The Black Rabbit

 

Candlewick Press

Philippa Leathers

One sunny morning, Little Rabbit is startled to discover there is a large, black rabbit looming behind him. Little Rabbit shrieks at him to go away, but his aggressor only stands dark and silent, unmoving. Poor Rabbit tries a multitude of tricks, hiding behind a large tree and swimming across the river, but that scary black rabbit is always just a step behind.

Little Rabbit is so panicked, that he unthinkingly runs straight into the deep, dark woods, which  he would ordinarily be ultra careful to avoid. (So cute that the woods are marked with a large wooden entrance sign: "Welcome to the deep, dark wood.") True to their name, the woods are deep and dark .... but at least there's no sign of that big black bunny.

Just as Little Rabbit takes a seat on a tree stump and breathes a sigh of relief, he notices two slanted eyes peering at him out of the darkness. These eyes belong to someone much more threatening than the character who had been following him all day ... the Wolf! Rabbit panics and runs, with Wolf hot on his heels. But just as quickly as he appeared, Wolf disappears. Because there, standing behind Little Rabbit, in the bright sunshine, is the Black Rabbit.
 

I love all the little details of Philippa Leathers' little neurotic bunny! His stubby legs in proportion to those long ears,the high spots of color on his cheeks and those big eyes with the worried look. From the illustrations, even young readers will realize right away why the Black Rabbit is there. Super adorable book! 

Review copy provided by Candlewick Press.  

Where's Waldo: The Totally Essential Travel Collection

 

Candlewick Press

Martin Handford 

Typically, Where's Waldo books are quite large, about 10" x 12", but thin. Certainly fun for home, but maybe not the ideal book to spread open while traveling. Now the clever people in charge of marketing have packed SEVEN volumes of classic Where's Waldo into one much smaller edition. It's genius, really.   

This is technically a soft cover, but with exceptionally strong front and back covers, and a sturdy bendable spine. This means you can crack it open and spread it out for thorough searching without fear of cracking the spine.

Each adventure includes a fold-out checklist at the beginning and end, with hundreds of more items to look for. There's really no chance of running out of items to search for, no matter how long your trip is. 

The classic Waldo books included in this travel edition:

Where’s Waldo?
Where’s Waldo Now?
Where’s Waldo? The Fantastic Journey
Where’s Waldo? The Wonder Book
Where’s Waldo? In Hollywood
Where’s Waldo? The Great Picture Hunt!
Where’s Waldo? The Incredible Paper Chase

Review copy provided by Candlewick Press.

Romping Monsters, Stomping Monsters

 

Candlewick Press

Jane Yolan, Illustrated by Kelly Murphy 

This is the perfect sequel to Creepy Monsters, Sleepy Monsters, which was published two years ago. The two books are very similar, with fantastic illustrations, cute rhyming text, and hilarious little monster activities.

This might not be exactly right, but it seemed to me that Creepy Monsters, Sleepy Monsters was a day in the life of monsters - a weekday, to be specific. This sequel appears to give us a look into a monster weekend. And once again, it's super fun to see their activities aren't so different from ours.

Monsters are whooping it up at the park, playing ball, taking turns on the slide, and jumping rope. Much like humans at the park, although they need less equipment, using just their freakish monster arms for the ropes. They have picnics in the park, teeter-totter and ride their bikes. Of course, they all line up for monster-sicles when the cart comes around. 
 

I think this book series is actually a great tool for helping children get over their fear of monsters. This is an easy way to show that monsters aren't creepy dudes that hide under the bed. These monsters smile, hug, and play silly games in the park. The only growling here is a little fight between siblings over the water fountain. 

Happily, there are enough monster-specific details included, so the book is also equally humorous. One large monster waits on the teeter totter while a pile of teeny monsters help each other pile on the other end. The three-headed monster on the tricycle is sporting three safety helmets. And one of the treats dispensed from the monster ice cream cart is a popsicle covered with tongues and eyeballs.  

Review copy provided by Candlewick Press.

The Story of Frog Belly Rat Bone

Candlewick Press 

Timothy Basil Ering 

It is the illustrations rather than the story that are so mesmerizing to me. Timothy Basil Ering has a very unique style of mixing watercolors with loose sketches, so the whole thing is all textures and shadows. It's also amazing.

