Crow Call - Lois Lowry

Illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline

Scholastic, 2009

$16.99

32 pgs.

Rating: 5 YES!

Endpapers: Deep brown, accentuating the beautiful browns used in the illustrations.

This is a supremely lovely book. The words themselves are gorgeous. The illustrations are magnificent. And the story iteslf is oh-so-satisfying. It's a memoir, a story of Lois Lowry and her own father in 1945.

Just back from the war, a father begins the first steps of reconnecting with his young daughter by taking her hunting, just the two of them. Breakfast at a diner starts the day with a funny situation that I'm certain became an inside family joke. The woods are quiet and beautiful, and they talk. Lizzie is nervous about her father's rifle, and fearful for the crows he will shoot. He gives her the task of blowing the crow call. This becomes such a delight to her when dozens of silent crows rise from the trees in answer to her call.

This is first and foremost the story of a thoughtful, sensitive father who dearly loves his child. Wrapped in magical words and detailed illustrations, this is a lush, special book. BRAVO!!

"Grass, frozen after its summer softness, crunches under our feet; free from the floating pollens of summer, and our words seem etched and breakable on the brittle stillness."

Never stop writing, Mrs. Lowry, never stop!

The Bravest Flute - Ann Grifalconi

A Story of Courage in the Mayan Tradition
Little, Brown & Co., 1994 (out-of-print)
Rating: 3
Endpapers: aqua

(Includes a 3-paragraph author's note with information about the Maya.)

A poor, fatherless Maya boy is to lead the New Year's parade from the village to the cathedral. He will play his simple bamboo flute while carrying a huge drum on his back - on which a drummer will pound - for the entire procession. It gets harder and harder, but he is greeted at the cathedral with pine arches, soft leaves underfoot, and a very special gift.

It's written so that it reads as prose but looks like long lines of free verse. This seems to ba an early sample of the many vers-stories of the past decade. Illustrations softly cover the entire page, with the text in a lighter space near the bottom. It looks like pastels and watercolor washes.

Read this aloud accompanied by simple flute music. Have TWO voices read it aloud - one for the italics, one for the story. Amy and I did this in the classroom and it was actually quite lovely. We had the students just listen to the story and envision the setting and characters - without showing the illustrations as we went along. We had them draw their own visions, then we shared the story with the original illustrations.

Big Cat Pepper - Elizabeth Partridge

Illustrated by Lauren Castillo
Bloomsbury, 2009
32 pgs.
For: ages 3-8
Rating: Unsure
Endpapers: Yellow

A rhyming story about a boy's love for his cat. But Pepper is getting old, fails, and dies. We go through it all with the boy - including the burial, the grief, and finally the realization that Pepper's "spirit" is flying high.

As much as I enjoy the lovely writing and touching illustrations, I have mixed feelings. I've lost animals. I've had many student who've broken into tears - at school- in grief or sadness. And I know everyone grieves differently (oh, have I ever found that out) but this book makes me sad. And if I'd lost a pet recently I'd be over-the-top sad after reading this. So when would I ever share this book?

The illustrations are lovely. It says mixed media is used....it looks like colored pencils to me, but it was probably done partly on the computer, which is being done more and more and I want to find out more about this process.

"Mama, me , and Pepper,
always been this way.
Never been without him,
even for a day."

First Year Letters - Julie Danneberg

Illustrated by Judy Love
Charlesbridge, 2003
32 pgs.
For Gr. 2-4 & teachers!

Now here's a great book to give a teacher! It's about a year of teaching, the second book about Sarah Jane Hartwell. (The first was First Day Teacher).

Full of humor and love, written entirely in letters, the story tells of a great school year and a great teacher. It includes science lessons, corresponding disasters, principal oabservations, escaped snakes, museum visits, and student inquisitiveness (hopefully that's a word.....).

This is a great fun read with pictures that beautifully compliment the letters.

Secrets in Stone - Laurie Coulter

All About Maya Hieroglyphs
Illustrations by Sarah Jane English
2001, Little Brown, out-of-print
will be reissued by Black Walnut/Madison Press
March, 2010 in paper at $8.95
48 pgs.
Rating: 4
for: school-age kids
Endpapers: front: glossy crimson, back: "Glyphmaster" (see below)

This is a nonfiction account of how Maya hieroglyphs were finally deciphered - and it lookes like it wasn't until 1973 that the best breakthrough came! Fascinating information about ancient Maya culture is intersperced with the account of centuries of history of the "codebreakers" of the Maya hieroglyphs.

If you think you're going to walk away with an understanding of this intensely complicated writing, you're probably wrong. But fascinated you will be! I can't imagine learning to read these. Wow. But if you have a love of history, of the past, of archeology, or mysterious cultures still being "discovered", this will be a fascinating read.

The "Glyphmaster" at the back of the book is a series of embossed glyphs that can be lightly rubbed with pencil and paper to create names, etc. They're great for copying freehand with so many possiblilities for fun projects! Enjoy

The Day-Glo Brothers - Chris Barton

The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer's Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors
Illustrated by Tony Persiani
Charlesbridge, 2009
40 pgs.
$18.95
Rating: 4.5
For: School age kids, a perfect first biography or nonfiction for reluctant nonfiction readers.
Note: The Day-Glo colors on the actual cover really "glow", much more than they appear to on this picture.....

