I find there are some books that, upon re-reading them, take you back to a very specific time and place. "A Color of His Own" does that for me.
Whenever I read it, I think of a little boy I used to tutor. He was autistic, but he could read quite well - technically. He had (seemingly) very little comprehension, but lots of decoding abilites. He was extremely artistic, and loved drawing. In order to keep him engaged, I picked out a lot of books that were visually appealingand had a simple, clear plotline. When I bought an old school reader at Value Village, I found "A Color of His Own" by Leo Lionni inside. It became a fast favorite.
The little guy and I read this story umpteen times. He never seemed to tired of it. And with good reason! Like Lionni's other books, this one is done in watercolor. The pictures are very simple and bright, and the story is sweet.
What IS the story about? Thought you'd never ask!
Basically, a chameleon grows tired of always changing color (wherever he happens to sit, he changes to look like the background). He decides to sit on a leaf forever and never change color again. Problem! Leaves change color in the fall(d'oh!). When this happens, the chameleon gets kind of depressed and remains black all through winter. Then, in the spring, he finds an older, wiser chameleon. This chameleon explains that if they stick together, they'll always have a color of their own - even though they'll still change color, they'll do it together. Aw.
It's a really sweet book!
It also has the (possibly overused, but totally appropriate) "happily ever after" ending - and I'm a sucker for that.
So, for happy memories, beautiful art and a gentle story, I give this book 9 chameleons out of ten.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
The Monster at the end of this Book
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that everyone loves Sesame Street. Why? Because it's awesome. And if you DON'T love Sesame Street, I have to wonder: what on earth is wrong with you?
It has monsters.
And people.
Monsters and people living together in harmony. And it's funny and cute and clever. Much like the book we're going to look at today: "The Monster at the end of this Book", by Jon Stone.
I think this book is brilliant. The writing isn't complex and the art isn't amazing - but the book is FUNNY. It's also interesting because it's a direct interaction between Grover and the reader.
The story starts with Grover finding out that there's a monster at the end of the book. After that, he proceeds to beg the reader NOT to turn the pages. The reader does (of course) despite Grover's attempts to tie the pages together, build a brick wall and plead, plead, plead.
Of course, when we finally reach the end of the book, Grover is delighted (and more than a little embarrassed) to find out that, in fact, HE is the monster at the end of the book! Hilarious (especially if you're four)!
When I first read 'Don't let the Pigeon Drive the Bus', I immediately thought of this book. It has the same fast-paced writing, the same quirky humor and the same endearing main character. And Mo Willems comes from the Sesame Street world as well...so maybe it's something in the water?
Any which way, this book is a terrific read-aloud, and I've yet to meet a preschooler who doesn't love it.
Ten furry faces out of ten!
It has monsters.
And people.
Monsters and people living together in harmony. And it's funny and cute and clever. Much like the book we're going to look at today: "The Monster at the end of this Book", by Jon Stone.
I think this book is brilliant. The writing isn't complex and the art isn't amazing - but the book is FUNNY. It's also interesting because it's a direct interaction between Grover and the reader.
The story starts with Grover finding out that there's a monster at the end of the book. After that, he proceeds to beg the reader NOT to turn the pages. The reader does (of course) despite Grover's attempts to tie the pages together, build a brick wall and plead, plead, plead.
Of course, when we finally reach the end of the book, Grover is delighted (and more than a little embarrassed) to find out that, in fact, HE is the monster at the end of the book! Hilarious (especially if you're four)!
When I first read 'Don't let the Pigeon Drive the Bus', I immediately thought of this book. It has the same fast-paced writing, the same quirky humor and the same endearing main character. And Mo Willems comes from the Sesame Street world as well...so maybe it's something in the water?
Any which way, this book is a terrific read-aloud, and I've yet to meet a preschooler who doesn't love it.
Ten furry faces out of ten!
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Silly Tobo, it's the Eighties!
Know what's funny about many of the books written in the eighties? The theme: everyone is awesome. Everyone is a winner.
Everyone.
Even the klutzy kid who was so bad at elementary school track and field that she was given the once-in-a-lifetime chance to be the official photographer (complete with sticker that said "Press").
You know, I never saw those pictures afterwards. Come to think of it, I'm not even certain the camera had film...
A-hem.
Today's story is called "Tobo Hates Purple". What's it about? So glad you asked.
This is a tale of Tobo, some kind of child circus clown (seriously, that's as close as I can figure, based on the odd drawings). Tobo also happens to be purple. All purple - from the tips of his pointy hair to his prune-y purple toes - purple, purple, purple. Heck, everything he wears is purple. And he hates it. Purple, that is.
So why not put on different colored clothes?
Because that doesn't make for good conflict, that's why!
Tobo's being purple actually makes sense, because his mom is blue and his dad is red. But for some reason, Tobo has a total meltdown about not liking to be purple anymore. But mom tells him to buck up and go to school (clown school?) anyway.
So he does.
And all day he's in a horrible mood. People think he's sick, but really - he's sick of being purple.