There once was a stick boy who lived in a dank place called Cementland, which was filled with heaping piles of junk. The boy had one wish: to find a true treasure. After endless fruitless searching, he unearths a strange and wonderful box.The box is filled with beautiful packages and a note that instructs the finder to put the wondrous riches into the earth and enjoy.

The boy does as the note instructs, but when he comes back the next day, his plantings have been stolen. Enraged, he rummages through the junk and sets to work making a strange and loathsome creature from smelly socks, moldy pillows, and scraggly wires. Frog Belly Rat Bone is the monster who will guard over the boy's treasures, like a scarecrow for Cementland.

That very night, a rat, a rabbit, and a fruit fly are scared nearly to death when a "giant scary monster with long bony arms and wet smelly socks" leaps out. The thieves run off and the boy's treasures remain safe. The little boy and Frog Belly water the treasures and continue to guard against thieves. Soon Cementland is covered in beautiful flowers and laden with delicious fruit and vegetables. They all celebrate, even the thieves (who came back and apologized).  

This book was originally published in 2003, and has been adapted to the stage play by Rogue Artist Ensemble in Los Angeles, California. This printing celebrates the book's ten year anniversary.   

Timothy Basil Ering says this book was inspired by a visit to Descanso Gardens, a botanical garden in Pasadena, California, where there is a private garden for urban Los Angeles schoolchildren. "For as long as I can remember, I have loved to mix up words and phrases into silly little combinations that would make me laugh," he explains. "I’d make up songs while meandering down the outer beach of Cape Cod to favorite fishing spots, and ‘Frog Belly Rat Bone’ was always a favorite string of nouns. Then one day in Pasadena, I sat at a tiny picnic table in the children’s garden and began to sketch the garden’s scarecrow. I knew at that moment that Frog Belly Rat Bone had found a home." 

Timothy Basil Ering also wrote and illustrated Finn Throws a Fit, which is equally excellent.

Review copy provided by Candlewick Press. 

This is Not My Hat

 

Candlewick Press

Jon Klassen 

Jon Klassen's I Want My Hat Back won the New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year, and was named an honor book of the 2012 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award. Clearly I wasn't the only who loved the story about a bear who was trying to track down his misplaced (stolen!) hat, with a fantastic sardonic ending.

This one is about a small fish who nicks a hat from a much larger fish, and his attempted getaway. I like how this book is quite similar to I Want My Hat Back, but written from the complete opposite point of view. Before we were identifying with the victim and now we're seeing the captor's point of view (who also turns out to be a victim).  

After the hat swiping, the little thief is quite smug as he darts away, sure that the big fish was dead to the world. Even if he did wake to notice the empty space on his head, he wouldn't have the faintest idea who the thief could be. Should he be suspected, the little fish is confident that he's smart and quick enough to make it to the thick plants, where he will hide and never ever be found.  

Many of the pages look similar, but the book isn't a bit boring. I love the four pages of the big fish, right in a row. All four illustrations are nearly identical, except for the way his big fish eye conveys his reaction to the story. Even better, his reaction is a direct contradiction to the text printed on that page. It's so cleverly done.

Review copy provided by Candlewick Press.

Where's Waldo? Santa Spectacular

 

Candlewick Press

Martin Handford 

I think kids of all ages (even adults) can enjoy Waldo books, but this one has a definite age range. It is important to note that I think this book is intended for younger children, as older kids would find the games and activities a bit simplistic.  

Stickers feature predominately, with six full color pages in the center to use on various pages of activities. The first page instructs the child to "stick the stickers on top of the matching silhouettes to complete the scene." There's a very simple Sudoku page, a reindeer matching game, a two page board game, and one page of finding Waldo and his friends. But 75% of the book is using stickers - both for decorations and as games. I would estimate that sort of activity would be super attractive to a 3 or 4 year old, but a 6 year old might be bored.

I think it would be easy for people to glance at the cover and think "Waldo with santas!" without seeing the additional description of "Puzzles, searches and hundreds of cool stickers" right below the title. I think it's a super activity book for young children, but I would hate to see someone order this for an older child (or themselves) and be disappointed. But if you have a sticker lover, absolutely order this one.

Review copy provided by Candlewick Press.

