The rich watercolor tableaux, predominantly double-page spreads, paint war as bloody and painful, not all glorious. The love scenes glow golden. The Round Table, huge and decorated with the signs of the zodiac, exhibits its power more than the words do. Overall, this is a rousing addition to the current pickings of Arthurian stories.?Helen Gregory, Grosse Pointe Public Library, MICopyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc."Children's book authors have to be among the luckiest people in the world. Not only am I paid to do what I love most, but I get to do it without having to grow up. More accurately, the seven-year-old I Hudson is no longer relegated to an ever-receding file in the memory bank hut is once again out-front, fully engaged, sometimes even calling the shots in an active collaboration with Lis adult counterpart."I'll always be grateful for the solid, all-American upbringing I was given in the suburbs of Louisville, Kentucky, but going to school in Rome was a revelation for me. After graduating from Tyler School of Art in Rome, I extended my education by wandering through Europe, settling in Amsterdam for a few years, and then moving to Hong Kong, where I dabbled in the fashion industry. My travels eventually continued through Southeast Asia and culminated with four magical months in Bali. I finally reached New York, fulfilling a childhood ambition, in 1974. Although my original intent was to become a painter, the free-lance illustration work I picked tip to support myself soon predominated as my primary art form. Pursuing my vision in this direction eventually led to writing and illustrating children's books. I had always told stories with pictures. I began to paint with words."My series of picture books on the Arthurian legends represents the most ambitious and challenging opportunity that I've ever accepted. Called the central myth of Western civilization by philosopher Joseph Campbell, the Arthurian legends have been evolving over a 1,500 year period, along the way gathering tip and expressing our concepts of love, honor, and courage. Only within the last century have they taken the form of adventure novels for younger readers, and I know of no other attempt to compile the entire cycle into a series of picture books until now. The sheer scale of the material-the vast array of characters and the complexity of their relationships-is beyond Dickens or even "Days of Our Lives.""The curious occurrence that I've experienced as I've delved deeper through the layers of allegory in my research is that as the underlying truth is revealed to me, I'm not only learning something new about the fine art of storytelling but usually something about myself as well. The first three books, for example, are about Arthur coming into his greatness. In the first book it is thrust upon him by accident of his birth, and in the second he achieves it through his own actions. Finally, in the third, he comes to realize the greatness inherent within himself, as it is within all of us. It is the kind of greatness that finds expression when we finally accept ourselves and embrace the roles open to us in lifewhether it is that of king, gardener, parent, or children's book author."My gratitude is boundless for all those who have Supported my creative progress and believed in me long before I believed in myself. By recognizing that writing and illustrating books for young readers is, in fact, my calling, I can serve a greater purpose than fulfilling my own needs. I am reminded of what I heard a blues singer once say: "Talent is God's gift to you. What you do with it is your gift to Him."; Title: Tales of King Arthur: King Arthur and the Round Table (Books of Wonder) | [
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26,816 | 2 | PreSchool-Grade 1-- Max is tired of having his mother say "no" to everything he wants to do. When he threatens to trade her in for a mother who lets him wear dirty shirts, who never forgets to buy Chunky-O's cereal, and who hates string beans as much as he does, his mother sagely comments that she would never trade him in. Envisioning a store with "trade-in" boys, Max decides to give Mom another chance. While the story is slight, Max's feelings will strike a chord with many children, and Russo handles the text with sensitivity and skill. The illustrations capture the coziness of a loving home and draw readers into the story. While this tale lacks the verve of Judith Viorst's Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (Atheneum, 1972), the books would combine nicely for a winning story time. --Lori A. Janick, Parkwood Elementary School, Pasadena, TXCopyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.Marisabina Russo's warm, distinctive picture books usually mirror everyday scenarios from her own family's life. The Big Brown Box was inspired by her three children's tendency to entertain themselvesand each otherwith common household objects (which included many a cardboard box).Ms. Russo has written and illustrated many picture books for children, and has illustrated several by other authors. She and her husband and children live in Westchester County, New York.; Title: Trade-In Mother | [
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26,817 | 13 | Watson's (Father Fox's Pennyrhymes) bustling, predominantly earth-toned paintings adroitly create a period feel for this folk song, first published in the 1810 edition of Gammer Gurton's Garland, about the nighttime escapades of a crafty fox. Pulling a coat over his red vest, Fox dutifully goes off to fetch dinner for his 10 hungry children, one of whom is shown wailing, holding her empty bowl. Bouncy cadences demand reading aloud: "He ran 'til he came to a great big pen./ The ducks and geese were kept therein./ 'One of you will grease my chin/ Before the moon goes down-o! Down-o! Down-o!'" For singers, the score is provided at the end. Watson's timeless illustrations offer abundant particulars to pore over. Her audience will chuckle at the comic antics of Fox's energetic offspring, and they'll enjoy spying on the bunnies and mice that frolic on the tree branches Watson uses to frame her winning art. Ages 3-up. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreSchool-Grade 3-Watson has taken the old children's song and illustrated it with verve and color. Although this fox is cuddlier than even Father Fox in Clyde Watson's Father Fox's Pennyrhymes (HarperCollins, 1987), he still manages to make off with a gray goose and feed his brood. Watson uses a dark palette since the action takes place at night, but liberal use of yellows and reds and broad white margins keep the art from becoming somber. Pages are framed by tree trunks and branches that give readers the illusion that they are looking through a window at the action. This book is a bit livelier than Peter Spier's 1961 version, and there's always room for another good interpretation.Rosanne Cerny, Queens Borough Public Library, NYCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night | [
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26,818 | 2 | Touching and gentle, this deceptively simple tale concerns a girl who muses about a kindhearted neighborhood senior. Ages 4-up. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc."Perfect."--" The New York Times Book Review; Title: I Know a Lady | [
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26,819 | 1 | "Bee-utiful." -- -- Kirkus Reviews (pointered review)Gail Gibbons, "a master of children's non-fiction" (ALA Booklist), has created over one hundred entertaining, eye-catching books that explain how things work.She lives in Corinth, Vermont.In Her Own Words..."I was born in Oak Park, Illinois, in 1944. Even as a little child, I was always busy putting books together. Sometimes I would bind them with yarn to hold the pages together I've always loved drawing and painting. I was also a very curious child. My parents tell me that I was always asking lots and lots of questions."Later, I went to the University of Illinois, where I studied graphic design. Then I moved to New York City, where I got a job doing artwork for television shows. Eventually I was asked to do the artwork for a children's show. While doing that show, some of the children asked me if I had ever thought of doing children's books. My mind immediately recalled how much I enjoyed doing that type of thing when I was a child d. So I put an idea for a book together and right away a publisher bought it. That book was called Willy and His Wheel Wagon."Since then, over seventy books that I have written and illustrated have been published. The type of books I write are nonfiction books. This is because I love researching so much. I get to ask lots of questions, just like when I was a kid. I also get to travel and meet lots of interesting people. While doing research for my book Nature's Green Umbrella: Tropical Rain Forests, I traveled to two islands where there are tropical rain forests, Saba and Dominica. I also had a great time writing and illustrating the book. I get a lot of pleasure from doing the type of work I do."Most of the time I live in Corinth, Vermont, in the middle of three hundred acres. I live with my husband, Kent Ancliffe, and our dog, Wilton. We also have three cats. My life in Vermont is very secluded. There are lots of wild animals that live on our property. We also spend a lot of time on an island off the coast of Maine where we have a little farmhouse. In fact, my book Christmas on an Island is about Christmas on this island."I have many hobbies, like swimming and boating, but my favorites are reading and creating books."; Title: The Honey Makers | [
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26,820 | 1 | Accompanied by Lobel's imaginative artwork, Prelutsky recounts in typically zippy verse the antics of 14 "terrible lizards." Ages 4-up. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.Jack Prelutsky is the best-selling author of more than fifty books of poetry, including The New Kid on the Block, illustrated by James Stevenson, and Stardines Swim High Across the Sky, illustrated by Carin Berger. Jack Prelutsky lives in Washington State.; Title: Tyrannosaurus Was a Beast | [
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26,821 | 2 | Step right up! Crews (Freight Train) gives young readers an open-ended ticket to the glittery goings-on after dark at the county fair in his energetic new picture book. In Crews's fair, clusters of food stands and game booths festoon the midway, and Crews perfectly captures the glow of kaleidoscopic candy-colored lights against a black night sky. Bold signs announce Funnel Cakes, Corn Dogs and Win Big Prizes to passersby. In several expansive spreads, kids?their faces flushed with excitement?ride the carousel, giant Ferris wheel and the whirler, which twirl and twinkle like gigantic fireflies in the dark. Crews's text is minimal but captures the thrill of a child ("And now,/ on to the/ RIDES!"). The busy scenes filled with a rainbow of people eating, laughing and carrying stuffed animal prizes will have readers longing for the warm nights of summer and the next county fair. Ages 4-up. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreSchool-Grade 2?Opening with the graphic signage of a finger pointing "THIS WAY IN," Crews invites readers to join the crowd streaming through the gates. His prose is spare and energetic, perfect for initiating newcomers to the dynamic pleasures of the fair?the food, the games, the rides. Double-page paintings done in watercolor and gouache offer snapshots of the event bursting with brilliant carnival colors. Lights dance against the pitch black summer night. Observant readers will be tickled to see the author's rendition of himself strolling the midway. The best ride of all, the giant Ferris wheel, stands glowing in the night. The next page is a breathtaking view of the entire fair. "WOW!" is the only text needed. At last, another finger points "THIS WAY OUT," and the crowd files into the shadows. This subject has many sensory connections, and Crews so ably captures them that one can almost smell the food and hear the hucksters beckoning. Clean, large type, much of it white on black, will be accessible to even beginning readers. Urban and rural children alike will revel in the excitement of a Night at the Fair.?Lisa S. Murphy, formerly at Dauphin County Library System, Harrisburg, PACopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Night at the Fair | [
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26,822 | 6 | From the simplest of premises, Micklethwait has fashioned a remarkably rich investigation into the pleasures of looking at paintings. In search of an object beginning with a specific letter, the reader's eye roams pictorial worlds ranging from a 15th-century manuscript illumination to a David Hockney poolside. Spotting the clues hidden in abundant Dutch still lifes, vibrant genre scenes or a Goya portrait can be tricky, but the hunt is never dull, thanks to the author's unusually creative choices and their faithful reproduction. Often, more than one object in a painting satisfies the letter requirement, a subtle hint that art may prompt many questions and reward an alert viewer with multiple answers. Micklethwait understands this truth and uses it well; the images she has chosen will linger with children. All ages. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 2-6-- A is for apple, B is for ball, but in this alphabet game the apple is found in Magritte's Son of Man , and the ball in Rousseau's Football Players . Some of the word choices are obvious, but it will take a sharp eye to spy the G for guinea pig in van Kessel's Still Life with Fruit and Flowers on a Table , the P for peacock in Crivelli's The Annunciation with St. Emidius , or the Y for yacht in Seurat's Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. Micklethwait has chosen splendid examples of museum art, which are beautifully reproduced on glossy pages in this oversized picture book. Here are some of the Western world's greatest paintings (along with one from Asia), to be puzzled over, explored, and enjoyed. Adults sharing this book with children will appreciate the richness of the pictures, the interweaving of art styles and periods, and the knowledge that the book gives youngsters the opportunity to become familiar, in the most pleasant of ways, with a gallery of great paintings. --Shirley Wilton, Ocean County College, Toms River, NJCopyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: I Spy: An Alphabet in Art | [
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26,823 | 2 | "A succinct, informative essay illuminated by magnificent photographs. The subject is particularly absorbing, as it highlights the natural drama of a commonly experienced phenomenon....The stunning visual portrayal of storms, accompanied by impressive factual data and clear explanations in crisp prose, is truly compelling."--Horn Book.Seymour Simon has been called the dean of the [childrens science book] field by the New York Times. He has written more than 300 books for young readers and has received the American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru Lifetime Achievement Award for his lasting contribution to childrens science literature, the Science Books & Films Key Award for Excellence in Science Books, the Empire State Award for excellence in literature for young people, and the Educational Paperback Association Jeremiah Ludington Award. He and his wife, Liz, live in Columbia County in Upstate New York. You can visit him online at www.seymoursimon.com, where students can post on the Seymour Science Blog and educators can download a free four-page teacher guide to accompany this book, putting it in context with Common Core objectives. Join the growing legion of @seymoursimon fans on Twitter!; Title: Storms (Reading Rainbow Book) | [
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26,824 | 0 | Kindergarten-Grade 3-A delightful story about a chick who is raised by a boy. He "...was not the kind of mother the chick had expected, but she loved him anyway." When she is fully grown, she hatches a clutch of abandoned eggs and unknowingly mothers five ducklings. She is shocked when her children insist on going for a swim, but when they come back to her and she inspects them more closely, she realizes that "Ducklings were not the kind of family she had expected, but she loved them anyway." This tender tale will please families everywhere. The subtle messages of love, expectation, and parental roles will appeal to adoptive and extended families as well. The nurturing boy is a refreshing, albeit minor, character. The clean, simple, cartoonlike watercolors are placed in appealing juxtaposition to the text. Some illustrations are boxed into squares and rectangles, while on other pages the drawings are freely strewn across a clean white background. This warm, caring book should find a place on the shelf next to P.D. Eastman's Are You My Mother? (Random, 1986) and Keiko Kasza's A Mother for Choco (Putnam, 1992). A pleasant story-hour offering.Beth Tegart, Oneida City Schools, NYCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.Ages 4-7. When the baby chick looks out of the egg, she sees a boy. He was "not the kind of mother the chick had expected, but she loved him anyway." So it goes, with the chick becoming a hen and being given duck eggs by the boy to raise. She raises the ducklings, as she would chickens. and they love her anyway. And when the ducklings take to the water, despite her "DANGER dance," she loves them anyway. This graceful fable, in which love is greater than any set of labels, is well served by the watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations. The ducklings, peering attentively out of their eggs, and the little hen herself are quite individually rendered, and the drawing of the danger dance will inspire young performers. Varying page designs and effective use of white space amplify the visual pleasure. Mary Harris Veeder; Title: The Surprise Family | [
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26,825 | 0 | From a "mud-encrusted" mummy to the eponymous rider, these 12 creepy creations--abetted by Goreyesque black-and-white artwork--are sure to raise readers' hackles. Ages 6-up. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.Jack Prelutsky is the best-selling author of more than fifty books of poetry, including The New Kid on the Block, illustrated by James Stevenson, and Stardines Swim High Across the Sky, illustrated by Carin Berger. Jack Prelutsky lives in Washington State.; Title: The Headless Horseman Rides Tonight: More Poems to Trouble Your Sleep | [
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26,826 | 2 | Revised in 1993, this photo-essay describes a baby's conception, fetal development and eventual birth. PW called Miller's photographs "models of sensitivity and frankness." Ages 4-up. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.Joanna Cole is the author of the popular Magic School Bus series, I'm a Big Brother, I'm a Big Sister, and many other award-winning books. In Asking About Sex & Growing Up, she provides a reassuring blend of practical guidance and scientific fact for the audience that needs it most.; Title: How You Were Born | [
