Survival at 40 Below

Bloomsbury 

Debbie S. Miller; Illustrations by Jon Van Zyle

This is a very beautiful book about how a variety of animals manage to survive the long Arctic winter. This is the ninth collaboration to come from the amazing team of Debbie Miller and Jon Van Zyle. She manages the research in the field, literally hiking through the wilderness, while he renders the art in the studio.

This story takes place in the Gates of the Arctic National Park, where the average temperature dips below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, and can drop as low as 70 degrees below zero. Wow. What must the animals do to survive those types of conditions?  Each species has its own set of survival techniques that they employ which allows them to function in such a frigid environment. 

As winter approaches, some animals grow thick coats of fur for protection while others scavenge and hoard as much food as possible.  Then there are those who take more extreme measures. The wood frog actually freezes into the water - he stops breathing and his heart stops beating, but he is alive. Grizzly bears and squirrels will hibernate, snoring away while winter rages.  Elk and arctic foxes are specially insulated by their own fur, while black-capped chickadees know how to fluff up their feathers for extra insulation.  

The harsh conditions have forced the animals who dwell here to learn the most amazing survival techniques, which makes this is a captivating book to read to children. The illustrations from Jon Van Zyle are equally commanding.  Jon is a well-known Alaskan artist; he has been the official Iditarod Sled Race artist since 1979.  He definitely knows Alaska, but more importantly, he knows how to present it to others in a beautiful way. 

This is a remarkable book that reminds us just how amazing nature can be.  Reading Debbie's text set against Jon's illustrations, you really do feel as though you are walking through this frozen national park.  The extreme conditions makes me grateful I do not have to live in such a challenging environment, but am fascinated by discovering how the locals manage. 

Review copy provided by Bloomsbury.  

Clarice Bean, That's Me

 

Candlewick Press

Lauren Child

This was one of Lauren Child's first children's book, published just over ten years ago. I wonder if, at that time, she had any inkling of how crazy popular Clarice Bean would become? I also can't help wondering if Charlie and Lola were already knocking around in that brain of hers.

The inside cover of this edition tells how Lauren submitted this book to many publishers who wanted her to make a lot of changes to her vision. She got many rejection letters and had to wait five years before she got one with the magical word .... yes! Thank goodness Lauren stood firm so that we can all enjoy Clarice in the style in which she was originally intended.

Since this is the first book, Clarice starts off by introducing herself and each of her family members. She then gives us a hilarious tour of her house.  I just adore her running commentary - her flat way of stating the facts gets me every time. She says things like "If I had thought about it I would have put tapioca down his shorts."  Surely, we've all thought that a time or two, right? She has a biting sense of humor and terrific imagination. 

Of course, saying Clarice has those attributes really means it's Lauren's personality coming through. This is also evident in the book's visual style - her wonderful mash-up of fonts, color and pattern. You never know what the turn of each will bring - some collages here, wavy lines there, a giant bowl of soup, Grandad's pitiful plaid chair and the neighborhood cat. The real magic is that the finished product never comes across as random or busy, but well thought out and completely charming.       

I would hope that most parents are familiar with Lauren's Child's work at this point.  If not, get thee to a bookstore or library and check her out!  Thanks to the great popularity of the series, they are now being offered in a lovely oversized paperback for the very first time!  They sport dynamic new covers, feature flaps, die-cuts and more. Thanks, Candlewick, for making them even more affordable to the masses - only $7.99 each! 


Review copy provided by Candlewick Press. 

Noonie's Masterpiece

 

Chronicle Books

Lisa Railsback; Art by Sarajo Frieden

Noonie Norton is a self-proclaimed brilliant artist.  She's creative, imaginative and all sorts of clever. She is also funny and brave and ... not the least bit humble. Noonie has a knack of misdirecting (according to the adults, anyway) her creativity and finding herself in all sorts of trouble, on a routine basis. Can she help it if she's just trying to make a big impact as an artist?      

Noonie's mom died when she was young, and her father didn't feel he was equipped to raise a daughter.  He made the hard decision to let Noonie live with her aunt (her mom's sister) and family, whom he felt could provide a more stable environment for a child. Noonie is too young to understand her father's decision and spends most of her time dreaming of the day her dad will come back for her. 

Noonie finds out about an art contest at school and feels like this could be her big break! Her painting will be truly amazing and everyone will realize the true artist that she has become. Then her dad will definitely come home and take her with him on all his travels. One little flaw in the plan - the contest rules state that paintings have to be of your own family. Noonie "temporarily" lives with her crazy wanna-be actor Uncle Ralph, her tooth obsessed dental hygienist Aunt Sylvia and weirdo Cousin Junior.  Is it possible to produce an award winning painting about them?    

