Thu Feb 09 2012
Now that summer's here, it's a good time to stock up on some books to keep the kids busy on a rainy day.
Start them early with a board book that supports their self-image. "On the Night You Were Born" by Nancy Tillman has a smiling moon, dancing polar bears, flying geese, musical notes in the trees, all celebrating the birth of the child, "because there had never been anyone like you ... ever in the world ... the one and only ever you." The illustrations are bright and colorful, and the calming words of comfort are perfect for a parent -- birth or adoptive -- to read aloud. Ages infant to preschool.
Children can have imaginary fun "At the Supermarket" in a book by Anne Rockwell. A young boy accompanies his mother to the market, where they buy practical, identifiable items. They also buy ingredients for a cake for his birthday party. Then they go home, put the food away and start cooking. The simple, primitive illustrations are in primary colors and the print is large and bold. The author and her late husband, Harlow Rockwell, originally created the book 30 years ago; this edition was updated by the author and her granddaughter, Julianna Brion. Preschool to early readers.
A mother and her daughter play a game of "What are you doing?" in "Feeding the Sheep" by Leda Schubert with pictures by Andrea U'Ren. Mom feeds the sheep, shears them for their fleece ("Soft and deep, sheepy heap"), then washes and cards the wool, spins and dyes the yarn, and knits a sweater. In the end, the little girl understands that everything takes time and care, and then it's her turn to feed the sheep. Ages 4 to 8.
Enjoy a vicarious trip to the library in the pages of "Dewey: There's a Cat in the Library" by Vicki Myron and Bret Witter, based on their best-selling "Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World." The kitten, abandoned in the library's book return box, is lovingly cleaned up by librarian Vicki and proceeds to make the library his home. Appropriately named Dewey Readmore Books, the kitten proves to be an outgoing, helpful little guy. The illustrations by Steve James are soft, making the orange kitten look ever so cute and huggable. Ages 4 to 8.
Kate DiCamillo's "Mercy Watson: Something Wonky This Way Comes" brings back the silly pig Mercy Watson, who loves buttered toast. When the Watsons decide to take her to the drive-in movie, Mercy discovers the marvelous scent of buttered popcorn in the air. And she discovers another thing: She loves buttered popcorn -- especially bottomless buckets of buttered popcorn. Chris Van Dusen again provides the hilarious, brightly colored illustrations. Ages 4 to 8, and just for fun.
"The Magic School Bus and the Climate Challenge" by Joanna Cole, illustrated by Bruce Degen, is the 131st title the pair have worked on. The peculiar Ms. Frizzle teaches her class by taking the familiar flying school bus up into the skies above the Arctic Circle to show the children what glaciers and icebergs are and how the ocean is affected by a global change in temperature. The book does not present a "doom and gloom" scenario and is not political. It does present the situation in understandable terms and it suggests ways children can help preserve their world. Ages 4 to 8.
"Crow Call" by Lois Lowry has almost-photographic illustrations by Bagram Ibatoulline. The true story recounts the author's memories of her father, buying her a special gift when she was very young, and then taking her with him to hunt crows. She's afraid of her father's gun, but, happily, he doesn't shoot the gun that day. It's a lovely moment between father and daughter. Ages 9 to 12.
Carmen Agra Deedy has written a children's book based on a true incident in the life of Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah. In "14 Cows for America," with illustrations by Thomas Gonzalez, Naiyomah returns to his Maasai village in Kenya to tell his loving friends and family about his travels in the United States. When he conveys the tragedy of 9/11, the villagers are deeply moved and want to extend comfort to the people of America. They offer the best they have: their beloved cows, given symbolically as a gesture of compassion. "There is no nation so powerful it cannot be wounded, nor a people so small they cannot offer mighty comfort." Age 6 and up.
Finally, "Can You See What I See? Treasure Ship" is the latest in the series by Walter Wick. This is good for any age, as adults can ask little non-readers to help them find an item in the picture, and older children can read the list themselves. Once again, the photographs are very cleverly created, hiding items such as "a whale's tail," "a feather, a frog, a cat with spots" and much more. It's an activity an adult and child -- or two or three children -- can do together, then put away for the next rainy day and do all over again.
Copyright © 2010 by Mary Louise Ruehr.
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BOOK NOTES, One for the Books Extra Online
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Check out my blog on books, inspiration, fun and thought-provoking goodies! It’s called “Shine A Light!”
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For best-seller lists and more book news, go to:
http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4828399
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Here are links to other recent One for the Books columns. More links are available on my blog at http://blogs.dixcdn.com/shine_a_light/one-for-the-books/
Questions of Identity -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4826618
Lives of Real Women -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4817982
A Bit of Southern Hospitality -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4813799
Marriage -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4805797
Politicians Behaving Badly -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4796121
A Vicarious Vacation in Ireland -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4786929
Sex, Drugs, and Rock ’n’ Roll -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4768003
Keep It Short! -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4758011
The “Dome” Tome and “U” -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4753011
Revisiting Jane Austen -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4743712
Palin-Tology -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4718844
Treats for Dog Lovers -- http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/4709611
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Thanks for reading One for the Books. Please let us know what kind of book news you’d like to see on this page. Send e-mail to Books@recordpub.com. Send other mail to Mary Louise Ruehr, Books Editor, Record-Courier, 126 N. Chestnut St. (P.O. Box 1201), Ravenna, OH 44266.
“One for the Books” appears the second and fourth Fridays of the month in the Record-Courier. Extra columns may appear on occasion, especially preceding Christmas and Hanukkah.
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