So his BFF shows up at the end of the day and offers to paint him a different color. He's all, "OMG, totes!"*
They go to the BFF's and she paints him every color under the sun, but none of them feel right. And do you know what happens next?
You do if you were raised in the eighties! I feel a whole lotta self-acceptance coming on (ooh, it tingles)!
Yes. Tobo realizes that purple is the best color for him to be. He goes home and all is well. The end.
My issues with the book:
1. I'm not sure whether it's the age of the book/quality of the printing, but Tobo is really more dark blue/brown in many of the pictures.
2. Tobo is kind of a jerk when he says "how ugly orange makes me look." DUDE! Your BFF is ORANGE. NOT cool.
3. The author/illustrator's head floating on the back cover. No foolin'. It's just there, all stare-y and oddly coiffed. No neck or anything - just a floating head.
4. The art and writing aren't awful. That said, I think another writer could've written the story better, and another artist could've drawn it better. IMHO.
Overall, it's an eighties book. When I have kids, I'll probably end up reading it to them at some point. And then I'll get all misty-eyed and start rambling about Fraggles and Popples and Rainbow Brite and She-Ra. And the kids will turn out the lights and leave me sitting alone in the dark, feeling good about myself and remembering how awesome everyone is.
Even Tobo.
Out of ten bookmarks, this one earns a solid five.
*OK, so maybe he didn't say it in those EXACT words. But that was the gist of it.
Everyone.
Even the klutzy kid who was so bad at elementary school track and field that she was given the once-in-a-lifetime chance to be the official photographer (complete with sticker that said "Press").
You know, I never saw those pictures afterwards. Come to think of it, I'm not even certain the camera had film...
A-hem.
Today's story is called "Tobo Hates Purple". What's it about? So glad you asked.
This is a tale of Tobo, some kind of child circus clown (seriously, that's as close as I can figure, based on the odd drawings). Tobo also happens to be purple. All purple - from the tips of his pointy hair to his prune-y purple toes - purple, purple, purple. Heck, everything he wears is purple. And he hates it. Purple, that is.
So why not put on different colored clothes?
Because that doesn't make for good conflict, that's why!
Tobo's being purple actually makes sense, because his mom is blue and his dad is red. But for some reason, Tobo has a total meltdown about not liking to be purple anymore. But mom tells him to buck up and go to school (clown school?) anyway.
So he does.
And all day he's in a horrible mood. People think he's sick, but really - he's sick of being purple.
So his BFF shows up at the end of the day and offers to paint him a different color. He's all, "OMG, totes!"*
They go to the BFF's and she paints him every color under the sun, but none of them feel right. And do you know what happens next?
You do if you were raised in the eighties! I feel a whole lotta self-acceptance coming on (ooh, it tingles)!
Yes. Tobo realizes that purple is the best color for him to be. He goes home and all is well. The end.
My issues with the book:
1. I'm not sure whether it's the age of the book/quality of the printing, but Tobo is really more dark blue/brown in many of the pictures.
2. Tobo is kind of a jerk when he says "how ugly orange makes me look." DUDE! Your BFF is ORANGE. NOT cool.
3. The author/illustrator's head floating on the back cover. No foolin'. It's just there, all stare-y and oddly coiffed. No neck or anything - just a floating head.
4. The art and writing aren't awful. That said, I think another writer could've written the story better, and another artist could've drawn it better. IMHO.
Overall, it's an eighties book. When I have kids, I'll probably end up reading it to them at some point. And then I'll get all misty-eyed and start rambling about Fraggles and Popples and Rainbow Brite and She-Ra. And the kids will turn out the lights and leave me sitting alone in the dark, feeling good about myself and remembering how awesome everyone is.
Even Tobo.
Out of ten bookmarks, this one earns a solid five.
*OK, so maybe he didn't say it in those EXACT words. But that was the gist of it.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Jess' Top 40 Picture Books
These are the picture books I think you simply MUST have in your collection. Because they are AWESOME.
Be warned that this list will likely grow longer. And longer. Forever.
And...please note that this list isn't in any particular order (that is, I love all the books equally).
1. Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth
2. Something from Nothing by Phoebe Gilman
3. Flotsam by David Wiesner
4. South by Patrick McDonnell
5. The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munch
6. Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
7. Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes
8. Jessica by Kevin Henkes
9. Oh, the Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss
10. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
11. Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
12. If you Give a Pig a Pancake by Laura Numeroff
13. Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems
14. Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems
15. A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams
16. Fancy Nancy by Jane O'Connor
17. Jillian Jiggs by Phoebe Gilman
18. Your Personal Penguin by Sandra Boynton
19. But Not the Hippopotamus by Sandra Boynton
20. Fifteen Pets by Sandra Boynton
21. Tuesday by David Wiesner
22. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. & John Archambault
23. Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shove by Virginia Lee Burton
24. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
25. Chicken Soup with Rice by Maurice Sendak
26. The Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone
27. Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type by Doreen Cronin
28. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
29. George and Martha by James Marshall
30. Miss Nelson is Missing by James Marshall
31. Miss Nelson has a Field Day by James Marshall
32. The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper
33. Olivia by Ian Falconer
34. One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss
35. A Color of His Own by Leo Lionni
36. Frederick by Leo Lionni
37. Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
38. Knuffle Bunny Free by Mo Willems
39. Blueberry Girl by Neil Gaiman
40. Jamberry by Bruce Degan
Remember: love your local library. They will let you read these books for free.
