Salley, Coleen. Epossumondas Saves the Day. Illus. Janet Stevens. Orlando: Harcourt, 2006. 2007 Comstock Book Award (Toddlers-5; 6-8; 9-12)
It’s a rare picture book, indeed, that appeals to children of all ages. Epossumondas Saves the Day is one of those special treats. Author Coleen Salley appears in her book as Epossumondas’s Mama. Mama is getting ready to make the opposum’s favorite birthday dessert, but she needs baking soda, that is, sody sallyraytus. The characters in the story take turns going to the plantation store to get sody but on the way home are swallowed in one gulp by the GREAT, HUGE UGLY LOUISIANA SNAPPING TURTLE. Epossumondas saves the day. When he faces the snapping turtle, Epossumondas retaliates by throwing box after box of sody at him. The snapping turtle gulps down all of it until he puffs up so big that he pops out all the people he swallowed, including Mama. Everyone then goes home to celebrate the best birthday party ever, which, of course, includes Epossumondas’s favorite biscuits with strawberries.
This is a story that demands to be read aloud. It was appreciated by three-year-olds through sixth graders. The colorful language is poetic and memorable. Children enjoyed the rhythm and repetition and continued chanting “Sody! Sody! Sody sallyraytus!” long after the book was read. The comic details of the large-size mixed media illustrations appeal to children. Fourth graders spontaneously clapped at the end of the story, and sixth graders were so engaged that they volunteered to give up their free time to finish the book. All ages savored this story and wanted it read again and again.
Coleen Salley, who was a retired children’s literature professor and professional storyteller, lived in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. Illustrator Janet Stevens resides in Boulder, CO. In 2006 she won the Wanda Gág Book Award for The Great Fuzz Frenzy. CAROL HANSON SIBLEY
San Souci, Robert D. Zig Zag. Illus. Stefan Czernecki. Little Rock: August House, 2005. (Toddlers-5; 6-8)
In the beginning of this story, readers meet Zigzag, the latest creation from a doll maker. With his body made from scraps of material and spiky hair on top of his head, poor Zigzag is teased by the other dolls. Although he thinks he is special, the other dolls tell Zigzag he is ugly and they push him off the shelf into the trash. After being mistaken for a good dinner, an owl picks up Zigzag only to realize he is just a doll. After the owl drops him into a meadow, three field mice approach Zigzag and find a way to help him discover a child who will love him. When the little girl is found, Zigzag receives hugs and hears funny stories and finally his crooked mouth turns into a smile.
The bright, geometric shapes presented through patchwork are a perfect choice for illustrating the toys. Young readers found the pictures to be very appealing with lots of funny, colorful details. They also related to the story itself. They were very empathetic with Zigzag and felt happy at the conclusion of the story. A group of first graders audibly gasped when they heard the cruel words spoken by the other toys, but they were happy when the doll’s mouth turned to a smile.
Robert D. San Souci lives in California in the San Francisco Bay area, while Stefan Czernecki makes his home in Vancouver, Canada with toys and folk art from around the world. ASHLEY ROEMER
Sayre, April Pulleu. Trout, Trout, Trout! Illus. Trip Park. Chanhassen: Northwood Press, 2004. (Toddlers-5; 6-8; 9-12)
Prepare to be surprised at the amount of underwater animals you’ve never heard of as this story lists forty-six different freshwater fish known in North America, north of Mexico. With a story told more through illustrations, this book provides inspiration by rhyming its way to the end with a funny illustrated twist on each type of fish. Park used his Macintosh computer to his advantage to create comical and detailed caricatures with over-the-top facial expressions of the fish.
Children loved the illustrations of the anthropomorphic fish. Readers thought that it was a great way to introduce children to many different types of fish, commenting frequently on the glossary of fish in the back of the book. One teacher said that “the book was both fiction (pictures) and non-fiction (real fish).” The rhyming also went over well with readers; one child commented that it reminded him of Dr. Seuss’ books.
