node_id int64 0 76.9k | label int64 0 39 | text stringlengths 13 124k | neighbors listlengths 0 3.32k | mask stringclasses 4
values |
|---|---|---|---|---|
27,300 | 9 | Willo Davis Roberts wrote many mystery and suspense novels for children during her long and illustrious career, including The Girl with the Silver Eyes, The View from the Cherry Tree, Twisted Summer, Megans Island, Baby-Sitting Is a Dangerous Job, Hostage, Scared Stiff, The Kidnappers, and Caught! Three of her childrens books won Edgar Awards, while others received great reviews and other accolades, including the Sunshine State Young Readers Award, the California Young Readers Medal, and the Georgia Childrens Book Award.; Title: The View From the Cherry Tree | [
6664,
12837,
14101,
20180,
27888,
27903,
28004,
54995,
55529
] | Test |
27,301 | 5 | Grade 3-7?A retelling from the Finnish myth cycle, the Kalevala, in which the aging hero Vainamoinen and the great smith Ilmarinen compete for the hand of Aila, the maiden of Northland. Aila has no intention of marrying either of them, but her mother decides to take advantage of the situation and sets the suitors a task. When Louhi asks each of them to bring her "...something never seen before," Vainamoinen returns with a kantele, a lap harp, that the woman is unable to play. Ilmarinen's sampo, a mill that grinds flour by itself, pleases her, but Aila refuses to marry the smith. The spurned men escape with their gifts, but lose them in the ocean. Shepard's use of free verse allows him more flexibility than the traditional poetic meter. While the text falters occasionally, it retains a sense of majestic rhythm and is most effective when read aloud. Shepard's retelling differs significantly from M.E.A. McNeil's prose version in The Magic Storysinger (Stemmer House, 1993), but both titles are well written and valuable, especially since there is little from the Kalevala available for young readers. Supporting information is detailed, including a pronunciation guide, notes, and references. Schwartz's gouache illustrations are vivid and appealing, with jewel-like colors and crisp lines. The book is nicely laid out, with an abstract folk-art design bordering each page and the verses set in two well-spaced columns. An unusual and appealing addition.?Donna L. Scanlon, Lancaster County Library, PACopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: The Maiden of Northland: A Hero Tale of Finland | [
26605,
28977,
41325
] | Train |
27,302 | 0 | PreSchool-Grade 2. Sanders continues to explore the experience of blazing new trails and creating community in the wilderness. This time his subject is an African-American family freed from slavery in 1832. After settling on untamed land along the Wabash River in Indiana, Papa returns frequently to the Tennessee plantation to guide other loved ones north. (It is unclear here whether he is guiding them as a conductor on the Underground Railroad or if they, too, have been freed.) Eventually, his bustling settlement warrants railroad tracks and a name (in actuality, Lyles Station, not "Freedom"). Told from the point of view of James, who is seven when the story begins, the narrative is brief but full of memorable images: "Papa called Lettie a short drink of water, because she was little and wriggly, and he called me a long gulp of air, because I was tall and full of talk." Allen's scenes, in muted earth tones and foggy blues, are close-up cameos, his pastel edges fading into the white page?an effective technique, suggesting a sequence of rising and falling memories. Some of the "recollections" give way to full, double-page, colored-pencil illustrations, making this a successful choice for groups despite the subtle hues. While much is available on the Underground Railroad for the picture-book audience, parallels to the "Little House" experience for African Americans are relatively scarce. It is that focus and the fine writing that make this book a breath of fresh air.?Wendy Lukehart, Dauphin County Library, Harrisburg, PACopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.Ages 5-8. After being freed from slavery in 1832, seven-year-old James Starman, his sister, and their parents walk from Tennessee to Indiana, where they decide to settle. Papa plants crops and builds a cabin; Mama sews clothes and teaches her children to read and write; and, whenever he can, Papa returns to Tennessee, transporting other friends and relatives to safety in the North. As the years go by, an entire town of African Americans develops, which the residents name Freedom. Allen's illustrations, rendered in blue pastels with accents of brown, red, and gold, suit the upbeat mood of the story and portray many common frontier activities. Based on the true story of the founding of Lyle Station, Indiana, this will make an excellent addition to primary history units and may spur students to discover the histories of their own towns. Kay Weisman; Title: A Place Called Freedom | [
2023,
39143
] | Train |
27,303 | 2 | Grade 6-9-Issues of sexuality, tolerance, and self-knowledge are dealt with candidly in this 11th book about Alice McKinley. Naylor continues to follow this engaging protagonist as she copes with the expected and unexpected ordeals of growing up. Over the years, Alice has developed into a thoughtful, intelligent, and increasingly independent girl. As always, the author places her character in realistic situations and has her grapple with the concerns of her age. Now in eighth grade, Alice wonders about her relationship with her boyfriend, Patrick. ("You're supposed to want to caress each other...It's natural. It's normal. So when are you supposed to stop saying no and start saying yes?") She is also faced with a school project in which the students are governed by rules aimed at forcing them to recognize the evils of prejudice and arbitrary privilege. At the same time, Alice befriends a classmate; when she finds out the girl is a lesbian, she handles the situation with maturity and tolerance. This incident dovetails, perhaps too conveniently, with the school project to understand prejudice as fear of difference. It is unfortunate that the cover illustration reflects this part of the book as if it were the central theme; it is not. It is only part of the story about Alice growing up and coping with the myriad pressures and questions that define adolescence. Of course, Alice's fans will want to read this newest installment, but the book will also appeal to those unfamiliar with the earlier volumes.Renee Steinberg, Fieldstone Middle School, Montvale, NJ Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.Still alertly navigating the shoals of early adolescence, Alice turns 14 in the 11th installment of her often hilarious, always perceptive odyssey. Before her birthday, however, she gains some insight into the nature of prejudice from a week-long consciousness-raising exercise at school; watches friend Pamela flirt with a wilder lifestyle; observes her brother Lester's anything-but-tranquil love life; and gracefully fields a pass from a female classmate. Although the various continuing plot lines of the series don't hurtle along, they're not ignored, either, and Naylor again demonstrates her gift for embedding savvy advice and frank specifics about sex and growing up seamlessly into common situations. By the end, Alice's own romantic situation is looking decidedly bright; although her boyfriend Patrick comes down with mononucleosis, leaving her solo at the eighth-grade dance, he also shows endearing awkwardness in the kissing department and melts her utterly with a front yard serenade on the night of her birthday. Fans will leap aboard enthusiastically, but readers new to the series will have to catch earlier books first for some background. Sail on, Alice. (Fiction. 11-14) -- Copyright 1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.; Title: Alice on the Outside | [
27264,
27290,
36639,
51287,
51495,
66921
] | Train |
27,304 | 5 | PreSchool-Grade 3?When a very thirsty frog drinks all of Australia's water, leaving none for the plants or other animals, they try to trick him into opening his mouth so that the water will flow out. Kangaroo, Koala, and Wombat wiggle and jump, but their acrobatics fail to elicit a chuckle from the frog. Two eels, who twist themselves into a slipknot and burst apart like coiled springs, finally succeed in getting him to guffaw, thus releasing so much water that the animals must flee to higher ground. This original tall tale, inspired by "Tiddalik the Flood-maker" from Charles P. Montford's The Dreamtime: Australian Aboriginal Myths in Paintings (Rigby Ltd., 1976; o.p.), contains familiar motifs presented with fresh energy. Appropriately, the crayon-bright red frog overflows the edges of most pages. Brilliantly colored cut-paper collages feature a multitude of textures, including fuzzy white paper that forms the kookaburra's feathers and the koala's ears, and marbleized paper to depict water. This is a title that begs to be shared with a group. Children will love the beasts' zany antics as well as the book's artistic inventiveness.?Ellen Fader, Multnomah County Library, Portland, ORCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.Ages 5^-7. "Once, in the Dreamtime, the biggest frog in Australia woke up very thirsty." After he drinks up all the water on the continent and even in the rain clouds, the earth is parched and the other animals are thirsty. They hope to make the enormous frog laugh, forcing the water to come spilling out. Finally they succeed, and the water flows back to the ocean, lakes, rivers, billabongs, puddles, and clouds. A highlight is the striking collages of cut papers, many with unusual textures or painted surfaces. The story is based on an Australian aboriginal myth, and its humor will hold an audience, particularly a class studying Australia. A short glossary explains the meaning of Australian terms, but the story will flow better for children who already know a wombat from a dingo. Carolyn Phelan; Title: The Biggest Frog in Australia | [
8593,
11586,
24924,
41171
] | Train |
27,305 | 0 | Grade 2-5?Jaffe invites children to read this Puerto Rican creation myth while imagining that they are sitting in a magical circle on a tropical night. The storyteller, a Taino Indian, tells of a time when the Earth was a waterless desert plain at the base of a tall mountain. A boy, looking for food, finds a seed that he saves in his pouch. He finds more and plants them on top of the mountain. A forest grows, and at the base of one tree a vine produces first a beautiful golden flower, then a pumpkin. The people are frightened by the strange noises coming from it, and they stay away. But one day two men struggle for the fruit until the vine breaks. The pumpkin rolls down the mountain and bursts open, releasing the sea and all the creatures in it. The people rush to the top of the mountain, which becomes their island home. The text is simple and lends itself to a storyteller's performance. The book is large enough to share with a group, and the words flow smoothly across the bottom of the pages without interrupting the illustrations. Sanchez's acrylic-and-gouache art creates a primitive setting with vibrant colors and angular designs. The characters' emotions are easily interpreted and contribute to the mood of the story. A worthy addition to any folktale collection.?Betty Teague, Blythe Academy of Languages, Greenville, SCCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.Ages 5^-8. The style is simple, but this popular Taino Indian creation story gets rather complicated. In the beginning, people live on a single mountain. After a boy finds and plants some seeds, a beautiful forest grows on the mountain top. When two men fight over an enormous, noisy calabaza (pumpkin) in the forest, it rolls down the mountain, crashes on a rock, and splits wide open; the ocean with all its creatures spills out. Luckily, the waters stop rising when they reach the forest. Thus, the island of Puerto Rico is born. Glowing colors, stylized figures, and overlays are the hallmarks of the eye-catching art, while the spare, clipped prose makes this a folktale beginning readers can tackle. An illuminating author's note is appended. Julie Corsaro; Title: The Golden Flower: A Taino Myth from Puerto Rico | [
2214,
2292,
5352,
6064,
6216,
6996,
7111,
7284,
7641,
7790,
9609,
11231,
11698,
12187,
12985,
15051,
15460,
15905,
16972,
18120,
21372,
25854,
26812,
27112,
27144,
29142,
29295,
29451,
31396,
33490,
35943,
36963,
37270,
38071,
41060,
41958,
420... | Test |
27,306 | 2 | The northwoods of turn-of-the-century Wisconsin form the soul-nourishing setting of a Native American lullaby, lyrically rendered by the author of Old Turtle. Working in oils, Desimini (The Great Peace March) paints with a tranquil, velvety softness. Her abstract, purple-black scenes of a Menominee mother and infant, illuminated only by firelight and the vanishing sun, mirror the peace and silence of nighttime in the woods. The lullaby itself whispers that all of nature is going to sleep: "Ne pa Ko, my sleepy head,/ Tiger lily's gone to bed/ Where the heron, tall and wise,/ Watches for the moon to rise./ ... Sleep, little warrior, sleep." Basing his work on published translations, Wood has crafted an image-rich, eminently musical lullaby. Its simple charm should hook a broad range of readers. Ages 6mos.-5yrs. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreSchool-K?In this adaptation of a Menominee Indian song, creatures gradually fall asleep around a mother and her child as the nocturnal world awakens. A few Algonquin words, transliterated, remain in Wood's rhyming English translation. Desimini's note indicates that the lifestyle portrayed is that of the Menominee people in their native Wisconsin at the turn of the century. The deep blues of the north dominate the unframed, oil-paint illustrations, which cover the pages with dark, opaque hues. The style is flat and primitive. The illustrator notes that she has simplified the dress of mother and child in order to generalize it, and in that generalization lies the problem. There is nothing particularly distinctive here, nor particularly Wisconsin. The setting, the sound of the poetry, and look of the art might just as easily be Hiawatha as anything else. Those who seek to celebrate Native American culture may want this bedtime book, but the uniqueness of the Menominee seems muted.?Ruth K. MacDonald, Bay Path College, Longmeadow, MACopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Northwoods Cradle Song: From a Menominee Lullaby | [
5884,
27009,
35944,
36324,
49056,
51730,
72609
] | Test |
27,307 | 12 | Children's book illustrators discuss their craft in Talking with Artists: Volume Two, compiled and edited by Pat Cummings-as in the first book, interviews are accompanied by childhood and present-day photos of the subjects and examples of their work. Artists include Denise Fleming, Kevin Henkes, Maira Kalman, Floyd Cooper and nine others (Simon & Schuster, $19.95, ages 9-up ISBN 0-689-80310-9 Sept.).Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 3-6?Using the same eight questions that she used in the first volume of Talking with Artists (Bradbury, 1992), e.g., What is a normal day like for you? What do you enjoy drawing the most? What do you use to make your pictures?, Cummings probes the minds and hearts of 13 illustrators?Thomas B. Allen, Mary Jane Begin, Floyd Cooper, Julie Downing, Denise Fleming, Sheila Hamanaka, Kevin Henkes, William Joyce, Maira Kalman, Deborah Nourse Lattimore, Brian Pinkney, Vera B. Williams, and David Wisniewski. The tone of each interview is casual. These conversations are as humorous, insightful, and as original as the artists themselves. Although the author has kept the format the same as in the first volume, instead of a glossary of art terms, here she includes a section in which each artist describes a special technique that students may want to try. Excellent, full-color photos of the illustrators, their studios, and their work are also included. Full of insight and inspiration, this is an entertaining resource that young people, teachers, and librarians will enjoy. Cummings has another hit on her hands.?Carol Schene, Taunton Public Schools, MACopyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Talking with Artists, Vol. 2: Conversations with Thomas B. Allen, Mary Jane Begin, Floyd Cooper, Julie Downing, Denise Fleming, Sheila Hamanaka, Kevin ... Vera B. Williams and David Wisniewski | [
358
] | Validation |
27,308 | 11 | Virginia Kroll began writing shortly after the birth of her fourth child. She is now the author of numerous books for children, including The Seasons and Someone, Butterfly Boy, and Masai and I.; Title: Masai and I | [
4728,
5412,
5428,
5533,
5611,
5622,
5857,
7075,
7654,
19538,
28204,
29001,
47671,
54072,
65813,
71173
] | Validation |
27,309 | 1 | Kindergarten-Grade 2?What is the easiest way to tell a butterfly from a moth? Arnosky answers this and other related questions in this attractive book that serves many purposes. As old Crinkleroot takes readers on a walk through meadows and woods and into the night, he identifies various species. Showing the insects in their actual size, the detailed watercolor illustrations serve as an excellent tool for identification. At the same time, through the narrator's friendly chatter, useful report information is provided, such as how butterflies sip nectar, types of flowers that appeal to them, and their life cycle. Caterpillars are also observed, pictured next to the butterfly or moth that they become. Giant moths are also featured. With his daffy sense of humor and his gentle love for the subject matter, Crinkleroot, with his snake friend Sassafrass coiled around his hat, has become a reliable old friend and guide to the natural world. This book is sure to inspire young readers to go out and take a closer look at it.?Helen Rosenberg, Chicago Public Library, ILCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.Ages 5^-8. Friendly woodsman Crinkleroot, whose other illustrated guidebooks introduce young children to birds, trees, fish, mammals, and tracking, now takes young children on a nature hike to meet butterflies and moths. After introducing some fundamentals of lepidopteran anatomy, Crinkleroot and his pet snake Sassafras go on a daytime walk to point out various butterflies and relate their life cycle and then on a night hike to observe and describe the ways of moths. Arnosky illustrates the book in lively fashion with bright, sunny watercolor paintings, showing all labeled butterflies and caterpillars in actual size. An appealing, practical cross between a picture book and a field guide. Carolyn Phelan; Title: Crinkleroot's Guide to Knowing Butterflies and Moths | [
328,
329,
330,
331,
339,
16551,
33761,
38695,
46445,
52702,
55011
] | Train |
27,310 | 3 | Kindergarten-Grade 3. Two parallel stories are rolled into one in this satisfying picture book. The first follows the adventures of a large brass button that is accidentally pulled off Mrs. Moffatt's beautiful new red coat; the second describes the romance that develops between Mrs. Moffatt and her recently widowed neighbor, Mr. Peterson. The button travels around the neighborhood from early spring until late autumn; it rolls under a bush, is swept down a rain-filled gully, goes from one house to another in a backpack, and is flown into a crow's nest. The autumn winds finally bring it back to its starting point, on Mr. Peterson's sidewalk. Meanwhile, Mrs. Moffatt and Mr. Peterson become better acquainted through frequent and interesting conversations over good meals. It is heartening to watch these two older people fall in love as their interests and their respect for one another bring them closer together. The story culminates in a joyful wedding. The design of the book is especially appealing, with short chapters and varied layouts of text and artwork. The full-page, gouache paintings are richly colored and the smaller illustrations, framing the text on the opposite page, show interesting details about the community in which the couple lives, as well as the many good hiding places for the traveling button. A charming story for the young at heart to share with the young.?Virginia Golodetz, St. Michael's College, Winooski, VTCopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.Ages 5-8. Mrs. Moffatt has a new red coat with bright, shiny buttons. She wears it to Mr. Peterson's house, where, unbeknownst to her, a button falls off. So begins a winding tale in which the button finds itself in the hands of various owners and, finally, in a crow's nest. Months later, the button is blown to the ground on Mr. Peterson's walk. Mrs. Moffatt, who has just taken her coat out for the winter, arrives at Mr. Peterson's and notices the missing button. Thinking it has just been dropped, Mr. Peterson recovers it. Children like stories in which an object passes from one hand to another, but not much happens to the button (it goes from backpack to accessory on a bathing suit to the crow); and whether children will be interested in the burgeoning romance between the elderly Mrs. Moffatt and Mr. Peterson remains to be seen. Paradise's watercolors are inventive, using arches, columns, and other design elements to show what is happening with the button, while also portraying what is happening with Mrs. Moffatt and Mr. Peterson. The long text makes this most appropriate for a primary-grade audience. Ilene Cooper; Title: Brass Button | [
27249
] | Train |
27,311 | 3 | Mmm, monster stew! One Halloween night two monsters decide to concoct a tasty stew. Soon they are joined by several other monsters, with more delicious ingredients: a spotted frog, a hairy spider, a green-scaled lizard, and a spooky bat. It looks like a mighty scrumptious feast... until the fifth monster, Moe, accidentally topples the garbage-can cauldron, and the stew runs away, "skedaddle-scat." Poor hungry monsters! Are they destined to suffer growling tummies on Halloween night, or is there a special trick-or-treater lurking at their door? With silly, catchy rhymes and fabulous watercolors of weird monsters, Pamela Jane and Vera Rosenberry dish up a delicious Halloween treat for every trick-or-treater who worries about not having enough stew-or sweets--on that most mischievous night of the year. (Ages 4 to 8) --Emilie CoulterAfter four fiends contribute live animals to a "monster stew," a baby imp tips their cauldron: "Spider, lizard, frog and bat / all hurried off, skedaddle-scat./ .../ On Halloween, for trick or treat,/ five monsters had no stew to eat." In low-contrast watercolors, Rosenberry (When Vera Was Sick) pictures the ungainly chefs with bloated torsos and clawlike toes. Jane, author of the Winky Blue series, predictably placates the hungry monsters with holiday sweets. Better mischief is brewing this season. Ages 3-7.Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: Monster Mischief | [