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26,827 | 12 | famous marketplaces takes an everyday experience as an occasion to explore ethnic diversity. In Uganda, barefoot people walk to market "through the rain forest beneath the Mountains of the Moon," while at New York's Fulton Fish Market, "hard men in rubber boots... yell and argue in the artificial day of fluorescent lights." The vigor of a Moroccan market is rivaled only by the "kicking, biting, and screaming" in the donkey parking lot. Lewin (Peppe the Lamplighter) photographs his subjects before painting them in the studio, and his watercolors reflect the camera's stop-action immediacy. His dynamic, densely populated compositions make expert use of perspective to yank readers into the scene-sometimes with the unsettling, intriguing feeling that they have caught someone's eye. At the end of the whirlwind bustle, the adventure turns reflective with the final illustration, which depicts the vast, lonely, utterly still Sahara stretching behind the market in Morocco "like a giant tidal wave that on a whim might bury the oasis, the town, and the market forever." What a way to travel. Ages 5-up. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreSchool-Grade 1?Lewin takes readers on a whirlwind trip around the globe to marvel at the range of goods available for sale in the world's markets. Woolen sweaters and ponchos in Ecuador; wood carvings, flutes, garlic, and ginger in Nepal; Irish horses; Ugandan cows, bananas, and limes; fish in New York City; and dates, pottery, and donkeys in Morocco are just a few of the products depicted in the luminous watercolor paintings. In many pictures, the artist captures people on the move and at work. They filet fish, load boxes, haggle over prices, or create tempting displays of their wares. On other pages, vendors address viewers directly with inviting looks or a tired resignation that comes from hours of sitting in a hot stall. The uniqueness of each setting is vividly conveyed, whether it is a dusty roadside, a busy city street, or the horses on the long stone steps of a church in Ireland. The brightly colored clothing worn by the people in Ecuador contrasts with the light desert attire found in Morocco. Children will discover that buying and selling in a marketplace is not like a typical trip to the grocery store. The book is enjoyable and informative on its own, but it's also an appealing introduction to studying the countries included.?Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VACopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Market! | [
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26,828 | 0 | Grade 1-5?Using the form of a first-person narrative, Wolkstein fleshes out the Biblical heroine's personality. A sheltered young Jewish girl who is elevated to the position of King Ahasuerus's wife, Esther retains her qualities of gentleness, loyalty, and compassion while displaying spirit and intelligence in her plan to foil Haman's nefarious plot to destroy her people. The text is vivid and declarative, with ample dialogue, and leaves the Biblical basis of the story intact, even to the slaughter by the Jews of Haman's many sons and followers. A brief definition of Purim and the way it is celebrated is included, but the emphasis is on the historical/legendary foundation of the holiday. Magnificent full-page gouache illustrations, confined formally in multiple marbleized frames, are rich with gleaming colors and elegant geometric patterns and peopled by handsome, lively characters. The luxury of the royal palace, its furnishings, and the gorgeous costumes of its inhabitants are especially well depicted.?Patricia Pearl Dole, formerly at First Presbyterian School, Martinsville, VACopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.Elegant and enlightening. -- Kirkus ReviewsWijngaard's lavish illustrations and Wolkstein's narration breathe new humanity into this grand and glorious story. -- Publishers WeeklyWolkstein fleshes out the Biblical heroine's personality... her qualities of gentleness, loyalty, and compassion, [her] spirit and intelligence. -- School Library Journal; Title: Esther's Story | [
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26,829 | 14 | Pat Hutchins, one of seven children, was born in Yorkshire, England, and grew up in the surrounding countryside, which she still loves. At a very early age she knew that she wanted to be an artist and was encouraged by an elderly couple who would give her a chocolate bar for each picture she drew. A local art school offered her a scholarship and she studied there for three years, continuing her training at Leeds College of Art, where she specialized in illustration. Her career in the children's book field began with the highly acclaimed Rosie's Walk, a 1968 ALA Notable Book. Since then she has written five novels and created more than twenty-five picture books. She was awarded England's prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal in 1974 for The Wind Blew. Pat Hutchins lives with her husband in London, England.; Title: Happy Birthday, Sam | [
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26,830 | 11 | Grossman ( The Night Ones ) here renders a composite portrait of the sprawling market held each week in Oaxaca, Mexico. Each spread introduces another vendor or marketgoer, explaining what he or she is selling or buying and, in most cases, presenting the Spanish word for the item. Carmen peddles rebozos , women's shawls; Pedro displays woven rugs featuring Mayan designs; Ana fries up tortillas at her stand; and Paco is returning the rooster he bought the previous Saturday, because it didn't crow as promised. Hot chili peppers, voodoo dolls, lilies and miniature clay figurines are some of the other goods for sale. Sanchez (illustrator of Amelia's Road and Abuela's Weave ), who visited Oaxaca to research this setting, contributes double-page, acrylic-on-canvas paintings. Though sometimes static, the art is effectively textured and imbued with the warm--and occasionally radiant--hues that mark traditional Mexican clothing and products. Together, the smoothly balanced text and pictures take the reader on an informative stroll through a bustling marketplace. Ages 4-up. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.Kindergarten-Grade 2-This well-designed book successfully combines text and vibrant artwork to portray the cultural richness of the Zapotec people and bring to life a Saturday market in a town in Oaxaca, Mexico. The story is simply written in carefully crafted words that effectively capture the spirit of the vendors. Grossman introduces an array of characters who make preparations and have hopes, fears, anger, and joy about their activities at the market. They bring articles they have made (huaraches, rebozos); animals they have raised; and produce (chiles, flowers) they have harvested. One boy hopes that he will NOT make a sale; "...in his heart, Luis cannot bear to think that his fat and charming pig will become a rich man's feast." Paco's rooster does not crow. "He plans to give back the silent rooster and make the cheat give him two roosters that crow." Diego brings his favorite parrot along, but when shoppers offer to buy the bird, he replies "Would you sell your mejor amigo?" An excellent introduction to one of the most important elements of Latin American culture, suitable for independent reading or group sharing.Jessie Meudell, California Polytechnic University at PomonaCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Saturday Market | [
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26,831 | 11 | "No one should miss Isadora's matchless feat," said PW about this striking, urban alphabet book that includes such simple yet evocative images as Night, Friends and Kitten. Ages 5-up. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.Many children dream of becoming dancers, musicians, actors, and artists, but few have the opportunity, the skill, and the determination to live out those dreams. Rachel Isadora is the exception. When she was young, she wanted to be a ballerina--and she became one. And now she has firmly established herself in a second career as an artist with an impressive string of picture books, including Ben's Trumpet, a Caldecott Honor Book.Born and raised in New York City, Rachel studied at the School of American Ballet (associated with the New York City Ballet) as a Ford Foundation scholarship student. She danced with the Boston Ballet until a foot injury forced her to consider another career: book illustration. "I had always drawn for my own entertainment," says Rachel, "but I'd never had any instruction, and I wasn't sure how to proceed. So I just took a collection of sketches-odds and ends on bits of paper-to the first editor who would see me. She suggested I do a book about what I knew best." The result was Max, published in 1976 and named an ALA Notable Book.Since Max, Rachel has written and illustrated many other books, and has illustrated three books by her editor, Elizabeth Shub. When Rachel begins a new book, she first imagines the story through the pictures. I 'see' each illustration separately," she says. "I write a description of what I envision on each page; then I go over it with my editor and make revisions. Next I do the actual drawing, and finally I write the text."Rachel Isadora lives in New York City with her two children. When she is not busy with her family, she spends most of her spare time drawing. "Work like this is a dancer's fantasy," she says. "Because ballet is so demanding, dancers' stage careers are short. They can only dream of going on and on forever. With art, I can go on and on, and for me it's the only work that compares in intensity and joy."; Title: City Seen from A to Z | [
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26,832 | 15 | "A book of quiet strength and beauty."--" School Library Journal (starred review)"A horticultural House that Jack Built -- with the infectiousness of a nursery rhyme."--" Kirkus (pointer)"Superb."--" Publishers WeeklyArnold Lobel (1933-1987) was the award-winning author and illustrator of many beloved children's books, including the classic I Can Read books about Frog and Toad, and the Caldecott Medal winning Fables.; Title: The Rose in My Garden | [
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26,833 | 7 | L. Frank Baum (1856-1919) published The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1900 and received enormous, immediate success. Baum went on to write seventeen additional novels in the Oz series. Today, he is considered the father of the American fairy tale. His stories inspired the 1939 classic film The Wizard of Oz, one of the most widely viewed movies of all time.Michael Sieben is a professional designer and illustrator, primarily within the sub-culture of skateboarding, whose work has been exhibited and reviewed worldwide as well as featured in numerous illustration anthologies. He is a staff writer and illustrator for Thrasher magazine, and a weekly columnist for VICE.com. He is also a founding member of Okay Mountain Gallery and Collective in Austin, Texas, as well as the cofounder of Roger Skateboards. The author of There's Nothing Wrong with You (Hopefully), he lives and works in Austin.; Title: Little Wizard Stories of Oz (Books of Wonder) | [
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26,834 | 13 | "Engaging, well-composed color photos from all the inhabited continents celebrate the diversity of the world's people."--" Kirkus (pointer)Ann Morris's many books include Families, Bread Bread Bread, Hats Hats Hats, On the Go, and Loving. She lives in New York City.As a children's book writer, Ann Morris has been able to successfully integrate her varied experiences in teaching young children, travel, writing, and editing. Having grown up in the polyglot public schools of New York City, where each child's ethnic heritage was revealed by his name or by the contents of the lunch box from home filled with sausages, egg rolls, matzos, or pizza, she developed a strong Interest In cultures other than her own. " I'm a gypsy by nature," she says. "I always have my suitcase packed."She and photographer Ken Heyman once traveled across the United States to document the lives often different families. Both she and the teacher's pupils liked the snake charmer/teacher who taught class in a circus trailer with her favorite boa around her neck. Although Ms. Morris has never tried this stunt he herself, she has taught children in public and private schools in New York City, and adults at Bank Street College, Columbia Teachers College, New York University, and Queens College of the City University of New York. More recently she has been teaching writing for children at The New School.Ann Morris left teaching to become editorial director of Scholastic's early childhood department. Now she devotes her professional time to writing and all her other time to 11 people watching, music in any and all Forms, cat care, cooking and eating, and travel." All of these experiences, she says, provide material for her books.In Israel Ms. Morris was caught up in the enchantment of the place as well as the conflicts that are a consequence of its history. One of her books, When Will They Stop Fighting? (Atheneum), reflects her concern about children who have become the victims of these conflicts.Ann Morris worked with photographer Ken Heyman while producing an award-winning series of sound-filmstrips for young children. Since then the author-photographer team has created several books in a multicultural series for Lothrop, including Hats, Hats, Hats; Shoes, Shoes, Shoes; and Bread, Bread, Bread. Her interest in travel and the arts brought her to the famous Vaganova, Academy, where children of the famous Kirov ballet company are instructed. This resulted in On Their Toes (Atheneum), followed by Dancing to America (Dutton), photographed by Paul Kolnik. The latter book is about one of the Russian children and his family who emigrated to New York, where he now participates in our own School of American Ballet. Her book Karate Boy (Dutton) features her nephew and his friends in karate class. She thinks of this as a "family book" in that it was photographed by her cousin, David Katzenstein. Light the Candle Bang the Drum (Dutton), with illustrations by Peter Linenthal, is about holidays around the world.; Title: Hats, Hats, Hats (Around the World Series) | [
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26,835 | 1 | Robert Kalan has also written the charming children's books Rain and Blue Sea, both illustrated by Donald Crewes. Kalan holds a master's degree in education and has taught reading to both gifted and remedial students from kindergarten through the fourth grade.; Title: Blue Sea | [
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26,836 | 15 | PreSchool-Grade 2-A child's crudely drawn map on the jacket flap shows the snow-covered trail that young William, Cammy, and their dog follow to the sledding hill. Along the way, the children find signs of animal life (tracks, scattered seeds, a nest, gnawed branches, castings, tunnels, etc.), and wonder "Who's been here?" (Perhaps the happiest finds of all are the doughnuts and hot chocolate left at the end of the trail.) Readers will discover the answers in gloriously detailed, realistic paintings of a ruffed grouse, cardinal, squirrel, porcupine, deer, and other woodland and meadow creatures. The almost tactile illustrations are large and stunning. Children will be interested in the significance of these snowy clues; some may be inspired to look more closely on their own forays into winter landscapes. This companion to In the Woods (Greenwillow, 1994) will work as well with groups as one-on-one.Meg Stackpole, Rye Free Reading Room, NYCopyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.Ages 3^-6. On their way to go sledding, William and his sister, Cammy, discover a variety of animal clues in the snow-covered woods, including tracks near the barberry bushes, fuzzy red balls under a clump of sumac, and broken acorn shells around a hole in the snow. Words in large black type set against a snow-white page describe what the children find and prompt youngsters to guess "Who's been here?" with the accompanying illustration providing the same information visually. A turn of the page reveals the answer, shown in a spectacular double-page spread of the creature that has left its mark in the snow. Children will enjoy this nature treasure hunt and will lose themselves in the exquisite detail of the photo-realistic illustrations. For a highly entertaining and interactive story time, combine this with George's equally intriguing In the Woods: Who's Been Here?. Lauren Peterson; Title: In the Snow: Who's Been Here? | [
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26,837 | 2 | In her second book, Guback's ( The Carolers ) storytelling proves as affable as her bright, intricate cut-paper collages. Tutu ("That's Hawaiian for grandmother") decides to make her granddaughter Luka a special flower-garden quilt. But the traditional two-color Island quilt that Tutu crafts is a far cry from the multicolored quilt Luka has imagined. When Luka complains, "Tutu's eyes got watery, and she quietly turned and went to her room and shut the door." For days afterward, says Luka, "We had nothing to say to each other." At the Lei Day celebration, however, Tutu thinks of a compromise: a rainbow-hued fabric lei to place atop the green-and-white quilt. Together Tutu and Luka sew it, mending their wounds, too. The anticipation, disappointment and hurt ring true, while the resolution is vaguely unsettling: Luka never apologizes, and it is Tutu who must go the extra mile. Nonetheless, like good, real-life relationships, theirs is a work-in-progress, tender and dearly worth the effort. Ages 4-up. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.Kindergarten-Grade 2-When Luka's tutu (grandmother) makes her a traditional Hawaiian quilt, the child is disappointed because it doesn't have the colorful flowers that she envisioned. The two of them quarrel about it, and both are hurt. When Lei Day arrives, however, Tutu suggests a truce so that they can celebrate together. Inspired by her granddaughter's lei-making at the festival, Tutu creates a colorful fabric lei to accent the plain quilt, which restores her relationship with the child. As a story of intergenerational friendship and compromise, Guback's tale is a success. The changes in the relationship between Luka and Tutu are believable and well motivated, and the book provides an opportunity for young listeners to discuss their own emotions. However, the meanings of some terms, e.g., "tatami mat," "lei," and "shave ice" must be deduced through contextual clues, and they aren't always clear. The lush hues of the watercolor illustrations provide a tropical ambiance, while the collage overlays add both depth and a wealth of detail to the folk-art paintings. Overall, a pleasant introduction to modern Hawaiian culture via a warm cross-cultural theme.Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, Wheeler School, Providence, RICopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Luka's Quilt | [