April Pulley Sayre lives with her husband in South Bend, Indiana, and Trip Park resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife and their four children. SEAN LEWIS/BRITTANY LAZUR
Schwartz, Corey Rosen, and Tali Klein. Hop! Plop! Illus. Olivier Dunrea. New York: Walker, 2006. (Toddlers-5; 6-8)
Soft illustrations in pen and ink and gouache show two friends of different sizes trying to make the best of a day at the park. Much to their dismay, the mouse and the elephant soon find that some of their favorite parts of the playground do not seem to work very well. When they try to see-saw, for example, the mouse is sent into the air with a “Plop! Boom! Bop!” Elephant’s ride on the swing ends with “Plop! Drop! Crash! Whop!” After more trial and error, the two friends soon come up with their own way to play together.
Children enjoyed the playground setting and the onomatopoetic words. As one reader stated: “It was a good book that was simple yet still had a good story line.”
Corey Rosen Schwartz lives with her husband and two children in New York City, while Tali Klein lives in Fort Lee, New Jersey. Illustrator Olivier Dunrea lives in a tiny, remote village on the western edge of the Catskill Mountains in upstate New York. ASHLEY ROEMER
Scotton, Rob. Splat the Cat. New York: HarperCollins, 2008. (Toddlers-5; 6-8)
It is Splat’s first day of school and he is so nervous that he tries everything he can to stay in bed. When his mom finally convinces him to go, Splat decides to take along a friend with him—a little pet mouse named Seymour. Splat meets his teacher, Mrs. Wimpydimple, and he spends the afternoon learning everything about cats. Suddenly, Splat notices on the board: Cats “chase mice.” When the lunch bell rings, Splat panics when he opens his lunch box. Seymour flies out and all of the cats start to chase him. Splat is miserable. When the cats go back to class, they are disappointed because the milk for their snack break is stuck in the cupboard. Seymour becomes the hero by climbing up and opening the door. Mrs. Wimpydimple and all the cats learn that sometimes cats don’t chase mice, and Splat goes home content. He has new friends and excitement for the days of school ahead of him.
Scotton’s animated, dynamic illustrations bring to life the character of Splat and make each page jump out and ache to be touched. With sharp, short, broken lines to detail the cats’ fur, and round, bright white circles to highlight the cats’ eyes, Scotton makes each character cartoon-like and stylized while bringing forth their distinct personalities. A combination of a black and white color palette with sparse, bright patches of primary colors is used artistically. The various perspectives—from intimate, silly vignettes to extensive, expanded double-page spreads—make each page a surprise.
Pre-kindergarteners through second graders were captivated by this story. Students nudged close to the book, giggled, pointed to details in the illustrations, made comments about the endpapers and title page, helped turn the pages of the book, chanted phrases in the book, and asked for the book to be read over and over. Teachers appreciated the subject of transitioning to school and enjoyed the zany, whimsical nature and tactile texture in the illustrations. One teacher remarked, “A perfect book for preschoolers!”
Rob Scotton lives in Rutland, England, with his wife, Liz. KATIE CLAUSEN
Shannon, George. Rabbit’s Gift: A Fable from China. Illus. Laura Dronzek. Orlando: Harcourt, 2007. (Toddlers-5)
Based on a fable from China, the story begins just as more winter snow is about to fall. In an effort to save enough food for the cold season, Rabbit finds an extra turnip and decides it would be best to share his findings with his friend, Donkey. Beautiful, soft, acrylic illustrations show the dainty turnip as it is found outside of Donkey’s door. But just as she finds the turnip, Donkey decides to pass it on to another friend in the forest who may be in need. And so the story continues as readers watch the path of the turnip as it travels around the forest. The ending reaffirms how Rabbit’s generosity is appreciated among all of his friends.
The illustrations are set against white backgrounds with the text and a turnip border on one page, and the animals framed in a purple border on the other. Additional pages are single or double page spreads bled to the edge of the pages. An author’s note discussing Shannon’s research into the history of this fable rounds out this well designed book.
Young children were very engaged with this story. They enjoyed identifying the many animals throughout the book, including a small yellow bird, which appears on every page. Adults and children liked the turnip border, and they also found it interesting to see the names of the animals written in Chinese. As one adult reader noted, “This is a wonderful fable of friendship and kindness.”
