ReFoReMo Day 11 Book Reviews

BIRD, BALLOON, BEAR by Il Sung Na

It's Bird's first day in the forest. She is looking for a friend. She sees Bear. Bird wants to introduce herself but she's too shy. Before she can work up the nerve to say, "Hello," Bear has already found a

friend. A big, red Balloon floats by Bear and he starts playing with it. Bear and Balloon play all day long. Poor Bird can only sit and watch. Will she ever get a chance to be friends with Bear?

EVERY DAY BIRDS by Amy Ludwig

"Every day we watch for birds weaving through the sky.

We listen to their calls and songs.

We like to see them fly."

So begins this poem that has been transformed into a picture book. From there we learn a bit about the chickadee, the jay, the nuthatch and the finch, as well as 16 other types of birds. Several pages at the end of the book contain additional information about each type of bird mentioned in the book.

This is a great way to introduce young readers to the subject of birds. Not only are the illustrations colorful and expressive, and the text not only rhymes, the sentences are very short.

LOVE, MAMA by Jeanette Bradley 

When Kipling's mama goes on a long trip and leaves him behind, she says she'll be home soon. But, she doesn't come back by dinnertime or by bedtime or even the next day. Or the next... Kipling misses her very much and searches for ways to comfort himself, but nothing takes the place of Mama's love.

Then, a package from Mama arrives in the mail with some of this favorite things in it and a letter from Mama. She assures Kipling that her love can reach him wherever he is. She signs the card Love, Mama. Kipling realizes he has her love even if she isn't right there with him.

MY BEAUTIFUL BIRDS by Suzanne Del Rizzo

When Sami is forced to flee his home because it has been blown apart (along with those of his neighbors), he is forced to leave his pigeons behind. Even though Sami and his family eventually make it safely to a refugee camp, Sami wonders about his birds and hopes that they are okay. He is so concerned about the birds that he finds it difficult to concentrate on anything else.

Then one day he begins to notice there are birds around the camp. He then makes it his job to take care of those birds.

Author Suzanne Del Rizzo is also the illustrator. The story is a moving one, to be sure. But her illustrations are just amazing. She used Plasticine and polymer clay and other things to create 3D images for the illustrations. They are very detailed and life-like and provide an added dimension (pardon the pun) to the book.

 

THE DAY I BECAME A BIRD by Ingrid Chabbert Guridi

I haven't read this book yet. I will add my review after I have had a chance to read the book.

ReFoReMo Day 10 Book Reviews

BLOCKHEAD: The Life of Fibonacci by Joseph D'Agnese

Leonardo Fibonacci was a mathematician who lived in the middle ages. He had a penchant for numbers and all things mathematical. His nickname was Bigollo, which is loosely translated to mean, Blockhead. Fibonacci is best known for what is called the Fibonacci Sequence, a sequence of numbers that describes how things like flowers grow in an orderly fashion. It is also prevalent in architecture, music, poetry and art.

A page at the back of the book provides some additional biographical information about Fibonacci. The last page of the book makes this an interactive picture book. First, it challenges the reader to go back through the book and find a flower with eight petals, a lemon with eight sections, and a clover with three leaves. Then, the reader is instructed to continue looking through the book to see if they can find any additional items that have Fibonacci numbers in them. There are also several other math and number related activities listed on the last page.

FINDING WINNIE: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear by Lindsay Mattick 

This wonderful book was written by Lindsay Mattick, the great-granddaughter of Captain Harry Colebourn. Captain Colebourn, a vet, was on his way to tend to the soldier's horses during the war, when he came upon a man with a bear cub. The captain bought the cub and named her Winnipeg, calling her Winnie, for short. He trained her and she became the mascot for the Second Canadian Infantry Brigade. When the troops were sent out to fight, Capt. Colebourn had to leave Winnie behind. He was in  England at the time, and he drove Winnie to the London Zoo, where she lived out the rest of her days.

She became a favorite attraction at the zoo. One day, little Christopher Robin Milne went to the zoo with his father. Christopher Robin fell in love with Winnie. He and the bear became great friends. Christopher Robin had a stuffed bear at home that he named Winnie-the-Pooh. His father, A.A. Milne, wrote great stories about the adventures of Christopher Robin, Winnie-the-Pooh and their friends in the Hundred Acre Woods.