10641
] | Train |
27,312 | 15 | Kindergarten-Grade 3. An attractive introduction to the life, death, and decay of an oak tree. The simple, informative text presents the complex cast of characters residing in or on the living tree as well as the decomposing log?from woodpeckers, squirrels, and porcupines to carpenter ants, millipedes, slugs, and fungi. The verbal descriptions of this rich ecosystem are enhanced by striking illustrations of three-dimensional paper sculptures, often so realistic as to seem to be preserved natural specimens. Although this ground has been covered in Alvin Tresselt's The Gift of the Tree (Lothrop, 1992), a reincarnation of The Dead Tree (Atheneum, 1972; o.p.); and James Newton's Forest Log (Crowell, 1980; o.p.), Pfeffer's gentle, lucid text and Brickman's superb illustrations certainly merit inclusion in most collections.?Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NYCopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.Robin Brickman has illustrated many children's books, including One Night in the Coral Sea and Beaks!, by Sneed B. Collard III. To create three-dimensional illustrations for A Log's Life she painted watercolor paper, then cut, hand shaped, and glued the various pieces together. Ms. Brickman lives in western Massachusetts. Visit her website at www.robinbrickman.com to learn about the Community Mural Project based on this book.; Title: A Log's Life | [
1051,
2468,
4006,
4020,
4587,
4788,
4826,
4840,
6863,
7455,
7799,
10269,
11222,
12851,
24484,
26677,
26799,
26946,
31869,
33341,
35414,
45286,
45694,
46800,
51368,
52410,
52430,
52515,
52608,
54630,
61569,
62868,
62869,
63285,
65390,
67340,
684... | Train |
27,313 | 11 | Kindergarten-Grade 3?A delightful, albeit contrived, story of a happy, hard-working family. When Pablo must bring something to share for his school's International Day, he considers several items from his family's bakery. But his mother's Mexican pan dulce, empanadas, and chango bars don't do the trick. His father's bagels and challah bread are appealing, but not quite right either. Then the boy helps to make the family specialty, Jalape?o Bagels?a joint creation from the cultures of both parents?and decides that it is the perfect contribution: "...a mixture of both of you. Just like me." The text, placed on a white background, is easy to read and well balanced with the charming pictures. The soft, full-page watercolor illustrations are gentle and brightly colored. A Yiddish and Spanish glossary and recipes are included at the end. This book will whet readers' appetites for multicultural fare and offers food for thought for school assignments.?Beth Tegart, Oneida City Schools, NYCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.Ages 4^-7. It's International Day at school, and Pablo wants to bring a treat from his parents' panderia to share with his classmates. Should he bring his mother's wonderful pan dulce or a challah, which his father has shown him how to braid? What about his favorite chango bars or some of the jalapeno bagels he and his parents make together? Pablo's final choice isn't much of a surprise, but Wing's simple, affectionate portrait of a mixed family should have wide general appeal and be of great interest to grown-ups in search of good books that show ethnically diverse families. Casilla's warm, glowing paintings capture the individuality of each character with both subtlety and expression. A glossary of Spanish and Yiddish terms (which have been italicized in the text) is an added bonus. Stephanie Zvirin; Title: Jalapeno Bagels | [
1263,
2772,
5515,
5604,
5862,
5943,
6150,
7169,
10271,
10369,
10443,
11747,
11971,
13695,
13705,
15049,
15600,
15960,
16062,
16347,
17432,
22961,
25152,
26951,
27246,
27263,
29290,
31696,
32368,
32724,
33981,
36095,
36214,
36279,
36509,
36999,
... | Train |
27,314 | 1 | Eric Carle is an internationally bestselling and award-winning author and illustrator of more than seventy books for very young children, including The Tiny Seed, Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me,and his most well-known title, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Born in Syracuse, New York, Eric Carle moved to Germany with his parents when he was six years old. He studied at the prestigious art school, the Akademie der Bildenden Knste, in Stuttgart, before returning to the United States, where he worked as a graphic designer for the New York Times and later as art director for an advertising agency. The Very Hungry Caterpillar, now considered a modern classic, has sold nearly fifty million copies and has been translated into sixty-five languages. With his late wife, Barbara, Eric Carle cofounded The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, Massachusetts in 2002. Eric Carle lives in the Florida Keys.; Title: Have You Seen My Cat? (The World of Eric Carle) | [
3061,
4552,
6194,
7038,
9803,
10017,
10486,
15843,
16048,
16127,
16129,
16138,
16326,
16355,
16402,
18672,
20848,
25966,
27221,
34207,
38301,
40261,
40658,
45796,
48130,
48383,
51910,
52599,
53364,
54566,
56410,
58247,
58495,
62624,
68438
] | Train |
27,315 | 2 | Cuando Alexander se siente triste o enojado, le dan ganas de mudarse a Australia. Pero, por lo general le gusta donde est. As que cuando sus padres le dicen que la familia se va a mudar a mil millas, Alexander decide que l no va a ir. Nunca. Jams. De ninguna manera. Ni hablar. N.O. Cmo puede decirles adi:s a su mejor amigo y a su niera favorita y a la Tintorera Seymour? Prefiere quedarse a vivir en una casita en un abol or quiz en una cueva. Y aunque Nick le dice cretino y Anthony le dice que es inmaduro, Alexander est decidido: "de ninguna manera -- me oyen? -- lo digo en serio! -- me voy a mudar."Judith Viorst was born and brought up in New Jersey and has lived in Washington, DC, since 1960, when she married Milton Viorst, a political writer. A graduate in 1981 of the Washington Psychoanalytic Institute, Viorst writes in many different areas: science books, childrens chapter and picture booksincluding the belovedAlexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day,which has sold some four million copies; adult fiction and nonfiction including theNew York Timesbestseller,Necessary Losses; poetry for children and adults; and four musicals. Her most recent books of poetry includeWhat Are You Glad About? What Are You Mad About?and Nearing Ninety.; Title: Alexander, Que de Ninguna Manera-ALe Oyen?-!Lo Dice En Sire!-Se Va A Mudar : (Alexander, Who's Not (Do You Hear Me? I Mean It) Going To Move) | [
27269
] | Train |
27,316 | 0 | As in her Life Around the Lake (coauthored with Gloria Soto), Presilla again examines a little-known culture by means of its textile arts. This time her subject is the Cuna Indians, who inhabit the San Blas Islands off the coast of Panama, and the avenue for exploration is the mola, a vibrant cloth panel with embroidered and appliqued designs. Outsiders frame molas as art; Cuna women sew them into blouses. The author's language is often as vivid as the painstakingly stitched, densely hued fabric art; she notes that from the air the San Blas Islands "seem no bigger than jellyfish floating lazily in the shiny turquoise and cobalt blue waters of the Caribbean Sea." Cuna women create the molas; as the author explains in an endnote, the high prices these works fetch from outsiders buttresses the dominant role women have traditionally played in Cuna society. Aided by crisply detailed photographs of molas, Presilla paints a memorable portrait of "women who wear their lives." Ages 7-up. (Oct.) TOUSSAINT L'OUVERTURE: The Fight for Haiti's Freedom Walter Dean Myers, illus. by Jacob Lawrence. S&S, $16 ISBN 0-689-80126-2 As a young Harlem Renaissance artist, Lawrence's first success was a series of 41 narrative paintings chronicling the life of Haitian activist Toussaint L'Ouverture, who in 1791 led a rebellion against the French planters. Lawrence's stylized tempura art, painted predominantly in muted earth hues, is punctuated by luminous splashes of white and red. His striking compositions recreate the drama of how the self-taught Toussaint became the revolt's leader, organizing workers into "a mighty army of liberation" to abolish slavery on both the French and Spanish sides of the island. They also convey Toussaint's despair in prison, where he died before Haiti's liberation in 1804. The battle scenes are a dynamic clatter of spiky, angular shapes and flying hooves; more quiet panels depict Toussaint studiously drafting battle plans and ships ominously arriving from France. Though Myers (Brown Angels) makes some broad leaps that may puzzle kids, he skillfully presents Toussaint's life story in succinct episodes that correspond to the paintings. His clean, effective text supports Lawrence's more complex and powerful paintings, both urbane and elemental in style. Ages 8-12. (Oct.) FYI: The artist whose paintings illustrate this book is himself the subject of a picture book (reviewed below).Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 3-6-In the late 1930s, Lawrence painted a series of pictures that documented the oppression of the Haitian people at the end of the 18th century and their eventual liberation in 1804. The paintings are used here to tell readers about the man who lead that revolution. Toussaint L'Ouverture's story is stirring in itself, but paired with Lawrence's paintings, it becomes absolutely compelling. The artist's muted colors and stylized figures show the pain of the oppressed people and the glory of their fight. Myers's understated text is elegantly written, letting the brilliant artwork take center stage. The historical context is clearly explained and the narrative is lively and accessible. This is a wonderful introduction to a man who deserves to be remembered for his brave actions.Melissa Hudak, North Suburban District Library, Roscoe, ILCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Toussaint L'ouverture: The Fight for Haiti's Freedom | [
4607,
16347,
16525,
20600,
25232,
38502,
40578,
40956
] | Train |
27,317 | 15 | Grade 3-6?An artist's readable narrative accompanies her accomplished drawings in this slim, colorful volume. Wright-Frierson invites readers to spend a day in her company, savoring the Sonoran Desert of the American Southwest. She presents a dawn to dusk panorama in a profusion of watercolor sketches and a brief, conversational text. While calling to mind Jennifer Dewey's Night and Day in the Desert (Little, 1991) or Joyce Powzyk's Wallaby Creek (Lothrop, 1985), this artist's sketchbook is intensely personal. Her goal is not scientific depth, though the snippets of information may well entice the intellectually curious to conduct further investigations. Rather, her "scrapbook" serves to give a rich impression of a unique ecological environment: a feel for a landscape of compelling extremes and the creatures who have adapted to meet its unforgiving demands. Admirably done.?Patricia Manning, Eastchester Public Library, NYCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.Gr. 3^-5, younger for reading aloud. This is a lovely tribute to the Sonoran Desert by an author-illustrator who has spent many hours observing and sketching there. Writing in the first person, Wright-Frierson describes the many sights she has seen on her rambles and includes handsome watercolors of animals, insects, and plants, as well as tinier pieces of the desert's landscape, such as quail eggs, butterfly wings, a prickly pear pad, and even cottontail droppings. The picture-book format makes this accessible to younger children as well as middle-graders who might use it for school reports. Highly evocative and quite beautiful, this will give readers a real sense of the desert and what is hidden just below its expansive surface. Ilene Cooper; Title: A Desert Scrapbook: Dawn to Dusk in the Sonoran Desert | [
4840,
7357,
11578,
14255,
14293,
20535,
20571,
27496,
30610,
35963,
43911,
47826,
60282,
60351,
60500,
61054,
73516,
73887
] | Validation |
27,318 | 3 | Grade 2-3?Boliver Boggs is a wonderful spinner of tall tales, and he gets the opportunity to tell a new one every day when he's late for school. To pacify his teacher's wrath, and at the cheering requests of his classmates ("You're outrageous! You're bodacious! You're whopperiferous, Boliver Boggs!"), he tells of the "exceptional circumstances" that detain him. The first morning he encounters two fighting rattlesnakes?one of which comes after him. The second day, he has to wrestle a bear; on the third he meets a long, speckled, prickly monster that causes him to drop the bouquet of flowers he picked for his teacher. When the monster shows up delivering the bouquet, the students gasp and Boliver is "surprised speechless." Adinolfi's humorous, colorful illustrations have a Southwestern flavor, depicting Boliver in full cowboy gear, his hat as tall as his tales. With spurs on his boots, he treks through cactus-filled environs on his way to school. He always seems to be lassoing something, even if it's just the words on the page. Although readers (and possibly even Boliver himself) are left wondering if his tales are truth or fiction, either way children will love his adventures and admire his ingenuity.?Helen Rosenberg, Chicago Public Library, ILCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.Boliver Boggs is a problem to his teacher. He is always late, and he is a grin to his fellow students because he always has an "exceptional circumstance" for being late. The circumstance quickly becomes a story that he tells in the classroom as the students clap and holler, "You're outrageous! You're bodacious! You're whopperiferous, Boliver Boggs!" What's a teacher to do? -- Jane P. Marshall, Houston Chronicle, July 28, 1996Boliver Boggs is perpetually late to school and his teacher, Miss O'Brien, is perpetually peeved with him. She can't stay angry, though, because day after day, Boliver comes up with a spectacular tall tale of an explanation that entrances his classmates and disarms Miss O'Brien. Boliver is a little cowboy, never without his 10-gallon hat, and he regularly plugs his fantastical tales of adventure with cowboy terms like "dag-nab" and "bumfuzzled." Same for his classmates, who describe him as "whopperiferous." Both book and pictures show a rollicking sense of humor. -- Detroit News, June 25, 1996Teachers and students will love Boliver Boggs' tales of why he is always late for class. I bet there is many a student that would love to have his imagination tickled. -- American Bookseller PICK OF THE LISTS, March 1996Texans have always been good at telling tall tales and Houston author Jo Harper is a master at it. Her first book, JALAPENO HAL was a winner, but she's outdone herself with her new book, OUTRAGEOUS, BODACIOUS BOLIVER BOGGS! illustrated by JoAnn Adinolfi. Brace yourself for young Boliver Boggs who is constantly tardy for school. Every day he arrives an hour late with a bodacious story to tell about what held him up. The first day it was two humongous rattle snakes, the second day it was a gigantic bear, and the third day it was a monster so strange that even Boliver was bumfuzzled. Adinolfi's raucous and exuberant illustrations are a perfect match to the rowdy story. Together, they add up to on heckuva surprise ending. -- Kathi Appelt, Bryan-College Station Eagle, August 18, 1996When Boliver Boggs is late to school, he has wonderful tales to tell about just why he doesn't get there on time. Each tale is wilder and more unbelievable than the last, and Miss O'Brien, his teacher, is not pleased. Boliver's classmates, however, love his tales. Boliver tangles with fighting snakes, a very large bear, and a strange creature who likes to smell the flowers. He never has any proof to offer that his excuses are valid until the day he drops the bouquet he is taking to Miss O'Brien. Boliver, his classmates, and Miss O'Brien all get a very big surprise with the delivery of the bouquet. Adinolfi's bright, sparkling illustrations add much to the fun of this light-hearted tale. A delightful read-aloud, this is sure to be asked for again and again. -- Margaret Deaver, Wichita, Kansas Eagle, June 2, 1996; Title: Outrageous, Bodacious Boliver Boggs! | [
64968
] | Validation |
27,319 | 2 | Light emanates gracefully from Widener's (Lou Gehrig: The Luckiest Man) pleasing, stylized acrylic paintings, which inventively capture the dual settings of Jones's (Between Black Women) folksy tale and give dimension to its abundant, occasionally heavy-handed imagery. The narrative moves, a little choppily at first, between a shadow-filled city street, where Noni and her grandfather take a nighttime walk, and the Alabama countryside, where her grandfather grew up. Gazing at the moon, Grandaddy says it reminds him of "down home." Noni knows a story is coming, and one does. Lost on a dark night, GrandaddyAthen a young manApasses by a church and hears the choir rehearsing. At first the singers "sound like rocks hitting a rusty can," but then a soloist's voice rings out, "low and deep, and full, just like a brook in the Alabama woods." Captivated, he waits to meet the soloist, and straightaway knows she is the woman he will marry. After he walks her home, her tambourine jumps out of his hands and settles in the sky, "glowing and pouring light all over the night like butter running down the sides of a hot biscuit." For youngsters frightened of the dark, the book sheds some comforting light, but the densely metaphorical prose may make it hard to appreciate the image of the "tambourine moon" at this book's center. Ages 4-8. (Sept.) Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 1-3-A young African-American girl is frightened as she and her grandfather walk down a city street one evening, and Grandaddy comforts her by telling her of another dark night "down home" in rural Alabama. He recounts the night he met her Grandma Ismay and escorted her home from choir practice. On his way home, he realized that he still had Ismay's tambourine in his hand and after a while, he was shaking so hard that the round golden object shot right out of his hand, up into the sky, and became the full, yellow Alabama moon. The language is simple and strong, making use of similes and folk expressions to convey the loneliness of the empty city streets and the countryside on a moonless night. The richly colored acrylic paintings utilize golden yellow-the same yellow used for the tambourine and for the moon-as a visual counterpoint to the blue/black of the streets and countryside. The text appears on pages of the same golden yellow, sometimes with inset small pictures set opposite the pages of illustration. The loneliness and isolation of the scenery is beautifully evoked; the grandparents are also well portrayed in a stylized manner that is perfectly suited to the story. This title is best used for one-on-one sharing, at bedtime or any time.Marian Drabkin, Richmond Public Library, CA Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Tambourine Moon | [
14332,
32522,
32740,
51730,
55381,
62492,
65797
] | Train |
27,320 | 0 | Cleverly catering to kids' taste for the slightly gross, this three-chapter smorgasbook gives readers plenty to chew on. Part One offers a world tour of weird foods like earthworm soup and flower salad, plus an abundance of trivia (e.g., spiders are higher in protein than grasshoppers, termites and beef). Part Two identifies "hairy, scary foods throughout history," including a meaty menu for a medieval feast. Readers will appreciate Solheim's tongue-in-cheek tone; for example, describing early European sailors' fare, he adds a sidebar headed "Great Rat Cooking Starts with Quality Rats." The final section peeks into the modern fridge to find "bee sugar" (honey), "cow squirt" (milk) and hot dogs ("Why are you biting into that tube of pulverized meat scraps?"). Throughout, the author blithely blends silly poems, useful facts and graphs; even the index is fun to read (see "python in vinegar" or "crayfish, jellied"). Brace (The Krazees) creates a manic, multi-legged feast for the eyes. He crams every page with curious comestibles and googly-eyed critters who talk in hand- lettered voice bubbles. With enough information for several sittings, this compendium lives up to its title's rich promise. Ages 5-10. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 3-6ASolheim appeals to the gross-out side of kids in this exploration of edible grub (larvae and otherwise) around the world, past and present, and it's more laughs than a barrel of monkey brains (the one delicacy he missed). Divided into three sections, the book begins with "People Eat the Wildest Things," a look at some of the less common foods eaten today, such as frog legs, earthworms, snakes, insects, flowers, and seaweed. "From Mammoth Meatballs to Squirrel Stew" considers strange fare from the past, such as a menu from a medieval royal feast in England (14 oxen and 50 swans, among other things), the rat stew eaten by sailors, and the robins popular in Colonial America. "If You Think That's Sick, Look in Your Fridge" takes a look at how many common edibles, such as milk, cheese, honey, and mushrooms, are grown or produced. Each double-page spread includes basic facts and lots of interesting trivia written in a wacky, off-the-wall style that children will love. There are also poems-amusing, tongue-in-cheek odes to unusual delicacies (a haiku celebrates sushi). Brace's cockeyed, whimsical illustrations, done with colored pencils and acrylic paints, are delightful. The pages are filled with colorful characters who make wry observations about the text. Fact-packed fun from beginning to end.AJoyce Adams Burner, Hillcrest Library, Prairie Village, KSCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Its Disgusting And We Ate It: True Food Facts from Around the World and Throughout History | [
5301,
6283,
12068,
12271,
18405,
19770,
19786,
20587,
20733,
21601,
21688,
23373,
25198,
26602,
32376,
38834,
39425,
48282,
49897,
53528,
59941,
67262,
70750,
72163
] | Train |