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26,838 | 2 | To create this delicate yet penetrating book, Keller ( Horace ; Island Baby ) drew from her experience working on a project called Saving Cranes in Vietnam. Her prologue explains that the Sarus crane, a Vietnamese symbol of long life and happy families, disappeared during the Vietnam War, when canals dug across the bird's wetland habitat drove it and other creatures away. Here, Grandfather repeats this story to Nam, expressing his belief that, when the rains come, the land will flood and "the cranes will come home." But if they don't, Nam's Papa adds, the younger generation of farmers "will take back the land your grandfather and the others have reserved for the birds, and use it to plant more rice." After the monsoons arrive, the old man rises early each day to search for the cranes, but to no avail. Finally, it is Nam who stumbles upon the first sign of their return, which brings joy to Grandfather and the entire village. Featuring earth tones accented with vivid hues, Keller's effectively understated watercolor and black-pen art captures, with a haunting simplicity, both the warning and the hope implicit in her tale. Ages 4-up. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.Kindergarten-Grade 3-Nam lives with his parents, his grandfather, two lively puppies, and assorted other animals in a small village in the Mekong delta. Before the Vietnam War, this area was home to the Sarus crane, considered to be a symbol of long life and happy families, but during the fighting, canals were dug to drain the wetlands and the cranes disappeared. These facts, necessary to understanding the story, are given in a prologue. In Keller's carefully crafted story, Nam's grandfather hopes that the building of new dikes will restore the wetlands and prompt the return of the birds that he remembers so fondly from his youth. The boy's parents think that the land would be better used for planting rice. The relationship between Nam and his grandfather is an affectionate one-they share a love for animals and stories. After the monsoons come, the wetlands are restored, and eventually the cranes return and their magnificence wins over even the most practical villagers. This is a beautiful book with many layers of meaning and an important message. The simple illustrations, done in flat washes of watercolor in earthy tones and outlined in black pen, are lovely and appealing. They add just the right amount of drama and charm for a story told in very simple prose.Sue Norris, Rye Free Reading Room, NYCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Grandfather's Dream | [
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26,839 | 11 | Gr. 2^-5. The companion volume to Hopscotch around the World (1992) looks at the rich diversity of Christmas traditions found in 12 distinctly different cultures. A small amount of pertinent background information serves as an introduction to each entry, but the majority of the text discusses the special ways each culture celebrates the holiday. The book's attractive layout effectively uses repetition of color and theme, with each double-page spread of text and art surrounded by a decorative border. In addition to an extensive bibliography, the book features a small selection of craft activities (with step-by-step instructions and diagrams), a helpful pronunciation guide, and an interesting selection of Christmas superstitions. Useful for homes or schools wanting a multicultural perspective of the holiday season. Lauren PetersonMary D. Lankford is the Director of Library and Media Services for the Irving, Texas Independent School District, as well as the author of several childrens books. School Library Journal called Ms. Lankfords Hopscotch Around the World "enjoyable and informative [with] varied and creative uses, both for the games themselves and the multicultural studies into which they can be integrated" and said of her Christmas Around the World, "visually attractive and thoughtful...Many readers, and librarians, will only hope for another title next year.""As a child my favorite question was Why? That three-letter word continues to guide me as I do research for my books. I was born on December 7, 1932, in Denton, Texas. My parents owned a small grocery and school supply store. We had a variety of dogs, cats, and chickens and a wonderful vegetable garden. My dad subscribed to three newspapers and read aloud to us at the dinner table. My parents believed in education, honesty, and dedication to task. Their love of books and reading was not preached but modeled."My elementary school was part of the University of North Texas. Its curriculum included special programs and other opportunities for students to answer their many whys. Most elementary schools of those years had neither library nor librarian. We were lucky to have a librarian and teachers who brought the best of children's books to our attention."I loved everything about our school library. My memories include marvelous hidden corners, delicious smells of lacquer (this was before protective plastic book jackets), wonderful drawers filled with cards, and magazines and books. I decided to become a librarian in the fourth grade and never wavered. I entered the University of North Texas to study library service, but I had other dreams as well: I could imagine myself working in a bookstore or for a New York City publisher, I knew nothing about publishing, but I knew I had to be doing something with books. Although I had kept diaries as a child, it never occurred to me that I might become an author."I worked as a librarian, in Delaware and New Mexico, and then in 1966, when I moved to Irving, Texas, I was asked by the Irving independent School District to establish a library program. The past thirty years have sped by. In 1991 our program was recognized by the American Association of School Libraries and the Encyclopaedia Britannica Corporation as the most outstanding library media program in the United States. My active role with the Irving Independent School District ended in March 1996. I now spENDmore time writing and doing author visits and library-related workshops."All four of my children are now grown, and I have six grandchildren -- five boys and a girl, I still enjoy working with teachers, administrators, and librarians, and find the new technology and its roles in libraries very exciting. I was most pleased to be honored with the Texas Library Association Distinguished Service Award and the University of North Texas Distinguished Alumni award."There are still so many whys. My first books were for adults, based on the workshops I conduct for teachers and librarians. I then began to write for children, spurred on by my curiosity, love of travel, and interest in the rich diversity of people all over the world as well as right here in our own country. Currently I am finishing a book about the celebration of Christmas in the United States. I love visiting schools to talk with teachers and students about the many ways, and the many joys, of writing."; Title: Christmas Around the World | [
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26,840 | 2 | PreSchool-Grade 2. Hoban uses her hallmark clear, full-color photographs to introduce construction equipment. Each of the 13 machines presented is given a two-page spread, one picture taken at middle distance, the other close up. The final two pages match thumbnail photos with explanatory text, allowing parents or teachers to describe what each machine is doing. Though less innovative and arresting than some of her other picture books, Hoban's foray into the world of big machines will nonetheless prove fascinating to children who gravitate to books like Angela Royston and Graham Thompson's Monster Road Builders (Barron's, 1989).?Ann Welton, Terminal Park Elementary School, Auburn, WACopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.Ages 2^-6. The roaring power of 13 construction machines is captured in clear, brilliantly colored photographs that show a bulldozer, a rubber-tired backhoe, a forklift crane, and other amazing earthmovers at work. They are shown one at a time: on the left is a framed photo of the whole machine in action; on the opposite page is a large close-up of part of that machine from a different angle. There is no text, just the name under the picture; at the back a guide explains briefly what each machine does. A worker is in every picture, relaxed, in control, doing his job, in the background, his hard hat an integral part of the construction site on a sunny, green street. As always, Hoban's photos have extraordinary depth and detail; you can feel the texture of dirt, gravel, and asphalt as the powerful steel arms and mouths and tampers move the earth. For the sandbox crowd and for all those enthralled by what technology can do. Hazel Rochman; Title: Construction Zone | [
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26,841 | 2 | Kindergarten-Grade 2Luminous acrylic illustrations bring this 19th-century poem to life. In the summer when I go to bed/The sun still streaming overhead/My bed becomes so small and hot/With sheets and pillow in a knot,/And then I lie and try to see/The things Id really like to be. In each of the following verses, a boy imagines that he is a different animal, and that creature, as well as the narrators dog, appears gloriously realized in the accompanying full-page painting. The text is pleasant enough, but it is Begins inventive menagerie that lifts this book above the standard illustrated bedtime verse. As the boy muses about being a giraffe (Id do a tap dance in the street/with little bells upon my feet), the picture shows a smiling giraffe, clad in a striped waistcoat and a bow tie, tap dancing through a rainy city scene. Or maybe next a mountain goat/With shaggy whiskers at my throat shows that animal springing across a gorge, clothed in old-fashioned mountaineering garb and carrying the dog in a backpack. A visual dream come true.Kathleen Whalin, Greenwich Country Day School, CT Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.Thomas Hood, the son of a London bookseller, lived from 1799 to 1845. In his own time, he was best known for the humorous verse that established his reputation as a literary wit. But today he is often remembered for his lovely poems for children.; Title: Before I Go to Sleep | [
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26,842 | 2 | According to Jackson, the famous Cinderella (here cast as a feckless modern suburbanite) has a neighbor, Cinder Edna. Each does household chores for a nasty stepmother and stepsisters, but while dainty Ella plays the martyr, uncomplaining Edna learns some practical skills ("such as how to make tuna casserole sixteen different ways"). On the night of the ball, as the fairy godmother alights next door, Edna, who "didn't believe in fairy godmothers," dons a dress she has bought on layaway and comfortable penny loafers, and hops the bus to the palace. There she jitterbugs with the prince's Rick Moranis-esque brother Rupert (a virtual poster boy for liberal causes, Rupert "runs the recycling plant and a home for orphaned kittens"). The other Cindy only sways to the music ("She was afraid of mussing her hair, and she knew those fragile glass slippers would break if she danced too hard"), and the crown prince is vain and dull. O'Malley's ( Bruno, You're Late for School! ) nicely executed, cleverly detailed spreads contrast Cinderella's fantasy glow with Edna's clear-eyed, can-do attitude. This Cinderella send-up is full of kid-pleasing jokes and, besides, it's never too early to discover the hazards of codependence. Ages 4-up. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.Kindergarten-Grade 3-This clever, double story follows the fates of two young women. Readers know Cinderella, who works all day, sits in the cinders, and needs her fairy godmother to get the ball moving. But Cinder Edna next door has used her spare time to learn 16 different ways to make tuna casserole and to play the accordian. She earns money by cleaning out parrot cages and mowing lawns, and can she tell jokes. When the dance is announced, she dons the dress she bought on layaway, takes the bus to the ball, and wears loafers for dancing. She wins the attention of Prince Randolph's younger but dorky brother, Rupert, who loves to dance and tell jokes, and runs the palace recycling plant. Both women dash off at the stroke of midnight. The two princes' plans for finding the owners of the lost glass slipper and the beat-up loafer are a hilarious contrast. Ella ends up, of course, with the vain, boorish Randolph. Edna moves into a solar-heated cottage, caring for orphaned kittens and playing duets with her husband Rupert. O'Malley's full-page, full-color illustrations are exuberant and funny. Ella is suitably bubble-headed and self-absorbed while Edna is plain, practical, and bound to enjoy life. Kids will love this version of the familiar story for its humor and vibrant artwork. Buy two copies-one to circulate and the other to hoard for story hours.Susan Hepler, Alexandria City Public Schools, VACopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Cinder Edna | [
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26,843 | 0 | "Young children will find the ideas suggested here fascinating."--"BooklistBonnie Pryor thoroughly researched important periods of American history for each of her American Adventures. For Luke on the High Seas, she delved into seafaring in the nineteenth century so that the details of Luke Reed's journey would be accurate. She lives in Gambier, Ohio."I grew up in Spokane, Washington, the middle child in a family of three girls. Books were a part of my life from as far back as I can remember. I was often in trouble for reading at the wrong time. I would be caught reading under the dining room table when I was supposed to be dusting, or reading under the covers by flashlight late at night-even hiding a novel inside my textbooks at school."Not everyone thought I read too much. I remember a school librarian who saved all the new books for me to read first, and on several occasions she gave me presents of books. Perhaps she felt she should because I had read every single thing in her library!"I was very shy, and, like Robert in The Plum Tree War, I spent a lot of my time hanging from my knees from a favorite plum tree, telling myself stories. Of course since I was raised in the West these stories were usually about wild horses and cowboys, and I was always the heroine who came to the rescue. The stories were long and involved, sometimes going on for days. I was always impatient to get to my tree each day so I could find out what was going to happen next, but I was too lazy to write the stories down."I think everyone expected me to become a writer, but it took me twenty years and a gentle nudge from my husband, Robert, to build up the courage to try. In the meantime I moved to Ohio, worked at a variety of jobs, and raised a family. I have four grown children, eight grandchildren, and two daughters still at home-Jenny and Chrissy. Many of my books are loosely based upon incidents in my children's lives, and they often appear as characters, in personality if not by name."My family recently moved to the country. When I'm not writing and visiting schools, we're busy building barns and fences and laying out flower beds. In addition, we all take part in caring for the four newcomers to our home: three horses and a bunny!"; Title: The House on Maple Street | [
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26,844 | 11 | Kindergarten-Grade 3. Trickery reigns supreme as clever Brother Rabbit gets the best of everyone. His main opponent is a crocodile, whom he convinces to ferry him across the river in exchange for a cure for his scaly skin. From that point on, the two constantly spar for the upper hand. In the end, Rabbit extricates himself from the crocodile's belly by pretending to be thrilled at the prospect of eating crocodile guts. The story is well told, with just enough detail to capture all the outrageous activity in Rabbit's day, and children will take delight in his exuberant mischief. A lengthy note places Brother Rabbit in a cultural context but the book includes no source note. Hewitson uses watercolor and paint in a highly accomplished manner that mimics complex, heavily patterned scratchboard illustrations. Each single- or double-page spread features a different border that barely contains the rabbit's foolish actions. Even though the pictures include a host of details depicting Cambodian village life, the illustrations look great at a distance, making this eminently suitable for group sharing.?Ellen Fader, Multnomah County Library, Portland, Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.Gr. 1^-4. When a river separates a hungry rabbit from food, the resourceful creature tricks an enormous crocodile into ferrying him across the swiftly-moving water to his feast. Soon after, Brother Rabbit outsmarts a market woman and an elephant mother and her child. But greater trouble awaits in the form of the angry, revenge-seeking crocodile. Hewitson's bright watercolor-and-ink illustrations cleverly enhance this Cambodian folktale's sense of place and lend suspense and drama to the rabbit's misadventures. A distinctive border frames each page, and Hewitson imbues each illustration with an exceptional sense of texture and movement that pairs with the text to race the story along. Older students may find this a good choice for storytelling or for comparing with other trickster tales or Brother Rabbit stories. No notes are provided, but the authors discuss the place of folklore in Cambodia and relate the story's theme to Cambodian history. Karen Morgan; Title: Brother Rabbit: A Cambodian Tale | [
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26,845 | 2 | Tana Hoban has created an elegant solution for those who want to initiate children into the infinite wonders of reading. This picture book compels parents to talk to their babies as they share the wordless pages with their little ones. Black illustrations on a white background provide high contrast for infants' underdeveloped eyes. Soothingly familiar, silhouetted shapes--a leaf, a key ring, a bib, an elephant--will be recognized by the very young, and through these simple pictures, aspiring readers will begin to identify the link between the objects they see and the words their caregivers say. Hoban, beloved author of many childhood favorites, including Black on White's companion piece, White on Black, as well as Is It Red? Is It Yellow? Is It Blue? and What Is It?, has struck gold again--black gold, that is. It's the perfect baby gift! (Baby to Preschool) --Emilie CoulterGuided by the same precepts as those inspiring Dick Witt's Let's Look at Animals and Let's Look at My World (see review above), Hoban creates two stylish board books using only black and white. One volume drops out clearly recognizable shapes from black ground (a sailboat, a bird, a flower and so forth appear in white); the other sets black objects against white ground. The black in both books is shiny enough to reflect images on facing pages. White on Black may be more dramatic, but Black on White is more varied, alternating solid shapes (leaf, fork and spoon) with patterned or stencil-like images (butterfly, spectacles). Hoban's compositions are so supple and her layouts so well balanced that she casts a kind of spell; it's as if the color and black-and-white segments of the Wizard of Oz were reversed, with the ordinary seeming somehow magical. Ages 6 mos.-up. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Black on White | [