Mattick writes the story in a refreshingly creative way. She begins by having a young boy curling up with mom while mom reads the story. The little boy keeps interrupting the mother as she reads, as children often do. In this manner, Mattick tells the story of how Winnie-the-Pooh became famous.

IRA'S SHAKESPEARE DREAM by Glenda Armand

Ira Aldridge wanted to be an actor, and not just any actor. He wanted to act in Shakespeare plays. There were problems with this: (1) He was black. (2) He lived in the United States during a time when slavery was still legal. Even so, he pursued his dream at an all-black theater located in New York City. He eventually left the United States and went to England, where he became the first black man to play the part of Othello on a stage there. He is also the only black man to have his name inscribed on a plaque at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in England.

LOST AND FOUND CAT: The True Story of Kunkush's Incredible Journey by Doug Kuntz and

Amy Shrodes

When an Iraqi family leaves their home to flee for safety, they want to take their cat, Kunkush, with them. They are being smuggled out of the country by various people, any of whom would either not permit them to take their cat, or who would charge them a lot of extra money to do so. Because they can't afford to pay more, and because they can't bear to leave Kunkush with them, the family manages to hide the cat in a basket where no one would see or hear him.

This arrangement works well for much of the journey. But, after a perilous voyage across the waters to Greece, the latch on the cat's basket becomes undone. The cat is frightened when they finally reach land and he sneaks out of the basket when no one is looking. Although they search and search, the can not find Kunkush. They are then forced to continue their journey to their new home in Norway, without Kunkush.

Kunkush was found a few days later by a couple of people who volunteered to help Iraqi refugees. Although they had found the cat, they were unable to contact the family directly. They turned to the only means they had - the Internet. Finally, after a few months, they found Kunkush's family and he was returned safely to them.

This is both a remarkable story about a cat's journey, as well as a heart-warming one about strangers coming together to reunite a family with their beloved pet. Their is a page in the back of the book by the authors explaining more about Kunkush's journey. There are also four pages of color photographs at the back of the book.

NINA: Jazz Legend and Civil-Rights Activist Nina Simone by Alice Brière-Haquet

Author Alice Brière-Haquet present the story of Nina Simone, a singer of soul music who made her mark in both music and civil rights. Nina was black, and because of the color of her skin, she lived in a world where she was discriminated against. She was a talented singer who longed to bring the world together through her music. This book celebrates Nina's life and her accomplishments. It also shows how much we have accomplished in terms or civil rights as well as how far we still have to go before all people are treated equally. The book is  done all in black and white as a statement to how Nina saw her world. 

ReFoReMo Day 9 Book Reviews

BOB AND JOSS GET LOST! by Peter McCleery

What happens when two friends get bored? They decide to take a boat trip. Bob warns that they will get lost. Joss is convinced they won't. But, of course, they do. They are also shipwrecked on what appears to be a deserted island. But, is it?

STARRING CARMEN! By Anika Denise 

 

Carmen is the star of all of her shows. She is the writer, producer, artist, actress, singer, dancer, etc. She does it all. When her brother begs her for a part in the show, she always gives him one, but she makes sure to give him a non-speaking part. She employs her parents as her audience.

Although the parents are very supportive of Carmen and her efforts, after a while, the parents need a little break. And, her brother decides he wants to do something different, too. What happens when her brother puts on a show instead? Will Carmen stay in the shadows?

THIS IS NOT A NORMAL ANIMAL BOOK by Julie Segal-Walters

As the title implies, this is NOT a normal animal book or a normal book about animals. Rather, it is an offbeat look at how picture books are created. One part of the text reads: "This is a cat." It shows the picture of a black and white cat. Then the text goes on to read: "If the cat laid an egg..." When you turn the page, it says, "... it would be a hen. But, there is a picture of a cat looking like it's about to lay an egg. Cats don't lay eggs; hens do. On the next page, the text reads, "A Hen!" The illustrations show a hen who has laid an egg. This interaction between the text and the illustrations shows how important it is for them to work together to convey the true meaning of the story. And, this interaction is continued throughout the rest of the book.

WHOBERT WHOVER, OWL DETECTIVE by Jason Gallaher

Our local library doesn't have this book, so I haven't had a chance to read it. If I do, I will add my review at a later date.

