Flashback Friday: Blueberries for Sal

Kerplink, kerplank, kerplunk! Sal is following her mother up Blueberry Hill and picking berries as she goes, although she quickly discovers that the picking is more fun when she eats the berries she picks rather than dropping them into her pail. As she wanders away from her mother to the other side of Blueberry Hill, a mother bear and her cub have just begun foraging for their morning snack on Blueberry Hill as well. The bear cub is too busy eating blueberries to notice that he's wandered away from his mama also. Sal's mother and the bear's mother discover at the exact same time that the "child" she hears trailing behind her isn't her own.

Blueberries for Sal, written by beloved children's author and illustrator Robert McCloskey in 1948 for his own daughter Sally, won the Caldecott Honor the following year. The dark blue block print illustrations are simple and breathtaking. My favorite print is the one pictured below of Sal playing with her mother's canning jar rings while her mother cans the blueberries they've gathered. The scenes capture a simpler time and place in our history. The storyline with the bear is captivating for young children. The delight, yet slight fear, of the bear near the humans keeps little one's attention while the symmetry of the story makes them shriek in delight.

You can find Blueberries for Sal in the Picture Books - Summer section of The Book Children Store.

Half a Chance

Lucy's father is a photographer who travels frequently for his job. He heads out on assignment just as her family is getting settled into their new little red cottage on a New Hampshire lake. Lucy quickly meets the family in the cottage next door, one of the summer families. As Lucy gets to know them, she becomes fast friends with Nate, about her age, and often goes with him on Loon Patrol, where she learns a great deal about the lake's feathered residents. As Lucy tells Nate about a youth photography contest her father is judging, they decide to enter the contest which Lucy hopes will help her understand her father's true opinion of her own photography. As Lucy is taking photos, she realizes that her photos are telling a story of Nate's grandmother. A story that Nate is not keen to see or admit.

Half a Chance is a perfect slow summer read. It begs you to find a shady hammock where you can hear the crickets chirping, or perhaps the loons calling, and fully immerse yourself in a quiet summer story. The author, Cynthia Lord, has such a gift for storytelling. She handles the difficulty of dementia, especially from a child's perspective, with the same grace that she handled autism in Rules. The best part is that while the story revolves around Nate's grandmother's slip into dementia, the photography contest, forming new friendships, even the education about loons rounds the novel out so nicely that the reader doesn't feel like the story is just about Nate's grandmother and her illness. I do admit that I wasn't fond of Lucy's father. He felt quite self-centered, and I found myself wanting to shake him into awareness of how much he was hurting his daughter. The intermittent storyline of Megan, a character who was a tad bit jealous of Lucy and treated her unkindly, was lovely though. Lucy negotiated that situation beautifully by ignoring Megan then later reaching out to her; a fine example of how to treat unkind people without making Lucy into a glaringly obvious goody-goody.

You can find Half a Chance in the Middle Grade Books section of The Book Children Store.

Flora and the Flamingo

I must admit that I never even heard of Flora and the Flamingo before the names of the Caldecott winners were released. What a travesty it would have been if this little gem had not been included among the Caldecott Honors! While this pictoral ode to ballet might be simple, the illustrations are exquisitely crafted, covering a wide range of poses. The flamingo's grace and beauty are remarkable. (And I've never thought of flamingoes as particularly graceful. They usually appear more awkward and knobby-kneed.) Flora's earnest mimicry will make you fall in love beginning on the first page. The flamingo begins by haughtily performing the most difficult dance moves for Flora to follow. By the end, their synchronicity becomes fluid, and the flamingo appears to be enjoying his little dancing shadow.

Artistically, Flora and the Flamingo is a fascinating study. From the contrast in characters, long, lean flamingo and small plump child, to the tree blossom framing, each page is perfectly balanced and more striking than the previous. In addition to the lovely illustration, the lift-the-flap aspect of many pages will thrill many-a young child, and will add additional storytelling options to this dynamic work. It might have taken me a few years to fully appreciate the wordless children's book, but this is a fine example of that genre's ability to shine.

You can find Flora and the Flamingo in the Picture Books - Summer section of The Book Children Store.