No Bears

Candlewick Press 

Meg McKinlay; Illustrated by Leila Rudge 

"Every time you read a book, it's just BEARS BEARS BEARS - horrible furry bears slurping honey in awful little caves." That's how fed up Ella is with bears hogging all the storybooks. She needs a break from all the bears. The obvious solution is to take matters into her own hands and create a storybook that has, you guessed it, no bears. No bears in her castle, no bears in her forest, no bears putting their grimy little paws in her book, period. 

Instead of bears crowding up the joint, Ella's book has a tutorial for making your own paper crown, fairies with shimmering wings, a map of faraway places, and a terrible monster. This monster is also terribly (hilariously) dressed, replete in a pair of yellow and coral striped tights and an offbeat patterned mask. Ella's story has action, adventure, and like all good storybooks, a happy ending. 

I like how Ella includes classic storybook elements in a seemingly random way. When she introduces the monster to the story, a little girl in a red cape and hood runs past with a basket while a wolf looks on. The monster crosses the river in a bathtub with an owl and a pussycat, later passing by a trio of pigs in one house, and a girl with a suspiciously long braid in another.

There may be no bears allowed in, but one lurks (unknown to the bear banning author) right at the edges of the book, with a paw reaching in on several pages. Could it be that a bear is having a huge effect on Ella's book on the sly?

Leila Rudge does a great job tempering all the colors and activity in Ella's book against the pure white background. There are so many little details to take note of, but it's not the least bit overwhelming. There is action and adventure on every page, paired with adorable little patterned clothing (Ella's pink patterned shirt is my favorite) and clever little jokes tucked in everywhere.

Review copy provided by Candlewick Press.

Where's Waldo? The Wow Collection!

 

Candlewick Press

Martin Handford

So they certainly named this collection appropriately. When I opened it, I literally whispered "Wow." out loud without even thinking. Martin Handford may not be illustrating new books, but they are doing a bang up job of repackaging the ones that have already been released.

The collection includes six paperback books and an eighty piece jigsaw puzzle - all packaged inside a fancy little slipcase to keep things tidy. Not to mention, it's cheaper than if you bought all six of those paperbacks individually.  

The six titles included are: Where’s Waldo?
Where’s Waldo Now?
Where’s Waldo? The Fantastic Journey
Where’s Waldo? In Hollywood
Where’s Waldo? The Wonder Book
Where’s Waldo? The Great Picture Hunt

I don't think I need to point out that this would make a great gift, but I will anyway. Excellent gift! Even better if you can find a newish, small person who has not yet been introduced to the wonderful world of Waldo.     

Review copy provided by Candlewick Press.  

A Birthday for Bear

Candlewick Press
Bonny Becker; Illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton 

Although I really enjoyed A Birthday for Bear was it was first published, I wished it had gotten the large picture book format, rather than the smaller early reader size. Happy day, now we can watch the birthday negotiations plays out between the grumpy bear and tenacious mouse on full size pages. 

Mouse is delighted to help celebrate his friend's birthday, but Bear is much less enthusiastic - downright rude actually. When Mouse turns up bearing a nicely decorated card, Bear lies about it being his birthday. He tells Mouse in no uncertain terms that he does not like birthdays, he does not like birthday cards and he most certainly will NOT be having a birthday party! Then he unceremoniously sweeps him from the house. Bear thinks he has made himself quite clear, but we know how Mouse can be. 

Sure enough, Mouse returns wearing his trademark grin, masquerading as a balloon bearing deliveryman, a posting with a birthday greeting and finally as Santa Claus carrying a very large package. Each time Bear is wise to his tricks, seeing through each disguise to boot Mouse from the house.

Bear is getting just a tiny bit worn down by Mouse's antics and begins to wonder what sort of present could be in that large box. Just then the doorbell rings, revealing one large chocolate cake. Bear glares and peeks into the bushes, but there is no Mouse in sight. As Bear swipes one sweet pawful of chocolate cake - TA-DA - Mouse erupts from the cake. Just as he sweet talked his way into this friendship in the first book, he persuades Bear to celebrate his birthday with a cake, balloons and a wonderful gift.

Mouse is very persistent and Bear is very resistant. The fun is what happens when they meet in the middle. I love watching these two face off - you can practically see the wheels turning in Mouse's head and the waves of frustration coming from Bear. This unlikely pair combine to become a huge hit which will have readers giggling out loud.

Review copy provided by Candlewick Press. 