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26,846 | 16 | A gaggle of goblins from A to Z (for Annabelle to Zelda, modeling everything from anoraks to zoot suits) cavort through the fun-filled pages. Set in an attic replete with fascinating objects, Heller's (Peas; Woody) text is a playful romp through the alphabet-one that uses alliteration to highlight the letter in question and introduce the ones that follow ("Jared jumps in his jaunty knickers"). But the true treasure comes from Smith's (Matthew's Dragon; Chipmunk) zippy illustrations. Full of expressive merriment in their own right, the gouache, watercolor and pencil images take on a surprising comical element upon closer viewing. Far from the run-of-the-mill alphabet book, here is an rip-roaring visual spoof on famous paintings and films. From Degas to the hit film The Mask, no one and nothing is safe from Smith's wry visual parodies. Readers will find the goblin Selwin, posed to mimic Munch's famous painting, to be a particular scream. Zany! Ages 4-up. Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreSchool-Grade 1?In this alphabetical romp, ghastly green goblins play in the attic, trying on a varied assortment of apparel, e.g., "Annabelle is attired in an amber blouse." Each name, verb, and adjective begins with the featured letter and the object introduces the next letter, "Jared jumps in the jaunty knickers." There are some uncommon names, even for goblins?Kentigern or Ulrika?but most of the items of clothing will be recognizable to today's children. The strong shapes and bright colors highlight the bold creatures who clown and parade front and center, but tucked among the covered boxes in the shadowy background are well-known works of art such as Mona Lisa and Picasso's Seated Bather. The back flap reveals four of the hidden treasures. A delightful book that combines simple fun with verbal and artistic challenges.?Martha Gordon, formerly at South Salem Library, NYCopyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Goblins in Green | [
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26,847 | 2 | One girl's motivation and cheery attitude buoys this picture book about urban renewal and community action. Young Marcy is saddened after the city condemns and demolishes a building in her neighborhood. "Now this block looks like a big smile with one tooth missing," she laments. But as springtime arrives, Marcy's thoughts turn to gardens and flowers. She and her neighbor Miss Rosa decide to clean up the lot and plant seeds there. Soon nearly everyone on the street joins in, donating time, energy and supplies to create a lush green oasis. Even crabby Old Man Hammer eventually warms up to the new look. DiSalvo-Ryan's ( Uncle Willie and the Soup Kitchen ) well-paced text imparts a wealth of information and emotion without sentimentalizing or preaching. The tone of Marcy's narration is occasionally poignant and always very childlike. Watercolor-and-pencil vignettes depict an overwhelmingly brown city landscape enlivened by a colorfully clad cast of ethnically diverse neighbors and, finally, a bountiful rainbow of plants. The kindly expressions of the various gardeners provide added warmth, making DiSalvo-Ryan's fictional block a nice place to visit. A helpful page of instructions for starting a community garden is also included. Ages 5-up. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.Kindergarten-Grade 3-There is a garbage-filled, vacant lot on the street where Marcy lives. Instead of growing flowers in coffee cans like they usually do each spring, she and her friend Miss Rosa decide to plant a garden there. Old Man Hammer, who used to live in the building that was torn down, believes that they're getting their hopes up for nothing, but Marcy and Miss Rosa lease the spot from the city. Their enthusiasm and energy spread and everyone in the neighborhood joins together to create an urban oasis. Even Old Man Hammer sneaks into it at night and secretly plants seeds that grow into bright sunflowers. This is a pleasant, positive story of cooperation that features multiethnic characters. DiSalvo-Ryan's double-page illustrations are rendered in watercolors, pencil, and crayons. Although the story is a bit predictable-it is obvious that Old Man Hammer will eventually join in the community spirit-the book is genuinely warm and will appeal to children.Mary Rinato Berman, New York Public LibraryCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: City Green | [
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26,848 | 15 | Grade 3-5-Simon revisits the territory he covered in The Long Journey from Space (Crown, 1982; o.p.), this time for a younger audience. Full-color photographs have replaced the black-and-white ones, although there's really not a lot of difference between a black-and-white and a color shot of a meteor. While this new volume does include the basic information necessary to understand what these astronomical objects are and where they come from (including the distinctions between meteoroids, meteors, and meteorites), that's about all it does provide. Simon's earlier book and Patricia Lauber's Voyagers from Space (Crowell, 1989), also for older children, have much more information and many more illustrations (Lauber's title has some color photos as well). Comets and "shooting stars" are both covered in the "Let's Read and Find Out" series (Crowell) for this age group. Where those titles are unavailable or demand is high, Comets, Meteors, and Asteroids is an acceptable purchase. Or, you could make do with a current children's encyclopedia. Elaine Fort Weischedel, Turner Free Library, Randolph, MACopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.Gr. 3-5. Simon presents basic information about comets, meteors, and asteroids in an attractive oversize book that follows the format of his series on the planets. Blocks of text appear in fairly large type, usually facing a full-page illustration. Describing these three kinds of space objects individually in terms of their makeup and where they are found, Simon writes in plain language, without talking down to his audience. The intriguing photographs include shots of comets and meteor showers in the sky, a meteorite in Antarctica, and an enormous impact crater in Arizona. A visually appealing introductory volume. Carolyn Phelan; Title: Comets, Meteors, and Asteroids | [
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26,849 | 2 | PreSchool-K?An unexciting premise?the mailman's last day before retirement?is the basis of this cheerful story and lively illustrations. On his last round, Curtis, beloved by all of his patrons, from babies to grandparents, finds little gifts in their mailboxes and is greeted by an affectionate throng at the very last house, where a party is being given in his honor. In his 42 years of carrying letters, the man has seen many changes in the neighborhood, which become the most interesting part of the story. The text is simple, pleasantly repetitive, rhythmic, and reads aloud well. The gouache pictures, done in pure, bright colors, are flat, cartoonlike, humorous, and winning, as they show the variety of residents, pets, dwellings, and businesses of Curtis's postal domain.?Patricia Pearl Dole, formerly at First Presbyterian School, Martinsville, VACopyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.Ages 3^-5. After 42 years delivering the mail to neighborhood shops and houses, Curtis is retiring. This agreeable picture book follows the beloved mailman's route on his last day, when young and old give him hugs and handshakes, little presents and best wishes. At the last house, Curtis' family and friends surprise him with a party in his honor. The next day he writes thank-you notes . . . "and he knows all the addresses by heart." Henkes' simple text sets a tone that's just right for preschoolers: straightforward and affectionate without a hint of sentimentality. In the same spirit, Russo's paintings illuminate the story through small details and gestures painted in a simplified style. One interesting spread depicts the changes that Curtis has seen in his neighborhood over the years. Teachers looking for picture books about "community helpers" will find this a good choice for reading aloud. Carolyn Phelan; Title: Good-bye, Curtis | [
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26,850 | 16 | Tana Hoban's photographs have been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and in galleries around the world. She has won many gold medals and prizes for her work as a photographer and filmmaker. Her books for children are known and loved throughout the world.; Title: Who Are They? | [
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26,851 | 12 | PreSchool-Grade 2-As in Miller's previous two titles, a question is posed with the initial photograph in each double-page spread and followed by four silly possible responses; the following spread shows the correct answer, illustrated with a full-page photograph. Gender and ethnic representation are deftly handled. The author's sharp, clear full-color photographs are well composed, and her use of cropped photos and white space alternating with bled photos is an effective tool for involving youngsters. The level of difficulty here is a bit higher than in earlier books, and some of the answers may take kids a minute to come up with, offering a nice challenge. They will love shouting out "No!" to such questions as "Who cleans your teeth? A rubber duckie?" or "Who wakes you in the morning? A military band?"-Emily Kutler, Summit Free Public Library, NJCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.Ages 2-5. "Who goes to school? Seagulls? Puppies? Umpires? Stuffed animals?" Each one of these four silly possibilities is pictured in a separate, small, brightly colored, close-up photograph; turn the page, and there's a full-page picture of the right answer: "Children!"--and they are playing in a cheerful preschool classroom. The pattern is repeated through a series of questions including "Who cuts your hair?" "Who fixes your car?" and "Who cleans your teeth?" The situations are part of every child's world, and the ridiculous guesses will make kids think and categorize, even as they laugh out loud and feel superior. The answers are definite, but there's nothing rigid about this book. The people pictured are from many ethnic groups. The person who flies an airplane is a pilot, and she's shown at the controls in the cockpit. The veterinarian is also a woman, and so is the police officer. As in Miller's other popular question books, the lively, informal photographs will draw youngsters into the book and out into a widening world. A book for sharing and acting out with one child or with the preschool crowd. Hazel Rochman; Title: Guess Who? (Into English!) | [
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26,852 | 5 | Grade 4-8-Of these six folktales on moral themes, five are traditional Vietnamese versions of clearly Chinese folktales; the remaining tale ("The Ogre's Victim") may be Indian or Cambodian. Vuong retells them with gusto and great attention to detail, making each an evocative gem. "A Friend's Affection" has an interesting and unexpected twist of plot, while "Second in Command" retells the warrior woman story of Mulan (here Moc Lan), who leads an army to victory while disguised as her brother. The most effective and affecting is "The Ogre's Brother," in which a strong, kind, and honest young man unwittingly forwards the wicked schemes of his sworn brother, though all is rectified at the last. The tales read well and are better suited to individual exploration than to group sharing. The only flaw, a minor albeit confusing one, occurs in the first two tales in which characters are newly introduced to already existing characters who cannot possibly know the newcomers yet call them by their correct names without benefit of introduction. Illustrations are unexceptional, but the stories have more than enough charm without them.John Philbrook, San Francisco Public LibraryCopyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.Six intriguing tales, retold by an author who's taught ESL in Vietnam, whose husband is Vietnamese, and who's had a lifelong interest in folklore. Similar in their conversational style to Vuong's The Brocaded Slipper and Other Vietnamese Tales (1982, 1992), the stories here involve ordinary people, kings, ogres, and members of the fairy world; in ``Second in Command,'' a girl disguised in her brother's clothing and armor reports for military duty in place of her aging father. Vuong cites Vietnamese-language sources in her introduction; her notes for each story provide interesting historical, cultural, and religious background, including traditions inherited from China. A concluding chapter (a revision of material in the earlier book) describes Vietnamese pronunciation and lists words and proper names from the tales. An inviting collection. Illustrations not seen. (Folklore. 9+) -- Copyright 1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.; Title: The Golden Carp: And Other Tales from Vietnam | [] | Train |
26,853 | 16 | PreSchool-Hoban adds to her string of handsome, well-designed books for very young children. These black-and-white board books will attract infants beginning to focus their eyes as well as to toddlers ready to name or talk about objects and animals. What Is That? features large white silhouettes of familiar objects such as a pacifier, stuffed bunny, a stroller, a table and a chair, set against a glossy black background. A balloon on a partly coiled string appears ready to float across the page. In Who Are They? black silhouettes of animals are displayed against flat white pages. The positioning of parents opposite children creates interest and offers counting possibilities, as the number of young animals increases by one with each flip of the page. Two titles that are sure to be popular with the board-book set.Nancy Seiner, The Carnegie Library of PittsburghCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.Tana Hoban's photographs have been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York and in galleries around the world. She has won many gold medals and prizes for her work as a photographer and filmmaker. Her books for children are known and loved throughout the world.; Title: What Is That? | [
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26,854 | 0 | PreSchool-Grade 2-A cheerful picture book that encourages acceptance of individual differences. Joe is a slow poke. On the way to the park to visit the ducks, he lags behind the others and in the process sees lots of wonderful things that speedy kids in his class miss-a blue bird, a troop of ants, a squirrel, a turtle. Everybody enjoys and feeds the ducks. On the way back, Pete has to stop to tie his shoelace; he follows Joe's lead, notices some baby ducks in the bushes, and calls to the rest of the children to come back for a look. The realistic watercolor and colored-pencil depictions of the ethnically diverse class alternate with attractive, naturalistic scenes. The text is well placed and well written for a satisfying read-aloud with wide appeal.Jody McCoy, Casady School, Oklahoma CityCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.Ages 3-6. Joe is always last in line. The noisy kids call him slowpoke; even the teacher tells him to hurry up; but in the quiet away from the crowd, he sees things that others miss. The watercolor-and-colored-pencil illustrations emphasize the contrast in perspective as the class walks to the park with their lunch. First we see Joe with everybody else; then he's lagging behind, distracted, in the background. Turn the page, and we see close-up the small wonders that Joe sees--individual ants busy at work, a tortoise in the long grass, a bird with a worm. Joe sees the ducks that everyone else sees in the pond, but in a wonderful climax, he shows the class much more than that: the astonishing sight of two ducklings, newly hatched from their shells in the nest. Hazel Rochman; Title: What Joe Saw | [
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26,855 | 1 | PreSchool-Grade 2?When her grandfather's big work horse is about to foal, Nora can hardly wait for the birth. Days go by however, and each time Nora, her Gramps, or her Grams goes to check, the report is "no foal yet." The mare Bonnie is the only one not bothered by the wait though she does seem annoyed when they wake her up checking on her at night. The foal arrives when everyone is otherwise occupied and Bonnie manages without help. Nora and her grandfather watch the newborn get to its feet and Nora thinks of the perfect name for it: "Finally." Like the previous story about Nora and Gramps, Mowing (Greenwillow, 1994), this is a quiet book filled with a feeling of warmth and appreciation of the natural world. Smith's warm watercolor illustrations perfectly match the mood of the text. Large Bonnie's gentle nature is felt through the pictures, especially when she is licking her foal. Nora's relatively young grandparents seem appropriately exhausted and elated when the foal finally arrives. The wide double-page spreads seem a fitting design for this vignette of farm life. A good choice for story hours or classrooms.?Louise L. Sherman, Anna C. Scott School, Leonia, NJCopyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.Ages 6^-8. Nora, who lives on a farm with her grandparents, is waiting for the mare Bonnie to give birth. The story conveys both the excitement and the emotional exhaustion of that wait. Smith's soft-edged watercolor-and-colored-pencil illustrations beautifully detail the animals on the farm, the stable, and even Nora and her grandparents. The pictures are touched with gentle, golden light, like the light of a springtime twilight. The foal eventually arrives, with only its mother as witness. Nora comes in soon after, and the story lingers for several pages on the young foal getting to its feet and nursing. After waiting such a long time, neither Nora nor the reader wants to be hurried along. In the long run, "Finally," as the foal comes to be named, has been worth the wait. Mary Harris Veeder; Title: No Foal Yet | [
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26,856 | 1 | Alternating narrative poems with haikus, this mostly savvy compilation of verse distills the essence of cat with humor and, occasionally, wry elegance. Schertle (Advice to a Frog) is at her best in her comic poems. In the tongue-in-cheek "Sophie, Who Taunted the Dogs," she describes the demise of her feline heroine, slain by a "cur" she has unwisely teased, and follows the episode up with a mock-ghostly conclusion: "And still, it is said, when the moon rises round/ and gold as a cat's eye, the dogs hear a sound.../ That devilish voiceA/ how it hunts them and haunts them!/ That soft, silken songA/ how it teases and taunts them!" The haikus and the more serious poems have eloquent moments (a cat "lap[s] in soft gray/ waves against my legs") but sometimes fall prey to banality or clich? (a sweet ode to a kitten ends with a reference to its "tiger's heart"). Buehner (The Escape of Marvin the Ape) accentuates the swing rhythm of the text, illustrating the haikus with small insets and heightening the jaunty poems in energetic page-size acrylic and oil paintings with exaggerated perspectives. As he did in My Life with the Wave, Buehner paints in hidden creatures (dinosaurs as well as domestic animals) and cleverly planted surprises (one cat marches past a background of bird wallpaper, on which five birds have been Xed out with chalk). Ages 6-up. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 1-6Four longer poems alternate with haiku in this slim, bold collection that observes different cats in tones both affectionate and sardonic. In the beginning,/when the Cat could fly,/the Master placed a pan/of white milk/in the sky. So begins an account of a feline in paradise whose silken wings are taken away when she falls from grace. In the end, shes reduced to running through a rainy alleyway with snarling dogs in pursuit. In four double-page spreads, another poem celebrates Sophies canine-taunting exploits, until, The last thing she heard/was a triumphant growl/as his jaws closed around her./Twas murder most foul. Done in acrylic and oil paints, Buehners dark-hued view of the terrified cat passing just in front of the toothy open mouth of the dog speaks volumes about Sophies nightmarish demise. Other illustrations are lighter in tone, and there are always bits of humor. Figures of mice and fish are outlined in a cats fur, and other small animals peek out of unexpected places. Perspective and shadow add interesting nuances to scenes that are sometimes cartoonlike and often a bit surreal. The final entry features a tawny tabby set against a copper-toned spoof of an Egyptian mural with cats in human form. These amusing images are enlarged on the endpapers. The strong pictures and verses offer enjoyable browsing and reading-aloud material and opportunities to pair with other items in booktalking.Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: I Am the Cat | [