Flashback Friday: Moominsummer Madness

Although Moominsummer Madness is the fourth title in Tove Jansson's Moomin series of novels, each of the books stands alone beautifully, and Moominsummer Madness is the perfect choice now that summer is upon us. In Moominsummer Madness, a large wave rises up from the sea and comes crashing through the valley. Their house now flooded, the Moomins must move, and as this is Moominland, of course, a new one comes floating by. They quickly move into the cave-like home but discover that their new abode contains many oddities, such as a merry-go-round drawing room, lamps that light exactly at sunset, and curtains in place of a wall. And in true Moomin fashion, hilarity ensues.

The Moomin books are classic works of children's literature by Finnish author, Tove Jansson. I can't remember exactly how many years ago we stumbled upon the Moomins, but they quickly became a universal favorite in our household. I won't pretend that I completely understand the appeal to these hippopotamus-looking creatures, but my children love the Moomins dearly...and Snufkin, and The Hemulen, and Thingumy and Bob. I do know that the characters are beautifully written. Moominpapa and Moominmama are warm and patient parents. For example, when the house floods, Moominpapa puts a positive spin by saying, "I've often thought that one ought to look at one's abode sometimes from the ceiling instead of from the floor." And when no one remembered to take the hammock in, and it's washed away in the flood, he says, "Good. It was a horrid color." Overall the entire flock of Moomins are joyful and full of positivity, in contrast to a few of the other characters, and this might be one of the most endearing qualities.

You can find Moominsummer Madness, and other Moomin titles, in the Early Elementary Read Alouds section of The Book Children Store.

PS. You can read a lovely article about Tove Jansson posted just this week at The Guardian.

Great Summer Read-Alouds for 1st - 8th Graders

One of the things I appreciate most about summer is my ability to spend more time reading aloud to my kids. Generally, I read to my entire crew (ages 7-14) together, but occasionally, just to one or two at a time. Even though all of my kids can read, and my oldest ones read voraciously, we still enjoy the time that we read together and the ability to discuss a book that we all share. I'm a firm believer in reading aloud even to, especially to, older children as well. People often ask me if my older kids are ever resistant to listening to me read aloud. They truly are not. Partly because it has always been part of our routine, and partly because I don't generally require that they ONLY be listening to me. During the summer in particular, they are often otherwise engaged while I read, with Lego building, puzzle piecing, drawing, sometimes even laundry folding.

The books listed below are group by grade, but many of the titles can be adjusted up or down a grade, or two. In fact, my 7th and 8th graders still enjoy listening to Moomin books, and my 1st grader loved Wonder last summer when we read it aloud. 

1st Grade

Trumpet of the Swan - A joyful read of a Trumpeter swan searching for his sound.

My Father's Dragon - An easy-to-follow tale of a 9 year old boy's endeavors to find a dragon and fly home on its back.

Moominsummer Madness - The Moomins are on the hunt for a new house following a flood, but once they find one, they discover they've found more than they bargained for.
Ramona the Pest - Energetic Ramona Quimby starts kindergarten with all the adversity and pleasure that entails.

2nd Grade

Pippi in the South Seas - Pippi's adventures move to a South Pacific island complete with beaches, robbers, and pearls.

Henry Huggins - The boy-next-door finds a mischievous dog; adventures - and calamity - ensue.

Seabird - A sea-faring gull narrates travels at sea, from Nantucket to Greenland.

The Year of Billy Miller - Billy is starting second grade, navigating friendships, and trying to endure his pesky little sister. 

3rd Grade

James and the Giant Peach - James, forced to live with 2 horrible aunts, accidentally drops magic crystals by an old peach tree and then goes on an escapade in the giant peach that results.

Hoot - The new kid at school is forced to take on a pancake restaurant, and bullies, in defense of endangered owls.

Because of Winn Dixie - When an ugly, yet happy, dog arrives, Opal learns 10 things about her long-lost mother, and makes friends who become her family.

The One and Only Ivan - Resigned to his life in a glass cage, a gorilla gains new perspective when a baby elephant taken from the wild is forced to join him.

4th Grade

The Secret Garden - A lonely orphan is sent to an English manor on a moor where she meets two boys who help change her life, each in very different ways.