27,321 | 0 | Text: Spanish (translation) Original Language: EnglishCynthia Rylant is the author of more than 100 books for young people, including the beloved Henry and Mudge, Annie and Snowball, Brownie & Pearl, and Mr. Putter & Tabby series. Her novelMissing Mayreceived the Newbery Medal. She lives in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Visit her at CynthiaRylant.com.; Title: Henry y Mudge El Primer Libro: (Henry and Mudge The First Book) (Henry & Mudge) (Spanish Edition) | [
471,
2449,
4582,
4695,
5400,
5402,
5483,
6901,
7650,
12820,
15166,
17481,
23078,
26950,
27339,
27413,
27422,
45941,
46688,
46880,
46962,
49119,
49926,
49932,
49934,
49942,
50013,
50033,
50066,
52198,
54456,
55410,
55868,
55950,
57827,
62250,
64... | Train |
27,322 | 11 | PW's starred review praised this fictionalized memoir of a refugee childhood in post-WWII Japan as "beautifully direct and emotionally honest." Ages 11-up. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: My Brother, My Sister, and I | [
406,
6356,
6829
] | Train |
27,323 | 11 | Ages 4^-8. After introducing the Navajo people's name for themselves, T'aa Dine, the authors present a Dine alphabet book using objects and words familiar to the Navajo culture. Four letters appear with Dine words, but the remaining 22 are associated with English ones--belt, grandma, yucca, etc. Each pairing is illustrated by a colored-pencil picture of the object, plant, or person named. A glossary, which includes pronunciation guidance, provides translations and a cultural context for each item, adding to the book's usefulness for introducing children to other cultures. The book may also serve as a model for student-created books. The contemporary focus on a specific tribe is a welcome change from works that clump all Indians together in a historical context without mentioning individual languages. Karen Hutt; Title: Navajo ABC: A Dine Alphabet Book | [
5583,
27009,
42603,
52894,
52913
] | Train |
27,324 | 1 | Moser's (My Dog Rosie) luminous watercolors light up this anthology of 13 rarely told folktales that pay homage to canines. Grouped by type ("The Trickster Dog," "The Guardian Dog," and so on), the stories span a wide range of cultures and breeds. From Celtic faery lore, for instance, there's an enchanted bloodhound; from the Eskimos, a husky whose absent-mindedness has cosmic consequences; and from ancient China, a devoted shar-pei who wins the hand of the emperor's daughter. An instructive afterword follows each selection, explaining its origins as well as providing additional facts about the featured dog. The Hausmans' (The Mythology of Dogs) storytelling flows in an unbroken, lyrical stream, right from the poetic introduction ("Step softly now into that fresh dawn, when a man went out for a walk in the light, and found Dog"). Moser's portraits could serve as nature studies, and whether he is depicting a massive rottweiler clenching Thor's hammer in his jaws, a sleek saluki or the soulful eyes of a curly-coated retriever, his watercolors are rooted in realism and lovingly evoked. This book is sheer bliss for dog lovers. Ages 7-up. (Nov.) Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 2-6-An engaging collection of 13 tales from around the world. The well-written stories are grouped into six categories: "The Creation Dog," "The Trickster Dog," "The Enchanted Dog," "The Guardian Dog," "The Super Dog," and "The Treasure Dog." These divisions give a nice continuity to the tales and provide a sampling of world cultures and myths. Canines are as varied as an Akita in Japan, a Norse rottweiler, a wolfhound in Wales, and a bichon frise in France. Notes on each story offer background and related information; source notes are included at the end. Moser's illustrations are gorgeously rendered in his trademark watercolor style, but they are decorative and don't add anything to the understanding or energy of the selections. The overall design of the book is attractive, with excellent page layout and choices of typefaces and colors. Purchase where dog stories are popular or where readers might be looking for multicultural tales outside the norm.Cheri Estes, Detroit Country Day School Middle School, Beverly Hills, MI Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Dogs of Myth: Tales From Around the World | [
27547
] | Validation |
27,325 | 2 | In this sweet-natured picture book, a boy plays go-between, bringing together his two older neighbors, "neat as a pin" Miss Viola and "junky as a pack rat" Uncle Ed Lee. Miss Viola's grass is always cut, her shrubs trimmed and her picket fence gleaming white; Uncle Ed Lee has a yard with tall grass (and bits of trash in it), a leaning mailbox and a rusty wire fence. When Uncle Ed Lee decides he'd like to be friends with his tidy neighbor, he enlists young Bradley to help him out. Soon Uncle Ed Lee spruces up his house, his yard?and himself?so that Miss Viola will honor him with a visit ("He picked up his trash.../ and mowed his grass.../ until he ran out of gas"). The "twinkle in her eye" and their meeting for a card game and lemonade suggest a friendship that may bloom into romance. Duncan's (Willie Jerome) feel-good text will have readers rooting for thoughtful Bradley in his efforts to unite the unlikely pair. Stock's (Gus and Grandpa) soft and wispy watercolors, set in a quiet African-American neighborhood, deliver all the good cheer the story demands. Ages 5-8. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.Kindergarten-Grade 2?It's "Story Day" at Bradley's school, and he tells his class about how he helped two of his elderly neighbors become friends. Miss Viola is as "neat as a pin," while Uncle Ed Lee is as "junky as a pack rat." When the man tells Bradley that he would like to meet Miss Viola, the boy passes the message on, but the woman insists that her neighbor must "do something about that messy yard" before she will even consider a visit. Uncle Ed Lee cleans up his act and invites her and Bradley over for lemonade. Stock's realistic illustrations, rendered in soft watercolors, portray tenderness between these African-American characters despite their differences (right down to Uncle Ed Lee's dog and Miss Viola's cat). Told in Bradley's informal voice, the narrative makes the boy's friendship with his two neighbors believable and points out that opposites do attract. This upbeat tale will fill a multitude of requests (e.g., intergenerational stories and friendship) and makes a nice choice for reading aloud.?Olga R. Barnes, Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County, NCCopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Miss Viola And Uncle Ed Lee | [
27924
] | Train |
27,326 | 2 | PreSchool-Grade 1. The narrator, an appealing little redhead, imagines the wonderful things she would do if she were "Queen of the World." Each self-indulgent wish ("I'd have one hundred lollipops a day and never have to share") is paired with a more modest modification ("But sometimes I'd let my little brother have a lick or two"). Hiatt often hits on a real child's voice. For instance, the girl says she'd want to, "play hopscotch until my feet wore out, and it would always be my turn." And Graham's impressionistic oil paintings are, as usual, superb. Their rich colors, fanciful settings, and expressive characters are royally suited to this piece of regal whimsy. Preschoolers will take vicarious pleasure in the girl's wishes, and enjoy her affection for?and power over?her younger sibling.?Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, ILCopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.Ages 4^-7. A little girl names some of the glorious possibilities in being "queen of the whole wide world." She could stay up at night, eat a hundred lollipops, and have a dog that comes when she alone calls. With such bounty, the little girl could afford to be generous--she would allow her little brother to pat the dog or have a lick or two of lollipop. Luscious oil paintings show a red-headed beauty wearing a bedspread cape and draped in costume jewelry, with her little brother playing nearby and looking curious. The surroundings shift between the mundane (a bathtub) to the more picturesque (a castle), but whether ordinary or exotic, the pictures are drenched in warm colors and cozy togetherness. Susan Dove Lempke; Title: If I Were Queen of the World | [
1364,
2840,
5446,
5494,
11976,
14294,
15109,
21576,
22672,
27026,
27435,
31657,
32106,
36356,
41823,
71433
] | Validation |
27,327 | 2 | The life of the first woman doctor in the Unites States, who worked in England and America to open the field of medicine to women.; Title: Elizabeth Blackwell: Girl Doctor (Childhood of Famous Americans) | [
183,
184,
185,
186,
187,
188,
189,
190,
191,
192,
193,
197,
1576,
4345,
5637,
6915,
9405,
10117,
18474,
18588,
18631,
18734,
18764,
18768,
18819,
18964,
18983,
19062,
19071,
19136,
19159,
19185,
19223,
19339,
20823,
26353,
27200,
27217,
272... | Train |
27,328 | 7 | Traditional values inform this outer-space-age story, set a mere 40 years hence. Zenon?dressed in black, with hot-pink moon boots and a gravity-defying hairstyle?lives on a space station, talks on the video-phone and skates on a wheel-less "hoverboard." Her parents disapprove of her earsplitting music and mischievous deeds, however, and they decide to bring her down to earth?literally. Zenon goes to spend the summer at her grandparents' terrestrial farm, where she does chores the old-fashioned way (by hand) and learns "to enjoy the comforting tick of the clock" while playing checkers. An adult sort of wishful thinking colors Zenon's transformation, but high-tech kids will probably appreciate Zenon's difficulty in adapting to a low-tech pace. Wife-and-husband team Sadler and Bollen (Alistair in Outer Space) take inspiration from well-known TV shows and movies: Zenon operates a Jetsons-like robot vacuum, a Star Trekky "Captain Quirk" pilots the space station and a kid from the Crab Nebula resembles The Empire Strikes Back's Yoda. The overall effect is more conventional than futuristic, but Bollen's droll cartoons complement Sadler's tongue-in-cheek narration. Ages 5-9. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Zenon: Girl of the Twenty-First Century | [
26529
] | Test |
27,329 | 2 | This shimmering picture-book adaptation of a Gershwin tune from Porgy and Bess may be primarily for adults, but Wimmer's (Flight: The Journey of Charles Lindbergh) lifelike portraits of a vibrant, closely knit African-American family are a pleasure for anyone to behold. Beautifully capturing the look and feel of Southern summer days, the paintings show the children splashing in the pond where "fish are jumpin' " while the adults work the cotton crops ("the cotton is high"), nap ("the livin' is easy") or bake apple pie in the kitchen. Wimmer's almost photographic oil paintings shift the action from the 1930s, when Porgy and Bess was first staged, to more contemporary times, swathing the song's lyrics in a new light. For example, such lines as "One of these mornin's you're goin' to rise up singin'/ Then you'll spread your wings..." here take on a joyful meaning, showing the family at church with voices raised in song. Wimmer is in fine form here, suffusing with varying degrees of sunlight and haze his scenes bursting with leafy summer foliage and happy faces. Ages 5-up. (July) Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.Kindergarten-Grade 5-Gershwin's haunting tune, full of nostalgia and a sweet melancholy, is transformed here into a lullaby picture book for parent and child. Wimmer's oil paintings depict an African-American farming family "earlier in this century," as the jacket copy suggests. There is a timeless feel to the illustrations that is hard to pinpoint. The clothing appears to be from the 1940s. The dry sink in the kitchen, ice togs (for an icebox), and general sparseness of the furnishings might indicate a family of limited means, but the children are well dressed, and the mood throughout the book is one of easy contentment. The double-spread paintings are rich in color and texture, and their realism indicates they were probably done from models. There is no real story line to the images; they exist as framed moments. Each depicts a "summery" family scene with one line of text. But-although written as a kind of lullaby-the song was never really intended for children, and the mood in the text and illustrations speaks primarily to adults. Still, because of its view into a specific kind of family life not often pictured in children's books and its lovely tone, this title may find an audience.Nina Lindsay, Oakland Public Library, CA Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Summertime : From Porgy and Bess | [
27996,
32255
] | Validation |
27,330 | 11 | "You may think you know this story I am going to tell you, but you have not heard it for true," begins the washerwoman and unlikely godmother who narrates this spirited retelling. From the team behind The Faithful Friend comes an adaptation of a Creole tale that recasts familiar elements into the fashions and customs of the colonial West Indies. There is the haughty stepmother Prosperine, "puffed-up proud because her grandfather had come from France," the godmother who taps a breadfruit with a mahogany wand and transforms it into a carriage, and Cendrillon, who escapes at midnight with one pink slipper embroidered with roses. Pinkney's oil and scratchboard illustrations burst with vigorous movement as he captures the exotic palette and the lush textures of the "green-green island in the so-blue Mer des Antilles." The lyrical cadences of the text spattered with French and Creole words combine with the sensuous paintings to bring the tropics to life. However, the story's charm lies not in the well-matched Caribbean bride and groom or in the (rather predictable) happy ending, but in the authentic voice of the godmother. Her affection for the kind Cendrillon inspires her bold and selfless acts to ensure the happiness of another (and her quirky foibles prove equally appealing as she indulges in bowl after bowl of chocolate sherbet while proudly watching the couple's nuptials). Through this colorful and deeply human godmother, readers witness the enduring power of love. Ages 4-8. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.Kindergarten-Grade 3-A Caribbean Cinderella story, told from the godmother's point of view and brought to life by Pinkney's distinctive scratchboard illustrations. Based on West Indian versions of the story, the narrative is full of French Creole words and phrases. It tells of a poor washerwoman who is left a magic wand by her mother and discovers its power to help her beloved goddaughter. A fruit a pain (breadfruit) is transformed into the coach; six agoutis (a kind of rodent) become the horses; and Cinderella's slippers are bright pink with roses embroidered on them. Pinkney's art perfectly conveys the lush beauty and atmosphere of the island setting, featuring vibrant peaches, lavenders, aquas, and greens against the background of the sea. Frames of native greenery, shells, exotic blossoms, and small creatures are interwoven around most of the text, integrating it with the story's scenes to excellent effect. The result is an outstanding Cinderella variant for any collection.Judith Constantinides, East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LACopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Cendrillon : A Caribbean Cinderella | [
690,
4577,
4646,
5487,
5533,
5569,
5878,
5991,
6445,
7308,
11653,
12111,
13940,
15996,
16409,
16411,
18150,
24223,
25267,
26589,
26938,
26955,
26991,
27515,
29046,
29295,
29334,
36781,
37022,
39112,
46919,
55383,
55517,
61153,
72441,
72442,
724... | Train |
27,331 | 2 | Grade 1-3?As Lena helps her grandmother make apple strudel, the woman tells her a story about her childhood in Hungary. One day, she and a friend are approached by a wandering beggar. They race to the house, frightened, but Mother decides that the man should have some of their just-made strudel. He repays their kindness by playing sweet, sad music on his violin. Each year he returns, has his piece of strudel, and plays, until finally one season the harvest comes, but the beggar does not. Father says that "Perhaps our friend isn't hungry anymore." He tells the children to listen closely, and they hear the wanderer's music in the sounds of the country night. Comparisons with Patricia Polacco's Thunder Cake (Philomel, 1990) are bound to occur. Similarities include the grandmother from the old country, the child who helps prepare a treat, the sharing of food in the spirit of kindness, and the recipe on the last page. Even the watercolor-and-pencil illustrations have a similar, though softer, look. But with its message of continuity and love, Hippely's sweet story stands on its own.?Ruth Semrau, formerly at Lovejoy School, Allen, TXCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.Ages 4^-7. As Lena's grandmother makes strudel, she tells Lena a story about when she was a little girl in Hungary helping her mama bake. An old fellow in tattered clothes asks for a piece of bread, but Mama can't give bread when there is fresh strudel in the house. The man gratefully accepts and, to the family's surprise, repays them--with a song from his violin. Each year he comes back, until one year he doesn't, and Papa tells his girls that perhaps the man is no longer hungry, and if they listen carefully, they might still hear his song. The story, hauntingly sweet, is matched by the dreamy watercolors in autumnal shades. However, the narrative frame features a grandmother who looks more like Lena's great-grandmother. White-haired, stooped, this grandmother remembers a childhood where people wear costumes that seem to be from the turn of the century. This quibble aside, children will enjoy the story's warmth. A recipe for strudel is appended. Ilene Cooper; Title: Song For Lena, A | [
148,
726,
1364,
5366,
5420,
5479,
5566,
15915,
15950
] | Train |
27,332 | 20 | Grade 2-6-Inspired by Saint Francis of Assisi's "Canticle of Brother Sun," Owens's book is a celebration of the relationships between plants and animals all year long. The verses remind readers to "Be Blest, Sing Praise,/Rejoice, Give Thanks," throughout the turning of the seasons. Each month is presented on a double-page spread that features a poem within a wreath depicting the circle of life, with related flora and fauna woven in. The facing page illustrates the action of the verse. In February, "-groundhog slumbers,/squirrels nest." In June, "Up from the earth/they rise,/cabbagemoths and butterflies." The verse is well suited to reading aloud, with a consistent meter and rhyme. Musical notation is appended, indicating that each verse may be sung. A fine tribute to the interconnectedness of nature, Be Blest can be enjoyed by families, highlight a primary class' study of the seasons, or be used by an older group studying verse or spiritual devotion.Martha Link, Louisville Free Public Library, KY Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.This book of seasonal prayers, inspired by Saint Francis of Assisi's ``Canticle of Brother Sun,'' and also indebted to Gaelic scholar Alexander Carmichel's work, can be summed up by a portion of the prayer for November: ``Contained in every/season's end:/the blessing to begin again.'' Springtime's ``Sing praise'' gives way to summer's ``Rejoice!'' and then to harvest time's ``Give Thanks'' before winter's ``Be Blest'' appears in the encircled prayer that faces each month's watercolor illustration. The realistic paintings reflect the annual cycle, becoming almost iconographic in the evidence in each of the gifts of the season. These are ``God's good gifts'' that in January, for example, are the seeds shaken from dead plants and weeds and the leaf buds on barren branches. The puzzle of the cycle of life springing from death moves on many levels; also appearing in January are predator (fox) and prey (deer). The simple yet sturdy spirituality informing this book will assure its place in both individual and institutional collections that have room for religious titles. (Picture book. 6-8) -- Copyright 1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.; Title: BE BLEST: A CELEBRATION OF SEASONS | [
5364,
11656,
14412,
24831,
29053,
40747,
62285,
68456
] | Train |
27,333 | 2 | With the nonstop visual assault of a Saturday morning TV ad, this spirited romp speaks the language of its young audience. That's probably because each over-the-top page betrays Wood's (The Napping House) childlike eagerness to experiment in her first digitally illustrated book. Thankfully, the story is strong enough?and indeed hyperbolic enough itself?to hold its own in the whirlwind of color and pattern. When some "brats" tease Nona about her clunker of a bike, she asks her parents for a new Red Racer. They decline, and she hatches several devious schemes to "lose" her bike?but people keep finding it and returning it to her. The "wicked thoughts" that tempt Nona are depicted as oozy, green monsters that gain in size with each inspiration; the brats are looming, purple-, green- and blue-haired hellions; every page has a different, eye-popping background. For all the new-fangled technology called into use, however, the story emphasizes the importance of community, thrift and other traditional values. Ages 4-8. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.PreSchool-Grade 3?Bullies tease Nona about her broken-down bicycle. After her parents refuse to buy her a shiny new Deluxe Red Racer, she decides that if she can lose or wreck her old bike, they will have to give in. This "wicked thought" leads her to throw the bike in the dump, push it off a pier, and abandon it on railroad tracks. The first two times, neighbors rescue it, much to Nona's dismay. Then her parents surprise her with all the parts needed to refurbish her bike, and she races to the station herself. At the end, the "new" bike looks just like the one of her dreams. The digital illustrations have the look of a videogame in places, especially some of the backgrounds. The "wicked thought," a shape-shifting green blob, expands through the pages as Nona's determination to do the wrong thing increases. The illustrations have a cartoonlike quality that will appeal to children, who will recognize Nona's wish for something new. Her naughtiness is unmistakable but understandable. Her remorse when she thinks the train has flattened her bike is genuine. Strong visuals and a believable heroine make a winning combination.?Kathy Piehl, Mankato State University, MNCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: The Red Racer | [