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26,857 | 15 | A boy and his family witness an awe-inspiring storm in this exhilarating picture book account. The narrator and his brother begin the day like any other?they scramble down the cliff near their Puerto Rico home and go snorkeling. As they explore the coral reef, the boys don't know the weather has taken a turn for the worse. Once up for air, they see an ominous purple sky and quickly head for home. The family hastily grabs some belongings and gathers the dog, then drives through the wind and water to a nearby shelter. There they crowd together with neighbors and gently sing verses of "Silent Night" as the hurricane roars and crashes, threatening to collapse the building. The storm eventually passes and, happily, leaves little destruction in its wake. Based on London's (The Candystore Man, reviewed above) recollection of a childhood experience, this suspenseful tale has a "you are there" immediacy. Poetic descriptions of hammering winds, crashing waves and lightning which "scribbled on the dark clouds" eloquently capture the beauty and violence of severe weather. Sorensen's (I Love You as Much) slightly hazy oil paintings move suddenly from sunny island blues and greens to chillingly dark grays. Several changes of scenery demonstrate the artist's skill at depicting varying types of light and shadow, from soft morning sun to dim kerosene lamplight. The current popularity of weather topics-El Ni?o and natural disasters, especially-also makes this a timely volume. Ages 5-up. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreSchool-Grade 3-The power, danger, and excitement of a hurricane are brought to life in this picture book set in Puerto Rico. A young boy tells the story, which begins as he and his brother go snorkeling in a calm sea on a sunny day. Suddenly they notice that the sky and air have changed dramatically. They race home, and the family packs up and heads for a shelter as the winds pick up, "pushing the waves into mountains" and thrashing the palm trees "in a wild dance." In the morning as the wind dies down, the family returns home and starts cleaning up the debris. The beautiful oil paintings convey every nuance of the weather system as well as the human emotions evoked by the experience. On the final page, the boys return to the calm sunny beach. The last sentence is a bit of a letdown after all the excitement-"The sparkle of sun on the water was brighter than ever"-and the beach looks amazingly free of debris for the day after a hurricane. Quibbles aside, the story beautifully evokes its mood and has a seamless blend of text and pictures. Pair it with David Wiesner's Hurricane (Clarion, 1990), which also depicts two brothers weathering a storm from a slightly different perspective, or with nonfiction such as Franklyn Branley's Hurricane Watch (HarperCollins, 1985).Sue Norris, Rye Free Reading Room, NYCopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Hurricane! | [
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26,858 | 3 | Rabbi Gellman's stories about stories in the Bible-or modern midrashim, if you prefer-will delight parents and children alike. Using imagination and humor-did you know about the 11th-16th commandments that Moses wrote on his sleeve but his wife washed off?-Gellman's retellings of Bible stories provide readers with whole new perspectives on stories they may have known for years. The story about how Moses and a wisecracking frog convinced Pharaoh to let the Jews leave Egypt is particularly funny and contains elements that would surely make God smile, if not laugh out loud. Ages 8-12. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 4-7?As demonstrated in Does God Have a Big Toe? (HarperCollins, 1989) and How Do You Spell God? (Morrow, 1995), Rabbi Gellman is an expert at making Bible stories interesting and accessible. Using a thoroughly modern vocabulary, a completely informal style, and plenty of sly humor, he highlights the Creation, the Garden of Eden, Jacob's ladder, the Exodus, Moses and the Ten Commandments (expanded here to 16), and bits of wisdom from Leviticus and Deuteronomy. As little as one Scripture verse inspires a neat lesson, as it is expanded into a clever new form, complete with lots of hip dialogue and amusing anachronistic details. The danger of trivializing the sacred is avoided by the appropriate, unmistakable message in each tale and the retention of the basic characters and events. Unabashedly urging readers to love the Bible, God, and people, Gellman shows them that human experience hasn't changed. Some knowledge of the original stories is almost essential to appreciate fully these interpretive expansions of Scripture. Their positive points, made with humor and simplicity, however, are valid far beyond the Judeo-Christian tradition.?Patricia Pearl Dole, formerly at First Presbyterian School, Martinsville, VACopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: God's Mailbox: More Stories About Stories in the Bible | [
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26,859 | 11 | "Easy, well-written historical fiction." -- -- School Library Journal"Readable and intriguing." -- -- The Horn Book; Title: Ahyoka and the Talking Leaves | [] | Train |
26,860 | 0 | Like the easy, winding bayou, slow Cajun rhythms swing through this night song: "Rockabye you bayou gal,/ Cattails be a-swishin'/ Softly sigh, oh bayou gal,/ On a star be wishin'." Appelt weaves regional details with universal images that summon up the floating, swaying sensations of sleep: a "pirogue" (boat) gently bobbing "atop the water chocolat"; a bullfrog's voice stretching in crescendo ("King Armand be whistlin'/ To crawdads 'neath the waves"), then quieting toward dawn; water wending toward the sea through the dark tangled roots of cypress trees. Distinctive speech rhythms and rhymes rest lightly on the ear; nouveau Cajun devotees will find a helpful glossary of six important words (the term "Cajun," however, receives no definition). Waldman's art (The Tyger; Light) seems more playful and more dynamic here than previously. Against the black of night, his stylized acrylic paintings extend their blue palette toward violet and green. An inspired pairing of author and artist. Ages 2-up. Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreSchool-Up?Appelt has written a rhythmic, soothing lullaby for a little girl who lives in a house by the banks of the bayou: "Rockabye, you bayou gal,/Cattails be a-swishin'/Softly sigh, oh bayou gal,/On a star be wishin'." The verse is evocative and lovely, but the true merit of the book lies in Waldman's double-page acrylic paintings. Each scene is a self-contained work of art and a visual feast. He has set the swamp's luminous flora and fauna against a velvety black background, and richly fluorescent shades of greens, purples, blues, and teals decorate the pages. A stunning picture book.?Judy Constantinides, East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LACopyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Bayou Lullaby | [
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26,861 | 2 | Zuri describes in verse the summer that she and her best friend Danitra are separated in Danitra Brown Leaves Town by Nikki Grimes, a follow-up to Meet Danitra Brown. Floyd Cooper's luminescent pastels chronicle the long days and Zuri's many moods.Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.Grades 3-5--Grimes and Cooper return with another story told through poems about Danitra Brown and Zuri Jackson. This time, the friends exchange letters all summer long while Danitra is visiting relatives. Zuri starts out feeling angry and disappointed that Danitra is leaving her behind and doesn't seem to care, but eventually both girls make new friends while they look forward to being together again. Some vignettes may leave readers with perplexing questions; for example, Danitra describes a stubborn dragonfly that she's sure would like to eat her, but the accompanying image depicts her smiling at it benignly. All in all, however, Cooper's photo-realist artwork in soft hues against glowing backdrops is a lovely complement to the girls' many moods.Catherine Threadgill, Charleston County Public Library, SCCopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: Danitra Brown Leaves Town | [
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26,862 | 11 | Grade 2-4-These 13 poems are attractively surrounded by small, lively, and expressive watercolor paintings depicting aspects of life in villages, in the countryside, and in the marketplace. One dreamy painting of Mount Meru against an apricot twilight provides a contrast in mood to the other illustrations, which are cheerful, sometimes comical, and energetic. The concluding vocabulary list and the map of Tanzania may be clues to the essentially educational purpose of these poems. Grimes's subjects include hot pepper, families picking coffee together, a child chased up a tree by a lion, and a mango seller. These selections, though, seem curiously flat-the simple laundry lists of what is seen or statements of fact seem more like observations set to rhyme than evocations of what is felt or of what may be imagined. This is not helped by the occasional infelicitous meter: "Mount Meru" begins, "In Arusha, there's a mountain./There's a mountain known as Meru./First it's there, then disappearing./Wrapped in mist, how it misleads you."-Marian Drabkin, Richmond Public Library, CA Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.In 1974, a research grant from the Ford Foundation enabled Nikki Grimes to spend a year doing linguistic and cultural research in Tanzania, East Africa. She toured the country from Mt. Kilimanjaro to the spice island of Zanzibar and brought away scores of stories about the unforgettable people and places she had visited, which later found their way into her poems. She is the author of many books for adults and children, including the Coretta Scott King Honor Book, Meet Danitra Brown, illustrated by Floyd Cooper, Aneesa Lee and the Weaver's Gift, illustrated by Ashley Bryan, and is it far to Zanzibar?, illustrated by Betsy Lewin. She lives in Corona, California.In Her Own Words..."The written word has always held a special fascination for me. it seemed uncanny that words, spread across a page just so, had the power to transport me to another time or place. But they could. I spent many hours ensconced in the local library reading-no, devouring-book after book after book. Books were my soul's delight. Even so, in one sense, the stories I read betrayed me. Too few featured African Americans. Fewer still spoke to, or acknowledged the existence of, the particular problems I faced as a black foster child from a dysfunctional and badly broken home. I couldn't articulate it then, but I sensed a need for validation which the books I read did not supply. When I grow up, I thought, I'll write books about children who look and feel like me."I was moved around a lot as a child, always having to adjust to new neighborhoods, new schools, new faces. The most difficult aspect of my constant uprooting was struggling to make new friends, leaving them behind, moving to a new neighborhood, and starting the whole process over again."Yet I had no choice, for I both needed and wanted friends. The fact that friendships were bound to be short-lived only made them more precious to me. Little wonder that friendship is a theme I return to again and again. Growin', my first book for children, had friendship as its primary focus. The subject recurs in the poems of Something on My Mind and From a Child's Heart. But the subject is most squarely dealt with in Meet Danitra Brown--an ode to friendship if ever there was one!"Born in Harlem, I have since lived in every borough of New York City except Staten Island. Consequently, cityscapes form the backdrop of most of my writing."In addition to children's fiction, I write books and magazine articles for adults. I inherited my father's passion for travel and have been to such places as China, Russia, Austria, Trinidad, and Tanzania, where I spent one year. My longest sojourn was in Sweden, where I lived for six years. In fact, I have Sweden to thank for my favorite hobby: knitting. I like to read, of course, go on long walks, talk with friends, cook, and play word games. But most of all, I love to write!"; Title: Is It Far to Zanzibar?: Poems About Tanzania | [
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26,863 | 15 | Realistic black-and-white renderings of stones with fanciful names (fishpebbles, numberpebbles, peoplepebbles) make up this simple and effective book by the Caldecott Honor artist. Ages 3-up. Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: On My Beach There Are Many Pebbles | [
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26,864 | 1 | If Carol Lerner were asked to list three reasons why she started writing and illustrating books for children, she would probably say the Morton Arboretum, Joshua, and Jesse. The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois, on the outskirts of Chicago, is one of the few institutions in the country that offers instruc-tion in botanical illustration on a regular basis. Over the years, Ms. Lerner had taken courses in botany, the local flora, birds of the Midwest, and other aspects of nature, but she hesitated to join the illustration class because the members seemed very accomplished. "Finally I gave it a try," she says. I continued attending for the next three years; then I felt ready to do something with my skills. I thought of illustrating children's books because they would offer more variety than strictly scientific illustration. "Joshua and Jesse are Ms. Lerner's sons, now grown. "Initially my husband, Ralph, and I introduced them to birds and plants, but this realm of experience took such a tremendous grip on their interests and imaginations, they became expert birders [bird-watchers] and very savvy all-around naturalists on their own. All through their childhood years, their curiosity sparked my interest in the natural world."The first book Ms. Lerner wrote and illustrated was On the Forest Edge. An ecological portrait of the animal and plant life found at the forest edge, it was given an award for Special Artistic Merit by the Friends of American Writers. Ms. Lerner's third, fourth, and fifth books, Seasons of the Tallgrass Prairie, A Biblical Garden, and Pitcher Plants, were named ALA Notable Books, as was Tree Flowers, which she illustrated. Plant Families was named a New York Academy of Sciences Honor Book. Among her recent titles are Cactus, Dumb Cane and Daffodils, A Forest Year and Moonseed and Mistletoe, all of which are NSTA/CBC Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children. Her critically acclaimed Backyard Birds of Winter has recently been followed by Backyard Birds Of Summer.Carol and Ralph Lerner live in Chicago. Summers and weekends are spent at their house in rural Indiana, where they are surrounded by forests and wetlands. "Wild birds are at our doorstep. There's a swamp across the road that is frog heaven. And I finally have enough space to realize the garden of my dreams. I garden with a certain passion." The same passion is evident in Carol Lerner's fine ecological portraits.; Title: Backyard Birds of Winter | [
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26,865 | 5 | Australian Aboriginal author Oodgeroo capably recounts 27 stories, some based on her childhood, some on Dreamtime myths. Accounts of children going hunting, of Oodgeroo struggling with her teachers over her lefthandedness, and of her parents' resourcefulness and principles balance legends of the creation of the world by the rainbow serpent and explanations of custom. Fresh, intricately patterned illustrations recall traditional Aboriginal painting but also incorporate abstracted figures in solid black; the artist, incidentally, is also Aboriginal. Although the stories trail off, ending with several less interesting entries about trees, this generous collection provides a fascinating and personal introduction to Aboriginal culture. Ages 8-up. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 2-6-In this new edition of Stradbroke Dreamtime (Merrimack, 1986; o.p.), the author uses the name that reflects her Aboriginal heritage rather than her English name, Kath Walker. The book also features new illustrations by an Aboriginal artist. The first half relates stories from the author's childhood on an island off the coast of Queensland; the second section contains stories from folklore and mythology. The tales are all one to two pages long. The vividly colored artwork is based solidly on Aboriginal style: pointillist patterns, parallel lines, and mazelike designs. The number of pictures and a more pleasing page layout increase the length of this edition by about one-third and make the selections more accessible to children. An eye-catching, attractive purchase.Jeanette Larson, Texas State Library, AustinCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Dreamtime: Aboriginal Stories | [