WOLFIE THE BUNNY by Ame Dyckman

When the bunny family adopts a baby, they adopt a baby wolf and not a baby bunny. The parents are head over heels in love with their new baby, but little Dot is not too sure. She is always warning them of the dangers of having a wolf in the house. But, as Dot spends more time with her baby brother, she realizes he might not be so bad after all. When his life is in danger, will Dot be able to save the day?

This is a great take on the age-old subject of sibling rivalry.

RefoReMo Day 8 Book Reviews

A HUNDRED BILLION TRILLION STARS by Seth Fishman

Author Seth Fishman introduces the concept of number, really, really, really big numbers, like the idea that there are a hundred billion trillion stars in the universe and there are about ten quadrillion ants on the planet. Now, those numbers are big!

This is a great book for teaching kids about big numbers. The imaginative illustrations by Isabel Greenberg are the perfect accompaniment to the text. The author also provides an Author's Note in the back of the book with more information about numbers.

ANOTHER WAY TO CLIMB A TREE by Liz Garton Scanlon

Lulu loves to climb trees. There is not a tree around that she can't climb. She feels a special closeness to the trees. But when she is sick and can't climb a tree, she wonders if the trees miss her. Maybe the birds do, too. She longs to climb a tree, even while she is stuck indoors. But, how can she do that? Spoiler alert: She figures out a way!

CHARLOTTE THE SCIENTIST IS SQUISHED by Camille Andros

Charlotte is a scientist. She is also a rabbit and she lives in a house with lots of other rabbits, so many of them that she has no room for all the equipment she needs to run her experiments. Since Charlotte is a scientist, and scientists use the Scientific Method to solve problems, she decides to follow that procedure to solve her problem. First, she states the problem: "How can I get some space around here?" Then, she forms a hypothesis: "If I get rid of my brothers and sisters, I will have room to be a scientist." But, that's not easy to do. So, Charlotte must find another way to get more space.

And, she does. She finds more space on her own planet in outer space. Now she has lots of room. But, she also has another problem. She is very lonely. How can she solve that problem and still have space for her experiments?

Author Camille Andros provides an explanation of the Scientific Method at the end of the book, using Charlotte's methods as examples of how the Scientific Method works.

CHIBI SAMURAI WANTS A PET by Sanae Ishida

Chibi Samurai's friend, Little Kunoichi, has a pet, a "super-duper ninja bunny." Chibi thinks his friend's pet is so special, that he wants a pet, too. So, Chibi goes on a quest to find the perfect pet. Will it be a giant salamander? No, it's too strong. How about a tanuki, a magical creature that can turn into anything? No, the tanuki turns into a car and drives away. Chibi keeps looking for the perfect pet, rejecting a monkey and a squid and others. Will he finally find the perfect pet for him?

In addition to having a few Japanese words sprinkled throughout the text, there is a page in the back of the book with facts and trivia about different animals and also about things that are Japanese.

DAZZLE SHIPS: WORLD WAR AND THE ART OF CONFUSION by Chris Barton

During WWI, ships in both the British and American fleets were being hit in large numbers by enemy torpedoes. In an effort to confuse the enemy, the ships were painted in bold colors with crazy patterns. The idea was the brainchild of a British lieutenant-commander named Norman Wilkinson. He thought that painting the ships would make them harder for the enemy to determine the ship's speed and direction. The process was called "dazzling"; hence the name of the book.

There are four extra pages in the back of the book with more information about these ships. There is an Author's Note, an Illustrator's Note, a Timeline about events in WWI, and some photographs.

GREAT BIG THINGS by Kate Hoefler

Minimal text by Kate Hoefler and wonderful illustrations by Noah Klocek convey the size of "great big things" like mountains and the ocean and the forest as a small, small mouse braves all big obstacles to reach his love.

I WON'T EAT THAT by Christopher Silas Neal

Cat is hungry but he doesn't want to eat his dry, dull cat food. So, he goes in search of something better to eat. Turtle offers him worms. Cat doesn't want those, either. Fox eats rabbits, but Cat doesn't want those, either, or the ants that Chimp enjoys. So, what will Cat eat if he won't eat those things? The ending has a great little twist to it.

Author/illustrator Christopher Silas Neal serves up the perfect combination in this delightful book that all kids will relate to.

NIMOSHOM AND HIS BUS by Penny M. Thomas

Nimoshom was a bus driver. He was a Cree Indian. Nimoshom means "my grandfather" in Cree. While he was driving the bus, he would sometimes tell silly stories. He always said, "Tansi," when he picked someone up, since tansi means "hello" in Cree. He taught the children other words like "Api" (sit down) and "ehe" (yes).