7770,
7814,
16202,
62709
] | Validation |
27,334 | 5 | Ada adds feminist panache to her retelling of the classic Spanish folktale. Mat!as and his two older brothers wish to wed, but there is not a single unmarried girl in all their lush valley. The old woman who lives on the cliff by the sea has the answer: if they travel to a distant castle, pick three golden oranges and bring them to her, each brother will have the wife he desires. But they must work together or, she cautions, "Woe to you if you do not follow my advice." Mat!as, the only one to comply, wins his destined bride, the kind Blancaflor, and she helps him to save both his brothers and her bewitched sisters. Ada's author's note cites no specific source for her retelling, but does contrast her Blancaflor tale with some of the more popular versions. As in her original fairy tale, The Malachite Palace, she adopts a straightforward, sometimes bland narrative voice ("When Mat!as... saw that there was only one orange left, he felt very sad for his brothers"). But the artwork will sustain readers' interest. Cartwright's (The Band Over the Hill) vivid and varied vignettes and spot illustrations rendered in flat, round shapes and bold colors evoke folk art while displaying a sense of life and movement. The pictures here are as succulent as the oranges themselves. Ages 5-8. (May) Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 1-5-In this well-known Spanish folktale, three brothers are instructed by their mother to find wives. An old woman advises them that they must work together and tells them to travel to a castle grove, pick three golden oranges, and together bring them back to her. The two older brothers, who are vain and shallow, disregard her advice and are put into the castle's prison, where they are rescued by Mat!as, the compassionate youngest son who follows the woman's directions and gets the fruit. On the way home, the older brothers open their oranges and once again find themselves in the dungeon. When Mat!as brings his fruit back to the old woman, she cuts it open and a dove flies out. Later, he removes a thorn from the bird's neck and it turns into a young woman named Blancaflor. They return to the castle and free her family from a spell. Mat!as marries Blancaflor, but her sisters refuse to marry his brothers. Cartwright's flat, folk-art style characters wear traditional Spanish costumes. The yellows, greens, and oranges in the rounded patchwork countryside contrast with the black of the brothers' clothing and bright blue skies. Full-page illustrations alternate with smaller pictures to move the eye and relieve the long text. Ada keeps the story as simple as its many twists and turns allow, but this is still a complicated tale. An author's note discusses variations of the folktale and how oranges fit into Spain's history.Sally Bates Goodroe, Harris County Public Library, Houston, TX Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: The Three Golden Oranges | [
8019,
12093,
15653,
16989,
35053,
37075,
47116,
48938,
69953,
75983
] | Test |
27,335 | 0 | Grade 2-4?The numerous cartoon-style illustrations, large print, and beginning-to-read look will help lure newly independent readers to this title. The straightforward factual account includes the 1848 discovery of gold, the spread of gold fever, the land and sea routes to California, the life of the miners, the injustices to immigrants, the population growth, and the economic development of northern California. The hand-drawn map is, unfortunately, difficult to read. Striking It Rich is nonetheless an appealing introduction to a fascinating chapter in our country's past and might draw readers to more in-depth presentations like Rhoda Blumberg's The Great American Gold Rush (Bradbury, 1989).?Gale W. Sherman, Pocatello Public Library, IDCopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.Gr. 2^-3. The story of the gold rush is told with verve, excitement. and wry wit in this chapter book in the Ready-to-Read series. Krensky gets across the rush and mess, the hopes and bumbling failures ("If enough miners settled in one place for a few months, they called it a town and gave it a name"), and DiVito's colorful line illustrations express the energy, naivete, and lawlessness of the men who rushed to make a fortune. There are maps of the California goldfields and of the sea route to get there ("By the end, most sea travelers were tired, sick, hungry, bored silly and in need of a bath") and comic pictures of the wagon trains. Only passing reference is made to those displaced and persecuted by the "opening up" of the West. The subject here is the frontier as funny adventure. Hazel Rochman; Title: Striking It Rich: The Story of the California Gold Rush (Ready-To-Read) | [
19035
] | Test |
27,336 | 11 | "Tones of lemon yellow, cotton candy pink and celery green radiate off the page and contribute mightily to the frenetic pace of the story, as well as highlight the multitude of clever visual plot accessories. A whimsical; adventure story that will leave many readers yearning for one of Tina's diner delights." -Publishers Weekly"Wild, double-page, mixed-media, cartoon-style artwork features odd perspectives and bright pastel colors. Swirling figures, tilting towers and intricate plumbing surround the text, which is done in various styles and colors. The most amusing part of the story is when the famous plumber turns out ti be a young woman with snaky brown braids wearing green coveralls, there is a lot to see on every lively page." -School Library JournalJoAnn Adinolfi is theillustrator and writer of many books for young readers. She was born onStaten Island in New York.When she was little diapers still hadpins. Her family was big and Italian and filled with lots of love andkisses and incredibly delicious food.She speaks fluent Germanand okay Italian and when she is not busy digging in her garden, travelling,kayaking, African dancing, dundun drumming, cooking, cleaning, raking leaves,painting walls, shoveling snow and brushing her teeth, she is happily in herstudio making books for children.Please visit her website for more information:joannadinolfi.com; Title: Tina's Diner | [
8680,
16046,
46630,
62224
] | Test |
27,337 | 18 | Augusta Stevenson was a writer of childrens books and a teacher. She wrote several Childhood of Famous Americans titles, including books about George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Paul Revere, Sitting Bull, Benjamin Franklin, and Molly Pitcher.; Title: Sitting Bull: Dakota Boy (Childhood of Famous Americans) | [
183,
184,
185,
186,
187,
191,
192,
193,
196,
197,
199,
1306,
5330,
15130,
17987,
18048,
18332,
18453,
19166,
26292,
26607,
27200,
27212,
27217,
27234,
27237,
27327,
27441,
27681,
27812,
27833,
27941,
27962,
28008,
28039,
28041,
28117,
28207,
... | Test |
27,338 | 2 | Zeesie has a problem--she doesn't want to visit her grandparents on Eldridge Street. Her teeny-tiny grandmother, Bubbeh Ruchel, is nothing to worry about, but Zaydeh Avrum is another story. Zaydeh ("grandfather" in Yiddish) is stern and stooped-over, and complains that "children bring in dirt and make noise." But since her mother is having a baby, Zeesie has no choice but to make the trip. When she arrives, Zaydeh impatiently quizzes Zeesie about what holiday it is and why it is important to the Jewish religion. Zeesie becomes more intimidated than ever when she learns it's Simchas Torah, and that Zaydeh expects her to attend a celebration at the synagogue with him.Although Zeesie arrives at the festivities reluctantly, she ends up having the time of her life amidst the beautiful stained glass, sweet foods, laughter, singing and ... dancing. And what's this? Even severe, stiff Zaydeh is dancing! During her stay on Eldridge Street, Zeesie learns about the history and traditions of Judaism, and she also sees that there's more to white-haired Zaydeh than she thought.Kindergarten-Grade 3. The Lower East Side of Manhattan in the 1930s is the setting for this charming Jewish holiday tale. Zeesie, first introduced in What Zeesie Saw on Delancey Street (S & S, 1996), is staying with her grandparents while Mama and Papa wait at the hospital for the new baby to arrive. Accompanying her stern Zaydeh (grandpa) to synagogue for the Simchas Torah celebration, the child is astonished at his delight when she questions him about the unfamiliar holiday, and she watches with disbelief as he dances with the Torah. Later, when Papa comes to take her home, she realizes what a truly magical evening it has been. In addition to the simple explanation of the holiday that she has incorporated into the story, Rael provides an endnote about the Lower East Side and the special synagogue that Zeesie visited, as well as a glossary of Yiddish and Hebrew words and two traditional recipes. Priceman's full-page folk-style illustrations are painted in warm and earthy autumnal tones to suit the holiday season, with Zeesie, in her barn-red dress, clearly visible on each page. The customs and joy of the celebrants are evident even to readers who have never personally experienced them. Simchas Torah stories are scarce; this one provides both a cultural lesson and a glimpse at Jewish family life in another era.?Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OHCopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: When Zaydeh Danced on Eldridge Street | [
27797
] | Train |
27,339 | 0 | Cynthia Rylant is the author of more than 100 books for young people, including the beloved Henry and Mudge, Annie and Snowball, Brownie & Pearl, and Mr. Putter & Tabby series. Her novelMissing Mayreceived the Newbery Medal. She lives in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Visit her at CynthiaRylant.com.; Title: Henry y Mudge con Barro Hasta el Rabo: (Henry and Mudge in Puddle Trouble) (Henry & Mudge) (Spanish Edition) | [
471,
2449,
4582,
5402,
17175,
17385,
17481,
22260,
23078,
26950,
27321,
27364,
27413,
27422,
27780,
37961,
45934,
45941,
46880,
46962,
48934,
49119,
49926,
49942,
50066,
51595,
52198,
54456,
55177,
55868,
55950,
62250,
62600,
64608,
65427,
67241,... | Train |
27,340 | 2 | James Howeis the author of more than ninety books for young readers.Bunnicula, coauthored by his late wife Deborah and published in 1979, is considered a modern classic of childrens literature. The author has written six highly popular sequels, along with the spinoff seriesTales from the House of BunniculaandBunnicula and Friends.Among his other books are picture books such as Horace and Morris but Mostly Doloresand beginning reader series that include the Pinky and Rex and Houndsley and Catina books. He has also written for older readers.The Misfits,published in 2001, inspired the antibullying initiative No Name-Calling Week, as well as three sequels,Totally Joe, Addie on the Inside,andAlso Known asElvis.A common theme in James Howes books from preschool through teens is the acceptance of difference and being true to oneself. Visit him online at JamesHowe.com.; Title: Pinky And Rex And The Double-Dad Weekend: Ready-To-Read Level 3 | [
27349,
27458,
27477,
27572,
27637,
27638,
27642,
33088,
33356,
54672
] | Test |
27,341 | 0 | A girl and her father cross the English Channel to help rescue hundreds of thousands of Allies stranded on the beaches of Dunkirk. A child's vision of war's pangs and fears is crucial in The Little Ships, and Louise Borden never falters. Nor do the watercolors by Michael Foreman (and readers of all ages should get hold of his superbly unsentimental memoir, War Boy).Grade 3-5. Through this fictionalized account, the incredible story of the evacuation of Dunkirk in May, 1940, is brought to life. Borden provides the facts through the voice and eyes of a young girl who, with her fisherman father, joins the rescue effort, hoping to find her brother, John, somewhere among the thousands of men who have been fighting in France. Foreman's watercolor paintings add to the drama, excitement, and poignancy of the narrative. The flowing transparent hues of the scenes are just right for the watery setting, and the artist adds a stronger concentration of pigments to evoke the terror of beaches and ships under attack. Foreman provides panoramic views of the ragtag fleet of boats, the burning beaches, and thousands of men fleeing; then he moves in for a stirring close-up of a floundering soldier pulled over the side of the fishingboat. He also adds the visual story of a little dog, clutched in the arms of that near-drowning soldier, and then held tightly by the young narrator as she waits anxiously for word of her brother. The book ends with further facts about the evacuation and an excerpt from Winston Churchill's stirring speech ("We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing-grounds..."). The story should prompt children's curiosity about an event that for them is part of a far-distant past and stir their hearts with this family's courage.?Barbara Kiefer, Teachers College, Columbia University, NYCopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: The Little Ships: The Heroic Rescue at Dunkirk in World War II | [
4804,
5366,
5420,
5967,
6327,
6362,
6829,
10089,
11254,
12043,
12503,
13810,
16299,
16898,
17740,
19538,
23135,
27026,
27651,
27964,
27995,
28349,
29483,
32566,
39185,
39454,
41063,
53232,
56204,
59947,
60335,
61259,
62415,
62604,
63083,
66881
] | Train |
27,342 | 11 | In this handsomely designed companion volume to Where the Flame Trees Bloom, Ada once again draws upon her experiences growing up in post-war Cuba. In a short introduction, the author describes her hometown, Camaguey, as a "city of contrasts"?diverse religions and education and economic levels ("some had so much and others had very little"). The 10 stories that follow do not focus on these oppositions so much as the unique experiences of young Alma and her extended family. Several memories poignantly expose the disparity between those who have and those who have not, such as "Explorers," in which young Alma and her cousin get lost in a marabu field and are aided and fed by a poverty-stricken family. Others illustrate life lessons (for example, the impossible but gleeful task of counting bats in flight for their nightly feeding taught Alma to appreciate the process of an endeavor, rather than its completion). But the best of these stories simply recreate a poignant or humorous moment from the author's girlhood: Alma sipping from a porron (a small clay pot) at school, lovingly filled with water by her mother; Alma's pride in her uncle's daring turning to grief when he dies in an airplane crash. Many of the stories stand well alone, but some take a meandering expository path to recount a history or explain a term. These more formal (though often graceful) tangents distance readers from the slices of life. Still, at the core of the collection, there is a heartfelt portrayal of a quickly disappearing culture and a vastly beautiful land. Ages 8-12. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 4-7-This simple and graceful reminiscence of a childhood in Cuba in the 1940s is a companion to Where the Flame Trees Bloom (Atheneum, 1994). Although not wealthy, the author's family lived comfortably with aunts, uncles, and cousins in a large, shared family home in the small town of Camaguey. Here any event beyond the ordinary became the focus of everyone's attention and the fuel for many days of conversation. Each chapter includes an early memory or experience of Ada's: nursing the baby bats that fell onto her porch, the production of simple and inexpensive plaster figures for nativity scenes, etc. The author writes about the contrast of wealth and poverty in her country at that time and of the people who made an impression on her, including a ballet teacher who befriended her during a lonely year in a new school, and an uncle and aunt who worked with lepers. Her observations of people lead to a series of revelations that shaped her life. Black-and-white photographs of the author and her family appear throughout.Sylvia V. Meisner, Allen Middle School, Greensboro, NCCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Under the Royal Palms: A Childhood in Cuba | [
6216,
10190,
16972,
54766
] | Train |
27,343 | 0 | A wealth of traditional stories-fairy tales, creation stories, folktales-have circumnavigated the globe to appear in collections this season. Margaret Mayo engagingly retells 10 creation stories from Ghana, Iceland, Guatemala and around the world in When the World Was Young: Creation and Pourquoi Tales. Her lively, suspenseful renditions bring masterful storytelling skill to the ancient stories, with titles like "The Girl Who Did Some Baking" and "Tortoise's Big Idea." Louise Brierley's watercolors in deep, subtle colors are a stand-out: the odd, inventive animals and people with archetypal faces who populate her work make it somehow both fantastic and plain, whimsical and mythic.Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.Gr. 4^-7, younger for reading aloud. With points of origin stretching around the globe, the stories in this exceptional picture-book collection present folkloric explanations for age-old questions, such as Why do people die? Why does the moon come out at night? Why are people different colors? The illustrations depict solid, sympathetic characters, and Brierley's effective use of light and dark lends a feeling of movement to the artwork: in a Polynesian pourquoi tale, Maui's sister's long, dark hair seems ready to fall into her brother's hands as she cuts it off in order catch the sun; in the Native American story about how fire came to be hidden in every tree, Bear appears to be searing the night sky with his torch. A strong pairing of richly drawn images and a distinct storytelling voice makes this a valuable multicultural title, and Mayo includes excellent source notes as well as some additional information on the people who originally told the stories. Karen Morgan; Title: When the World Was Young: Creation and Pourquoi Tales | [
6719,
11231,
36258,
41121,
41139,
41171
] | Train |
27,344 | 11 | The accordion-fold paper-over-board pages of Richard Scarry's Busiest Busytown Ever! open to create a seven-foot-long street. The little pictures show dense simultaneous action, as a truck delivers mail, children walk home from school and a reporter chases a fire engine. Numerous flaps reveal other animal citizens napping, practicing ballet, drinking coffee and engaging in other activities of an ordinary day.Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Richard Scarry's Busiest Busytown Ever! | [
142,
8290,
14626,
57040
] | Train |
27,345 | 2 | Pack your book bag--it's time for school! Eminent poets Carl Sandburg, Jane Yolen, and Myra Cohn Livingston join pens with newer writers to celebrate that most delicious of autumn icons: school supplies. A "wide-awake / freshly-painted-yellow / school bus" takes 30 students to school, where they spend their day with ballet-dancing ballpoint pens, tiny-jawed dragons (paper clips), lunch bags full of mysteries, and all the colors of the world in a box of crayons. Sixteen beautiful poems by a diverse array of wordsmiths, collected by poet Lee Bennett Hopkins (anthologist of Hand in Hand: An American History Through Poetry and Sports! Sports! Sports! A Poetry Collection to name two of many) provide an unusual, absolutely delightful new perspective on the ordinary tools of school. Renee Flower's energetic, almost garish watercolor and colored pencil illustrations are captivating, although they seem out of balance with the elegant verses. All in all, though, this is a striking compilation that will appeal to kids, parents, and teachers, especially in the days leading up to the beginning of school. (Ages 5 and older) --Emilie CoulterInveterate anthologist Hopkins (Side by Side: Poems to Read Together) begins one of his best collections with a verse of his own about a "freshly-painted-yellow/ school bus" that carries not only "thirty pairs of sleepy eyes" but "hundreds/ upon hundreds/ of/ school supplies." Balancing work from such poets as Carl Sandburg and Myra Cohn Livingston with noteworthy entries from talented newcomers, he selects uniformly strong poems. Each provides crisp images that transform ordinary school utensils into verbal fun: ordinary paper clips become "dragon grips" with "jaws/ no bigger/ than an inch" (Rebecca Kai Dotlich); a compass "draws/ a perfect circle/ like a skater gracefully/ tracing/ half a figure eight/ on paper ice" (Georgia Heard); lines in a new notebook run "like telephone wires" while "the alphabet settles between them,/ comfortable as a flock of crows" (Judith Thurman). Flower's (City Noise) zany illustrations fill the pages with sprawling, wildly colored designs of cubist-style children and enough animated crayons, erasers and alphabet letters to please both teachers and students ready to begin a new year. Ages 4-8. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: School Supplies: A Book of Poems | [
5481,
7705,
11661,
15815,
22984,
27767,
32368,
65190,
68649
] | Validation |
27,346 | 0 | Sandra Boynton is a popular American humorist, songwriter, childrens author, and illustrator. Boynton has written and illustrated more than forty books for both children and adults, as well as more than four thousand greeting cards and four music albums. She has designedfor various companiescalendars, wallpaper, bedding, stationery, paper goods, clothing, jewelry, and plush toys.; Title: Hippos Go Berserk! | [
1367,
9510,
15078,
16046,
25962,
25963,
25964,
25966,
25967,
25968,
25969,
25971,
27471,
27545,
27561,
27587,
27594,
27822,
28235,
31171,
31175,
31192,
31194,
31197,
31223,
31253,
31329,
33340,
36293,
51330,
51776,
55424,
55452,
58531,
58534,
607... | Test |