Author George Shannon lives in Bainbridge Island, Washington. Illustrator Laura Dronzek lives with her husband, author-illustrator Kevin Henkes, and their two children in Madison, Wisconsin. ASHLEY ROEMER
Shaughnessy, Dan. The Legend of the Curse of the Bambino. Illus. C. F. Payne. New York: Paula Wiseman Book-Simon & Schuster, 2005. (9-12)
As they make their way to Fenway Park to watch the Boston Red Sox, Kate hopes to keep up the family tradition of watching baseball with her father. Kate’s dad retells his memories of watching the hometown team alongside his father and grandfather. The greatest memories come from one of the best baseball players of all time: Babe Ruth, who helped the team win three World Series. Although his glory days are from the early years of the sport, the spirit of George Herman Ruth remains with the team and stadium of the Red Sox. Kate learns from her father how a supposed “curse” fell upon the Red Sox when the team traded Babe Ruth to the Yankees. “The Curse of the Bambino” kept the Red Sox from winning another World Series for 86 years, or so many Boston fans conclude. In the end, Dad tells Kate how “‘there was always hope for the Red Sox,’” and that she should not believe in the “curse,” as he never did.
The mixed media illustrations held the attention of students. The varying perspectives and close-ups brought readers right into the action. The newspaper clippings throughout the story created authenticity. When listening to the story, “baseball fans could be seen nodding their heads about the facts woven into this entertaining story.” The book includes an afterword and a short bibliography of articles published in 1918 in the Boston Globe.
Author Dan Shaughnessy, a sports columnist and associate editor for the Boston Globe, lives in Boston with his family. Illustrator C. F. Payne resides with his family in Cincinnati, Ohio. ASHLEY ROEMER
Sherry, Kevin. I’m the Biggest Thing in the Ocean. New York: Dial Books, 2007. (Toddlers-5; 6-8)
With few words on each page, this large book has a big story to tell. Illustrations created in layers of watercolor, cut paper, and ink, fill the pages with blues and green shades of ocean life. The main character, a big-eyed, bright blue squid, gets right to the point by telling readers about all of the sea creatures he is bigger than: “I’m bigger than these turtles./I’m even bigger than this octopus.” A foldout page adds to the drama. Just as the squid declares himself as the biggest thing in the ocean, the following pages show nothing but the mouth of a whale next to the small squid. After the squid and other ocean creatures are swallowed by the whale, the clever story ends with the squid’s final remarks, “I’m the biggest thing in this whale!”
Students in pre-school and kindergarten really enjoyed this story and its illustrations, mainly because it does not have a typical ending. The cover alone drew students into the story. First and second graders had fun observing the many different fish and other creatures in the ocean. Because the story has few words, including several wordless pages, the large size illustrations truly carry the story, making it a good choice for group reading.
Kevin Sherry lives in Baltimore, Maryland. ASHLEY ROEMER
Sierra, Judy. What Time Is It, Mr. Crocodile? Illus. Doug Cushman.
Orlando: Gulliver Books, 2004. (Toddlers-5; 6-8)
Mr. Crocodile creates a well planned schedule for the following day with
every intention of smooth sailing, but five of the dreaded pesky
monkeys that he planned on capturing start to mess with his perfect
timing. The five primates mess up his house, his grocery list, make poor
Mr. Crocodile flip off his skateboard, and each time they ask him: “
‘What TIME is it, Mr. Crocodile?’” By the time four o’clock comes
around, Mr. Crocodile tries to grab those rotten monkeys with his
“marvelous monkey-collecting mobile,” but he falls short and wrecks his
device. He’s incredibly upset that his plans are ruined but soon learns
that monkeys make better friends than food after they cook him a
delicious meal, and he goes on to spend the rest of his evening with
them.
The acrylic paintings with collage additions were popular with readers
and children. They enjoyed the bright colors and the humorous details.
The rhyming text was also very engaging. With its silly illustrations,
repetitive phrases, and loveable characters, this book was a hit.
Children enjoyed predicting what the monkeys would do next and had fun
pointing out their antics. Teachers valued the book because the clock on
each spread encouraged the telling of time. The book was reread to look
again at the clocks and to review the tasks on Mr. Crocodile’s lists.
Judy Sierra spends her days in northern California with her husband, and
Doug Cushman splits his time between northern California and Paris.