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26,866 | 2 | Cherry pie is the appetizing first course in Reiser's (Best Friends Think Alike) mirthful celebration of domestic traditions. With each appearance of the treat, a new generation is marked: fresh-picked cherries are baked in the homemade pies of the narrator's great-grandmother on the farm; cherries are retrieved from a tin can in the grandmother's suburban kitchen; cherries come frozen in the microwave pie that the narrator's business-suited, urban mother "bakes" for her; and cherries are made from clay in the pie the girl serves her teddy bear. "Every time it was the same, but different," sings the refrain. After the pies, Reiser offers similar treatment to family traditions of making garlands of flowers (once gathered in fields, now wrapped from the florist) and quilts (once hand-sewn, now store-bought). But when Reiser turns to lullabies, she delivers a pleasing surprise: each mother sings them the very same way. (Music for Brahms's "Lullaby" appears at the end, with Reiser's lyrics.) The illustrations, flat and boldly outlined, are true to Reiser's established style. The depictions of women border on stereotype?the great-grandmother with her spectacles and old-fashioned bib apron; grandmother with her perky '50s hairdo and sewing machine?but Reiser's attention to the reworking of similar detail in each frame is commendable and her gently poked fun a warmly effective way to reinforce stories of family history. Ages 4-up. (Apr.) FYI: A bilingual companion volume, Tortillas and Lullabies/Tortillas y cancioncitas ($16, -14628-7), also by Reiser, uses a Costa Rican setting; it is due out simultaneously.Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreSchool-Grade 3-In a story that celebrates maternal love across the generations, a child reflects on gifts that are given again and again. The narrator relates how her great-grandmother baked a cherry pie for her grandmother, who in turn baked one for her mother, who baked for her. In the end, the little girl pretends to bake a pie for her teddy bear. The pictures, which are simply drawn yet rich in color and detail, reflect the changes that time brings to the baking process. While great-grandmother rolls her own crust and uses fresh fruit, grandmother can call on a frozen crust and canned pie filling. The mother of today, dressed for success, slips a home-style pie into the microwave. "Every time it was the same, but different." The following "chapters" trace the same women as they weave crowns of flowers (meadow picked, garden grown, and now purchased at the florist) and wrap their daughters in quilts (hand stitched, machine stitched, and then mail ordered). The final chapter maintains the warm feeling as each mother sings her daughter a lullaby. This time, in spite of changing scenery, "Every time it was the same." The words and music (sung to Brahms's "Lullaby") are included. Reiser's Tortillas and Lullabies (Greenwillow, 1998) tells essentially "the same, but different" story, narrated by a little girl in Costa Rica. The warmth and energy of these books make them perfect choices for intergenerational sharing.Lisa S. Murphy, formerly at Dauphin County Library System, Harrisburg, PACopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Cherry Pies and Lullabies | [
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26,867 | 14 | First-time author Marie Charlotte Craft and her mother, award-winning illustrator Kinuko Craft combine detailed oil-over-watercolor paintings and easy-to-read text to introduce the story of the arrow-shooting Cupid, god of love, and the beautiful Princess Psyche to younger readers. Though the story is about their union, the book unfolds as a fairy tale, skirting over the details of love so that it's appropriate for even the smallest children. Cupid's nocturnal visits are for conversation only and the two don't marry or have their child until the last sentence.Grade 5-8?The late post-Hellenistic story of Cupid (Eros) and Psyche is more fairy tale than myth. It allegorically represents the maturing of the soul (psyche) under the influence of love (eros). Craft retells Apuleius's story (although Apuleius's name nowhere appears) with several minor and two significant changes. When Venus seeks revenge on the too-beautiful Psyche, she instructs her son to make the girl a slave (in various translations) to an "unworthy," "poor and abject," or "ugly and monstrous" love. Craft's charge is to make her love "the most frightening creature in the world," neatly meshing with the description of Cupid as one whose power even the gods fear. In abridging the story, Craft loses some of the tension in the family drama of the sisters' envy, Venus's enmity, and Psyche's efforts (here she is aided by Cupid, while in Apuleius even stones spontaneously help her). When she returns from her last task, with the box containing one day's beauty, Craft misses the connection between sleep and beauty, emphasizing instead the sleep of death. The sensational oil-over-watercolors should guarantee this book wide circulation. Elegantly bordered, the elaborate paintings incorporate elements of neoclassical, 19th-century, and Art Deco design into richly detailed, idealized romantic tableaux. The over-the-top lushness of the art compensates for the insipidity of the characters' faces, drawn from type rather than from life. This gorgeous Valentine will long outlast February's flurry.?Patricia (Dooley) Lothrop Green, St. George's School, Newport, RICopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Cupid and Psyche | [
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26,868 | 2 | Grade 5-8-Zanna is drawn to Moss, the Border Collie penned up in the Catherwood's barn. And as she slowly learns how to train this dog for herding sheep, she also finds herself developing a bond with his owner, Rob, a stroke victim no longer able to work with his dog. Her affection for the two grows as she begins to understand Rob's attempts to communicate with her in order to help her train Moss. Then the news of her family's moving away threatens to tear Zanna's world apart and everything she has come to love. Levin shows great insight into the recovery process of stroke patients as well as the training of Border Collies. However, the novel is unfocused. A lengthy plot and unnecessary characters impede readers' involvement with the interaction between the girl, the dog, and the elderly man. And that basic story line is rich with complex emotions as each individual struggles to overcome barriers to gain a sense of trust and accomplishment in themselves and in one another. Young adolescents in similar situations could be inspired by the intentions in this enjoyable, but uneven novel.Jana R. Fine, Clearwater Public Library System, FLCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.Gr. 5-7. Life on Ragged Mountain is full of uncertainties for 10-year-old Zanna Wald. Her father is working far away. Her mother is tired and irritable from the strain of working, managing the household alone, and giving speech and physical therapy to veteran Border collie trainer Rob Catherwood, who's suffered a severe stroke. The relationship between Zanna and Moss, a Border collie of great promise, anchors the story. Frustrated by the abrupt end of his training and unable to comprehend why his master now sits almost lifeless in a wheelchair, Moss runs out of control around the farm and is kept chained in the barn most of the day. Zanna, caught by the dog's brooding, patiently earns his trust and gradually starts him working sheep again. Levin's expertly written story is textured by the compassion the well-developed characters feel for each other and their willingness to help one another through hard times. The end result is not a magically happy resolution but a realistic and satisfying hope for better times for all. Ellen Mandel; Title: Away to Me, Moss | [
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26,869 | 2 | Kindergarten-Grade 3?A young Japanese-American boy is embarrassed to be seen in public with his grandfather. On their Sunday fishing trips, the old man dresses in tattered clothes and walks barefoot, exposing ugly feet with sharp black toenails. On the boat, he begs the fish to come to him; when they do, he thanks them. But then one Sunday, the boy hears another fisherman imitating his grandfather, and even catching a fish, so he tries fish-talk himself. No luck, but Grandfather sees the boy's disappointment, comforts him, and gives him a fish-hook he has fashioned out of bone. The boy sees the beauty of the hook, and begins to see his grandfather in another light. Was it the gift that changed the boy's view? Or Grandfather's love? Or the respect shown by other fishermen? Johnston leaves it up to readers to decide. The illustrations, done in watercolor and gouache, are aglow with the sun and alive with the waves, and clouds, and the faces of the people. It is in the faces that the drama of the story can be seen?Grandfather's love of life and of his grandson, the boy's growth from resignation to wonder and to love. It's a heartening story about the possibility of change.?Virginia Golodetz, St. Michael's College, Winooski, VTCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.Ages 4^-8. A young boy hates his grandfather's Sunday morning fishing excursions. The older man refuses to wear shoes to cover his blackened toenails, uses handmade bone fishhooks, and talks to the fish--seemingly unaware that his behaviors cause deep embarrassment for his grandson. Then, one Fishing Sunday the boy observes Grandfather from a fresh perspective, finally noticing the beauty in all his eccentricities. Root's watercolor-and-gouache illustrations feature rich hues of brown and green, appropriate to the story's quiet seaside setting. A closer look reveals more subtle details of this clash of generations--a soccer ball and a baseball cap versus worn clothing and a handmade bamboo fishing pole. A good choice for Grandparent's Day story hours, this will also be helpful for young listeners trying to reconcile old-world family traditions with modern American life. Kay Weisman; Title: Fishing Sunday | [
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26,870 | 5 | Though many young Disney fans now know Pegasus as the pet-like winged steed of Hercules, Mayer (Turandot) will broaden this perception by introducing Bellerophon, another mythical hero who teamed up with the magnificent horse. Bellerophon, the brave and handsome son of the king of Corinth, inspired the jealousy of many Greeks. One such enemy devises a plan that pits Bellerophon against the horrible demon-beast Chimera. Bellerophon's only hope of defeating the monster is to gain the trust and help of Pegasus. Mayer delves into works by Robert Graves and Erich Neumann for her classical-toned retelling. Her version contains the requisite cast of feisty gods and human royalty and all the intrigue and clearly drawn conflict that make mythology so compelling. Craft's (Cupid and Psyche) detailed, Italianate illustrations are similarly grand in scope. Each of her darkly shadowed paintings, featuring the rolling Greek countryside and figures dressed in flowing tunics, is framed in gold, like a museum piece. Several sweeping, dramatic scenes capture the colossal action of the tale. This bold adventure will likely encourage readers to investigate other myths and mythic heroes. Ages 5-up. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 4-6?With splendid full-page and double-spread paintings and a text presented in a graceful antique typeface, Mayer and Craft have produced an appealing picture book for readers who love Greek myths. The story of Pegasus, the winged horse, and the young hero Bellerophon is smoothly told in a style that lends itself to reading aloud. The large, oil-over-watercolor illustrations, each delicately bordered with a decorative frame, seem to take their inspiration from the grand style of 18th-century classicism and the imaginative, scenic prospects of 19th-century romantic landscapes. They capture the drama of the mythic tale. Mayer bases the story on careful research in the standard collections of Greek myths and adds a touching ending by describing the friendship between man and horse?a bond that would last beyond the shared adventure. Pegasus, with its magical tale and rich paintings, is a fine example of the quality of writing and of art that can be achieved in the picture-book format.?Shirley Wilton, Ocean County College, Toms River, NJCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Pegasus | [
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26,871 | 0 | PreSchool-Grade 2?A cumulative story that traces a little boy's backyard flower garden from tilling the soil to enjoying the blossoms. The text delightfully catalogs the process in a take-off on the old rhyme "This Is the House That Jack Built." As the garden takes shape, readers see seedlings sprout and bud, flowers open, insects and birds visit and, at last, a lovely garden in full bloom. Each double-page spread is done in soft colored pencils on various colored background. The borders contain detailed labeled drawings of tools, insects, birds, eggs, and, of course, flowers. Instructions for starting a garden complete the presentation. A pretty book rather than a how-to, this would be helpful in a primary setting to introduce gardening or the growth cycle.?Beth Tegart, Oneida City Schools, NYCopyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.Ages 4-9. A great way to show how the parts of nature connect and grow together... Cole is an elementary-school science teacher, and his nature drawings in colored pencil on colored paper make for joyful learning, both precise and lovely. Refers to reinforced trade edition.; Title: Jack's Garden | [
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26,872 | 2 | Ages 2^-5. Using collage, Crews translates the mental images of her own hot childhood summers into a sensorial feast for preschoolers. "It's summer, and it's hot," the book begins, "Dogs pant. Hydrants are open. Women carry umbrellas for the shade." Crews illustrates these symbols of summer using cutout photographic images mounted on related scenes. For example, for the above quote, clipped shots of an African American girl (the protagonist), a panting dog, and two women holding umbrellas in front of a store are superimposed on a street-scene photo of a spewing hydrant. Although the connections are predictable, the jumble of perspectives is refreshing. Finally, the day's sizzling images give way to the relief of grape popsicles and a cooling rainstorm. Especially relevant to urban libraries, this book provides many opportunities to discuss the senses and the unique experience of summer in the city. Julie Yates WaltonNina Crews drew inspiration from her own neighborhood in creating the artwork for both this book and its celebrated companion, The Neighborhood Mother Goose. She lives with her family in Brooklyn, New York.; Title: One Hot Summer Day | [
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26,873 | 12 | Betsy Maestro is the author of the "American Story" series, illustrated by her husband, Giulio. She has also written several other non-fiction picture books, including the Let's-Read-And-Find-Out science books How Do Apples Grow? and Why Do Leaves Change Color? The Maestros live in Old Lyme, Connecticut.; Title: The Story of Money | [
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26,874 | 0 | Set in the Little Italy of post-WWI Manhattan, this uplifting companion to the Caldecott Honor book Peppe the Lamplighter introduces a feisty girl who emigrates from Italy with her family. As their ship arrives in New York, Rosina spies the Statue of Liberty and announces that she wants to wear a dress and crown and carry a torch, just like that grand lady. Determined to be "a modern American girl," she changes her name to Rosie, refuses to eat the eggplant her mother packs in her school lunch and tells her parents she will not play the queen in the annual feast of San Gennaro. But as she watches the preparations for the Italian feast day, Rosie hatches a plan that lets her participate in the celebration yet prove her allegiance to her new country. The likable heroine and judicious details about the setting help distill the experience of new Americans caught between two cultures. Lewin's stunning paintings, often so clearly focused and lifelike as to resemble photographs, convey the flavor of the period?in clothing, decor, architecture?as well as Rosie's highly charged emotions. Ages 5-up. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.Kindergarten-Grade 3-Rosina, an Italian immigrant, wants to be a modern American girl. Questioning the characteristics and traditions of her family, she reacts with anger instead of pride when told she will be the queen of the San Gennaro feast. The Statue of Liberty provides inspiration and when the festival procession begins, Rosina appears, not in the white taffeta dress made by her mother, but dressed as Lady Liberty. Her costume is a success and she is glad the feast is a part of her new life in America. Lewin is a skilled watercolorist. His familiar, realistic illustrations capture the expressions and emotions of the characters. Set in New York City shortly after World War I, the pictures give a general feel for the interiors and dress of the time. Simple and patriotic, the story demonstrates a child's desire to fit into new surroundings. The difficulties of balancing a strong ethnic background with America's melting-pot mentality are neither addressed in depth nor resolved, but the basic idea that the two can coexist and perhaps enhance one another comes through.Karen James, Louisville Free Public Library, KYCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: American Too | [
72340
] | Validation |
26,875 | 15 | What color is a bean? Green? Or might it be purple? Dose a plum grow in, on, or above the ground? Join award-winning phott-ilustrater Bruce McMillan as he takes his camera in srech of some of nature's gorgeous colors found in gardens and orchards--and expect the unexpected.Dr. Short is a division director at the Center for Applied Linguistics (CAL) in Washington, D.C. She has worked as a teacher, trainer, researcher, and curriculum/materials developer. Her work at CAL has concentrated on the integration of language learning with content-area instruction. Through several national projects, she has conducted research and provided professional development and technical assistance to local and state education agencies across the United States. She directed the ESL Standards and Assessment Project for TESOL and co-developed the SIOP model for sheltered instruction. Dr. Short's monographs include: Extend Your Students' Reach and Move Them Toward Independence, Base Your ESL Instruction in the Content Areas, Reach for the Common Core, Structural Supports for English Learners, Comprehensive and Responsive Assessment, and Developing Academic Literacy in Adolescents.; Title: Growing Colors (Into English!) | [
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26,876 | 13 | Kindergarten-Grade 3-Micklethwait has found a successful formula for talking about art with children; her game of observation works as well in this "I Spy" book as in the first two. The challenge here is to find the animal in each of 20 famous paintings, which are beautifully reproduced in full color on glossy white pages. Some creatures are clearly visible, while others-such as the embroidered snake on the sleeve of Queen Elizabeth I's gown and the baby monkey in an Indian miniature-provide a challenge. The pictures are randomly arranged-a Titian appears before a Fernand Leger, a Peter Blume before a Lucas Cranach. The juxtapositions are startling as the pages are turned, but each work is interesting and begs to be lingered over and discussed. This title can be enjoyed by adults as well as by youngsters.Shirley Wilton, Ocean County College, Toms River, NJCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.Gr. 2-4. The latest in Micklethwait's I Spy series challenges children once again to look closely at art and to remember that pictures have content. The subject here is animals, with the text ("I spy with my little eye . . .") incorporating the name of an animal that appears in a large, glossy reproduction of a painting. Finding the animal requires children to look carefully: it will take some time to locate the tiny mouse hidden in Jan van Os' painting of flowers or the snake embroidered on Queen Elizabeth's sleeve in Isaac Oliver's Rainbow Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I. Ranging from medieval to modern, the art includes non-Western and nonrepresentational work, and the pictures all have more than one interesting story, giving the book a staying power past the first reading. Mary Harris Veeder; Title: I Spy a Lion: Animals in Art | [