Where the Red Fern Grows - A boy and his two dogs range the hills and river bottoms, finding both sadness and victory there.

One Crazy Summer - Three Brooklyn girls arrive in California to spend the summer with their mother, where they learn more about their family, and themselves, than they expected.

The Lemonade War - Sibling rivalry by way of lemonade stand: will the biggest personality or financial smarts win the war?

5th Grade

Old Yeller - A simple, but moving, story of a boy and his faithful dog in Texas in the late 1800s.

Island of the Blue Dolphins - An Indian girl lives on an island alone year after year waiting for a ship to rescue her.

Zane and the Hurricane - Zane is visiting his great-grandmother in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina strikes leaving him stranded and trying to survive in a strange, water-logged city.

Three Times Lucky - Mo LoBeau, raised by a cafe-owner Colonel, wishes for her long-lost mother and helps uncover the truth in a local mystery.

6th Grade

My Side of the Mountain - A boy runs away from NYC to live in the Catskills on his grandfather's mountain, learning more about himself than he ever thought possible. 

Wonder - Auggie, born with a cranio-facial abnormality, starts school in NYC with mixed reactions from the students there.

Snicker of Magic - Felicity might be new in Midnight Gulch, but even she can see a glimmer of magic that used to be here. But can she bring the magic back, and will it help her mother?

Sway - Cass's mom takes off and her father takes her on a trip in Roast, an aged RV, introducing her to the power of Sway, a magical force bringing help to those in need.

7th Grade

Hatchet - Brian survives a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness but must make his way alone with nothing but a ratty jacket and a hatchet to aid him.

Walk Two Moons - A country girl travels from Ohio to Idaho with her unconventional grandparents while spinning the tale of another girl whose past starts to mirror her own.

Half a Chance - A photographer's daughter tries to mimic her father's eye for the camera while getting to know the neighbor boy next door and helping him learn the truth about his grandmother.

Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin - Rump lives in a land where your name is your destiny. Will he discover that he has some control over that destiny as well?

8th Grade

A Single Shard - A 13-year-old lives under a bridge in a potter's village desiring nothing more than making a pot of his own.

Tuck Everlasting - The Tuck family carefully guards the source of their eternal life, until a little girl discovers their secret and they must help her understand why it might not be the blessing it seems.

A Tangle of Knots - A magical puzzle waiting to be unknotted, an orphan with a talent for baking doesn't realize that fate has set her on course from the moment of her birth.

Liar and Spy - An enjoyable tale of two quirky boys who help each other deal with bullies, family issues, and friendships.

The Watermelon Seed

The last of authors I met at the Medal Winner's book signing was Greg Pizzoli, author of the Geisel Award winning book, The Watermelon Seed. The design in this book is superb, a throwback to simple comic style with broad strokes and minimal, yet bold, color. The alligator sports superb expressions which supplies nearly as much humor as the text.  

Chomp! Chomp! Chomp! The witty and endearing alligator has a problem! He just swallowed a watermelon seed, and he's not quite sure what will happen to him now. He remembers all of the rumors and fears he's heard about what might happen if he swallows a seed. He vows to avoid watermelon forever. Ultimately, he can't give up his favorite summery treat!

The Watermelon Seed addresses the concerns of every small child who fears the dreaded swallowing of a watermelon seed. Equal parts humor and charm, the 3 to 7 year old in your life will fall quickly in love with this expressive alligator.

In addition to The Watermelon Seed, Pizzoli's new venture, Number One Sam, hits stores tomorrow! You can pre-order a copy at The Book Children's Store by clicking the link above or visiting the Picture Books section, which is also where you'll find The Watermelon Seed.

Fireflies!

A perfect addition to any summer book basket, Fireflies just breathes summer and the excitement of the coming of fireflies. When we were on a walk in the woods the other evening, I noticed how early the fireflies came to the woods. Probably a full 2 hours earlier than they visit our backyard. I never knew that fireflies could vary their timing in the same general area. Seeing the children's joy over the fireflies made me decide to read them this book tonight while outside in the presence of the fireflies. What a magical evening story time!