SEAN LEWIS/BRITTANY LAZUR
Sill, Cathryn. About Marsupials: A Guide for Children. Illus. John Sill.
Atlanta: Peachtree, 2006.
(6-8)
This entertaining first glimpse into the world of nature for the young
reader is from a series of “About” books written and illustrated by the
Sills. Life-like illustrations created in watercolor accompany simple
bold faced text. This informative read explains what marsupials are, how
they live, and what they eat. The book includes a wide variety of
marsupials, introducing children to lesser know animals. It also
contains a six-page afterword providing additional facts about the
animals in each of the illustrations. A glossary and bibliography are
also included.
Children were fascinated by the different types of marsupials and some
were even inspired to do further research. The book elicited many
comments and questions. Teachers appreciated the afterward as their
students were clamoring for more information. The life-like
illustrations were also a favorite for many children.
The Sills live in Franklin, North Carolina. CHRISTINE FALZON
Skalak, Barbara Anne. Waddle, Waddle, Quack, Quack, Quack. Illus. Sylvia
Long. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2005.
(Toddlers-5; 6-8)
Newborn ducklings get their first taste of adventure in this lilting,
lyrical tale with onomatopoeic language and a distinct beat. After the
ducklings emerge from their eggs, they follow their mother as they try
out walking, swimming, and eating pondweeds for the first time. However,
the adventure turns serious when one duckling loses sight of the rest
of the brood and gets caught in a thunderstorm. The duckling conducts a
search for his mother, and only after traversing hills of pinecones,
logs of ants, and gopher holes does he return to the lake where he first
was lost. There he finds his mother, and the family returns happily to
their nest for a good night’s rest.
Long’s pen and ink and watercolor drawings realistically portray the
ducks and their environment.
This story’s beat and repetition let children easily follow and repeat
with the reader. Teachers appreciated the realistic illustrations, as
well as the distinct rhythm and meter. Educators noted that students
easily engaged with the lost duckling’s plight.
Author Barbara Anne Skalak lives in Portland, Oregon. Illustrator Sylvia
Long resides in Scottsdale, Arizona. TARVER MATHISON
Slonim, David. He Came with the Couch. San Francisco: Chronicle Books,
2005.
(Toddlers-5; 6-8)
Sophie’s family is in need of a new couch. After lots of shopping and
searching, her family finally finds a couch to bring home. To their
surprise, the couch is home to a small blue creature who sits on the
middle cushion in his overalls. With a visit from the doctor, Sophie and
her family discover the creature suffers from “upholsterosis.” The
creature travels with the family but remains attached to the couch.
Although he seems strange sitting on their couch, he becomes a great
hero in the end. The full-page cartoon style illustrations were created
in oil paint, pencil, and ball point pen on linen.
Students from the ages of one to seven found Slonim’s story and
illustrations to be very funny and entertaining. The children were very
amused with the creature on the couch and were quite curious as to who
the blue man was. As one teacher noted when reading this book aloud,
“The students were very interested. They asked many questions and made
lots of comments.” This story is appropriate for young children because
it is short enough to keep them interested. The ending keeps readers
wondering what will happen next.
Author and illustrator David Slonim lives in Indiana with his wife and
their four children. ASHLEY ROEMER
Smith, Lane. John, Paul, George & Ben. New York: Hyperion Books,
2006.
(9-12)
The cool thing about history is that it can be interpreted in so many
different ways. The cool thing about Lane Smith is that his
interpretation of certain events in history is absolutely hilarious.
This author/illustrator thought it would be an excellent idea to spice
up the story of how this country gained its independence and did so by
giving our founding fathers a little bit of flare. Surprisingly enough,
John, Paul, George & Ben is a children’s story about our FIVE
founding fathers. Smith said Tom Jefferson was “annoyingly independent
and hardly ever around.” Smith decided to tell the story of the five
lads before they became the five really big founding fathers. Lane Smith
took a single characteristic from each man and exaggerated it to
explain his importance in the pursuit of independence from Britain. John
was described as a bold lad, Paul noisy, George honest, Ben clever, and
Tom, of course, independent. The illustrations in pen-and-ink and mixed
media are a crucial additive to the intelligently humorous text.