27,347 | 18 | Grade 1-3?In simple, clear language and with splendid watercolor drawings, Hiscock tells the story of the "great flood" of 1993. Using examples from everyday life that are sure to inform his audience, the author/illustrator paints a picture of how circumstance, bad luck, and nature conspired to lead to the disaster. He does not shy away from the negative impact humans have had on the environment, or the impact the flooding had on the lives of the area residents. Detailed, captioned drawings explain such concepts as the water cycle, levees, and sandbagging, while maps give a good sense of the geography. When the text talks of "brown, muddy water," the powerful two-page spread makes a visual impression that is sure to last. There have been a number of recent books about this flood such as Karin Badt's The Mississippi Flood of 1993 (Children's Press, 1994) and Patricia Lauber's Flood (National Geographic, 1996) but for its beauty, simplicity, and obvious compassion for the victims, this one is a winner.?Linda Greengrass, Bank Street College Library, New York CityCopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.Gr. 3-5. The title suggests a book that explores the Missouri, the Mississippi, and the Ohio Rivers, but the real subject here is flooding. Beginning and ending with discussions of the water cycle, Hiscock explains that the three rivers gather water from throughout the middle of the U.S. and form the world's third largest tidal basin. The book focuses on the 1993 floods in the Midwest, showing how unusual weather patterns affected rainfall, what happened when the rivers overflowed their banks, and how people prepared for the flooding and handled it after it came. Hiscock's well-conceived and appealing watercolor paintings, some in double-page spreads, demonstrate clearly what is happening. His time line of rainfall and flood levels in 1993 is particularly effective. An excellent resource for an increasingly timely topic Carolyn Phelan; Title: The Big Rivers: The Missouri, the Mississippi, and the Ohio | [
52617
] | Train |
27,348 | 2 | Polacco has a warm, colorful illustrative style that has enriched her numerous other works such as Babushka Baba Yaga and I Can Hear the Sun. Here she applies it to what at first seems the simple story of a Jewish girl, Trisha, and her Christian neighbors, whose bout with scarlet fever at Christmas threatens to ruin Trisha's Hanukkah. Trisha and her family respond with a loving gesture that is rewarded in kind.Polacco's (Babushka's Doll) warmhearted memoir can easily be pressed into double duty for both Hanukkah and Christmas reading. On the family farm in Michigan, Trisha and Richard watch as Babushka and Grampa prepare for Hanukkah in their native Russian way, hand-dipping the candles, carving the children gifts of little wooden animals, cooking the latkes. When scarlet fever debilitates their neighbors, Trisha's whole family pitches in to make and deliver holiday dinners and Christmas trees (decorated with the children's wooden animals). Polacco's characteristically buoyant illustrations embody the joy of holiday traditions even as her robust storytelling locates the essence of that joy in sharing and friendship. While this work should have broad appeal, it is in particular an excellent choice for families seeking to mingle Jewish and Christian traditions. Ages 5-10. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: The Trees Of The Dancing Goats | [
1145,
5371,
5494,
6068,
6327,
6362,
6863,
6981,
12589,
13720,
14018,
15741,
15749,
15790,
15809,
15915,
15917,
15974,
16042,
16062,
16098,
16183,
16299,
16529,
16542,
16550,
16909,
18018,
18046,
21290,
21438,
23348,
27026,
27280,
29295,
31344,
... | Validation |
27,349 | 2 | Grade 1-3?Pinky is forced into an identity crisis when his nickname and favorite color is deemed girlish by a bully. He wonders if, now that he's seven, it's time to change. An elderly neighbor suggests that he remain true to himself and question the "rules of behavior" instead. With his pal Rex (a girl) at his side, Pinky verbally confronts his tormentor. The older boy's aggressive bluster crumbles in the face of Pinky's new confidence. As in the previous books in the series, Howe affirms that boys (and girls) can be whatever they want to be. He fashions engaging characters who respond to their situations in a realistic, childlike fashion. Sweet's watercolor illustrations complement the gentle tale. Pair this title with Dan Millman's Secret of the Peaceful Warrior (H.J. Kramer, 1991), and you'll have ample food for a lively discussion on how children can respect one another and resolve their differences in a nonviolent manner.?Marilyn Taniguchi, Santa Monica Public Library, CACopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.Pinky's favorite color is pink, and his best friend, Rex, is a girl. Kevin, the third-grade bully, says that makes Pinky a sissy. Deep down, Pinky thinks Kevin is wrong, but he's still worried. Does Pinky have to give up his favorite things, and worse, does he have to give up his best friend?; Title: Pinky And Rex And The Bully (Ready-To-Read Level 3) | [
498,
1293,
3624,
4700,
4833,
5287,
5294,
5299,
5327,
5334,
5340,
5611,
5614,
5654,
5671,
5903,
6007,
6388,
6583,
6886,
6995,
10275,
10339,
11178,
15106,
16061,
18101,
18198,
21521,
21841,
24247,
27220,
27340,
27458,
27477,
27572,
27637,
27638... | Validation |
27,350 | 8 | McCaughrean (Greek Myths) could probably weave a mesmerizing tale from the copy on the back of a cereal box. Here, harvesting 22 tales from lands as diverse as Ethiopia, Estonia, and Ceylon, she has far more promising material to work with; even so, the strength of this collection emanates from her storytelling more than from the often exotic contents. Witness her deceptively casual beginning to the all-too-familiar story of King Midas: "There was once a fool. Of course there have been far more fools than one, and fools more often than once. But this particular fool was a king, so his foolishness mattered." First-time illustrator Willey's compelling illustrations are a superb fit, too. With their vivid, dreamlike use of color, they-like the stories-quicken the reader's own imaginings. Ages 10-up. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 3-7-McCaughrean, known for her collections of Greek myths and Shakespearean tales, adds this multicultural anthology to her list. With adaptations that range from the tender and heroic "Death of El Cid" from Spain to the humorous "How Men and Women Finally Agreed" from Kenya, she presents wonderful stories from around the world. She includes many well-known characters such as King Midas, Thor, Robin Hood, the Lorelei, and Coyote the Trickster, as well as the less familiar Adapa of Mesopotamia, Estonia's flying lake, and Australia's Rainbow Snake. She retells tales of creation, romance, wit, and adventure with evocative language, and sometimes addresses readers directly as an oral storyteller would. The mixed-media illustrations are rendered in a folksy, childlike style and include cultural motifs from each legend. As with many collections, the pictures seem decorative rather than integral to the enjoyment of the stories. Quite a few anthologies of world myths and legends exist, but this one makes a place for itself because of its breadth and accessibility.?Cheri Estes, Detroit Country Day School Middle School, Beverly Hills, MICopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: The Golden Hoard: Myths and Legends of the World | [
27412
] | Train |
27,351 | 5 | Kindergarten-Grade 4. A retelling of an Aztec myth fragment in which the deity Tezcatlipoca, Lord of the Night, sends Wind to bring the musicians of the Sun to Earth, thus making all things joyful and colorful. McDermott has made several additions such as the weapons of thunder and lightning with which Wind bests the Sun, and he changes the clothing of one of the musicians to blue; the rainbow thus created brings color, as well as music, to the gray world. The language is spare and formal, almost like an invocation, full of dignity and drama. The illustrations, in McDermott's signature cinematic style, are wonderful, with the texture of the handmade paper evoking pre-Columbian codices, and the portrayal of the deities showing a knowledge of Aztec art. The colors, created with fabric paint, opaque inks, and oil pastels, are brilliant and intense. A note gives the history of the myth. The story, "How Music Was Made," appears in Irene Nicholson's adult book Mexican and Central American Mythology (Original Artworks, 1967; o.p.), which may be in some YA collections; a truncated version of it appears in John Bierhorst's The Hungry Woman (Morrow, 1993). Picture-book versions of Aztec myths suitable for sharing with classes are scarce, however, and this one should be welcome, especially since it is dignified enough to use with older children.?Pam Gosner, formerly at Maplewood Memorial Library, NJCopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.Musicians of the Sun has something irresistible to young readers: It is based on a fragment of Aztec mythology and, reflecting that cruel and passionate culture, it is a complex tale. -- The New York Times Book Review, Amy Finnerty; Title: Musicians of the Sun | [
2292,
5352,
5372,
7075,
7170,
7183,
7284,
7711,
11206,
11231,
15526,
16347,
20970,
25831,
38306,
48676,
52783,
65860
] | Test |
27,352 | 12 | Lively combinations of items add up to 11 in what PW called "a counting book with an innovative twist." Ages 2-6. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: 12 Ways to Get to 11 (Aladdin Picture Books) | [
478,
482,
1362,
1369,
1385,
1494,
1499,
4844,
4849,
4851,
4858,
4870,
4872,
4884,
4889,
4891,
4892,
4895,
4896,
4913,
5530,
6027,
7128,
7383,
7698,
8539,
13272,
17996,
26081,
26908,
26988,
26989,
27024,
29024,
31407,
32752,
36746,
37807,
38... | Train |
27,353 | 0 | Gripping real-life adventures, told in a childlike first-person voice, will keep beginning readers interested in this Ready-to-Read chapter book. Leaving his mother and brothers in their village in South Vietnam, Tuan Ngo joins his father and a group of others fleeing the Viet Cong regime. As they make their way through dark woods Tuan articulates his fears: "If we're caught, we'll be put in a labor camp for five years. My father was in labor camp for six years, and he says that all he ate there were rotten potatoes. I don't want to eat rotten potatoes." Crowded onto a small fishing boat, the refugees are adrift on the South China Sea when the boat breaks down. They are raided by pirates, who steal their few valuables but save their lives by fixing the boat's engine and giving them fuel and water. They spy a German oil tanker, and when the crew ignores them, the desperate escapees put a hole in their own fishing boat so that it starts to sink and the Germans are forced to help. Kilborne (Peach and Blue) also chronicles the seemingly endless waiting: Tuan and his father spend more than a year moving from camp to camp before they are approved for immigration to the U.S. Sweet's (the Pinky and Rex books) abundant watercolors are tender and inviting even when depicting the tensest scenes. Emphasizing Tuan's bond with his father, they project an aura of security that balances the frequently harrowing account. Ages 6-9. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 1-4This story of young Tuan Ngos escape from war-torn Vietnam and his journey to freedom will intrigue readers while giving them a glimpse of recent history. The seven chapters are complemented by watercolor illustrations and a simple map of the country. However, the lack of a map orientating readers to the geographic relationship of Vietnam to events and other places in the bookan attack by pirates, the refugee camp islands, and the distance to Americais unfortunate and potentially confusing. Still, the drama of the boys leaving home in the dead of night, his days on a crowded boat, and a number of other incidents will capture the attention of readers. An afterword provides background information on Vietnam and brings Tuan Ngos story up-to-date. This title would work well as a companion to Eve Buntings How Many Days to America (Clarion, 1988) and deserves shelf space.Gale W. Sherman, Pocatello Public Library, ID Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Leaving Vietnam: The Journey Of Tuan Ngo (Ready-To-Read : Level 3 Reading Alone) | [
27867,
54698
] | Train |
27,354 | 0 | "This is the lass / with hair like a nest / who walked in her sleep / on the morn of Mayfest." So begins the playful cumulative rhyme that propels this jaunty picture book to its celebratory conclusion--a spontaneous Mayfest parade! The dove flies after the lass (with hair like a nest), a huntsman fixes on the dove, a mouse frightens the huntsman, a cat chases the mouse... and so on. As the chain of events grows increasingly chaotic, so do Marla Frazee's splendid, detail-rich illustrations. At one point, with children and monkeys and jugglers and laundresses and sheepdogs and cats and mice, the page virtually explodes with life and color. At last, the sleepwalking lass awakes to announce that she is the Queen of May and invites the crowd to dance, frolic, play, make merry, and jest. From "I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly" to "The House that Jack Built," children revel in the rhythm and repetition of cumulative rhymes, and Frazee's wonderful illustrations make Erica Silverman's silly, snowballing story fun and easy to follow. On the Morn of Mayfest is best read aloud, as kids will love tracking the girl and the dove through their madcap May Day romp. (Ages 5 and older) --Karin SnelsonSilverman (Mrs. Peachtree's Bicycle) revisits "The House that Jack Built" and makes of it a foundation for a merry olde English rite of spring. "This is the lass/ with hair like a nest/ who walked in her sleep/ on the morn of Mayfest," she begins. Over country roads the waiflike girl, barefoot and in a white nightgown, trails toward the village on the hill, and in her wake collects such amusing characters as a sheepdog ("in mad pursuit") who gooses the voluminous laundress ("who shouted, 'You brute!' "), three jesters ("juggling fruit") and a monkey ("in tunic and boots"). It all culminates in a parade of kisses through the cobblestone streets of the town, where the sleeping girl finally awakens to announce herself Queen of the May. Frazee's (The Seven Silly Eaters) finely wrought acrylic ink drawings cover the right-hand page; they are lightly handled with slyly endearing details (the jesters wear dark glasses; the monkey swings by its tail from a lamppost). Decorated initials dress up most text pages in the pleasing book design. Silverman and Frazee form a happy, uncomplicated collaboration with a festive hint of history. Ages 3-8. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: On The Morn Of Mayfest | [
6734,
6885,
7570,
51416,
52009
] | Train |
27,355 | 0 | PreSchool-Grade 2?The photo of a welcome mat on the title page opens the world of signs to youngsters. The familiar octagon-shaped STOP, railroad crossings, fire-boxes symbols, and pictorial shop signs are among the examples included. The simple text offers a brief description of, or the purpose of, each sharply reproduced, full-color sign. For example, photos of a police precinct and a fire station are accompanied by the statement, "Signs tell you where to go if you need help and where you can be of help." The last entry, a poster advertising "Free Kittens," concludes, "And sometimes, a sign tells you where to find a friend." Tana Hoban's I Read Symbols (Greenwillow, 1983) features 27 traffic and road symbols photographed in full color, but has no printed text. Beginning readers will enjoy Klove's book and have the satisfaction of decoding the words. The book would also be useful in discussions of community helpers and community awareness. Creative teachers and librarians will find limitless possibilities for incorporating this title into their curricula.?Patricia Mahoney Brown, Benjamin Franklin Elementary School, Kenmore, NYCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: I SEE A SIGN READY-TO-READ LEVEL 1 (STARTING TO READ) (Ready-To-Reads) | [
26699
] | Validation |
27,356 | 0 | James Howeis the author of more than ninety books for young readers.Bunnicula, coauthored by his late wife Deborah and published in 1979, is considered a modern classic of childrens literature. The author has written six highly popular sequels, along with the spinoff seriesTales from the House of BunniculaandBunnicula and Friends.Among his other books are picture books such as Horace and Morris but Mostly Doloresand beginning reader series that include the Pinky and Rex and Houndsley and Catina books. He has also written for older readers.The Misfits,published in 2001, inspired the antibullying initiative No Name-Calling Week, as well as three sequels,Totally Joe, Addie on the Inside,andAlso Known asElvis.A common theme in James Howes books from preschool through teens is the acceptance of difference and being true to oneself. Visit him online at JamesHowe.com.; Title: Dew Drop Dead | [
27277
] | Train |
27,357 | 2 | Marjorie Weinman Sharmat has been called "a shining star as a storyteller" by Publishers Weekly. Her many popular books include I Don't Care and What Are We Going to Do About Andrew? for young children; Griselda's New Year, Mitchell Is Moving and Sophie and Gussie for beginning readers; and several novels for older children. After many years in New York State (one of them at 165 East 95th Street, New York City) she now lives in Tucson, Arizona.; Title: Mitchell Is Moving (Ready-to-Reads) | [
54483
] | Train |
27,358 | 18 | Gr 3-6-It is 1856, and Hattie's parents are abolitionists helping on the Illinois Underground Railroad. Her best friend's father is a pro-slavery constable. Hattie finds out about her parents' activities as neighborly anxiety mounts and slave hunters begin to show up more frequently. The situation comes to a head when a slave hunt goes terribly wrong and a neighbor's child is killed. Hattie has plenty to ponder as she tries to remain friends with Dora June, understand why her family is helping slaves, and console her mother who has lost several babies. Suspense builds as Hattie's family helps an escaped slave who is trying to get her 13 children to Canada, a few at a time. This suspense carries much of the plot, as the writing is uninspired. The main characters are satisfactory, but Lizzy never comes alive, her character little more than a plot device. The story line can be confusing, and occasionally readers need to refer to the family tree in the front to know where the characters fit in. Readers of light historical fiction may pick this up for book reports; the series could find its way into school libraries merely for the helpful activities included at the end.-Angela J. Reynolds, Washington County Cooperative Library Services, Aloha, ORCopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.; Title: Hattie's Story (American Quilts, Book 2) | [
27359,
27363,
27392
] | Test |
27,359 | 0 | Gr 4-6-Living in Bloomington, IL, in 1918, Ida Lou dreams of soaring through the air on a flying trapeze in the circus. Since her father abandoned the family, her mother and brother struggle to earn a living while the girl tries to scrape together enough money to attend the circus when it comes to town. Times change, though, when her mother marries a rich man. The protagonist's circus dreams are threatened when she suffers a horrific fall, but in the end she becomes a worldwide star. The story is juxtaposed between modern-day Lacey and her great-great-aunt Ida Lou, and the similarities between the two are apparent. Ida Lou is a headstrong girl, supported by an appealing cast of characters. The pacing is right on target and period details will hold readers' interest.Kristen Oravec, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Strongsville, OHCopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.Dan Andreasen is the illustrator of numerous picture books, including By the Dawns Early Light: The Story of the Star-Spangled Banner by Steven Kroll, which was named an ABA Kids Pick of the Lists and a Notable Childrens Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies; A Quiet Place by Douglas Wood; and Sailor Boy Jig by Margaret Wise Brown. He has also authored several picture books, including With a Little Help from Daddy and A Special Day for Mommy. Dan lives with his family in Medina, Ohio.; Title: Ida Lou's Story (American Quilts, Book 4) | [
27358,
27363,
27392
] | Train |
27,360 | 2 | In this stunning achievement, the renowned husband-and-wife team sets 12 Old Testament stories in the context of early 19th-century South Carolina, illustrated with Ransome's glorious paintings. As the McKissacks state in their introduction, "The stories are timeless treasures, universally read and honored, but no group embraced the Hebrew heroes of old more than African Americans during slavery times." The dozen tales unfold as Price Jeffries, who won his freedom in a seaman's lottery, tells them to his daughter in answer to her questions about what she sees happening in the world around her. The collection opens as father and daughter encounter a constable for wealthy slaveholder Mr. Riley and Charlotte asks her father, "Do Mr. Sam Riley own the moon?" He responds with the story of creation and tells her, "Nobody can make a slave of the moon, the sun, the stars, or any part of what God created, no matter how rich they may be. God made something wonderful out of nothing. What human being can do that?" Through the characters of Charlotte and Price Jeffries, based on historical abolitionists, the McKissacks answer the toughest questions of this troubling period of American history with stories of faith. When Charlotte witnesses an African child's death on the auction block, she asks her father, "Why is it God lets one person buy and own another person?" He answers with the story of Eden and "how God let the first people make their own choices." The story of the courtship of Charlotte's parents ("a love worth waiting for") leads the way to that of Jacob and Rachel. Each Old Testament story builds upon the one before it, weaving the development of Charlotte's personal history and the Biblical stories into a seamless whole. The volume's design further integrates the interlacing elements: Charlotte's story is set in warm bluish type, the Biblical retellings in classic black. Ransome's remarkable portraits capture the full range of Charlotte's and Price's emotions, as well as the serene dignity of leaders such as Solomon and Moses and of Daniel in the lion's den. His version of dramatic Old Testament events, particularly his vision of the creation, are captivating. Readers will likely return to this extraordinary volume again and again, knowing that the answers to life's painful questions reside in the stories of faith that have comforted others for thousands of years. All ages. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 3 Up-A masterful combination of Bible stories and African-American history. Price Jefferies, a former slave but now a freeman of color, interprets the ways of God. He compares the experiences of slaves and their masters in early 19th-century Charleston, SC, to those of well-known figures of the Old Testament. Jefferies, a blacksmith, has a close and loving relationship with his daughter, Charlotte, and tells her, in his own simple but eloquent manner, the various Bible stories that help to connect the trials of the Hebrew people with their own. Every tale has an uplifting, hopeful, yet realistic moral: good and bad choices (Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel), forgiveness (Joseph), patient love (Jacob and Rachel), courage (Esther), and so on. Each one is beautifully intertwined with a problem or situation that the girl observes and about which she questions her father. The poignant juxtaposition of the Biblical characters and Charlotte's personal narrative is authentic and moving. Written in a straightforward style, the text alternates between blue typography (Charlotte's words) and black (her father's), in a handsome format. Unfortunately, in the story of Ruth and Naomi, the tribes of Israel are mistakenly described as being the ancestors rather than the descendants of the 12 sons of Jacob. The occasional illustrations are powerful oil paintings in rich colors, emotional and evocative. Included are introductory words from the authors, illustrator, and fictitious narrator; notes; and both historical and Biblical bibliographies. This fresh view of how the eternal truths of life span the centuries gives this work a special place among Bible story collections, books of virtue, and the history of American slavery, appropriate for any collection.Patricia Pearl Dole, formerly at First Presbyterian School, Martinsville, VACopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Let My People Go : Bible Stories Told by a Freeman of Color | [