The Unruly Queen

Candlewick Press

E.S. Redmond 

There are several things to like about this book, but my personal favorite are the words the author chose. She really stretches with havoc, wreaked, tirade, petulant, treacherous, loathsome, banish, irked, horrendous, and cavernous, among other splendid choices. I love it when children's authors don't dumb down their writing for the kids. The only way to learn new words is to be exposed to them. 

 Minerva von Vyle is utterly spoiled and impossible to handle. The von Vyles are über wealthy, which means their only child gets whatever she desires, aside from their attention. Minerva creates havoc and makes messes on a daily basis, drawing on the walls, trotting her pink pony down the hallways and making life miserable for the servants. Not even the dog wants to spend any time in her company.

Minerva has blown through fifty-two nannies in exactly fifty-two weeks, wearing them out and driving them away. The fifth-third nanny arrives with a glint in her eye. She places a very fancy crown on Minerva's head, dubbing her "the Unruly Queen." At first the child is delighted to be royalty ... until she discovers what her new royal title entails. The queen will live at dreary Petulant Peak, ruling over the most loathsome creatures, behaving as rudely as she likes.

This nanny is ever so tricky, seemingly disappointed as her charge scoots up to bed without being asked, bathes and readies herself for bed without complaint. A clean, well-behaved little girl simply cannot wear the crown of The Unruly Queen.  And that is how Minerva von Vyle stopped acting like a spoiled brat and started to appreciate her privileged life. 
 
Review copy provided by Candlewick Press.

The Lorax Pop-up!

 

Random House 

Dr. Suess; Pop-ups by David A. Carter. 

The Lorax is one of my favorite books from Dr. Suess. Obviously, he was ahead of his time, creating an story warning about ecological concerns way back in 1971. His conservation message is just as relevant, and possibly more pressing today than it was forty years ago. This pop-up edition is just more fun.

This is the story of an entrepreneur named the Once-ler, who discovers the Truffula Trees (whose tufts are softer than silk and smell of fresh butterfly milk) are a valuable commodity. He starts whacking them down at breakneck speed, using the tufts to knit his products. The Lorax, a shortish, brownish, oldish fellow, implores the Once-ler to acknowledge that other animals are depending on the Truffula Trees, which are disappearing at an alarming rate. The trees may cannot speak for themselves, so the Lorax must be their voice.      

When the very last tree eventually falls, the forest is bereft of life and smog fills the air. The factory sits empty and the Lorax has disappeared. One Truffula seed remains ... waiting for the person who with the ability to protect it from the axes that hack.

Pop-up books always seem like a treat to me. This one has a large main section that leaps off the top of each page, plus flaps to open on the sides with tiny moving parts. My favorite is the wheel on page two, where a spin causes two little Humming-Fish to leap from their pond. The whisper-ma-phone on the first page is pretty good too, a nice job of making that three-dimensional.

My only complaint is how small the font is. I know the story is long, so it was necessary to make the font fairly small just to fit the whole thing in, but the selected size makes it a bit hard to read. The words on the white sections are fine, but I found myself peering at the ones printed on the green and blue sections.     

Review copy provided by Random House.

Oh No, George!

Candlewick Press

Chris Haughton 

One glance at George on the cover, and I knew instantly that this was the work of Chris Haughton. I love his big color blocked illustrations, and I recognized that unique font as the same one used in Little Owl Lost.

So George the dog has a little bit of a behavior problem. When Harry steps out for a bit, George promises to be good. He wants to be good, he really does - that pink and orange body is stuffed full with good intentions. But how to keep his promise when naughty things keep popping up? What dog can resist a big cake left unattended on the kitchen table? Strike one.

George is still standing amidst the cake crumbs when Cat strolls by. A spirited cat chase leaves George panting and staring straight at a planter full of fresh dirt, and boy, does he love to dig around in fresh dirt. Consequently, when Harry returns, the house is a shambles. Cat is hiding, the cake plate is empty and George feels terrible.  

Harry cleans up, and instead of punishing George, he takes him out for a walk. George IS good on the excursion, bypassing a whole cake, fresh dirt, and Cat. Could it be that this fuchsia dog has finally learned to control his behavior?

Although I really do love the illustrations, I wish the storyline had been a tad bit stronger. As it is, I think this would be a good book for younger children, as they would enjoy guessing on each predicament if George will be good or knuckle under to his bad side. Lots of vibrant and and deep colors - bright pink George stands out nicely against white and bold orange backgrounds. My favorite little detail is the uneveness of George eyes - makes him look a bit sad and wonky at the same time. 