This historically relevant story gained positive reviews from older
elementary students and their teachers. The children especially enjoyed
the illustrations and the humor. It even sparked some students to do
further research on the “five lads.” One teacher stated this story has
“dry wit perfect for fifth grade students.” Smith’s stretching of the
“truth” puts this book into the fiction category, but he does set the
record straight in the back matter where he explains what is true and
what is false.
Lane Smith is the lad responsible for many other children’s stories.
Smith is married to Molly Leach and lives in the town of Washington,
Connecticut, the first town in America named for General Washington.
CHRISTINE FALZON
Smith, Stu. The Bubble Gum Kid. Illus. Julia Woolf. Philadelphia:
Running Press Kids, 2006.
(Toddlers-5; 6-8)
Billy Bob Glum, a.k.a the Bubble Gum Kid, may be a pro bubble gum chewer
but he cannot blow a bubble! “Some say that Billy Bob chewed in his
sleep, and that even his dreams had gum-chewing sheep.” It is surprising
that such a boy cannot use his gum chewing skills to teach himself to
blow a bubble. The school-yard bully, known as Double Chin Dan, makes it
very apparent that he is not a fan of Billy Bob. “He teased little
Billy, popped gum in his face, then tripped him to win the potato-sack
race.” This rhyming tale explains how Billy Bob Glum uses bubble blowing
tips from his sister to get back at this monstrosity of a bully.
Double-page illustrations adorned with cartoon-like characters in vivid
color help to enforce the original rhyming text. Billy Bob Glum
definitely gets his revenge on his childhood bully, but in an ironic
turn at the end of the story, the Bubble Gum Kid’s jaw-friendly habit
will have to be put on hold for a few years. He has to get braces!
Many children had particular interest in the eye-catching illustrations
and the rhyming text. Some reactions included pointing, laughing, and
nudging closer to the book. One second grade teacher even copied the
rhyming patterns onto index cards for a reading lesson. The
bubble-gum-chewing topic was a sure hit.
Author Stu Smith and his family live in Pittsford, New York, while
illustrator Julia Woolf resides in Los Angeles, California. CHRISTINE
FALZON
Spinelli, Eileen. Do You Have a Hat? Illus. Geraldo Valério. New York:
Simon & Schuster, 2004.
(Toddlers-5; 6-8)
This rhyming tale introduces many famous people from around the globe
along with the hats they wore. The page ends with a question: “Do YOU
have a hat?” Not only does Spinelli describe the hat but also its
purpose and a bit of information about each person represented. For
example, Francisco de Goya wore a hat with candles on the brim so he
could see to paint at night. Valério uses acrylics to create bright and
vibrant cartoon style caricatures. In addition, the endpapers include a
picture of each famous person with a brief biography.
Readers and children alike appreciated this book. The children showed
intent attention, nudged closer to see the book, laughed spontaneously,
chanted the repetitive phrase, and discussed their own hats. Teachers
liked how the inclusion of historical facts provided topics for
discussion. “This book was a wonderful book for this age group,” one
reader said, speaking of first graders. “The book was entertaining but
also very educational.”
Eileen Spinelli has a home in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and Geraldo
Valério, born in Brazil, now lives in Portland, Oregon. SEAN
LEWIS/BRITTANY LAZUR
Spirin, Gennady. Martha. New York: Philomel Books, 2005.
(6-8)
On a chilly winter day in Moscow, a crow with a broken wing is found by a
young boy named Ilya and his mother Raya. Upon returning to show the
injured crow to her husband, Raya begins to care for the bird by
bandaging the wing and making a comfortable bed for it to rest. The
family receives disturbing news from the veterinarian, who demands the
bird will not fly and should be put to sleep. In much protest, Ilya and
his parents continue to care for the crow. As a new addition to the
family, the crow is named Martha. One day, Martha removes her bandages
and begins to show positive recovery, eventually leading her to use both
of her wings to fly once again with freedom.
Adults and students thought the story was joyful and found the
watercolor illustrations to look very realistic with lots of detail.
Many young listeners voiced their opinions throughout the story,
specifically after the family made a visit to the veterinarian. “They
all agreed it was important to save the bird and give it a chance.”