40146
] | Test |
27,361 | 6 | Robert Sabuda is to pop-up art what the International Grandmaster is to chess, and it isn't for nothing that he's described on the back of this book as a "paper engineer." As the title suggests, this whimsical, old-fashioned, elegant book embodies the Traditional Song of Abundant Giving--each verse of "The 12 Days of Christmas" is illustrated with a different pop-up creation. Some are relatively simple, such as the partridge (made of just two pieces of hinged paper) that opens its wings above some pears. Still, there is something unexpectedly bold about how the bird literally flies out over the top margin of the page. Other pop-ups are more characteristically bravura creations: the "Ten pipers piping" are crafted explicitly as decorative paper cut-outs, but the scissors that cut them are part of the pop-up, too. Perhaps the most complex of the set is "Eleven Ladies Dancing." Interpreted as an old-fashioned music box, the 11 ladies dancing are little ballerinas, and the music box is complete with drawer, back-mirror, and winding key. Sabuda's masterful The 12 Days of Christmas is full of nostalgia for the magic of childhood celebration--kids and adults alike would be happy to receive this book as a holiday gift. (Ages 3 to 103) --Richard FarrReigning prince of paper construction Sabuda has fashioned the classic carol into a crisp, 3D holiday greeting, somewhat similar in style to his Christmas Alphabet (1994). Each spread contains festively colored background panels sprinkled with white text and featuring two spectacularly intricate, snow-white pop-ups; one takes center stage and the other is hidden beneath a gatefold flap. In a welcome update, Sabuda's witty take on the tune's verses depicts "four calling birds" as emerging from a cuckoo clock and "eleven ladies dancing" as ballerinas pirouetting inside a child's musical jewelry box. The design is sturdy enough to withstand repeated readings, provided that it's treated as a book, not a toy. All ages. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: The 12 Days of Christmas : A Pop-Up Celebration | [
862,
1746,
2277,
9190,
9443,
10298,
11289,
15843,
17447,
17488,
20316,
22075,
23181,
23657,
27391,
27401,
28001,
28052,
28053,
28056,
28455,
32029,
32336,
32343,
32521,
32539,
32609,
33291,
33386,
33706,
33742,
33768,
33922,
45430,
47434,
47556,
... | Train |
27,362 | 11 | Grade 1-4?This account is a longer, even more fictionalized version than the one found in Nancy Milton's The Giraffe That Walked to Paris (Crown, 1992). With its focus on Abdul, the Egyptian stable boy who accompanied the animal to France, the Colliers' story is also more personal and immediate. In their description of events, the pasha and the King of France are posed as friends exchanging gifts of mutual affection rather than as warring rulers trying for rapprochement. King Charles is portrayed as a lovable duffer who likes to spend time with his grandson. He is so awed by the sight of the giraffe that he flubs his speech of welcome, which must then be finished by the boy. The result of such touches is a sanitized and often too-cute text, but it does give a sense of the excitement and possessive pride that the giraffe engendered in the French people. The oil paintings have a palette and quality of light that, without being a pastiche, are reminiscent of Rococo painters such as Watteau. Poulin offers some interesting views. For example, the title-page illustration shows the giraffe looking more akin to a tree trunk than an animal as he peers out of a copse at a bucolic scene of gamboling sheep, and the picture of the docking in France shows the wharf as seen from the level of the giraffe's head. A pleasant story about a historical event that conveys the lasting sensation caused by the animal's arrival.?Karen James, Louisville Free Public Library, Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.Ages 6^-8. The year is 1826. When the king of France sends his friend the pasha of Egypt a printing press, the pasha responds by sending the French king "the most wondrous animal on earth," a beautiful giraffe. Abdul the stable boy accompanies his long-necked friend on the voyage and the stately walk through France, where they are greeted with honor and enthusiasm. The oil paintings, as formal as the prose, illustrate the story in a soft-edged realistic style graced with touches of humor. Considerably longer than the text for most picture books, this tale unfolds at a leisurely pace, and, given the complete lack of conflict, it's more than some children will sit still for; however, larger libraries may want to have the book on hand for its unusual story and its introduction to nineteenth-century France. Carolyn Phelan; Title: The King's Giraffe | [
4410,
26597
] | Train |
27,363 | 18 | Dan Andreasen is the illustrator of numerous picture books, including By the Dawns Early Light: The Story of the Star-Spangled Banner by Steven Kroll, which was named an ABA Kids Pick of the Lists and a Notable Childrens Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies; A Quiet Place by Douglas Wood; and Sailor Boy Jig by Margaret Wise Brown. He has also authored several picture books, including With a Little Help from Daddy and A Special Day for Mommy. Dan lives with his family in Medina, Ohio.; Title: Ellen's Story (American Quilts) | [
27358,
27359,
27392
] | Train |
27,364 | 0 | Cynthia Rylant is the author of more than 100 books for young people, including the beloved Henry and Mudge, Annie and Snowball, Brownie & Pearl, and Mr. Putter & Tabby series. Her novelMissing Mayreceived the Newbery Medal. She lives in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Visit her at CynthiaRylant.com.; Title: Henry And Mudge In Puddle Trouble | [
541,
675,
1612,
2280,
3624,
3998,
5334,
5408,
5479,
5728,
5865,
5902,
6071,
6722,
6988,
6995,
7047,
7078,
7087,
7641,
10440,
16819,
17980,
18022,
18082,
18183,
18198,
22534,
25529,
26984,
27266,
27339,
27365,
27370,
27371,
27372,
27423,
27434... | Validation |
27,365 | 0 | Henry and his 180-pound dog Mudge are best friends forever. And in this third book of their adventures, they share summertime fun!Cynthia Rylant is the author of more than 100 books for young people, including the beloved Henry and Mudge, Annie and Snowball, Brownie & Pearl, and Mr. Putter & Tabby series. Her novelMissing Mayreceived the Newbery Medal. She lives in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Visit her at CynthiaRylant.com.; Title: Henry and Mudge in the Green Time | [
4369,
4633,
4721,
6886,
6988,
6995,
7013,
7047,
7078,
7087,
7094,
7641,
10270,
18022,
18133,
18183,
18184,
18198,
18218,
26395,
27266,
27364,
27370,
27371,
27372,
27423,
27434,
27564,
27593,
27602,
27736,
27743,
27749,
27751,
27756,
27780,
2779... | Train |
27,366 | 0 | Grade 4-7-An exciting, page-turning adventure story that will keep children reading until its gripping climax. Dickon's comfortable childhood changes abruptly with his father's death and his mother's remarriage. Apprenticed to a tanner, he hates the thought of killing animals and seems to be the constant target of the mistress's anger and disdain. While on an errand to the Bear Garden where bears are used to bait attack dogs for entertainment, he befriends a frightened cub. Drawn to it like a magnet, the boy continues to visit the animal until a visit at the annual fair changes his life forever. Seeing the cub's mother fighting in the ring, he becomes determined to save the cub from this fate. At the same time, a bear handler sees Dickon's gentle way with animals as a threat and tries to kill both boy and bear by starting a fire. Dickon and the cub escape to France with a tumbling family where they find themselves once again in a fight for their lives. Readers will identify with Dickon's efforts to save the creature while learning how bears were once mistreated for people's entertainment. A rich and interesting cast of characters from the evil Bear Catcher to the gentle Rosa, daughter of the tumblers, bring the time and place convincingly alive. This is an example of the best sort of historical fiction that involves children in an exciting story while giving them a memorable hero and a taste of life in another time.Jane Gardner Connor, South Carolina State Library, ColumbiaCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.Gr. 4^-6. The barbaric "sport" of bearbaiting makes an unusual but compelling subject for this historical novel set in Elizabethan England. When a twist of fate makes Dickon the trainer of a cub in the London Bear Garden, the boy determines to save the animal from its terrible destiny (being chained and torn to pieces by dogs for popular entertainment). Helped by a troupe of tumblers, Dickon flees with the bear to France, only to find that destiny has followed. Despite one of the least felicitous titles in recent memory, this is a highly readable and dramatic story, rich in well-integrated period detail and peopled with a sympathetic cast of characters (even Will Shakespeare makes a cameo appearance) who are challenged by a pack of satisfyingly evil antagonists. Michael Cart; Title: A Boy and His Bear | [
4413,
6991,
9641,
11831,
14377,
21001,
62285,
72531
] | Train |
27,367 | 2 | "The Horn Book" Lively, reassuring, comical -- just right for newly independent readers, with cartoon-style illustrations that gallop, skip, and splash right along with the text.Cynthia Rylant is the author of more than 100 books for young people, including the beloved Henry and Mudge, Annie and Snowball, Brownie & Pearl, and Mr. Putter & Tabby series. Her novelMissing Mayreceived the Newbery Medal. She lives in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Visit her at CynthiaRylant.com.; Title: Henry and Mudge: The First Book (Henry & Mudge) | [
675,
769,
865,
1612,
2543,
5294,
6988,
6995,
7047,
7078,
15057,
17544,
23706,
26254,
27364,
27365,
27371,
27372,
27395,
27397,
27423,
27434,
27564,
27593,
27749,
27756,
27780,
31976,
32304,
32368,
32824,
33366,
51595,
51971,
54672,
54975,
55284... | Train |
27,368 | 13 | Grade 1-3?In Venice, the city of music, young Gabriella hears music in voices, water, boats, pigeons, the "slap-slap" of laundry drying, the "ting-aling-ling" of church bells, and her mother's voice. In Gabriella's heart, these sounds combine and become a song that she hums in the bakery. The baker hums it to a widow, who hums it to a gondolier, who plays it on his accordion. The music catches in the breeze, which spreads it all through the city?and into the room where the "brilliant composer Giuseppe Del Pietro" sits in museless frustration, unable to work on his newest symphony, scheduled for performance in a few weeks. Gabriella's tune, of course, becomes his inspiration, and he turns it into a magnificent symphony. Not only do the Venetians love the music, but they recognize it as Gabriella's song, and she, too, receives a standing ovation. Potter's flat ink, watercolor, and colored-pencil illustrations are somewhat reminiscent of Maira Kalman's work. A subdued palette transports readers to the streets of a city filled with old-world charm and perfectly complements the engaging text. Endpapers feature laundry and sheet music fluttering on clotheslines, and the back cover displays a map of Italy with Venice's location marked. A whimsical book for budding musicians, music teachers, or just about anyone looking for a good story.?Lisa Falk, Palos Verdes Library, CACopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.Fleming (Madame Lagrande and Her So High, To the Sky, Uproarious Pompadour, 1996) celebrates music and its power to touch our lives. The setting is Venice, dazzlingly captured by Potter, in a palette of fresh colors and full of droll characterizations. Gabriella is walking home from the marketplace, and fashions from the flap of drying laundry, the jingle of coins, the ringing of church bells, and other sounds a little tune, which she hums at the baker's while buying a cannoli. The tune makes the baker's heart light, and he hums it, too. The widow Santucci stops in, hears the tune and becomes sad; nevertheless, she hums it on the way home, and the gondolier, overhearing her, plays it on the accordion. Thus the tune is passed throughout the city, evoking a variety of responses. To composer Giuseppe Del Pietro, who is experiencing a block just as a new symphony is due, the tune is heaven-sent, sweet music that he shapes into a great work of art. A disarmingly simple tale, this is inspiring and transporting. (Picture book. 3-8) -- Copyright 1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.; Title: Gabriella's Song | [
557,
1115,
5361,
5409,
5449,
10589,
10855,
12043,
12242,
12406,
12408,
12430,
12444,
12453,
16319,
17145,
19538,
21372,
21690,
22666,
25006,
25752,
25778,
26031,
26772,
26800,
26910,
27009,
27674,
27806,
27996,
33060,
33303,
34131,
35084,
35093,
... | Train |
27,369 | 2 | Henry and his 180-pound dog Mudge are best friends forever. And in this seventh book of their adventures, they spend a scary--but reassuring--day at the vet.Cynthia Rylant is the author of more than 100 books for young people, including the beloved Henry and Mudge, Annie and Snowball, Brownie & Pearl, and Mr. Putter & Tabby series. Her novel Missing May received the Newbery Medal. She lives in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Visit her at CynthiaRylant.com.; Title: Henry and Mudge Get the Cold Shivers (Henry & Mudge) | [
27370,
51595,
55284
] | Validation |
27,370 | 2 | Cynthia Rylant is the author of more than 100 books for young people, including the beloved Henry and Mudge, Annie and Snowball, Brownie & Pearl, and Mr. Putter & Tabby series. Her novelMissing Mayreceived the Newbery Medal. She lives in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Visit her at CynthiaRylant.com.; Title: Henry and Mudge Get the Cold Shivers | [
1364,
1612,
3946,
4685,
4721,
5327,
6988,
6995,
7047,
7078,
7087,
7094,
7641,
10344,
15106,
17956,
18164,
18183,
18184,
18218,
26766,
27108,
27266,
27364,
27365,
27369,
27371,
27372,
27423,
27434,
27564,
27593,
27602,
27736,
27743,
27749,
27751... | Test |
27,371 | 2 | Cynthia Rylant is the author of more than 100 books for young people, including the beloved Henry and Mudge, Annie and Snowball, Brownie & Pearl, and Mr. Putter & Tabby series. Her novelMissing Mayreceived the Newbery Medal. She lives in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Visit her at CynthiaRylant.com.; Title: Henry And Mudge And The Long Weekend: Ready-To-Read Level 2 (Paper) | [
2425,
2433,
3624,
3675,
3934,
4633,
4666,
4685,
5299,
5865,
6049,
6988,
6995,
7047,
7078,
7087,
7641,
13787,
16147,
17980,
17986,
18017,
18022,
18033,
18198,
22602,
22623,
26209,
26254,
27246,
27266,
27364,
27365,
27370,
27372,
27423,
27434,
... | Train |
27,372 | 0 | Cynthia Rylant is the author of more than 100 books for young people, including the beloved Henry and Mudge, Annie and Snowball, Brownie & Pearl, and Mr. Putter & Tabby series. Her novelMissing Mayreceived the Newbery Medal. She lives in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Visit her at CynthiaRylant.com.; Title: Henry and Mudge under the Yellow Moon | [
1612,
1626,
2314,
3137,
3347,
3604,
4669,
5255,
5299,
5327,
5479,
5865,
6349,
6719,
6988,
6995,
7047,
7078,
7087,
7436,
7641,
10567,
14080,
15381,
17463,
17980,
18022,
18033,
18183,
18198,
27266,
27364,
27365,
27370,
27371,
27423,
27434,
2747... | Train |
27,373 | 0 | PreSchool-Grade 2-Presenting the holiday from a child's point of view, the book begins the day before Thanksgiving with three poems set at school. A group of children dress as Native Americans, Pilgrims, and turkeys to provide a little historical background. Once home, preparations begin in earnest. The house and yard are tidied, family members start to arrive, and the cooking commences. Listening to grandma's stories, participating in a small-scale Thanksgiving parade, playing charades, and enjoying a good meal are all part of this family's celebration. Although the poems are primarily cheerful, a "Prayer for Others" is included as a reminder that not everyone will take part in such a plentiful feast. However, it is paired with "Thank You God for Bugs," which does detract somewhat from its serious message. Alley's illustrations make the book. Humorous touches abound, greatly enlivening the text. As the children prepare for the Thanksgiving play, their costumes are falling off, losing pieces, and tripping them up. Two birds on a branch seen through a window are adorned with an Indian headdress and a Pilgrim hat. As the play begins, the turkeys get tangled and a stray pumpkin flies off into the audience. The book ends on just the right note with a "Goodnight Prayer." Pass the pumpkin pie, dig in, and enjoy!-Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.Carlstrom's poems present a family's Thanksgiving, from the preholiday festivities at school to the home-centered activities of a jolly extended family. The rhyming verse, varied in form and full of good humor, takes a child's view of holiday moments, including the arrival of company, Granny's stories, charades, grace before dinner, "the quiet moment" after dinner when everyone is full and contented, and a good-night prayer. The themes of prayer and thanks recur throughout the book, giving a dimension of meaning that makes the holiday more than fun and games. Sometimes humorous, sometimes tender, the lively details in Alley's illustrations make each turn of the page a delight. The cross-hatched ink drawings washed with watercolors reflect the changing mood of the poems from one spread to the next. A pleasing addition to the growing collection of Thanksgiving books for children. Carolyn Phelan; Title: Thanksgiving Day at Our House: Thanksgiving Poems for the Very Young | [
481,
911,
1397,
1442,
2510,
3347,
5560,
6253,
8711,
9609,
10567,
12645,
15415,
15543,
16152,
22984,
25039,
26263,
29481,
35944,
37836,
37891,
39796,
47562,
51284,
52399,
55267,
56981,
57337,
63727,
66762
] | Train |
27,374 | 2 | Cynthia Rylant is the author of more than 100 books for young people, including the beloved Henry and Mudge, Annie and Snowball, Brownie & Pearl, and Mr. Putter & Tabby series. Her novelMissing Mayreceived the Newbery Medal. She lives in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Visit her at CynthiaRylant.com.; Title: Henry and Mudge and the Careful Cousin | [
7047,
7641,
27266,
27364,
27365,
27370,
27371,
27372,
27423,
27434,
27564,
27593,
27602,
27736,
27743,
27749,
27751,
27756,
27780,
27798,
38306,
47751,
51595,
51971,
54672,
54975,
55284
] | Train |
27,375 | 0 | Halperin's (Hunting the White Cow) sprightly, elaborately paneled illustrations set a light-hearted tone for this variation on a classic folktale motif. When an old man who lives in a cozy but meager home saves a "wee small man" from a fox and then helps him recuperate, he receives the gift of a "full belly bowl." An accompanying letter explains the rules: "When not in use, store it upside down." At first all is well, as the magic bowl multiplies whatever is placed in it, feeding the old man and his cat in grand style. Then the old man decides to use the bowl to multiply coins, and, excited at the prospect of untold wealth, he forgets the rule. The cottage is overrun first by mice (one crawls into the bowl), then by cats (the man multiplies his own cat to catch the mice)Aand in the mayhem, the bowl breaks. Aylesworth's (Through the Night) nimble story keeps the action going, transcending cautionary tale to deliver an amusing lark. The softly shaded and meticulously drawn images have a homespun quality that underscores the story's domesticity. Multiple panels unfold the plot in a series of airy, intricate vignettes; their borders are alight with elements that echo each scene, from fruit and flowers to birds, cats and mice. Aylesworth and Halperin make a wonderful team: like the magic bowl, their talents runneth over. Ages 4-8. (Oct.) Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.Kindergarten-Grade 3-Beautiful design enhances this delightful cautionary tale. Told in a folkloric style, it tells of a poor old man living a spartan existence in the forest with only his beloved cat for company. While foraging for wild strawberries one day, the man hears a cry for help. Alarmed, he grabs a stick and runs in the direction of the voice. There he spies a "wee small man" caught in the jaws of a fox. He hurls the stick at the beast and the little fellow drops to the ground, injured. The old man tends the sprite for several days and the two get on famously. Then one morning, the little man is gone, but a few days later a beautiful bowl appears on the doorstep with a note. The full belly bowl is a thank-you gift to be used wisely. Experimentation reveals that it will multiply anything placed within it. This, as the old man learns, is a mixed blessing when a spider alights in the enchanted vessel. Predictably, the old fellow becomes greedy and careless and the bowl is finally broken and useless. He then rediscovers contentment in his humble existence and is grateful for the final companionable gift provided by the magic. Exquisite colored-pencil drawings are distinguished by lovely botanical detail and fine draftsmanship. Thoughtful attention to layout, visual detail, and a well-told tale combine to create a gem of a book.Rosalyn Pierini, San Luis Obispo City-County Library, CA Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Full Belly Bowl | [