Review copy provided by Candlewick Press. 

Guess How Much I Love You: The Pop-Up Edition

 

Candlewick Press

Sam McBratney; Illustrated by Anita Jeram

I think this book is considered a modern classic. In addition to winning numerous awards, more than twenty million copies have been sold worldwide. That just goes to show that these rabbits are adorable in any language. The original version is very sweet, but the pop-up version manages to top that. Amazingly enough, this new pop-up version is waaaaay better than its predecessor. I'm not sure it is possible to look through this book and walk away without buying it.  

There are only two main characters: Big Nutbrown Hare and Little Nutbrown Hare. Their relationship is not specifically stated, but I have always assumed they are father and son. One night, just before bedtime, the little rabbit says to his dad "Guess how much I love you." He holds out his arms in each direction just as far as they will reach, but the big hare's arms have a much wider span. Little Nutbrown Hare tries several different ways to show his dad how big his love is - by stretching very tall, poking his toes out as far as he can, and hopping very high. But every time his dad manages to top him with the enormity of his love.  

Readers can pull the tabs and open flaps that make the rabbits' arms fly out, stretch high in the air, and hop about. Even very small children will be able to manage the large flaps, some of which almost full page sized. It really is nearly impossible to overemphasize how wonderful this book is. A very sweet storyline, interactive, moving parts on every page, and the most adorable rabbits ever put to paper.     

Review copy provided by Candlewick Press.  

The Sniffles for Bear

Candlewick Press

Bonny Becker; Illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton

I'm always happy to see one of my very favorites literary duos return. I am particularly pleased to see this book has been published in the large picture book version, like A Visitor for Bear. I didn't particularly care for the smaller sized edition of A Birthday for Bear. Bigger is better for this bear, I think.    

According to Bear, he doesn't just have the sniffles, like the title suggests. He is dreadfully sick, practically knocking at death's door. Mouse comes over to act as nursemaid, but he's far too cheerful for his sick friend. Bear needs proper sympathy, not uplifting songs and happy stories. Sweet Mouse manages to guide melodramatic Bear into bed, tuck him in, and serves homemade soup that meets with his approval. Bear isn't the jolliest fellow when he is able-bodied, so I can only imagine what poor Mouse is dealing with.

Bear feels so terribly ill that he suggests making a will, just in case. His tiny friend produces a rodent sized pencil and spiral notebook from his bag and they inventory Bear's most important possessions. After that, Bear feels calm enough to take a nap. And when he wakes, he feels worlds better. The same cannot be said for Mouse, who wakes with watery eyes and a very pink nose. It is Bear's turn to return the favor and become the caretaker.    

I love the phrases that Becker comes up with. "Mouse looked sad, but his tail didn't." That a really cute way of saying that Mouse is patronizing his friend in a sly way. Bear is so stuffed up, that he calls out "Cub in!" when Mouse raps at the door. I love the mish mash of blankets he has piled on, but none more so than the red and white one he has draped about his head. Most of all, I adore how Bear throws back his head and flutters a paw - a drama queen in a fur suit. Just superb. 

Review copy provided by Candlewick Press.

Chilly Milly Moo

 

Candlewick Press

Fiona Ross

Chilly Milly Moo is a very special cow. Her tendency to overheat means she has a very difficult time in the summer. It probably doesn't help that she insists on wearing a knit cap and boots year round, but apparently that's her thing. Does fashion ever really make sense? 

It might not be too hot for boots, but it is certainly too hot for milk making. Millie skulks around the barn, embarrassed by her inability to perform her main function. It doesn't help that the other cows are lolling around in the pastures, bragging about the quantities of milk they regularly produce. While Millie sulks, they loudly proclaim that the heat from the sun's rays boosts their milk production. Poor Chilly Milly Moo. The farmer informs her that if she doesn't make milk, she won't be able to stay at the farm.

This dried up cow goes to bed feeling confused and unappreciated, and wakes to find a snowstorm raging outside. While the other barn inhabitants are shivering, moaning and groaning about the temperature, Milly Moo is pleased as punch to see the farmer arrive. Strange noises erupt from her midsection when the farmer settles on his milking stool. Once the farmer sees what his crazy cow can do, he can't believe his fortune.  The snowstorm has turned Chilly Millie Moo into an ice cream dispenser!  