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26,877 | 5 | Selfishness gets its comeuppance and the punishment is toads in a snappy retelling of Perrault's fairy tale. The folksy, dense paintings by Lobel (previously teemed with Huck for Princess Furball) give an edgy immediacy to the fantastical story of Renee, a sweet maiden with an evil step-family. For aiding an old woman, Renee is rewarded with a magical gift: jewels and flowers will drop from her lips whenever she speaks. Her stepsister Francine goes in search of the same blessing. Lazy and shamelessly cruel to animals and people, Francine finds herself cursed with a profusion of snakes and toads instead of diamonds. The almost nauseating heaps of scaly creatures seem the perfect offspring of Francine's sour visage, and the plain, peasant-like Renee is a refreshingly ordinary heroine. When she wins the heart of a handsome prince, it's clear he loves her for her noble heart, not her appearance nor her jewels. Huck adds a little innovation of her own, too: the blessing and curse are to last only "as long as there will be a need for it," and while Francine seems doomed forever, Renee is reprieved on her wedding day from a lifetime of issuing oral projectiles. Ages 5-up. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.Kindergarten-Grade 3?This retelling of the French folktale about the kind and unkind (step)sisters is supported by impeccable scholarship and crisp, thoughtful storytelling. Huck makes the story her own through her choice of name for the resourceful heroine, Renee (meaning reborn). She also puts a limit on the young woman's unusual reward: jewels and flowers will drop from her mouth when she speaks "as long as there will be a need." In her carefully documented author's note, Huck explains that it was important for Renee to be loved for herself. The entire narrative satisfies from beginning to end. Lobel's watercolor and gouache paintings amply illuminate the story. From the first illustration, the stepmother and stepsister dominate the page, often shunting Renee to one corner. Lobel captures textures with her brush: the velvet gowns of Francine and her mother, in contrast to their doughy faces, the leaves and flowers of the trees and plants, the smooth, faceted gems that fall from the kind sister's lips, and the scaly or spotted skins of snakes and toads that fall from Francine's mouth. The striking typeface is slightly fanciful, yet clear and easy to read. This appealing collaboration from the creators of Princess Furball (Greenwillow, 1989) is a lovely addition to folktale collections.?Donna L. Scanlon, Lancaster County Library, PACopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Toads and Diamonds | [
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26,878 | 12 | An adroit blend of telling experiences from Byarss life and ingenuous confidences about her writing. This ebullient self-portrait is so delightfully informal that it may seem artless; actually, the dovetailing of the several elements is extraordinarily skillful, the comments on writing as sage as they are succinct. (Kirkus Reviews (starred review))It is pure pleasure and privilege to be invited into the world of such a warm and engaging artist. This goes far beyond most memoirs in its ability to engage the reader. (Publishers Weekly (starred review))The Moon that inspires Betsy Byars's memoir isn't the one in the sky, but a huge, harmless blacksnake she finds in the rafters of her porch. This meeting begins an exploration of the writing process. With energy, wit, and delight, the Newbery medalist shows how "the good scraps" of her life, from a bully named Bubba to a gift-wrapped dime, weave into her work.; Title: The Moon and I | [
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26,879 | 14 | Ghostly color illustrations distinguish Carter Goodrich's version of A Christmas Carol. Goodrich's caricatures are well suited to the classic Dickens tale. Dickens read his story aloud on many occasions, and the version presented here is the pared-down one adapted by Dickens himself for reading aloud (in about 90 minutes, down from three hours).Gr. 5 and up, younger for reading aloud. There's a new version of A Christmas Carol on every holiday list, but this one is special. It is Dickens' own performance text, cut and adapted by him for reading aloud in 90 minutes. All the great lines are here (well, almost all), including Scrooge's ever contemporary advice on what to do with the poor ("Are there no prisons?"). The book's spacious design, with thick paper, clear type, and 21 sepia tone illustrations done in watercolor and colored pencils, is great for group sharing. The pictures are comic and scary but never overwhelming. They pick up the theatrical, larger-than-life scenarios: the brooding, scowling miser alone at his desk; the ghostly visitors; the Cratchit family ecstatic over Christmas dinner.; Title: A Christmas Carol (Books of Wonder) | [
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26,880 | 12 | "From simple penny antics to the complicated concept of how a check clears a bank, the book makes money matters matter to readers."-- "School Library Journal" "Another winner, as original as the first book."-- "Horn Book"With the same energy, humor and clarity found in his 50 books, David wows audiences at schools around the United States and beyond. David is an accomplished storyteller and a master at getting kids to think and have fun at the same time. His presentations lead children on entertaining and educational journeys that combine math, science, reading and writing. David also gives keynote presentations and workshops for educators at professional conferences.; Title: If You Made a Million | [
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26,881 | 15 | Grade 1-3?This fact-filled offering takes readers through the life cycle of the bald eagle, introduces the majestic bird's history as a symbol of strength and beauty in North America, and describes successful efforts to increase its once-diminishing numbers. Appealing watercolor illustrations, labeled diagrams, definitions, and well-researched facts come together to form a perfect connection for teachers seeking to expand science units. It provides a blueprint for class projects, not only on bald eagles, but on other birds and animals as well. Unlike some science-related books, the clear and easy writing style makes it a good read-aloud selection that is sure to hold youngsters' attention. A first choice for libraries.?Marty Abbott Goodman, L.J. Bell Elementary School, Rockingham, NCCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.Gail Gibbons, author of more than one hundred books, is the winner of the Washington Post/Childrens Book Guild Award for her overall contribution to childrens nonfiction literature. Called a master of picture book nonfiction by ALA Booklist, Ms. Gibbons has a special talent for making complex subjects understandable and entertaining for young readers.; Title: Soaring with the Wind: The Bald Eagle | [
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26,882 | 6 | Pat Hutchins, one of seven children, was born in Yorkshire, England, and grew up in the surrounding countryside, which she still loves. At a very early age she knew that she wanted to be an artist and was encouraged by an elderly couple who would give her a chocolate bar for each picture she drew. A local art school offered her a scholarship and she studied there for three years, continuing her training at Leeds College of Art, where she specialized in illustration. Her career in the children's book field began with the highly acclaimed Rosie's Walk, a 1968 ALA Notable Book. Since then she has written five novels and created more than twenty-five picture books. She was awarded England's prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal in 1974 for The Wind Blew. Pat Hutchins lives with her husband in London, England.; Title: What Game Shall We Play? | [
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26,883 | 16 | Ages 2-5. Five joyful concept books by gifted artist-writer Hughes--Bathwater's Hot and Noisy and When We Went to the Park (1985) and Colors and All Shapes and Sizes (1986)--have been collected into one big, handsome volume that will give preschoolers hours of fun. In each story the same eager, curious child explores her world, at home and outside, and discovers all kinds of colors, shapes, sizes, numbers, sounds, and experiences. The simple rhyming text makes you savor the words, and each cheerful line-and-watercolor illustration tells a story to talk about. Even libraries that have some of the individual volumes may want to buy this large collection, which is unified by the characters, style, and setting. Hazel Rochman; Title: The Nursery Collection | [
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26,884 | 17 | Laurence Yep is the acclaimed author of more than sixty books for young people and a winner of the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award. His illustrious list of novels includes the Newbery Honor Books Dragonwings and Dragon's Gate; The Earth Dragon Awakes: The San Francisco Earthquake of 1906, a Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee; and The Dragon's Child: A Story of Angel Island, which he cowrote with his niece, Dr. Kathleen S. Yep, and was named a New York Public Library's "One Hundred Titles for Reading and Sharing" and a Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Book.Mr. Yep grew up in San Francisco, where he was born. He attended Marquette University, graduated from the University of California at Santa Cruz, and received his PhD from the State University of New York at Buffalo. He lives in Pacific Grove, California, with his wife, the writer Joanne Ryder.; Title: The Lost Garden | [
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26,885 | 2 | "An affectionate portrayal of a special friendship."--" The Horn Book"Warmly enhanced by paintings bright with color and pattern."--" Booklist"Judith Caseley says, "When I was a little girl, I fell in love with Abraham Lincoln. I was drawn to the kindness and melancholy I saw in his face. My sister Jean and I prayed to a framed portrait of him that hung on our bedroom wall. To this day, when I see Lincoln's likeness on the wall of a school auditorium, my heart lifts with gladness or my eyes fill with tears. I remember the fierce secrets we told him, the joys and sorrows that were for his ears only. It was a private act of communion, and we called him A. L."Judith Caseley is the author-artist of such favorite picture books as On the Town: A Community Adventure; Bully; Mama, Coming and Going; and Dear Annie. She lives on Long Island, New York, with her two children.; Title: Dear Annie | [
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26,886 | 2 | Dedicated to "the children of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and to all the children everywhere who long for peace," this poem takes its inspiration from the true story of 12-year-old Sadako Sasaki, familiar to the many readers of Eleanor Coerr's novel Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes or Coerr's and Ed Young's picture book Sadako. Dying of leukemia caused by the bombing of Hiroshima, Sadako began to make origami cranes, encouraged by the Japanese belief that folding a thousand paper cranes will bring good health. Where Coerr's story is specific, Hamanaka's (On the Wings of Peace, reviewed below; All the Colors of the Earth) is abstract, most likely too abstract to make a strong impact on young readers. An African American girl asks, "If I make a paper peace crane/ from a crisp white paper square,/ if I fold my dreams inside the wings,/ will anybody care?" Explaining her fears of the shootings on her street, the child confides that Peace Crane came for her in a dream, and together they flew over mountains, forests and oceans, where they listened to "lullabies sung by whales till our troubles disappeared." Well-intentioned, the final plea comes perilously close to the formulaic: "We long to be a part/ of a world without borders,/ of a world without guns,/ of a world that loves its children,/ each and every one." Portraying in turn ominous images of violence and luminous symbols of peace, Hamanaka's dramatic oil paintings may, like the verse, prove too conceptual to engage children. All ages. Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 2-4?Hamanaka's dedication sets the book's framework and tone: "...to the children of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and to all children everywhere who long for peace." A brief preface provides background on Hiroshima, Sadako, and the crane as a symbol of long life; it inaccurately attributes the folding of 1000 paper cranes to Sadako; however, she died before she finished and her classmates completed them for her. After a contemporary African American girl folds her wishes for peace inside a paper crane, the Peace Crane comes to her in a dream and they fly over trees, towns, and farmlands, seeing the needs of the land and the people. The bird carries the child away from the violence of her world and enables her to see the goodness in the people who want to be part of a loving world without guns, etc. The illustrations utilize intense coloration and contrast to convey the emotional impact of the words without detailed images. The airiness of flying and the yellow-red heat of fire support the poem's expanse of feelings and symbolism. The benevolent faces of children, neighbors, and people singing give a humanistic perspective to the dream/fantasy sentiments. While the universality of the message is worthy, the degree of sentimentality overburdens the book as a whole. This title seems like a cross between Arthur Dorros's Abuela (Dutton, 1991) and Junko Morimoto's My Hiroshima (Viking, 1990), with the voice attempting to teach children about love and peace, but the message, linked to Sadako's spirit, ends up being cloying.?Julie Cummins, New York Public LibraryCopyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Peace Crane | [
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26,887 | 12 | "Un cuento inmensamente divertido y entretenido para los peque?os lectores."---"Kirkus Reviewssta es la tortuga que se meto en la charca y se como a la serpiente que se deslizo de una rama y se trag al pez que nadaba tras la ranita.Salta ranita salta! Este alegre cuento repetido har saltar y cantar de contento a todas esas "ranitas que conoces.; Title: Salta, Ranita, Salta! (Spanish Edition) | [
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26,888 | 15 | Brilliant paintings enfold Wolkstein's retelling of an Australian Aboriginal creation myth. Awakened by a voice, Sun Mother leaves her home in the sky and travels the sleeping earth as grass, plants, and trees sprout in her footsteps. She wakes the dozing animals in their dark caves:first the crawling creatures-grubs, beetles, and caterpillars; next, the lizards, frogs, snakes, and fish; and finally, in the coldest cave, she wakes the birds and animals. She creates a beautiful world, then returns to the sky. Night frightens her creatures, until they discover that it isn't permanent. In time, Sun Mother lets the animals choose their own shapes and attributes: "Platypus could not decide what she wanted. So she chose everything. A beak, fur, webbed feet, and a tail!" Finally, Sun Mother gives birth to a daughter, Moon, and son, Morning Star. They, in turn, give birth to twins, the first woman and man. Sun Mother instructs them to care for the plants and animals, as all share a common home on earth. Though the tale is gracefully told, it is Bancroft's paintings that make the greatest impression. Bold colors and patterns lined with thick, powerful lines draw the eye along each page and bring the story to life. Wolkstein's authoritative notes carefully document her sources, and add insight into the origins of these tales.Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CACopyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.PreS-Gr. 2. In spare, rhythmic words, veteran folklorist Wolkstein retells an Aboriginal Australian creation myth that begins "when the earth was asleep." When a "soft voice" tells Sun Mother that it's time, she travels to Earth, leaving a wide path of lush greenery and vibrant animal life in her footsteps. Returning to the sky, she continues to pass over Earth in cycles of light that become day and night. There are final adjustments. Sun Mother allows the animals the free will to choose their own features ("Platypus couldn't decide . . . so she chose everything!"), and she creates Moon and Morning Star, who give birth to the first humans. Wolkstein bolsters her beautifully paced telling with a clear introduction that explains the concept of Dreamtime, and Aboriginal artist Bancroft's swirling, patterned, abstract paintings vibrantly suggest life's astonishing beginnings, from cell and egg to tree and animal. An author's note gives precise, extensive source information. Pair this with Phyllis Root's delightful Big Momma Makes the World (2003) for a multicultural story hour about the beginning of life. Gillian EngbergCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Sun Mother Wakes the World: An Australian Creation Story | [
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26,889 | 13 | An imaginative Haitian girl takes the first step toward becoming an artist in this uneven but cheery tale from the author and artist of Galimoto. Lacking paints, brushes and paper, Ti Marie uses an orange brick, white stone and black charcoal to draw pictures on the cement wall of her modest house. She admires the vivid paintings created by the local bocor, or voodoo priest, and rummages through his trash to salvage almost empty paint tubes and scrap paper. Then, with goat hairs and chicken feathers for brushes, the child paints pictures on the wall behind her mother's neglected vegetable stand at the marketplace, thereby attracting customers. The tale's lesson about the rewards of resourcefulness and determination is incontestable, yet Williams's narrative is overwritten and sometimes careless: on a single page, she writes that the bocor's houses "were painted with many colorful designs that made the heart pound like a drum" and that Ti Marie "with colors and brushes... could make pictures that made your heart sing." Stock's watercolor illustrations are technically very accomplished but uncharacteristically sluggish. The best moments are her smooth and sunny juxtapositioning of Ti Marie's childlike drawings within polished scenes of island life. An uplifting tale about making something out of nothing. Ages 5-up. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.Kindergarten-Grade 2-Eight-year-old Ti Marie, a Haitian girl, longs to be an artist. At every opportunity she draws with the meager means she has, using such items as red brick, moss, and charcoal to create her pictures. She dreams of having real paints, brushes, and canvas-supplies her parents can't afford. After observing the colorful painting adorning the buildings in the yard of the artist Msie Antoine, who is also a powerful priest and healer, the girl raids his trash after dark, turning up a bit of precious paint in the bottom of discarded tubes. She uses it, along with her more rudimentary drawing tools, to spruce up the wall behind the dull and scantily trafficked area in the marketplace where her mother peddles her vegetables. Ti Marie's pictures become the talk of the village, drawing attention to her mother's stand as well as compliments from many, including Msie Antoine. As they did in Galimoto (Lothrop, 1990), this author and illustrator gently and deftly portray a child with few material goods but with plenty of hope, dreams, and ingenuity.Tom S. Hurlburt, La Crosse Public Library, WICopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Painted Dreams | [