One thing I particularly enjoy about this book is the simple illustration done in pencil with only the light of the fireflies in color. It really places the perfect emphasis on the fireflies' light and allowing you to feel the magic through the pages.

I can remember as a child one of my favorite parts of summer was chasing fireflies with my cousins and trying to keep them as pets. I don't quite remember how long they lasted as pets, but I know that if I would have had this book back then, I might have been kinder to the poor fireflies and set them free.

And once they are free, they are enjoyed all the more with the backdrop of the moon and the night sky.

*Sorry for my extensive absence from this space. Life has been busy and unfortunately that meant this blog got the short shrift. I hope to be back here more regularly soon.

a hidden beauty

It seems appropriate to share this book this week since it was acquired this same week last year and has become a favorite in our summer book basket. What's Hiding in There? is the latest in a line of beautifully illustrated, magical books from Daniela Drescher. With just a bit of simple text and lift-the-flap fun, Finn was entranced from the minute I bought this book last year.

In the land of elves and fairies, you can find hidden wildlife, sweet fruits and other fairy folk around every corner, or behind every flap.

The animals are beautifully rendered and the landscapes full of light. And the flowers look like you could smell them right through the page.

As the night falls, you'll find yourself flipping back to the beginning to explore the forest anew.

The Wily Woodchucks

A few months ago while visiting the Strand, I stumbled on this little jewel of a summer book by Georgia Travers. The Wily Woodchucks follows the Gág family's summer in New Jersey and their experience with the woodchucks that would pirate their vegetable garden. The Wily Woodchucks was illustrated by a younger member of the Gág family.

Georgia Travers was a childhood friend of Wanda Gág, who became a famous illustrator, printmaker and author, and wrote the biography for her friend. This book offers a charming, if rare, glimpse into Wanda Gág's childhood.

The simple, 1940s illustrations are a sweet addition to the funny and mischievous story of these two woodchucks who alternately plague and thrill the family who is trying to protect their garden while enjoying the presence of the delightful woodchucks.

I particularly enjoy the illustration of various organic tactics of keeping pests from the garden. What an impression it makes on kids who see the humane, non-chemical way to have their veggies and cute little woodchuck friends too.

Make Way For Ducklings giveaway!

You knew it was coming, didn't you? After all, you can hardly have a proper children's book blog without one of Robert McCloskey's books coming up at some point. I'd be hard pressed to choose a favorite between Make Way For Ducklings and Blueberries for Sal, but for today, let's just discuss Make Way for Ducklings, shall we?

I can't even remember the first time I read Make Way For Ducklings, but it's safe to say that this charismatic brood of feathered friends have been with me for a long time. I remember being slightly disappointed as a child that the book wasn't "colorized", but now I feel that it lends a bit of charm.

The story first grabbed me as a small look into the parental mind when the duck parents were searching out a home for their ducklings. Having settled on an island in the middle of Boston Public Garden, the duck family embarks on a harrowing journey to the safety of their new home. (If we ever make a family trip to Boston, this will be on my must-see list.)

Finn's favorite page is the spread with the near accident between the cars and the duck family. No surprise, since my boy loves cars. But he always laughs out loud at all the honking and quacking going on here, a bit of levity in a scene that could seem harrowing to a preschooler.

Of course, a friendly policeman is nearby to help the duck family safely across the dangerous road.

And they eventually make their way to the promised land.

I happen to have an extra new copy of this wonderful book, although I'm sure many households already hold a copy of this jewel. No matter, it could be a lovely gift for a niece or nephew or simply the next child's birthday party you attend. Everyone should make way for these ducklings. ;) Just leave me a comment, become a follower, and/or leave me a comment letting me know you referred to this giveaway from your blog and you'll be entered up to 3 times for the giveaway. I'll draw a winner on Friday morning at noon.

According to the random number generator, Charlotte is the winner! Please email me your address so I can mail Make Way For Ducklings to you!

gone fishin'

Another book that I remember quite fondly from my childhood will wrap up our beach week here on The Book Children. I'm not really sure why this book stands out to me so much. Of all the things I enjoyed doing outdoors as a child, fishing isn't something I even remember doing more than once or twice. The book I remember looked a bit different than this version, especially the cover. But when I saw that it had been reprinted in hardback in 2005, I just had to snatch up a copy.