As I read this book, I was totally thinking like a teacher - this would definitely be a great model for biography writing. It tells the story of how two brothers went from wanting to be a doctor and a magician/performer to becoming the inventors of day-glo colors and paint. Born in 1914 and 1915, their invention particularly impacted World War II. Though full of details (theirs is a fascinating story), it's not so overly detailed that it becomes dry and/or uninteresting. So many people are not nonfiction readers. This is a great way to read nonfiction.

The illustrations are quite uniqes. Cartoon-like, they begin in grayscale with light shades of orange, yellow, green here and there. As the brothers begin experimenting with fluorescence, the colors become deeper and deeper, although grays still predominate - until the last page has a black background. I really like the overall look and concept of the book.

At the end I was not disappo9inted with the afterwords. "How Does Regular Fluorenscence Work? "How Does Daylight Fluorescence Work?" and a great two-page "Author's Note" gave me the satisfaction I needed. I think I'm going to compile a list of books with great author's notes. I'm such a list person!

A picture book packed with facts and interesting to read. What more could you want in nonfiction? Perfect for me!

Read the original New York Times obituary that started author Chris Barton's interest and research here.

The Monarch's Progress - Avis Harley

Poetry
Poems with Wings
Wordsong, 2008
$16.95
32 pgs.
Rating: 3
Endpapers: Monarch orange

Different types of poetry (acrostic, limerick, couplet, concrete, haiku, triplet) create the forms for 18 poems about the life span of a monarch butterfly. Accompanying illustrations (by the poet) are simple, bright, and reveal more about the subject, as well as notes at the end that give more scientific information about each poem.

She cleverly uses ACROSTIC well, a great model to show kids:

Monarch Beginnings

No bigger than the head of a pin, though
Enough to house a lodger within. Oh!
What a drama about to begin!

Exquisite gem on a milkweed leaf – your
Gorgeous shell-life is all too brief, for
Growing inside is a caterpillar thief…

I really enjoyed this abecedarian poem, really well-done!:

Wintering Over

Amazing
Blazing
Clusters
Decorate
Entire
Forest
Groves.


Hanging
In
Jeweled
Kingdoms
Like
Magnificent
Native
Ornaments,
Patterns
Quicken
Remote
Slopes.

This
Unique,
Velvet-
Winged
X-odus
Yields
Zillions.

All the World - Liz Garton Scanlon

Illustrated by Marla Frazee
Beach Lane Books, 2009
$17.99
40 pgs.
Rating: 5
Endpapers: light lime
2010 Caldecott Honor Book!

"Rock, Stone, pebble, sand
Body, shoulder arm, hand,
A moat to dig,
A shell to keep
All the world is wide and deep."

Simple and lovely, this gentle picture book shows a couple of families....from the beach in summer, to a farmer's market, climbing trees and in downpours, eating out and settling cozily in -- family members from young to old. Wonderful illustrations, some full page, some like little vignettes, tell so much. Hunt and look closely. There's so much to see!

"All the world is you and me
Everything you hear, smell, see
Hope and peace and love and trust
All the world is all of us."

See also: Twenty by Jenny Review.

63. Miss Daisy is Crazy! Dan Gutman

My Weird School SERIES #1
Illustrated by Jim Paillot
Harper Trophy, 2004
Funny - 2nd grade protagonist
ages 7-10, 700 Lexile, L

Miss Daisy, the second grade teacher, says she can't read, do math, or even know the presidents. (NOTE: She's a very wise teacher!!) She gets the school reading a million pages so they can "rent" the school for a night to play video games. She gets a famous football player to come to visit to prove that football players aren't "dumb." Funny and clever - loved it. (Bought it for Ashley, who's just started 2nd grade.)

12-29-2012 Ella and I just read this book together.  She read some, I read some.  She's in first grade.  She had to be told a little about some of the humor, but totally enjoyed it.  So did I!)

For a list of the books in the series, look here.

Button Up! - Alice Schertle

Poetry
Wrinkled Rhymes
Illustrated by Petra Mathers
Harcourt Children's, 2009
$16.00
40 pgs.
Rating: 4
Endpapers: Mouse looking up at purple butterflies

Clever poet Alice Schertle tells us about Bertie's Shoelaces, Violet's Hiking Hat, the Song of Harvey's Galoshes, Emily's Undies, Jennifer's Shoes, Tanya's Old T-Shirt, Wanda's Swimsuit, Jack's Soccer Jersey, Jamelia's Dress-up Clothes, Rick's Wool Sweater, and Bill's Blue Jacket.

Bob’s Bicycle Helmet

Bob’s on his bicycle
and I’m on Bob.
I’m Bob’s helmet.
I’m on the job.

Bob burns rubber
Bob climbs hills.
Bob does wheelies.
Bob takes spills.

Bob skins his elbow.
Bob scrapes his knee.
Bob doesn’t hurt his head ---
Bob’s got me.

And if some day
the sky should fall
it will not hurt
Bob’s head at all.