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26,890 | 18 | Grade 3-6-In this richly illustrated title, the Maestros bring an important part of our country's history to life. Seventy-four years of events are chronicled in a running narrative that begins by explaining how four European nations fought over trade, borders, and religion, and competed for the North American continent. While Spain and the Netherlands withdrew almost immediately, England and France continued to fight for 70 more years in a series of confrontations. These battles are covered in the text, as are the relationships that these two countries had with the Native American tribes. Full-page, double-page, and spot-art illustrations in pen and ink, watercolor, and colored pencil flow across the pages and extend the text. All are captioned. Several colorful maps are also included. Endnotes provide additional information on a few individuals, the Iroquois League, and life during the Colonial period. This accessible book fills a gap for young history buffs and report writers.Kathleen Simonetta, Indian Trails Public Library District, Wheeling, IL Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.Gr. 3-6. With text by Betsy and artwork by Giulio, the Maestros bring history to life in a new entry in the picture-book American Story series. The French and Indian Wars, called by several names during a 70-year period, were a struggle between the French and the Algonquian tribes on one hand and the English and the Iroquois tribes on the other. The French saw America as a vast resource for the lucrative fur trade; the English saw it as a place to send a troublesome populace and to build settlements. The indigenous groups allied themselves with the Europeans for a variety of reasons, including weaponry. The text is a model of clarity, balance, and nuance: European alliances, massacres on both sides, slavery, and double dealing are all noted, along with descriptions of strategy, tactics, and the conflicting needs of divergent groups. A wide variety of beautifully delineated pictures--maps, townscapes, seascapes, battlefields, and portraits--add to the spirited sweep of the text. A fine resource. GraceAnne DeCandidoCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Struggle for a Continent: The French and Indian Wars: 1689-1763 (American Story Series) | [
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26,891 | 0 | One of the tall tales in the series that began with Paul Bunyan, this merry book features Fink, grizzly-bear wrestler and King of the Mississippi River Keelboatmen. "Kellogg's antic style is as engaging as ever," said PW. All ages. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc."Another hit."--" School Library Journal""Rollicking, humorous!"--" Chicago Sun-Times"; Title: Mike Fink | [
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26,892 | 1 | This slight but upbeat story takes place on the ocean floor, where a hermit crab searches for his ideal shell. Like Goldilocks, he rejects a number of possibilities, declaring, "Too long,/ too wide,/ too big,/ too small,/ these shells/ will not do at all." At last, the picky crustacean discovers a nautilus with "more room inside./ Room to grow,/ room to hide." Kalan (Jump, Frog, Jump!) compares adjectives such as "fancy" and "plain," "heavy" and "light," introducing beginners to a range of opposites. Abolafia (Fox Tale; My Three Uncles) makes the most of the limited material, presenting simultaneous views of underwater and landlubber life in his watercolor seascapes. His cartoon shellfish?whose pink pincers resemble those of a crayfish, not the asymmetrical claws of a real hermit crab?wears bandages after encountering a pointed shell ("too rough"), and poses playfully in front of a peacock-tail-shaped half shell ("too fancy"). Kalan and Abolafia supply plenty of good humor, but look to Megan McDonald's and S.D. Schindler's Is This a House for Hermit Crab? (Orchard, 1990) for scientific substance as well as a pleasing presentation of the same subject. Ages 4-up. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreSchool-Grade 1?Using the familiar theme of an outgrown shell, Kalan and Abolafia have created a humorous, cumulative, rhymed story perfect for beginning readers. A comical hermit crab, complete with baseball cap and hobo's stick and kerchief, explores the ocean floor looking for "a shell that's right." He encounters many types?too big, too small, too long, too wide, etc.?that "will not do at all" before finding one that's fine, "like that other shell of mine." The brightly colored illustrations contain adequate realism to identify the various shells and the various denizens of the deep and invite further study. The pictures have funny elements that expand the Dr. Seuss-like text?small fish bed down in a discarded sardine tin; a shark is pictured about to eat a fish that is about to eat a hooked worm. Large format with sparse text also invites group sharing.?Claudia Cooper, Ft. Stockton Independent School District, TXCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Moving Day | [
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26,893 | 11 | Comprehensive and intriguing.""-- School Library JournalAnn Morris's many books include Families, Bread Bread Bread, Hats Hats Hats, On the Go, and Loving. She lives in New York City.As a children's book writer, Ann Morris has been able to successfully integrate her varied experiences in teaching young children, travel, writing, and editing. Having grown up in the polyglot public schools of New York City, where each child's ethnic heritage was revealed by his name or by the contents of the lunch box from home filled with sausages, egg rolls, matzos, or pizza, she developed a strong Interest In cultures other than her own. " I'm a gypsy by nature," she says. "I always have my suitcase packed."She and photographer Ken Heyman once traveled across the United States to document the lives often different families. Both she and the teacher's pupils liked the snake charmer/teacher who taught class in a circus trailer with her favorite boa around her neck. Although Ms. Morris has never tried this stunt he herself, she has taught children in public and private schools in New York City, and adults at Bank Street College, Columbia Teachers College, New York University, and Queens College of the City University of New York. More recently she has been teaching writing for children at The New School.Ann Morris left teaching to become editorial director of Scholastic's early childhood department. Now she devotes her professional time to writing and all her other time to 11 people watching, music in any and all Forms, cat care, cooking and eating, and travel." All of these experiences, she says, provide material for her books.In Israel Ms. Morris was caught up in the enchantment of the place as well as the conflicts that are a consequence of its history. One of her books, When Will They Stop Fighting? (Atheneum), reflects her concern about children who have become the victims of these conflicts.Ann Morris worked with photographer Ken Heyman while producing an award-winning series of sound-filmstrips for young children. Since then the author-photographer team has created several books in a multicultural series for Lothrop, including Hats, Hats, Hats; Shoes, Shoes, Shoes; and Bread, Bread, Bread. Her interest in travel and the arts brought her to the famous Vaganova, Academy, where children of the famous Kirov ballet company are instructed. This resulted in On Their Toes (Atheneum), followed by Dancing to America (Dutton), photographed by Paul Kolnik. The latter book is about one of the Russian children and his family who emigrated to New York, where he now participates in our own School of American Ballet. Her book Karate Boy (Dutton) features her nephew and his friends in karate class. She thinks of this as a "family book" in that it was photographed by her cousin, David Katzenstein. Light the Candle Bang the Drum (Dutton), with illustrations by Peter Linenthal, is about holidays around the world.; Title: On the Go | [
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26,894 | 2 | PreS?These books feature a colorful patchwork elephant in their title subjects. Elmer's winsome personality shines through as he romps with a variety of wild animals from all over the world?polar bears and leopards, elephants and kangaroos?in this jungle fantasyland. Elmer's Friends, the most sophisticated of the four, leaves readers with the message that we can be different and still get along. The other texts are fairly generic, according to the concept depicted; most of the illustrations, done in bold, textured paints, are appealing and will encourage responses from toddlers. Solid choices for the board-book set.?Linda Wicher, Highland Park Public Library, ILCopyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.David McKee grew up in Devon, England. Later, while a student at Plymouth Art College, he began selling his cartoon drawings to newspapers. Since 1964 he has published a number of successful books for children, including the King Rollo stories, which he helped animate for British television. His first book for Lothrop was Snow Woman, of which Publishers Weekly said, "It is McKee's superb humor--conveyed almost solely in the illustrations...that wins the day." Of his second Lothrop book, Who's a Clever Baby, Publishers Weekly had this to say: "Grandma's alliterative frenzies are fascinating and readers will find Baby's manipulative stubbornness vastly amusing."Mr. McKee enjoys traveling and doing books that "leave things unsaid."; Title: Elmer's Friends Board Book (Elmer Books) | [
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26,895 | 0 | PreSchool-Grade 1 A fine gaggle of cartoon 'pokes spends a day doing what good cowboys do riding, roping, and eating beans and biscuits. The slight text is rhythmic enough for a little toe tapping and sometimes it rhymes, too. Nine cowboys and a cook are introduced with an individual simile or metaphor: "cute as a little red wagon" and "quieter than a hole in the ground." And what good cowboy names, too! Tex, Curly, Slim, Cody, and Billy. Well, remember, they are cartoons. San Souci's playful watercolors depict a brightly colored, cheerful bunch. Not even Slim's falling into a cactus can hold these guys down for long. The book is pretty slim, too, but more than a few small cowboys and girls will gather round to hear it. Ruth Semrau, formerly at Lovejoy School, Allen, TX Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.With nary a roof in sight, ten cowboys plus assorted critters rise at dawn to ride, rope, suffer mishaps, and scarf down "cowpoke stew," then sit around a campfire under the desert stars singing, from the looks of it, "Kumbayah" or something equally mellow. Aside from a spread of superfluous introductory phrases about the hands ("Tex calls on the ladies as regular as a goose goes barefoot," etc.), Stutson hangs her cadenced, very brief text on rhymes and partial rhymes. In San Souci's brightly colored paintings, cartoon cowboys gallop stylishly across open, dusty landscapes. Though a bit spirited for effective bedtime reading, this should be an action-packed opener for books such as Bill Martin's White Dynamite and Curly Kid (1989) or Steven Kellogg's wild and woolly Pecos Bill (1986). John Peters; Title: Cowpokes | [
11254
] | Train |
26,896 | 11 | "A striking photographic survey."--"School Library Journal"Will attract armchair travelers of all ages."--"Booklist"One of the best books of the year."--"Parents MagazineAnn Morris's many books include Families, Bread Bread Bread, Hats Hats Hats, On the Go, and Loving. She lives in New York City.As a children's book writer, Ann Morris has been able to successfully integrate her varied experiences in teaching young children, travel, writing, and editing. Having grown up in the polyglot public schools of New York City, where each child's ethnic heritage was revealed by his name or by the contents of the lunch box from home filled with sausages, egg rolls, matzos, or pizza, she developed a strong Interest In cultures other than her own. " I'm a gypsy by nature," she says. "I always have my suitcase packed."She and photographer Ken Heyman once traveled across the United States to document the lives often different families. Both she and the teacher's pupils liked the snake charmer/teacher who taught class in a circus trailer with her favorite boa around her neck. Although Ms. Morris has never tried this stunt he herself, she has taught children in public and private schools in New York City, and adults at Bank Street College, Columbia Teachers College, New York University, and Queens College of the City University of New York. More recently she has been teaching writing for children at The New School.Ann Morris left teaching to become editorial director of Scholastic's early childhood department. Now she devotes her professional time to writing and all her other time to 11 people watching, music in any and all Forms, cat care, cooking and eating, and travel." All of these experiences, she says, provide material for her books.In Israel Ms. Morris was caught up in the enchantment of the place as well as the conflicts that are a consequence of its history. One of her books, When Will They Stop Fighting? (Atheneum), reflects her concern about children who have become the victims of these conflicts.Ann Morris worked with photographer Ken Heyman while producing an award-winning series of sound-filmstrips for young children. Since then the author-photographer team has created several books in a multicultural series for Lothrop, including Hats, Hats, Hats; Shoes, Shoes, Shoes; and Bread, Bread, Bread. Her interest in travel and the arts brought her to the famous Vaganova, Academy, where children of the famous Kirov ballet company are instructed. This resulted in On Their Toes (Atheneum), followed by Dancing to America (Dutton), photographed by Paul Kolnik. The latter book is about one of the Russian children and his family who emigrated to New York, where he now participates in our own School of American Ballet. Her book Karate Boy (Dutton) features her nephew and his friends in karate class. She thinks of this as a "family book" in that it was photographed by her cousin, David Katzenstein. Light the Candle Bang the Drum (Dutton), with illustrations by Peter Linenthal, is about holidays around the world.; Title: Houses and Homes (Around the World Series) | [
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26,897 | 2 | Joanna Cole s a former elementary school teacher and librarian and a frequent contributor to Parents magazine. In Asking About Sex and Growing Up she provides a reassuring blend of scientific fact and practical guidance, written for the audience that needs it most. Joanna Cole lives in Connecticut.; Title: The New Baby at Your House | [
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26,898 | 11 | Grade 3-6An attractive addition to the Lewins' personal adventure series, which includes Gorilla Walk (1999) and Elephant Quest (2000, both HarperCollins). Ted's handsome, realistic watercolors are complemented by Betsy's colorful field sketches as the two explore Kakadu National Park and Kangaroo Island, respectively, in the hot north and chilly south of the Australian continent. Salt-water crocodiles, dingoes, an echidna, and a platypus are among the wildlife observed, as are encounters with some brush-tailed possums and smallish kangaroos that aggressively demand the Lewins' dinner at "tucker" time (Australian lingo is defined). A few black-and-tan sketches of Aboriginal life are included, oddly labeled "all circa 1900," with no explanation. Nonetheless, this eye-catching and informative title is a treat for animal lovers and adventurers alike.Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NYGr. 2-4, younger for reading aloud. Where are you if you see "Danger: Crocodiles (Watch Your Children and Dogs)" signs and lizards that stand on their hind legs? Holy dooley, mate, you're in Australia! The Lewins share their "top to bottom" journey to the land down under in a fresh, funny, fact-filled travelogue that meanders from Kakadu National Park to Kangaroo Island. Striking, realistic watercolor landscapes are juxtaposed with comical sketches and circa-1900 spot illustrations of Aboriginals killing snakes and riding on paperbark rafts. The pictures catch attention, and the text is intelligently written. However, the notion that toilets swirl "in the wrong direction" in Australia has been debunked on several Web sites. A brief guide to animal facts rounds out this contagiously cheerful Aussie expedition. And remember, "salties" (crocodiles) can run as fast as 15 miles per hour, so "if a salty chases you, run either sixteen miles an hour or in a zigzag fashion." Karin SnelsonCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Top to Bottom Down Under | [
65816
] | Train |
26,899 | 12 | Grade 1-5?Similar to its counterparts, Hopscotch Around the World (1992) and Jacks Around the World (1996, both Morrow), Lankford's third title in the series introduces a familiar childrens' game as a global activity, adding a unique cultural perspective to a popular pastime. Colorful illustrations of domino players and descriptions of game-playing customs from countries such as Malta, Cuba, and the Netherlands are included. Several brain teasers (and a recipe for edible "disappearing" dominoes) conclude the trip around the world. While domino aficionados will appreciate the numerous variations, those who have never played should be equally intrigued by the variety of games, which include names such as "Maltese Cross," "Matador," and "French Draw." The cultural tips provided (such as playing very noisily, as in the Vietnamese version) will especially be enjoyed by children interested in learning the game-playing customs of different cultures. While perhaps best used as a domino-instruction aid, the information may be useful for reports and the clean, attractive layout invites browsing. Since few titles have touched upon the international aspects of the game, most of the material is unique. An appealing enhancement to most collections.?Jennifer Oyama, Los Angeles Public Library, CACopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.Gr. 3^-5. Lankford, who has done previous books on hopscotch and jacks, now turns to dominoes. In this handsome volume, she features different versions of the age-old game played in eight diverse countries, including the U.S., Malta, the Ukraine, and Vietnam. Written in a concise and clear style, the introductory information includes a historical overview of dominoes, a description of the playing tiles, and the basic rules of the game. Brief descriptions of each country, the origins of the particular game played in the country, and easy-to-follow rules for playing each version are presented in a single page of text. Opposite this page is a brightly colored illustration of children and adults from the cultures in focus playing dominoes. This solid work concludes with rules for playing domino solitaire and completing puzzles using the tiles as well as a recipe for making eatable dominoes. A refreshing approach to a fun-filled game that may entice cool 1990s kids into playing a variety of these traditional games. April Judge; Title: Dominoes Around the World | [
4895,
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] | Train |
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