Noonie has a stroke of genius and lots of support from her best friend Reno and her favorite teacher Ms. Lilly. She also discovers that her aunt and uncle only want the best for her while her dad is working. Noonie's painting may not win the contest, but along the way, she learns some really important lessons about her family and friends.   

Masterpiece is an appropriate description for this book.  It's witty and clever, funny and interesting - just like Noonie herself! Best of all, the pages are brimming with glorious illustrations.  It's quirky and wonderfully different from most youth books. I fell in love with the writing in this book.  Lisa writes such things like "Mrs. Tusk and I were opposites.  She was numbers, and I was pictures." 

Check out the trailer below to get an even better feel for the book!  One tiny detail - I didn't like the voice that narrated the video.  It didn't match up with the Noonie in my head.  So if you find that voice a tiny bit grating, don't hold it against the book!




Review copy provided by Chronicle Books.

The Pirate-Cruncher

 

Templar Books/Candlewick Press

Johnny Duddle 

If you have ever actively searched for a pirate book, then you have probably already discovered there really aren't that many good choices out there. This one has all the necessary elements that a really great pirate story demands. These pirates look like real pirates, (how my brain imagine they should look anyway) sporting big, bushy beards, missing a few nonessential body parts and overall looking quite sea-worn. They talk like real pirates, employing phrases like "me hearties" and "cowardly landlubbers" and they sing sea shanties.  Even the author's name - Johnny Duddle - sounds like a shipmate, doesn't it? 

The dastardly (good pirate names, too!) Captain Purplebeard and his cutthroat crew are throwing a few back at the Thirsty Parrot (see!) when a traveling fiddler appears, prattling on about an island of gold deep in the sea. Of course,this grabs the crew's attention and they start dreaming of diamonds, rubies and gold. If the pirates will provide the transportation, the bony fiddler will reveal his map and they will all share the bounty.  A deal is made!     

Once en route, the fiddler warns them that this island has a habit of vanishing and nobody has ever safely returned from a visit there. Nonsense! The pirates are undeterred.  They sail on a bit and the fiddler also thinks to mention there is monster than lurks about this island. This pirate cruncher eats up the pirates and then chews up their ships. Ooh, I think I see a tentacle rising up out of the sea, as a warning of what's ahead. Still, they press on. 

When the pirates reach their destination, they are elated to discover a chest filled with treasures beyond their wildest dreams. But, just like the fiddler warned, a pirate cruncher lurks below the surface.  No sooner do they reach the treasure chest, when CRUNCH.  And that it the end of the tale of Captain Purplebeard and his cutthroat crew. They were too darn greedy for their own good and would not heed the warnings of their fiddling friend. 

Obviously, the most amazing part of this book is the illustrations. They are much more vivid than they appear here, swirling and sloshing nearly off the pages. Near the end of the book, there is an extra large pull down page, which reveals the pirate cruncher lurking beneath the treasure. Very well done - excellent pirate-y details, great songs, fun story and a nice surprise ending (which I have just ruined for you).  Experience it first hand - you'll enjoy it very much.

Review copy provided by Candlewick Press.  

Hailey Twitch is Not a Snitch

 

Sourcebooks 

Lauren Barnholdt;Illustrations by Suzanne Beaky

Hailey Twitch is a pretty average second grader. She enjoys school, except on the occasions when she is forced to interact with her arch enemy, Addie Jokobeck. She struggles a little with good behavior (what kid doesn't?) and argues occasionally with her older sister, Kaitlyn. There is one thing that isn't the least bit normal about Hailey - one tiny thing with sparkly yellow hair, light purple wings and big blue eyes.

While pouting in her room, Hailey discovers a miniature sprite named Ms. Maybelle Sinclair. She had been locked away in Hailey's dollhouse for being overly concerned with rules, otherwise known as a rule monger, which definitely is not sprite-like behavior. Sprites are supposed to be all about sparkles and fun - good times at all times. In order to have her magic restored, Maybelle will have to prove to the Department of Magic that she's capable of ignoring the rules and creating fun.

Hailey has just been assigned to partner with the despised Addie Jokobeck on a class project. Could Maybelle be the key to helping Hailey get away from Addie and assigned to a new partner? It turns out that Hailey is the only who can actually see or hear her little spritely friend, which results in a few sticky (and comical) situations. Unfortunately, Maybelle is so intent on proving that she can be fun that she's getting Hailey into trouble instead of helping her out! Along the way, Hailey starts to discover that maybe Addie isn't so bad after all ... and maybe having a sprite around isn't as great as she had imagined.  