Readers were delighted with the ending of this story and thought the
Russian setting was unique.
Gennady Spirin was born outside of Moscow. He currently lives with his
wife and three sons in Princeton, New Jersey. ASHLEY ROEMER
Squires, Janet. The Gingerbread Cowboy. Illus. Holly Berry. New York:
Laura Geringer Books-HarperCollins, 2006.
(6-8)
Here’s a new rendition of the old tale about the uncatchable gingerbread
man. The Gingerbread Cowboy is the southwestern version in which a
rancher’s wife is sick of making the same old boring biscuits, thus
baking the bow-legged gingerbread cowboy! He comes complete with boots, a
vest, and a large cowboy hat. He is ready for an adventure, and he
knows that once he starts running no one can stop him. “Giddyup, giddyup
as fast as you can. You can’t catch me, I’m the Gingerbread Man!” is
the infectious saying of this small baked good as he runs from potential
captors. The fast-running Gingerbread Cowboy makes his way past wild
boars, long-horned cattle, cowboys, and more as he becomes more and more
confident. Double-page spreads painted in shades of brown, green, and
yellow show the chase to be quite a series of uproarious encounters. The
Gingerbread Cowboy thinks he’s home free when he comes across a coyote
who offers to help him cross the river. This gingerbread man finally
meets his match as his trip across the river ends rather abruptly!
Children enjoyed chanting along with the Gingerbread Cowboy. Predictions
arose as to which character would eventually stop the cowboy in his
tracks and thus enjoy a delicious snack. Many teachers read this version
after the traditional one to do a comparison/contrasting activity with
their students.
Janet Squires is descended from a pioneering family who traveled from
Texas to Arizona to California where she lives with her husband and two
daughters. Illustrator Holly Berry, who lives with her husband and two
daughters on a blueberry farm in Maine, absolutely loves to bake
gingerbread. CHRISTINE FALZON
Stadler, Alexander. Duncan Rumplemeyer’s Bad Birthday. New York: Paula
Wiseman Book-Simon & Schuster, 2004.
(6-8)
Duncan certainly isn’t a bad kid but some days he just doesn’t see the
point in behaving. This particular episode of selfishness takes place
on none other than his birthday. Childish logic leads Duncan away from
considering that anything beneficial will come from sharing, and thus
his selfishness upsets his very supportive parents and friends. When he
takes the antics too far, he is forced to spend the rest of the
afternoon in his room with his birthday presents but no friends. Stadler
uses a sketchy line with figures outlined in bold black to create a
sense of liveliness and energy.
Children truly enjoyed this book. They showed intent attention,
stretched closer to the book, asked questions, made comments, and
laughed repeatedly. Readers really liked the message in this story. They
responded that it was a “great lesson for right and wrong” and that it
was a “good book for teaching children basic manners like sharing.”
Alexander Stadler lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with his partner
and their two dogs. SEAN LEWIS/BRITTANY LAZUR
Stein, Mathilde. Mine! Illus. Mies van Hout. Honesdale: Lemniscaat-Boyds Mill Press, 2006. (Toddlers-5; 6-8)
A selfish little ghost meets the perfect playmate. After finding the tiny ghost in her bed, the only response Charlotte hears is, “‘Mine!’.” Rather than shout back or scold the ghost, Charlotte tells him, “‘This is my bed. You are welcome to stay for a sleepover. But scoot over. Bear has to fit in, too.’” Charlotte’s strong-will continues as she patiently deals with the ghost who keeps all the toys to himself, does not share the sandwiches, and only knows one word: mine. When the two try to play together, it does not take Charlotte long to realize that she would rather play by herself than with someone who will not share. But after awhile, the ghost comes back and the two practice playing and sharing together. Ghost’s behavior changes so much that when a man from the castle on the hill comes looking for him, he does not recognize him.
The soft, cheerful cartoon style illustrations perfectly support the story. Children enjoyed the themes of sharing and friendship, as well as the story’s humor. This highly recommended book received all top ratings from both readers and listeners.