This isn't so much a storybook as it is a book about how someone from one culture can influence someone from another culture. In this instance, the book serves to teach readers some basic words in the Cree language. The author includes a glossary of the words in the back of the book.

SHELTER by Celine Claire

When a big storm is coming, all the creatures in the woods take shelter - the rabbits, the squirrels, the birds and the foxes. All the creatures have a shelter except for the two bear brothers.

When the storm hits, the bears are left out in the cold. They knock on the other creatures' doors, but no one will let them in, even when they offer to share their food. The foxes don't open their den, but little fox goes out and gives them a lantern so they will at least have light.

The bears wander around for a while until it starts snowing. Then, they use the snow to build a shelter for themselves. When the roof collapses on the fox den, the fox family goes running. They look for new shelter and they find it with the bear brothers.

SING, DON'T CRY by Angela Dominguez

Every year, the children's Abuelo (grandfather) visits his family. When he comes, he brings his guitar. He sings songs with the children and shares his memories. He spreads the idea that whenever you're feeling scared or sad, you should sing instead of cry and that will make you feel better.

This story was inspired by author Angela Dominguez's grandfather. He made his family realize that whenever they were singing together would experience true happiness.

ReFoReMo 2018 Day 7 Book Reviews

HOW TO READ A STORY by Kate Messner

To read a story, you must first select one. That's Step 1. "Find a story. A good one. It can have princesses and castles, if you like that sort of thing, or witches and trolls. (As long as they're not too scary.)" Once you've finished with Step 1, you go to Step 2: "Find a reading buddy." You are advised to select a story you both agree on. "If you don't agree....go back to Step 1. Sometimes it takes a few tries to find just the right book." If you follow all 10 steps, you are sure of a satisfying read!

IF YOU PLANT A SEED by Kadir Nelson 

If you plant a tomato seed or a carrot seed or a cabbage seed, your garden will sprout tomatoes, carrots and cabbage. If you plant a seed of selfishness, you will soon have big problems. But, if you plant a seed of kindness, the kindness will grow and grow and grow.

The minimal text (I counted 80 words) and the glorious illustrations by author/illustrator Kadir Nelson create a sentiment that is so much bigger than the sum of its parts.

LOVE by Matt de la Pena

Like other books that have been highlighted in this year's edition of 2018, this is not a storybook. Rather, it is a celebration of the many ways we can experience love in our lives. The book starts with a baby experiencing the love from his parents and ends with telling the reader that when the time comes for them to leave home, they can take the love with them.

WHEN A DRAGON MOVES IN by Jodi Moore 

Imagination is a wonderful thing. A young boy builds a perfect sand castle on the beach. As soon as he's done, a dragon moves in. The two spend their afternoon playing on the shore, wading in the waves, flying a kite, and doing other wonderful things while both mom and dad are not paying much attention.

The boy wants to share his dragon adventures with his parents, but of course, neither one of them believe him. That's when trouble starts as the boy and his dragon vie for the parents' attention. Young children will love the naughty antics of the young boy and parents will identify with him, too.

YOUR ALIEN by Tammi Sauer

"You'll be looking out your window when something wonderful comes your way. You will want to keep him." So begins this story of a little boy who takes in an alien who has crash-landed in his back yard.

He tells his parents about his new friend, but they are too busy to notice what he is saying. He takes his alien to school; all his friends think the alien is great. His teacher thinks she needs new glasses.

Everything seems to be going well until it is time for bed. That's when the little boy realizes the alien misses his family, much the same way the little boy would miss his if the situation were reversed. Can the little boy help the alien find his way back home?

ReFoReMo 2018 Day 6 Book Reviews

COME WITH ME by Holly M. McGhee

When a little girl is terrified by all the terrible news she hears about what is going on in the world, she asks her Papa what she can do to make things better. He says, "Come with me." Together, they go out and meet people, offering a smile and a kind word to everyone they can. She learned that even a small kindness can make a difference.

When she asks her mother what she can do, her mother says, "Come with me." Together they go to a market where they see people from many backgrounds and cultures. She learns not to be afraid of people who look different than she does.

Then the little girl prepares to go out into the world by herself. Her neighbor wants to come, too. She says to him, "Come with me." Together they start drawing pictures on the sidewalks with chalk. Others join them and she learns that she can brighten her world with just a bit of chalk.