The same simple, sweet story I remember drew in my own kids. Finn most recently discovered this book on a sibling's bookshelf so we've been reading it frequently in the last few weeks. I love the sparse yet expressive illustrations that made Crocket Johnson famous. Interestingly, I knew and loved this book before any of the Harold books, and my first thought upon meeting Harold was that he looked so much like the kid from the The Little Fish That Got Away.

Another component of the book that I think children find really appealing is the repetition. The GREAT GREAT big fish comes, then the GREAT big fish comes, then the BIG fish comes then the little fish comes and then they come around again. And they swim around and around and around and around. I've caught a least a couple of our kids quoting the book to themselves very soothingly since the words from page to page are relatively predictable.

Then, of course, there's the ending. What little kid isn't thoroughly impressed by the boy eating the entire GREAT GREAT big fish all by himself?!

farming by the sea

Down on the coast of SC, I spent a good bit of my childhood romping and picking my way through gardens and picking various veggies from soil mixed with sand while tasting the salty sea air. So while the following book may be about the beach specifically, a Little Farm by the Sea definitely holds a bit of nostalgia of living on the shore for me.

Little Farm by the Sea was actually written based a real farm on Long Island which the author enjoyed visiting in the summers. Her love for the little farm is felt deeply through the gentle words and beautifully rendered illustrations depict berry-picking children, baby burros and suckling piglets.

You might wonder why I don't have the cover art shown here. Unfortunately, we don't own a copy of this lovely book, although we're frequent borrowers from the library in the summer. I didn't think you'd want to see the dinged up plastic-y cover from the library. I've never been able to find a copy for a reasonable price that was in good shape. If you ever see this book at your local used bookshop, consider yourself a lottery winner and snatch it up quickly! Until then, check your local library. :)

One of the things I most appreciate about this little farm book is the description of organic farming methods the farm employs. Oh, it's not called "organic farming" since this book was written in the 90s before "organic" became such a buzzword. It's the simple descriptions of the farm keeping birdhouses to discourage insects and using fertilizer from the animals to enrich Farmer Brown's fields.

And who doesn't love little pigs that make such a ruckus?!

watch that Wave

In honor of our week at the beach, I have some beachy books to share with you. The first book is one I happened to fall in love with at the bookstore one day. I'm easily drawn into children's books with interesting cover art and this book definitely stood out amongst the shelves of cartoonish counterparts.

Wave is the story of a little girl encountering a large wave on the beach. The story is one so familiar to most of us that it quickly makes us reminisce about the point in our lives when the waves were enticing, menacing, and delightful all rolled into one large crashing tunnel of salty sea water.

Wave is told through charcoal and blue-turquoise acrylics but no text which puts it in a minority of children's picture books. A story this familiar needs no words however, and beautiful colors and lines of the illustration really tell the story in it's marvelous simplicity. The little girl's thoughts and emotions come through her varied expressions and our own experiences in her place.

I really enjoy asking younger children to tell me the story using books like this. You can learn a lot about what they think of their own beach wave experience through their storytelling of this book. A particularly handy thing when you're at the beach!

Mama, Is It Summer Yet?

Here we are on the cusp of summer and nothing will put you in the mood for all of it's sunshine-y goodness quicker than Mama, Is It Summer Yet? This first literary offering from Nikki McClure, although she also illustrated All in a Day by Cynthia Rylant, is a delight for both the ears and eyes with it's rhythmic text and gorgeous illustrations.

The premise for the book is the answer to a boy's question, "Mama, is it summer yet?" His mother patiently answers on each page showing him the winter changing into spring and the spring into summer through the nature around them.

The intricate details of the paper cut illustrations are amazing. Each scene is created from a single sheet of black construction paper. Yet the blooming trees, the swooping birds, the sprouting seedlings are captured with vibrant precision.

With the strawberries ripe for the picking, mama assures her son that summer has finally arrived.

And when summer finally does appear, your toddler to preschool-aged child will be begging to read through the mesmerizing book again.