Fun book, funny ending, and great illustrations. This is the first children's book from Fiona Ross, but I have my fingers crossed that this is her signature style of illustration and hope to see more. The digitally created illustrations have kind of a messy look to them, almost like smudges of ink everywhere. The font runs in different directions (I particularly like the sentence printed on the farmer's bum) creating a sense of whimsy. It is certainly fitting that the cow unique enough to wear a hat with a pom pom is the who who astonishes the farmer in the end.   

Review copy provided by Candlewick Press.  

Where's Waldo Now?

 

Candlewick Press

Martin Handford

Waldo books don't ever seem to decrease in popularity. These books stand the test of time and constantly manage to find a new audience. It doesn't matter how many times we look through a Waldo book, I can't ever seem to remember where I spotted him or his cohorts. Which essentially means, every time we pick one up, it is pretty much like seeing it for the first time.

I love that Candlewick is releasing the entire six book series in affordable paperback editions. Plus they have included a handy little circle in the upper left of the cover, indicating where it falls in the series. This makes it really easy for parents to keep track of the editions they already have and those that are needed to complete a collection.

 
In addition to finding Waldo on each page, of course you must also find his four close friends hiding on each page: Odlaw (Waldo spelled backwards), Wizard Whitebeard, Wenda, and Woof. Those careless travelers have dropped five precious belongings in each scene: Waldo's key, Woof's bone, Wenda's camera, Wizard Whitebeard's scroll, and Odlaw's binoculars. I find it difficult to find Woof when all you can see is his tail, so the odds of finding Waldo's key seems like an impossible feat. 

This edition contains a dozen scenes to hunt in. Waldo has been reading history books, so this book is put together in a time line format. The first scene is the time of cavemen, then ancient Egyptians and their pyramids, games in ancient Rome, and so on. The last scene is meant to be the future, with space cars flying around glass domed shopping structures. Even after all that hunting, there is a bit more tucked in at the end. The last two pages contain a checklist for each scene of additional random things to search for, like an insolent statue, yellow teeth, and sunbathers in peril. Truly, this book could keep you (or small children) engaged for hours on end.    

Review copy provided by Candlewick Press.

Paul Thurlby's Alphabet

Candlewick Press

Paul Thurlby 

There are so many alphabet books on the market that any newcomers must be pretty special to stand out. Paul Thurlby must be aware of that fact because he sure nailed it. He describes his unique book as "the challenge of fusing the object of the word with the shape of the letter." Even the cover is cheery, like the boy with the sparkly scarlet A body is cheerily waving the readers in. Appropriately enough, the A in this book is for awesome! 

No crunched up alphabet here - each letter gets its own two page spread. The left page shows both upper and lower case letter against a solid colored background. The right page is the uppercase letter embedded in or transformed by design. Just underneath the letter is the two word description. Some of them are obvious, like D for dog or R for rabbit, with others a bit more abstract.

A fun game to play the first time through the book is to cover the written description with your hand and try to guess what the letter stands for while only being able to see the picture. We stumbled on H for Hang and F for Fierce, but had fun with our guesswork.      

I like how the solid colored pages have small scuff marks and little bits of color in various places. It gives a nice patina to the pages, like this is an older, well-loved book that has been passed down through the ages. The style of the illustrations reinforce this thought, as Paul Thurlby has a very distinctive, vintage type style. 

At the back of the book is the Artist's Note, which provides some interesting insights into how this book came to be. I love learning how writers and illustrators come up with their ideas, or how a particular project evolved. Another little perk: the book's dust jacket is doubled up. Remove and unfold to reveal a nice poster of the entire illustrated alphabet.

Review copy provided by Candlewick Press.

I Want My Hat Back

 

Candlewick Press

Jon Klassen

There is not a lot of middle ground on this book. Readers will either find it wildly funny and truly love it, or dismiss it as an odd children's book they don't get. The style is quite distinctive and the humor is deadpan. I find it hilarious, particularly the surprise ending.   

The storyline is very straightforward: the bear has lost his hat and wants it back. He makes the rounds, asking all the other animals if they have seen it. Neither the fox nor the frog have seen the bear's headgear and they are quite polite about it. The rabbit, however, seems very defensive, and not a little bit shifty. Also, he's wearing a pointy red hat while they are talking, but this apparently doesn't register with the bear as he thanks rabbit for his time and moves on. The bear asks three more animals about his hat before he becomes discouraged and lies down on his back in the grass.