Minimal text and expressive illustrations convey a message of hope in a world that might otherwise seem to have goon crazy.

MALALA'S MAGIC PENCIL by Malala Yousafzai 

When Malala was young she believed in magic. She dreamed of a magic pencil, one she could use to draw beautiful dresses for her mom to wear, as well as a proper ball to play with for herself and her brother. She would use the pencil to draw a world where everyone was treated equally. She would also use the eraser to eliminate the smells in her neighborhood.

When she got older, she quit dreaming about a magic pencil. Instead, she decided to work hard in school. When the girls in her school were threatened, she spoke out. The Taliban tried to kill her for being so vocal, but they didn't succeed. Instead, they made her more determined to change the world and make use the magic of the written word.

Malala writes a letter to the reader that is included in the back of the book. There is also a page of biographical information about this remarkable young lady.

MAYBE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL: How Art Transformed a Neighborhood by F. Isabel Campoy and Theresa Howell

Mira loved to draw, paint and color. She turned blank pieces of paper into colorful art. Then she gave away her artwork to people she met around her neighborhood. She even posted some of her art on the walls around her.

One day, she met an artist who said he painted on walls. He invited her to join him to paint a mural. As they painted, more people joined in. Soon, the whole neighborhood was involved and the gray walls around Mira's neighborhood were filled with color and life.

Mira is a fictional character but the story is based on the real-life events of Rafael and Candice Lopez who transformed the East Village in Sand Diego, California from a drab landscape into a vibrant, colorful one.

The book is illustrated by Rafael Lopez, the artist mentioned in the end of the book.

 

THE WATER PRINCESS by Susan Verde  

When Gie Gie plays, she pretends she can tame wild dogs with her song, make tall grass sway when she dances and she can make the wind play hide and seek. But when her family needs water, she can't make the water come to her. She must go to it.

Every day she and her mother make the long walk to the well for water, along with hundreds of other villagers. They bring the water back in large jugs on their heads, just enough water for one day. The next day, they have to do the same thing again. Will she ever be able to find a way to make the water come to her and her village?

Additional information in the back of the book explains what it's like to live in a place without running water and what is being done to bring water to everyone.

ReFoReMo 2018 Day 5 Book Reviews

CARING FOR YOUR LION by Tammi Sauer

If you ever get a lion, or perhaps BEFORE you get a lion, you should read this book. Author Tammi Sauer offers 14 sensible steps to follow while caring for your beast. Step 1 says, "Take a deep breath. Then carefully open the crate." That sounds like sound advice, don't you think? The illustrations by Troy Cummings add great depth and humor to the text.

HOW TO READ A STORY by Kate Messner

To read a story, you must first select one. That's Step 1. "Find a story. A good one. It can have princesses and castles, if you like that sort of thing, or witches and trolls. (As long as they're not too scary.)" Once you've finished with Step 1, you go to Step 2: "Find a reading buddy." You are advised to select a story you both agree on. "If you don't agree....go back to Step 1. Sometimes it takes a few tries to find just the right book." If you follow all 10 steps, you are sure of a satisfying read!

IF A T-REX CRASHES YOUR BIRTHDAY PARTY by Jill Esbaum

It might sound like fun if a T-Rex crashes your birthday party, but you might run into some problems if that happens. For instance, a T-Rex is verrrrryyyyy big and he takes up a lot of room. He will knock things over and make a mess, even if he doesn't mean to. A T-Rex will get mad when he doesn't get to blow out the candles or open the gifts. And, it's really hard for a T-Rex to play hide-and-seek. This is a fun story with a bit of a twist at the end.

IF YOU PLANT A SEED by Kadir Nelson

If you plant a tomato seed or a carrot seed or a cabbage seed, your garden will sprout tomatoes, carrots and cabbage. If you plant a seed of selfishness, you will soon have big problems. But, if you plant a seed of kindness, the kindness will grow and grow and grow.

The minimal text (I counted 80 words) and the glorious illustrations by author/illustrator Kadir Nelson create a sentiment that is so much bigger than the sum of its parts.

WHAT TO DO WITH A BOX by Jane Yolen

What can you do with a box? You can use it as a library, a castle, a reading nook, a boat, a race car and many other things. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.

Author Jane Yolen uses rhyming verse to expound the jobs any child feels when they have a box, a box they can do anything they want with.