4005,
4802,
5935,
6292,
17354,
17884,
24549,
26030,
30993,
35414,
68210
] | Train |
27,376 | 11 | Long before the days of microwavable turkey, cranberry sauce from a can, and digestion in front of TV football, the Pilgrims celebrated their first Thanksgiving at Plymouth. And long before this, the Native Americans of the area celebrated the harvest during a feast called Nickommoh, which means "give away" or "exchange." This handsome book depicts the Nickommoh festivities of the Narragansett people of what is now Rhode Island. Every autumn they would have a giveaway dance during which the sachem (leader) distributed gifts such as donated food, clothing, and furs among widows, orphans, or anyone in need. But this was only one part of the festival. People feasted, played games, danced, prayed, sang, sweated in sweat lodges, and generally had a grand old time.Jackie French Koller's solemn, rhythmic, almost chant-like writing is accompanied by the earthy browns, reds, and yellows of Marcia Sewall's striking illustrations to create a mood that feels just right for the subject. Koller first explored early New England history in The Primrose Way, and is well established as author of over two dozen books for children and young adults, including the delightful One Monkey Too Many. A glossary of the Narragansett words used in the book is included. (Ages 5 to 9) --Emilie CoulterIf Squanto (reviewed above) offers background to the Pilgrims' first Thanksgiving, Koller (The Promise, reviewed p. 62) demonstrates that a celebratory gathering to commemorate the harvest, Nickommoh, had long been the custom on these shores. In prose with the cadence of a drumbeat, the author reveals the rhythms of Narragansett life, devoted to the Creator, Kautantawwitt, and punctuated by praise: "They come together, together to give thanks. Nickommoh!" In marked contrast to her usual style, Sewall's (The Pilgrims of Plimoth) scratchboard and gouache illustrations convey both simplicity and complexity. Even as she portrays individualsAmen cutting poles for the great lodge, women covering the poles with bark, children playing tug-of-warAher compositions build a unity among the characters. Almost hypnotic in their power, art and text are infused with the communal spirit of Thanksgiving. Ages 6-9. (Oct.) Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Nickommoh!: A Thanksgiving Celebration | [
35399
] | Validation |
27,377 | 0 | PreSchool-Grade 2-Set in a 19th-century New England whaling town, this picture book champions the cause of loud children and the resourcefulness of little girls. When Emily is born, her booming "GOO GOO BA BA" startles the midwife and frightens away the birds. As she grows older, she grows louder. Rather than be carted off to Miss Meekmeister's School for Soft-Spoken Girls, Emily gets herself a job calling orders on a whaling ship. This is just the place for the boisterous child, and she blasts commands to the crew and even saves the ship during a storm. In the satisfying conclusion, Emily returns to live with her family, but this time in a lighthouse where she warns passing vessels of dangerous rocks. "And nobody there in that house by the sea ever complains of the noise." The oil paintings are styled after 19th-century folk art and successfully pull the story together. Much of the text is set against embroidery cloth, giving the book a charming, homespun look. The endpapers provide the words for several sea chanteys, along with scrimshaw-style illustrations that show Emily, her mouth open wide, hard at work with the sailors. A rollicking tale with a likable heroine that attests to the irrepressible nature of children.Christy Norris Blanchette, Valley Cottage Library, NYCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.Ages 4^-8. Part tall tale, part stage show, this boisterous picture book set in a mid-nineteenth-century whaling town combines elements of Upstairs, Downstairs with a wild sea-adventure. From the day she is born, Emily's booming voice shatters the peace of her parents' stately mansion, but she finds acceptance in the happy din with the servants downstairs, where the cook likes "a lass who speaks up." To avoid her fate in a school for "Softspoken Girls," Emily runs away to sea, where the captain uses her trumpeting voice to call all hands on deck, and even the whales listen to her wild tunes. Then, in a storm, she takes over the damaged lighthouse and shouts to warn the ships of danger; her voice rings out loud and true, and she's a hero. Carpenter's exuberant oil paintings are in the folk-art styles of the period. From the opening scene with the bellowing, big-mouthed infant bursting out of a world too small for her, this is akin to the 1995 Caldecott Honor Books, Anne Isaacs' Swamp Angel and Julius Lester's John Henryexcept that this hero doesn't grow into a giant: she's a small child and she's powerful. At first, Emily's mother holds embroidered pillows over her ears as Emily's voice shatters the crystal and throws the plates in the drawing room; but by the end, everyone moves in step to Emily's command: the servants in the house, the sailors on the ship, and the whales in the sea. Hazel Rochman; Title: Loud Emily | [
6976,
7699,
16147,
17395,
26921,
41482,
68204
] | Validation |
27,378 | 11 | Grade 1-5?The joy of learning shines through in this lyrical, freewheeling tale of a group of Haitian children on their way to school. Leaving at dawn, these barefoot students race through the countryside and town to their school to learn to read and write another letter, sound, word, line, and page in the "great and beautiful books on the Road to ABC." The text flows along with the youngsters, evoking the sounds of the early morning and the shapes of the varied terrain over which they travel. Details of the town with its bread sellers and horse tamers provide another memorable backdrop to the children's passage. This rhythmic, richly descriptive account of a "day in the life" of these young Haitians takes readers into this activity as they follow along. With their vibrant Caribbean colors of turquoise, greens, pinks and oranges, the full- and double-page illustrations are perfectly attuned to the text. Ruffins's folk-art style, including the details of flora and fauna and folks, is a feast for the eyes. The slanting hills and varied perspectives create a sense of movement that keep readers' eyes following the contours of the landscape. An inspirational celebration of reading and the desire to learn.?Carol Schene, Taunton Public Schools, MACopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.A poetic text charts the experiences of six children as they run through the Haitian countryside (``six days each week, forty weeks each year, for seven years of their short lives'') on their way to and from school. Lauture (Father and Son, 1993, etc.) pens a lyric evocation of childhood--or even national--struggle lightened by innocence and leavened by the beauty of the natural world, but it retains a strongly adult sensibility: ``On the roads of white turf and roads of red clay they run. On roads of rocks and roads of mud they run. If they take a wrong step they do not complain.'' The writing often soars (the children ``gaze at the heavens, rise before the sun, sail with the moon, and dream of stars to read and write") but many young readers may not sit still for it. Ruffins's bright gouache paintings are appealing; they summon the vitality of Haitian primitive art and are similarly detailed, image-rich and jewel-toned. A book that's worthy, but wanting. (Picture book. 5-8) -- Copyright 1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.; Title: Running the Road to ABC | [
1001,
4363,
5607,
7506,
12152,
12236,
12269,
12604,
12725,
15064,
15600,
16347,
16525,
20727,
22196,
23038,
25148,
26889,
27244,
27313,
36150,
37140,
42018,
43828,
44495,
47403,
48345,
48408,
49080,
56709,
60817,
61310,
62690,
62864,
63971,
64055... | Train |
27,379 | 0 | Well-chosen facts, "set like jewels into the text," and "splendid" pictures mark this picture book as "the finest of nonfiction," said PW. Ages 7-up. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.Marcia Sewall'schildren's books have been among theNew York TimesBest Illustrated, the ALA Notables, andSchool Library JournalandBooklistbest books of the year. Her illustrations have been selected for exhibition by the American Institute of Graphic Arts and the Bratislava International Biennale. She is a lifelong resident of New England.; Title: The Pilgrims of Plimoth (Aladdin Picture Books) | [
4138,
4437,
4600,
5472,
5494,
7111,
8711,
11578,
12617,
12645,
15130,
15154,
24200,
26155,
26263,
26777,
26812,
27484,
27553,
28065,
28991,
30871,
30961,
33334,
35399,
35402,
35411,
37912,
38695,
39043,
39063,
46800,
47562,
49475,
57337,
70358,
... | Train |
27,380 | 0 | Grade 4-7AFans of historical fiction in general and readers of Bigger (S & S, 1994) in particular will appreciate this sequel named for that dog's offspring. As Sooner opens, the Civil War has ended, but Black Jack Bohannon has refused to accept defeat and has headed south of the border with a small band of rebels. His son, 13-year-old Tyler, tries to come to terms with his father's decision not to return home and to becoming the man of the family. They eventually learn via a letter that Bohannon has died in Brazil. By novel's end, Tyler and Isaac Peerce, a former slave, are "lighting out," with Sooner in tow, for the Western territories to make their own way in the world. In between, Tyler deals with scalawags, learns that the Emancipation Proclamation didn't necessarily change anybody's heart, and resists his widowed mother's interest in remarriage. On the one hand, Tyler is a well-drawn, likable protagonist, and the plot moves along at a nice clip. On the other, Calvert's narrative voice tends toward melodrama, and complicated problems are often resolved fairly easily. In between, the author creates a real sense of place and time through carefully selected period details.ACoop Renner, Coldwell Elementary-Intermediate School, El Paso, TXCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.Having traveled all the way to Texas in a vain effort to persuade his father to come back to Missouri, Tyler, 13, discovers, resists, and ultimately embraces the inevitability of change in this strong, simple sequel to Bigger (1994). Driven by the hope that Black Jack Bohannon will come back on his own one day, Tyler, his mother, and brother work to keep the farm going. That hope is snuffed when ex-slave Isaac Peerce reappears, bearing proof that Black Jack is dead. Tyler had always expected to live and die on the farm, but loses his position as man of the house when his mother marries widower Elway Snepp. It's time to head west, andlike father, like sonTyler never looks back. Calvert peoples her story with a mix of likable characters both steady and hot-headed, not the least of which is the dog for whom this book is named. She recaps the earlier book in detail, sets the larger postCivil War scene with a historical foreword and an afterword, and gives Tyler's change of heart believable reasons and pacing. (Fiction. 10-12) -- Copyright 1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.; Title: Sooner | [
28186
] | Test |
27,381 | 2 | Cynthia Rylant is the author of more than 100 books for young people, including the beloved Henry and Mudge, Annie and Snowball, Brownie & Pearl, and Mr. Putter & Tabby series. Her novel Missing May received the Newbery Medal. She lives in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Visit her at CynthiaRylant.com.; Title: Henry and Mudge and the Happy Cat (Henry & Mudge) | [
4756,
6995,
7047,
7078,
7641,
20300,
27266,
27364,
27365,
27370,
27371,
27372,
27395,
27423,
27434,
27564,
27593,
27602,
27736,
27743,
27749,
27751,
27756,
27780,
27798,
33366,
49784,
51595,
51971,
54672,
54975,
55230,
55284
] | Validation |
27,382 | 15 | Grade 5-9. One season, one slender volume, 33 gently evocative poems. Ordinary Things is a quiet book that begs readers to look around, observe nature, and experience a walk through the woods in spring. The poems are the soul of brevity, often with no more than 12 or 16 lines, and embrace objects as common as birds' nests, birch trees, and a rug of leaves. Closer looks reveal shed snakeskins, ancient arrowheads and fossils, and even a discarded, rusty VW Beetle. Fletcher reminds young people that such a walk can be mind-clearing and therapeutic. "Each footstep is like a word/as it meets the blank page/followed by a pause/before the next one:/step, step, word...." All the senses are at work in these selections, as Fletcher reflects on the "monotonous chant" of frogs, the sweetness of maple syrup, the sight of mailboxes that look like "old people dancing slowly cheek-to-cheek," and the feel of "hot horse breath on my cheek." Krudop's pencil drawings extend and enhance the natural woodland images. The next time readers take a leisurely, head-clearing walk, they may wish to recall the author's observations and create their own.?Sharon Korbeck, Waupaca Area Public Library, WICopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.Gr. 4^-6, younger for reading aloud. In Fletcher's poetry, observations on ordinary things reveal more complex thoughts and emotions. The poems in this collection would make strong choices for reading aloud throughout the year. Younger listeners might marvel, as Fletcher does in "Birds' Nests," when his grandmother throws some of his freshly cut hair on the ground outside so that later the hair could be "woven into a bird's wild tapestry." Older readers may understand the desire to look for arrowheads while out walking: to "hold one in my hand / I want to touch the tip of history." Karen Morgan; Title: Ordinary Things: Poems from a Walk in Early Spring | [
12490,
14264,
15613,
27273,
60774
] | Train |
27,383 | 1 | An ecologically aware girl is sure she sees a whale in her swimming pond, despite her teacher's missives. Ages 4-7. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Dear Mr. Blueberry (Aladdin Picture Books) | [
726,
2772,
4898,
5440,
5446,
5479,
5516,
5883,
6086,
7556,
14016,
15812,
16202,
16454,
16952,
17149,
17713,
20865,
21042,
21981,
26885,
27246,
27265,
28065,
30543,
31931,
32376,
37294,
38306,
38523,
39235,
39446,
43904,
46629,
46744,
48124,
496... | Test |
27,384 | 8 | These first two installments in the My First Raggedy Ann series, abridged for younger readers from tales Gruelle originally wrote and illustrated for his housebound daughter Marcella, differ significantly from each other. In the first, a sweet but slow tale, Raggedy plays a largely passive role as Marcella's doll, who falls into a can of paint. The housepainter takes Raggedy Ann home to clean her up, and his wife sews on her famous red candy heart proclaiming "I love you." The second, livelier tale has a more fanciful spin, giving Raggedy Ann and Andy identities more akin to children than playthings. The title is a bit misleading, as the book's key action derives from a bespectacled wooden horse who leads Ann, Andy and a flannel camel on a mission to recapture Ann's doll pal, Babette, from a band of pirates. Mayhem erupts as the thieving band's tent collapses around them, and Ann seizes the chance to rescue Babette. This scenario brings on the books' funniest lines: when the horse promises to give each pirate a lollipop if they pledge to reform, two acquiesce immediately, announcing "I'll stop being a pirate and be a plumber" and "I'll stop and go into the garage business." Palmer alters the moods of her cheerful, if somewhat cutesy, artwork to match each story: she gives the first book a more realistic feel (though the constantly smiling human characters resemble actors in a 1950s sitcom), while creating a more whimsical aura in the second, effectively intensifying her palette to introduce the vivid pirate crew. The uninitiated will likely warm up to Raggedy Ann and her pals, yet these titles aren't likely to claim nearly the longevity of their predecessors. Ages 3-7. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.Johnny Gruelle was a newspaperman. He wrote and illustrated many books about Raggedy Ann and her friends, whom he created for the enjoyment of his beloved daughter, Marcella. He died in 1938.; Title: How Raggedy Ann Got Her Candy Heart My First Raggedy Ann | [
352,
27396,
27499,
27644,
27658,
27701,
28132,
54922,
54950
] | Train |
27,385 | 2 | PreSchool-Grade 1The much-loved, irrepressible Jesse Bear is back in another adventure. Here, readers are introduced to his extended family as they gather for a reunion and have fun dancing and singing under the stars, going on hayrides, and playing croquet. The cub is right in the middle of the action, playing with his cousins and trying new foods and activities. Carlstrom's breezy, bouncy rhymes describe all of the tastes, smells, and sights of an active and loving family get-together. The watercolor-and-ink illustrations are bright, cheery, and uncluttered. Fans of Jesse Bear will be more than satisfied with this child's-eye view of an event that many youngsters experience.Wendy Woodfill, Hennepin County Library, Minnetonka, MN Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.PreS-Gr. 1. Jesse Bear and his aunts, uncles, and cousins return to Grandpa and Grandma's farmhouse for a big family reunion. After sleeping out in a tent, Jesse enjoys boating, a hayride, games, stories, and a picnic with the bear clan. The "family tree" in the title doesn't refer to genealogy, although that's implied with all the relatives running around, but to the big tree that Jesse is finally old enough to climb at the end of the book. Rhyming couplets keep the story moving along quickly from one happy scene to the next, while the ink drawings, brightened with colorful washes, reflect the genial tone of the words. An amiable addition to primary-grade and preschool units on families. Carolyn PhelanCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Climb the Family Tree, Jesse Bear! | [
336,
344,
11904,
21739,
27494,
27505,
28023,
40272
] | Train |
27,386 | 2 | Horn Book Magazine The beginning reader couldn't ask for a better pair of companions.School Library Journal Cheers to Rylant and Stevenson...Suçie Stevenson is the acclaimed author and illustrator of more than fifty books for children and is best known as the illustrator of the popular Henry and Mudge books by Cynthia Rylant. She lives on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, with her little cocker spaniel, Gracie.; Title: Henry and Mudge and the Wild Wind (Henry & Mudge) | [
7047,
17980,
27266,
27364,
27365,
27370,
27371,
27372,
27423,
27434,
27564,
27593,
27602,
27736,
27743,
27749,
27751,
27756,
27780,
27798,
51595,
51971,
54672,
54975,
55284
] | Train |
27,387 | 0 | Author Deborah Hopkinson drew from 19th-century lighthouse keepers' diaries to inform this story of Birdie [Bertha] Holland, who, as we meet her on her 10th birthday, learns that her sailor father has been named keeper of Maine's Turtle Island lighthouse. The family will move to the cold, rocky island whose light guards the lives of seagoers.Birdie learns to clip the lamp wicks and polish the reflectors that light the way. "Papa ... isn't sure a girl can do it, but I know I can learn to keep the light. I won't let him down."And she doesn't. In a huge storm, Birdie tends the light alone, clinging to railings in the wind and blowing waves as she follows the life-and-death ritual that keeps the ships from harm."... Papa is so proud of me he told everyone in the village how I kept the lamps burning," Birdie tells us. Young readers will be pretty proud of her too.[The publisher suggests ages 4-9 for this book; older readers with a touch of the romantic in them may enjoy it also.]Kindergarten-Grade 4. Written in diary form, this picture book tells the story of Birdie Holland, daughter of a lighthouse keeper on a tiny island off the Maine coast in 1855. Her brother helps their father in the lighthouse until he becomes a fisherman and leaves the island. Then Birdie must take his place. When her father becomes ill during a severe northeaster, she must carry out the duties alone. Toward morning, she sees that her efforts have saved her brother and his boat. The small details of this excellently written and researched tale, such as how the lamps were tended, the need to make sure they never go out, and the descriptions of the family's life on the island, make this story come to life. An author's note explains that it is based on the lives of actual lighthouse heroines. The detailed watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations are a perfect match for the narrative. They depict each period detail with clarity and lend atmosphere to Birdie's adventure, capturing the dark hues of the sea and the stark Maine landscapes and interiors. A shining bit of historical fiction for elementary audiences.?Anne Parker, Milton Public Library, MACopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Birdie's Lighthouse (Fiction) | [
594,
677,
14060,
41195,
62739,
71452
] | Train |