Bob’s on his bike again.
I’m on Bob.
I’ve got him covered.
I’m on the job.

Hand-Me-Down Sweatshirt

I’m a hand-me-down sweatshirt
with zipper and hood.
I’m everyone’s favorite
and still looking good.

I’ve been lost and recovered
been torn and been sewn,
been dribbled on, tumbled in,
rained on and blown.

I started out Wendell’s,
was passed down to May,
she passed me to Karly,
I’m Andrew’s today.

So zip up my zipper
and pull up my hood.
I’m a friend of the family
and still looking good.

I Heard It from Alice Zucchini - Juanita Havill

POETRY
Poems about the Garden
Illustrated by Christine Davinier
2006
$15.95
Rating: 4
Endpapers: Garden, shed, tree, pen and ink with watercolor washes

Twenty clever poems about growing things -- using fabulous words and all sorts of literary pluses - alliteration, personification, punctuation of every kinds......take a look and see:

Carrots

What does a carrot know,
smothered in dirt below?

Songs of worms,
tap-tapping rains,
the smell of earth,
and growing pains.

What else does a carrot know,
alone in the dark, below?

Sound of boots,
thud of hoe,
a gentle tug ---
it’s time to go.

Garden Lullaby

Sudden hush when the sun goes down.
Night in the garden and the soothing sound
of crickets chirping lullabies.

Sweet dreams, little peas, ten to a pod.
Good night, radishes, tucked under sod.
Gone are the bees and butterflies.

Heads of lettuce wilted by sun
recuperate when the day is done.
Closed are all the potatoes’ eyes.

Tomatoes snooze and eggplants doze.
All is still while the moonlight glows
save crickets chirping lullabies.

Instructions

Plant seeds early in the spring
when the ground is warm,
two inches deep in well-tilled soil
where they’ll be safe from harm.

Let the sun and rain pour down.
Be careful where you hoe.
A miracle is taking place;
Seeds split and start to grow.

Otis - Loren Long

Philomel/Penguin, 2009
$17.99
40 pgs.
for: preschoolers
Rating: 4.5
Endpapers: Otis coming (front) and going (back)

Otis is an old tractor who loves his farm and loves his life. One day the farmer brings a young calf into his barn, and they become fast friends. When the farmer buys a shiny new yellow tractor, Otis is relegated tot he puckerbrush behind the barn. His calf friend misses him, wandering the farm alone. When he gets stuck in the mud pond he sinks deeper and deeper with different attempts to unstick him until -- Otis the hero arrives.

This seems to be the kindo f book that would become a favorite. The illustrations are great - shades of brownish grays with red (Otis) and yellow (the new tractor), and bordered with a thick line. Even the font (15.5-point Engine) is just different enough to help the book become more of a standout. Such charisma and innocense on the faces of the two protagonists!

Is it anthropormorphic if a tractor behaves with human attributes? I'm going to sa so for listing purposes....

Here's a blog review from A Year of Reading.

The Jungle Grapevine - Alex Beard

for: Kids who love intelligent vocabulary (quench, drought, bellowed, slithered, distress, ruckus, prowl.....)
Abrams, 2009
$16.95
40 pgs.
Rating: 5
Endpapers: Map-like drawing of the animals, the watering hole and their relationship to it

An offhand remark by Turtle to Bird begins a series of miscommunications (much like the game of TELEPHONE) somewhere in Africa. See what happens when Gazelle, Hippo, Crocodile, Elephant, Wildebeest, Zebra, Lion, Snake and Flamingos join in. Filled with humor, African animals, alliteration, and great illustrations, this book sure won my heart!

The illustrations and font are different in a really good way - cleverly crafted, the watercolor painting goes to the side edges of the page, but a thick line frames the majority of the illustration. This makes it look like the painting is actually slipping off the page. The font looks like printing. It really works.

There's an interesting author's note at the end.

The Scarecrow's Dance - Jane Yolen

Illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline
Simon & Schuster, 2009
$16.99
32 pgs.
for: young kids
rating: 4/2
Endpapers: Dark orange
Illustrations: Edge of page, no white, gouache and watercolor, lovely



"An autumn eye,
The moon was high,
As yellow as
A black cat's eye.

Out in the field,
Stiff and forlorn,
The scarecrow stood
And watched the corn."

Rhyme and rhythm always enchant me. The wind catches the scarecrow in a huge field, setting him free from his post to whirl and dance in the wind. When he comes to the farmer's house, he peeks into an upstairs bedroom window where a boy is kneeling in prayer - aking for a blessing on the scarecrow that guards his family's cornfields. Realizing his duty, the scarecrow dances back to his pole and reattaches himself.

'"For anyone can dance,"
Thought he,
"But only I
Can keep the fields free."'

The kneeling, clasped hands of the "praying" pages inserted near the end of the dancing, rhythmic story were a bit disconcerting. I think that it would be more universally appealing with a little different direction here. Oh well, can't win 'em all.....

Here's a blog review from Book Aunt.

62. Shiver - Maggie Stievater

for: YA
Scholastic Press, August, 2009
HC $17.99
200 pgs.
Rating: 4.5