I don't know that Lauren Barnholdt would appreciate the comparison, but I think her writing style here is similar to the Junie B. Jones series from Barbara Park. The sentence structure is short and a bit choppy, which is exactly how second graders tend to speak.  The big difference for me is the Junie books tend to use non-words, like "I runned right over there." which has always driven me crazy.

So, we have an interesting storyline with the addition of fun illustrations from Suzanne Beaky dotting the pages. There is a mythical flying creature, with sparkly hair and fairy wings, a little cattiness with girls being girls and best of all, the promise of magic! Overall, a very fun read. The book ends with a bit of uncertainty as to Maybelle's future - I hope that means there is a sequel in Hailey's future. Read an excerpt here from Lauren's site to see what you think.  She also has a funny blog that is worth checking out. 

Review copy provided by Sourcebooks. 

Bedtime for Mommy

Bloomsbury

Amy Krouse Rosenthal; Illustrated by LaUyen Pham

I love when a book has a cute little twist that really makes it funny. That's exactly what's happening here, and kids will find this to be a hilarious switcheroo. The parent and the child are trading places, with the daughter being the one responsible for getting her mom to bed.  The funniest part is how perfectly her mom plays the role of child! Parents will instantly identify with the typical bedtime behaviors displayed.

 When the clock strikes 7:30, the mother is still working away at her desk. We know someone is diligently monitoring the time for her, as a little ponytailed head pops around the corner and announces "Bedtime!" But, but, Mom isn't ready for bed yet, and she frantically shuffles papers and taps on her keyboard.  Her request of an additional "five more minutes?" is reluctantly granted, but then it really will be bedtime, no excuses. 

Once the little girl pries her mom away from her computer and marches her up the stairs, there is the usual bedtime routine to navigate.  She has to oversee that teeth are properly brushed, a bath is drawn and fresh pajamas are produced. After that, she must help choose an outfit for the next morning. The first three selections are met with head shakes and looks of disdain until the fourth one meets with her charge's approval. Then it's onto to book reading in bed, one last drink of water and a discussion over how far the door needs to be cracked open for proper light.

Finally, she gets her mom all tucked in for the night.  As she heads down the stairs, she stops and says "Phew!"  Yup, that pretty much captures exactly how I feel as a mom at the end of each night! The little video below from Bloomsbury shows off the book even better that I can describe. Reading this will make you chuckle with recognition and have your kids wanting to try putting you to bed!  Thanks to Amy Krouse Rosenthal for another great book to add to our collection.    

The Butt Book

Bloomsbury

Artie Bennett; Illustrated by Mike Lester

Yeah, I know, it's book about butts. And maybe there are some adults who think reading about butts is inappropriate or juvenile or just plain silly. And for every one of those adults, there is a kid who will think this is the funniest book ever, giggle themselves silly and slump into a heap on the floor. And really, aren't picture books supposed to be about making kids happy?     

Talk about judging a book by the cover. Somehow I totally overlooked the two humans pictured there on the front and assumed this would book would be all about animal butts. You know what they say about assume, right? Seems all the more appropriate here, ha, ha. I was wrong, the butts are not just limited to the animal type, but touch on a broad range of all the butts on Earth. Get it, touch on?  Ah, this book really does draw out my juvenile sense of humor - hopefully it does the same for you. 

Obviously, butts take center stage here. You might be surprised to find there's enough to say about this body part that would fill an entire book, but it turns out to be pretty interesting as well as funny.  Maybe we don't give enough credit to this part of our body. We mock our bums, are embarrassed by our posteriors and try to camouflage a big booty with flattering pants.  But come on, we all have one!  Let's celebrate the butt and give credit where credit is due. How else could we sit comfortably or ride a bike?  What do butts go by in your house: fanny, bum or derriere?  Artie Bennett has nearly 40 words for the butt listed on his website.  How many can you come up with?  

Clever rhymes and cute illustrations make this book so much fun to read. Readers get to see a whole slew of butts that they probably never gave a second thought to.  Eagle? Check. Weightlifter?  Check.  Snake?  No, snakes don't have butts -  read the book!  If you have a relaxed sense of humor and don't take yourself (or your butt) too seriously, this is the perfect choice for you. Humorous and informative - really a pure delight. 

Review copy provided by Bloomsbury.