27,388 | 2 | The remains of the day are softly romanticized in this gentle lullaby book about a mother and child reunion. "When Mama comes home from work, dear child, when Mama comes home tonight, she'll say, 'Let's put your blocks away--the red, the green, the white.' She'll fix herself a cup of tea, and let you have a sip. She'll mend your blue pajamas and her own pink satin slip." The real-life weekday evenings of a working mother and her child may not be as rosy and calm; in this lovely interlude there's also time for pat-a-cake, stargazing, and plenty of rocking chair cuddles. But like a simple prayer, Eileen Spinelli's rhyming verse and Mem Fox's (Time for Bed) creamy pastel illustrations praise this everlasting mother-child connection and offer hope for the peaceful nights and soothing images we long for. (Click to see a sample spread. From When Mama Comes Home Tonight, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. Text 1998 by Eileen Spinelli. Illustrations 1998 by Jane Dyer.) (Baby to preschool) --Gail HudsonMother returns from her job to spend an evening of play and bath time with a sleepy, grateful toddler in this comforting picture book. Spinelli's (Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch) brief, rhythmic sentences immediately establish the mood: "When Mama comes home from work, dear child,/ when Mama comes home tonight,/ she'll cover you with kisses,/ she'll hug you sweet and tight." Inspired by the work of Mary Cassatt, Dyer (Time for Bed) composes scenes of quiet domestic harmony, centering on a plump, porcelain-skinned mother in a long flowered dress and her copper-tressed son or daughter in overalls. Text and art depict Mama as an embracing, nurturing and very feminine presence. She plays pat-a-cake with Baby, counts the cars on the small-town street, mends Baby's pajamas and "her own pink satin slip," and fixes herself a cup of tea. The setting is carefully timeless: the clapboard house and playthings old-fashioned, the clothing and furniture as appropriate a few generations ago as today. Spot illustrations lovingly highlight various objects?bowl of soup and cup of applesauce, Baby's sandals, rubber duck, brush, teddy bear?for young readers to recognize and practice naming (in one inventive touch, for "lullabies," musical notes play "Rock-a-Bye Baby" on a star-filled staff set against the sky). The book works marvelously as a soporific, and will reassure anxiously waiting children as well as the parents who dash home to put them to bed. Ages 6 mos.-5 yrs. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: When Mama Comes Home Tonight | [
1270,
7488,
10070,
10935,
14695,
31414,
47489,
47643,
52479,
58000,
60742,
61641,
61645,
74593,
75797
] | Train |
27,389 | 13 | Grade 4-6. An imitation of the "American Girl" series, this "Girlhood Journey" features Marie, a 10 year old living in Paris in 1775. Her passion to dance is nurtured by her ballet teacher, who finds her a patron who will sponsor her advanced training at Court. Other major characters include Marie's happy-go-lucky best friend, Joelle, and a 13-year-old girl from the Connecticut Colony who has come to Paris with her father to study painting. Readers are fed snippets of history through the conversations of students who come to Marie's parents' cafe, a raid on Joelle's parents' bakery by hungry citizens who cannot get flour, and glimpses of street life. Decorative full-color illustrations accompany the text. Characterizations are minimal, and the dialogue is stilted. The plot provides a lot of exposition and enough action to lead into Book Two. It is questionable how many middle grade readers will be absorbed enough to care. (Note: a full-page, full-color ad for dolls that correspond with titles in this series appears on the last page.)?Amy Kellman, The Carnegie Library of PittsburghCopyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Marie: An Invitation to Dance: Paris, 1775 (Girlhood Journeys, Book One) | [
27443
] | Train |
27,390 | 13 | Grade 2-4-Providence Traveler is Leonardo da Vinci's biggest fan. The young mouse has checked out every biography and art book in the library at least three times and has dedicated her life to becoming an artist and inventor. Under one book, she finds a diagram with directions for building a large wooden mouse, and she sets out to create it, unaware that she is making a time machine. Suddenly, Providence, her brother, and the twins next door are whisked away to 1503 Florence; in order to return to their own time, they must locate the key that winds the mouse. Along the way they encounter many fascinating mice-a crazy old inventor who's also an artist (you know who), a grouchy bishop and his attendant, and several townspeople. The bright pencil-and-watercolor cartoons are packed with loads of cultural information about old Florence. However, while these illustrations will engage young children, the length and the intricate details of the story make it more appropriate for older independent readers, who may find the art too juvenile for their tastes.Christine E. Carr, Lester C. Noecker Elementary School, Roseland, NJCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.Gr. 2-4. Sabuda's latest transports mouse inventor Providence Traveler and her friends back to sixteenth-century Florence for zany exploits with her hero, Leonardo da Vinci. This action-adventure story, somewhere between a picture book (there's some delightful full-page art) and a chapter book with a relatively long text, communicates the importance of science, creativity, and following one's dreams. Scattered throughout are several caption-peppered, Richard Scarry-style depictions of time and place, such as the streets of Florence, Leonardo's workshop, Filippo's print shop, and the feast of St. Giovanni. These sections offer a colorful, mouse-eye's view of Renaissance culture, but they also slow the momentum of this otherwise energetic time-travel caper. Although some children may find the book too busy, others, who enjoy exploring how things work or delving into history, will revel in the level of detail. In a closing note, Sabuda elaborates on Florence's role during the Renaissance and also da Vinci's life. Karin SnelsonCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: Uh-oh, Leonardo! : The Adventures of Providence Traveler | [
8304,
16214,
17488,
27174,
27391,
27401,
28001,
28052,
28053,
28056,
32336,
32343,
32521,
32609,
33291,
33386,
33768,
42104,
47434,
47556,
47565,
47960,
47995,
67857,
67861
] | Train |
27,391 | 0 | This elaborate pop-up book adds a spectacular twist to Mother Goose's well-loved rhymes. Paper artist Robert Sabuda, preeminent patriarch of modern pop-up engineering, brings yet another explosion of motion and color to his latest masterpiece. Attributing animal personalities to nursery-rhyme characters, he surprises young readers time and again. In "Jack Be Nimble," for example, the fellow leaping lithely over a candlestick is none other than a grasshopper. And the Man in the Moon is seen from a startling perspective: he has decidedly alien features! Sabuda's quirky take on traditional rhymes, combined with his fantastic folding, moving, spinning paper sculptures, will have pop-up fanciers and Mother Goose devotees clamoring for more. Sturdier than most pop-ups, these three-dimensional constructions are nonetheless vulnerable to tiny grabbing hands. At his best, Sabuda creates breathtaking displays of pop-up craftsmanship, as in the "four and twenty blackbirds" bursting rowdily out of a pie, mirrored sunglasses on every one. At his worst, he creates slightly bewildering beings, such as the star-shaped Jill in "Jack and Jill" tumbling down a mysterious edifice. He may occasionally (and understandably--what a fun job!) get carried away with his engineering feats. (Ages 4 to 8) --Emilie CoulterSabuda (ABC Disney) upholds his reputation for mind-bogglingly elaborate paper confections with this surprise-filled collection of nursery rhymes. An all-animal cast makes for some amusing twists: Little Bo-Peep is a sheepdog, Miss Muffet a fly (with good reason to be frightened by a spider) and nimble Jack a grasshopper. Each spread has a central rhyme, the pop-up for which unfolds with the turn of a page; rectangular flaps introduce additional rhymes. The creatures, rendered in matte blocks of color (plus some metallic foil), take on the form of a cut-paper sculpture. The pop-ups are occasionally difficult to decipher: it takes some analysis, for example, to figure out that Jack and Jill are ants tumbling down an anthill. Though Sabuda seems particularly fond of insects, their unfolding limbs and body segments can make them the most challenging to decode. However, the virtuoso pieces are astonishing, particularly the mice that race up and down for "Hickory Dickory Dock" and the four-and-twenty sunglasses-sporting blackbirds that burst from a pie. All ages. (Oct.) Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: The Movable Mother Goose | [
5932,
8304,
10298,
10796,
11289,
16344,
17488,
17740,
17824,
22075,
27390,
27401,
28001,
28052,
28053,
28056,
28455,
29210,
29265,
32336,
32343,
32521,
32539,
32609,
33291,
33341,
33386,
33768,
33907,
34021,
42104,
42108,
45727,
47434,
47556,
475... | Train |
27,392 | 18 | Dan Andreasen is the illustrator of numerous picture books, including By the Dawns Early Light: The Story of the Star-Spangled Banner by Steven Kroll, which was named an ABA Kids Pick of the Lists and a Notable Childrens Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies; A Quiet Place by Douglas Wood; and Sailor Boy Jig by Margaret Wise Brown. He has also authored several picture books, including With a Little Help from Daddy and A Special Day for Mommy. Dan lives with his family in Medina, Ohio.; Title: Daniel's Story (American Quilts, Book 3) | [
27358,
27359,
27363
] | Train |
27,393 | 13 | A groundbreaking African-American chorus founded in 1871 inspires this warm and moving picture book. "Grandma Ella was born into slavery... but no one could chain her voice," begins Aunt Beth in response to the girl narrator's request for her favorite story. After the Civil War, Ella becomes one of the first students to attend the Fisk School, a newly formed institution for freed slaves in Nashville. She has been at her studies only a short time when the school's run-down buildings and dire financial situation puts Fisk on the verge of closing. But Professor White, who teaches music, recruits Ella and fellow members of the school chorus to tour the northern states and raise money for Fisk. In the North, the singing group meets with harsh discrimination that moves them to perform not the slotted popular tunes of the day but the "powerful songs of courage" known as spirituals?a program change that earns them both money and accolades. Hopkinson's (Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt) lilting text interweaves subtle details about racial tensions after the Civil War while emphasizing the importance of education and of being true to oneself. Colon's (My Mama Had a Dancing Heart) watercolor and colored-pencil compositions are awash in soft, golden light. His characteristic cross-hatching technique adds texture and depth to each painting, and scenes of the chorus lost in song?voices raised, eyes closed?reveal the courage and heart of these trailblazing singers. Ages 5-8. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 1-5?This picture book is both touching and inspirational. The narrative is written from the point of view of the great-great-granddaughter of Ella Sheppard, one of the original Jubilee Singers from the Fisk School in Nashville, TN, the first school for freed slaves. As Aunt Beth tells about the struggles of Ella and the rest of the chorus to raise money to save their school, the girl imagines what her great-great-grandmother might have thought or felt. The singers traveled throughout the North after the Civil War performing popular music. However, it was only when they began to perform the "jubilee" or spiritual songs such as "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" that they gained popularity. Later, they sang for Queen Victoria and President Grant and the funds they raised helped to build Jubilee Hall and establish Fisk University. Hopkinson's poignant prose sets the tone for this glimpse into a little-known bit of black history. Using the device of a family storyteller and a child narrator brings immediacy to the tale and a personal connection to the events. Colon's soft watercolor and colored-pencil illustrations are full of gentle greens and browns. The sepia tones add an antique look to the book. This heartwarming presentation is not a historical account, but rather a human look at recorded facts. A fine read-aloud with a good story, uplifting pictures, and fascinating information.?Beth Tegart, Oneida City Schools, NYCopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: A Band of Angels: A Story Inspired by the Jubilee Singers | [
16062,
19538,
25082,
26800,
27874,
37021,
38130,
54771
] | Train |
27,394 | 3 | What can you do with a shoe? If you can't come up with anything besides "put it on your foot," it's time to expand your horizons. In What Can You do with a Shoe, author and Caldecott medalist Beatrice Schenk de Regniers promotes a wide range of creative options for footwear, from putting a shoe on your ear to wearing it on your head to buttering it like bread or using apple jam instead. The same innovative approach to repurposing is applied to a chair, a hat, a cup, a broom, and a bed. Each time, a pageant of wacky possibilities is explored in rhyme, followed by an acquiescent nod to the traditional function of the object in question. Children and adults alike will love the anarchist thrill of ideas, from filling a hat with pickles to using a broom as a bear brush.Here, it is the pictures that make the book, as the illustrious Maurice Sendak displays his talent for delightful drawings once again. This edition is the first to include full-color paintings, which make the whimsical illustrations of a boy and girl playing dress-up even more lively and endearing, and the perfect accompaniment to a celebration of endless imagination and possibility. (Ages 2 to 7)Beatrice Schenk de Regniersis the author of many award-winning books for children, among themMay I Bring a Friend?,illustrated by Beni Montresor and winner of the Caldecott Medal;David and Goliath; A Little House of Your Own; Little Sister and the Month Brothers; The Snow Party;andSo Many Cats.Formerly a children's book editor, Ms. de Regniers now writes full time. She lives in Washington, D.C.; Title: What Can You Do with a Shoe? | [
68204
] | Validation |
27,395 | 2 | Cynthia Rylant is the author of more than 100 books for young people, including the beloved Henry and Mudge, Annie and Snowball, Brownie & Pearl, and Mr. Putter & Tabby series. Her novelMissing Mayreceived the Newbery Medal. She lives in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Visit her at CynthiaRylant.com.; Title: Henry and Mudge and the Best Day of All | [
3624,
5865,
6988,
6995,
7047,
7078,
7087,
7094,
22624,
27266,
27364,
27365,
27367,
27370,
27371,
27372,
27381,
27397,
27423,
27434,
27564,
27593,
27602,
27736,
27743,
27749,
27751,
27756,
27780,
27798,
47751,
51595,
51971,
52485,
54672,
54975,
... | Train |
27,396 | 8 | Johnny Gruelle was a newspaperman. He wrote and illustrated many books about Raggedy Ann and her friends, whom he created for the enjoyment of his beloved daughter, Marcella. He died in 1938.; Title: Raggedy Ann Andy And The Camel With The Wrinkled Knees My First Raggedy Ann | [
352,
27384,
27548,
27658,
27701,
28132
] | Test |
27,397 | 2 | PreSchool-Grade 2In three chapters, Henry and his 180-pound behemoth of a dog bake cookies for their relatives, go caroling with Uncle Ed and Annie, and open presents and eat breakfast together on Christmas morning. The scene at the table, in which all of the adults "accidentally" drop pancakes, muffins, and ham for Mudge, is priceless. Rylant's words and Stevenson's pictures work together to create a charming and funny holiday title that beginning readers and their grown-ups will savor year-round.M. A. Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.School Library Journal Bravo, Henry and Mudge. May they go on forever!; Title: Henry and Mudge and a Very Merry Christmas (Henry & Mudge) | [
1396,
1977,
4316,
5371,
5591,
6981,
6995,
7047,
7076,
18072,
21290,
21536,
27266,
27364,
27365,
27367,
27370,
27371,
27372,
27395,
27423,
27434,
27564,
27593,
27602,
27736,
27743,
27749,
27751,
27756,
27780,
27798,
32956,
48084,
51595,
51971,
5... | Validation |
27,398 | 0 | Hunt (Illuminations) revisits the Middle Ages in this alphabetical roundup of fearsome imaginary creatures gleaned from traditions around the globe. The always ravenous catoblepas (Ethiopia) "would often gnaw its own forelegs in frustration" and "could kill with a single look"; the javelin snake (Europe) hid in trees and "hurled itself downward like a spear" onto passersby below; etc. Hunt casts even usually benign creatures in a shadowy light: the Black Dog of Ireland and Scotland had dreadful powers ("Those who heard its footfalls or gazed into its eyes were struck dumb with fear and soon withered away and died") and two species of unicorns, from Persian lore, include one "foul-tempered," the other "a vicious carnivore." Despite the title, there's little of the "illuminated" look to the illustrations; they're mostly dramatic pictures with numerous bared fangs and chilling, beady eyes. Of particular interest and appeal, a final spread uses Hunt's elegant decorated capitals as a striking border around an equally striking note positing theories about the roles served by mythical monsters. All ages. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.Grade 4-8-This eye-catching picture book is for readers old enough to have acquired a sense of time past and who can appreciate the power that myth and legend can exert on the human imagination. It is, like Hunt's Illuminations (S & S, 1989), a reflection of the ideas and world view of the medieval centuries, a time when the Earth seemed full of mysterious beasts and travelers wrote tales of fantastic adventures. The author's extensive research into the history of bestiaries (as evidenced by his appended note and the lengthy bibliography) has yielded 26 brightly colored, action-filled illustrations of wondrous, and mostly fearsome, creatures. Familiar legendary beasts such as the griffin, phoenix, and sphinx share the pages with the ichneumon, ozaena, ziphius, and other curiosities. A pronunciation guide on the first page helps readers with the names, and a brief paragraph under each neatly framed picture explains the powers and peculiar habits of the storied creatures. A decorative map on the endpapers shows the known world of the Middle Ages and the location of each reported marvel. Fun to read because of the fabulous creatures and the accounts of their often-bizarre appetites and reported ferocity, this book offers an engaging pictorial supplement to studies of the Middle Ages or units on legends and myths.Shirley Wilton, Ocean County College, Toms River, NJCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.; Title: Bestiary: An Illuminated Alphabet of Medieval Beasts | [
29265,
31051
] | Train |
27,399 | 11 | Grade 3-8-Seven regions plus Washington, DC, are explored through 51 poems by 40 different poets. The selections explore each area's geography, climate, or urban or rural features. Classic poets such as Langston Hughes, Carl Sandburg, and Nikki Giovanni are represented along with David McCord, X. J. Kennedy, Myra Cohn Livingston, and Hopkins himself. Twenty poems were commissioned especially for the book. Alcorn's paintings reflect the emotional range of the poems through a variety of styles and images. The artist expresses the diversity of American geography using shape, colors, and texture to evoke a variety of landscapes and including people from many cultural backgrounds. Each section is preceded by a painted map of the region and brief lists of facts, including a "Great Fact" for each state. Previous collections of poetry about America have taken chronological, thematic, or biographical approaches. This regional arrangement invites connections to literature set in the places presented. When used along with Nora Panzer's Celebrate America in Poetry and Art (Hyperion, 1999) and Hopkins's Hand in Hand: An American History through Poetry (S & S, 1994) and Lives: Poems about Famous Americans (HarperCollins, 1999), this volume will enrich literature and social-studies units.Barbara Chatton, College of Education, University of Wyoming, Laramie Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.Reviewed with Bobbi Katz's We the People.These two large-size poetry anthologies will get lots of use across the curriculum--in history, civics, literature, and American Studies classes.Katz has steeped herself in the diaries, letters, journals, and biographies of famous leaders and ordinary people through U.S. history and written more than 60 first-person poems in their individual voices. The collection, arranged in chronological order, includes Chief Powhatan's "Message for the Settlers," a Yukon gold miner's tale, and kids' e-mail messages to President Clinton on the edge of the twenty-first century. Immediate and colloquial, sometimes wry, sometimes solemn, the poems work well as dramatic monologues, whether it's Orville and Wilbur Wright telling the "First Airplane" in two voices, Roosevelt on the New Deal ("The people are no mob to me. I have met them face to face"), or a Japanese American child on being interned during World War II. Nina Crews uses archival images and photographs in three collages to express a sense of past and present.Hopkins' organization is geographical. He divides the U.S. into eight regions. For each, he includes a map, a page of facts about the states, and seven or eight poems. Even the selections from the famous, such as Langston Hughes and Carl Sandburg, are not the usual familiar choices, and several poems were specially commissioned for the anthology. Some poems are purposive, but the best (including X. J. Kennedy's "Boulder, Colorado," Nikki Giovanni's "Knoxville, Tennessee," Ruth Lechlitner's poem about "This Kansas boy who never saw the sea," and several by Hopkins himself) capture places and people in all their diversity. Stephen Alcorn's handsome, multitextured pictures are sometimes overwhelming, but they avoid literal interpretation and capture the sweep of the land and the rhythm of the words. Hazel RochmanCopyright American Library Association. All rights reserved; Title: My America: A Poetry Atlas of the United States | [
1587,
2036,
2227,
5195,
5279,
6014,
7111,
15291,
16347,
17700,
19712,
20016,
20727,
26059,
26607,
26721,
26812,
26890,
28302,
28995,
38695,
39090,
40142,
40747,
42027,
43464,
46185,
49840,
52649,
53061,
61634,
63191,
63874,
65498,
69133,
71355,
... | Train |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.