He starts to worry that he will never find his hat again, and he misses it terribly. That hat was the perfect shade of red, and tapered to a nice sharp point .... wait a minute. The bear sits bolt upright. He just SAW a hat like that. With narrowed eyes, he lumbers past the line of animals to confront the rabbit, who still wears that crimson headpiece. After a bit of a stare down, the Bear emerges triumphant, flatly remarking "I love my hat." As for the rabbit? No good comes to liars or thieves, but you'll have to ask the bear about that. 

It is very humorous how the bear doesn't change position or expression for the first seven pages. The other animals are illustrated similarly, staring forward in a flat sort of way. It would be creepy if the overall effect wasn't so darn funny. All the pages that are directly related to the hat share the common element of red. The hat itself is red, the rabbit's words are the only red text, and the page with the bear's realization stands out with a solid red background. The entire book is very clever, in an understated way. And extremely funny!  


Review copy provided by Candlewick Press. 

Encyclopedia Mythologica: Dragons & Monsters

Candlewick Press

Matthew Reinhart and Robert Sabuda

If you are lucky enough to have one of Matthew Reinhart and Robert Sabuda's books fall into your hands, odds are your first word will be "WOW!" Then your mouth will fall open and just hang there while you turn the pages, as you had no idea that a pop-up book could look like this. Reinhart and Sabuda are like the rock stars of the pop up world, creating the most amazing books. This is the final volume in the Encyclopedia Mythologica trilogy series, preceded by Gods and Heroes, and Fairies and Magical Creatures. 

Even though I know what to expect when I open one of these, I am still astounded when a new one is released. Each page features one enormous pop-up in the center of the page, with smaller booklets in the corners. Medusa rears her ugly head on page one, with fanged green snakes rearing every which way. Two pages later, a dragon erupts, tubes of bright red crepe paper forming his tubular body. Other main events: a vampire rising from his coffin, Bigfoot hiding behind a tree, a fearsome winged dragon, and a kraken attacking an unlucky ship.

Although there are technically only six pages, there is so much information (and paper!) tucked into each, that the book measures three inches thick. The booklets in the corners provide written information paired with smaller pop-ups. I like that these have tiny tabbed corners that hold them closed, so the pages stay nice and neat until the reader is ready to release them. 

Yes, the books in the Encyclopedia Mythologica series cost a bit more than the average hardcover children's book, but they are worth every single penny. This is art, engineering, and creativity all tucked up into a neat package. Although the video below shows each page, it honestly does not do the book justice. Leafing through a physical own copy is far more impressive.

Review copy provided by Candlewick Press.

Creepy Monsters, Sleepy Monsters

Candlewick Press

Jane Yolen; Illustrated by Kelly Murphy

With a beginning like "Monsters creep, monsters crawl ... " you might think this is leading up to be a fairly scary story. Actually, this is a monster lullaby that is on far friendlier terms. Not a bit scary, but cute and funny and full of sweet little monsters. Find out what life is like in their world and you might be surprised to find out a typical day there isn't too much different from a human's. Except for the horns and all those extra eyeballs. 

The creeping and crawling is really monsters erupting from the doors of Cree P. Elementary School after a long day of monster learning. Thrilled to be out for the day, they pour into the local park, swooping down the slide and careening from swings. As darkness falls, the little monsters are greeted by their parents at the doors to their caves, eagerly sliding in and flinging backpacks to the floor.    

Burgers (maybe a bit more slimy than ours) and a green salad are gobbled up, and then into the tub to get scrubbed from horn to toe. After plenty of hopping about on the mattresses and requests for "one last drink of water," they are tucked snug in their beds.  

I like the disparity between the written words and the illustrations. If you were to take the words at face value, this would be a different story altogether. It is the illustrations that add the humor. The monsters vary greatly in appearance - some striped, some furry, a few with wings and most with horns. It is a rainbow of bodies that seem to have only the one shared characteristic - great big, googly eyes.  

I love that their world is so similar to ours, but with tiny details tucked here and there that are purely monster. Worms poke from their salad and eyeballs peer out from the stew pot. All their stuffed animals and backpacks resemble tiny monsters and some of the furniture practically looks alive. It's the best of both worlds!

Review copy provided by Candlewick Press.