Be warned that this list will likely grow longer. And longer. Forever.
And...please note that this list isn't in any particular order (that is, I love all the books equally).
1. Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth
2. Something from Nothing by Phoebe Gilman
3. Flotsam by David Wiesner
4. South by Patrick McDonnell
5. The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munch
6. Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
7. Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes
8. Jessica by Kevin Henkes
9. Oh, the Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss
10. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
11. Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
12. If you Give a Pig a Pancake by Laura Numeroff
13. Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems
14. Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems
15. A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams
16. Fancy Nancy by Jane O'Connor
17. Jillian Jiggs by Phoebe Gilman
18. Your Personal Penguin by Sandra Boynton
19. But Not the Hippopotamus by Sandra Boynton
20. Fifteen Pets by Sandra Boynton
21. Tuesday by David Wiesner
22. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. & John Archambault
23. Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shove by Virginia Lee Burton
24. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
25. Chicken Soup with Rice by Maurice Sendak
26. The Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone
27. Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type by Doreen Cronin
28. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
29. George and Martha by James Marshall
30. Miss Nelson is Missing by James Marshall
31. Miss Nelson has a Field Day by James Marshall
32. The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper
33. Olivia by Ian Falconer
34. One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss
35. A Color of His Own by Leo Lionni
36. Frederick by Leo Lionni
37. Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
38. Knuffle Bunny Free by Mo Willems
39. Blueberry Girl by Neil Gaiman
40. Jamberry by Bruce Degan
Remember: love your local library. They will let you read these books for free.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Oh, How I LOVE Those Zen Shorts!
I was at Chapters last year perusing the children's book section (scoping out the competition) and I came across *the* best kid lit I've read in a very long time.
The book is called "Zen Shorts" and it's by Jon J. Muth. Evidently he's done a lot of comics, because my nerdly (and by 'nerdly', I mean 'awesome') husband nearly plotzed when he saw his name on the cover.
The art is, in a word, gorgeous. I just LOVE poring over this book. You can really take your time and enjoy the beautiful watercolors. It won a (well-deserved) Caldecott. This is the type of book you wouldn't mind reading five hundred times to your four-year-old before bed.
The story is very simple: a panda named Stillwater arrives on Abby, Michael and Karl's doorstep. They each have a little visit with him and hear a short zen story. I LOVE the little tales. One is about turning the other cheek and seeing someone for what they really are (and what they really need). In another tale, we learn about how bad luck is sometimes actually good luck, and vice versa. And finally, the last short piece is about letting go.
The reason I adore this story is many fold. Here's why:
1. It's written elegantly. There's no sparseness of words, but there is economy. It's almost like reading a poem in places.
2. It's written to a child's level. Even though meditating on stories is a bit above the skill level of most four and five year olds, the shorts are...short. And they get the ideas across simply and effectively.
3. It's a great starting point for a conversation. There are SO many good things to discuss. And bring up in real life, too. I can't wait until I have a munchkin of my own to talk with.
If you don't have this one in your collection, go pick it up. It's beautiful, it's wonderful; it's what kid lit SHOULD be.
Ten bookmarks out of ten!
The book is called "Zen Shorts" and it's by Jon J. Muth. Evidently he's done a lot of comics, because my nerdly (and by 'nerdly', I mean 'awesome') husband nearly plotzed when he saw his name on the cover.
The art is, in a word, gorgeous. I just LOVE poring over this book. You can really take your time and enjoy the beautiful watercolors. It won a (well-deserved) Caldecott. This is the type of book you wouldn't mind reading five hundred times to your four-year-old before bed.
The story is very simple: a panda named Stillwater arrives on Abby, Michael and Karl's doorstep. They each have a little visit with him and hear a short zen story. I LOVE the little tales. One is about turning the other cheek and seeing someone for what they really are (and what they really need). In another tale, we learn about how bad luck is sometimes actually good luck, and vice versa. And finally, the last short piece is about letting go.
The reason I adore this story is many fold. Here's why:
1. It's written elegantly. There's no sparseness of words, but there is economy. It's almost like reading a poem in places.
2. It's written to a child's level. Even though meditating on stories is a bit above the skill level of most four and five year olds, the shorts are...short. And they get the ideas across simply and effectively.
3. It's a great starting point for a conversation. There are SO many good things to discuss. And bring up in real life, too. I can't wait until I have a munchkin of my own to talk with.
If you don't have this one in your collection, go pick it up. It's beautiful, it's wonderful; it's what kid lit SHOULD be.
Ten bookmarks out of ten!
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