Author Mathilde Stein studied at the Arts Academy in France and lives in the Netherlands. Illustrator Mies van Hout graduated from a teacher’s academy before majoring in graphic design at the Arts Academy in Groningen in the Netherlands. ASHLEY ROEMER
Stevens, April. Waking Up Wendell. Illus. Tad Hills. New York: Schwartz and Wade Books-Random House, 2007. (Toddlers-5; 6-8)
“Tweet-tweet-ta-ta-ta-tweeeet . . . .” And so begins the wake-up call on Fish Street as a little bird “hops out of her nest, takes a deep breath, and begins to sing a very loud and whistley song.” The sound travels into the window of the next house on the block, where a small dog lifts his ear and begins to bark after he is let outside. The “rappity-rappity-rap!” travels down the street, waking up Mrs. Musky. Creative sounds travel along, waking up other members of the neighborhood. Screeching cars, the “wack-slam” of a screen door, and the “ring-ring-ring!” of a telephone are just a few examples of the morning ruckus on Fish Street. Readers follow along until the sounds reach #10 Fish Street, and the last person who is still asleep finally wakes up.
Students liked the different noises in the story and listened closely for them. As this book was read aloud, kindergarten students kept moving closer to see the pictures, and they were very content as they listened to the story. A large horizontal trim size, the cartoon style illustrations in oil and colored pencil, and the onomatopoetic language make this book a good choice for reading to groups of young children.
Author April Stevens lives in northwestern Connecticut with her husband, children, and pets. Illustrator Tad Hills lives in Brooklyn, New York with his wife and their two children. ASHLEY ROEMER
Stevens, Janet, and Susan Stevens Crummel. The Great Fuzz Frenzy. Illus. Janet Stevens. Orlando: Harcourt, 2005. Wanda Gág Book Award 2006 (6-8; 9-12)
This story set in a prairie-dog town begins on the front endpapers and continues on the title page and copyright page when Violet, a pet dog, drops a green tennis ball into a prairie dog tunnel. A fold-out page shows the ball rolling down the tunnel with shocked prairie dogs looking on. When Pip Squeek pokes at the ball and puts a bit of green fuzz on her head, all of the prairie dogs except Big Bark get into the action: “They fuzzed their ears, their heads, their noses. They fuzzed their feet, their tails, their toeses.” When other prairie dogs pour down the tunnel to get a piece of fuzz the peaceful town turns into “A fuzz feud. A fuzz fiasco.” Bossy Big Bark gets his comeuppance when he steals all the fuzz and is swooped up into the air by an eagle.
The mixed media illustrations in shades of brown along with the green luminescent tennis ball and fuzz humorously depict the plump prairie dogs “abuzz about fuzz.” Effective horizontal and vertical double-page spreads take readers deep into prairie dog burrows.
This winning picture book received perfect scores from readers and listeners! The story appealed to first through fourth graders who loved the prairie dog characters and didn’t want the story to end. They liked the upbeat tone of the book, the rich and comical language, and the fold-out pages. They also liked the fuzz and looked for it on every page. Because of the back endpaper where Violet returns with an orange tennis ball, the students predicted that the story wasn’t over after all.
Teachers and librarians enjoyed reading the book aloud because of all the expressions that could be used. They also found the story useful for emphasizing the reading skills of predicting and drawing conclusions.
Janet Stevens is from Boulder, Colorado where she and her dog, the real Violet, encounter many prairie dogs. Co-author Susan Stevens Crummel lives in Fort Worth, Texas. CAROL HANSON SIBLEY
Stevens, Janet, and Susan Stevens Crummel. Plaidypus Lost. Illus. Janet Stevens. New York: Holiday House, 2004. (Toddlers-5; 6-8)
A young girl gets a wonderful surprise when Grandma turns Grandpa’s old plaid shirt into a giant, stuffed plaidypus. The phrase “Plaidypus lost. Plaidypus found. This story goes around and around” is repeated numerous times throughout this lost-and-found adventure of the girl and her stuffed friend. They go to the park, the market, the lake, and for a car ride. Each time Plaidypus is lost and rediscovered, the girl’s promise not to lose him again becomes more and more sincere. This book was illustrated with watercolor and pencil followed by an overlay of digital collage, which really helps the plaid stand out.
This story was appreciated by both children and the readers. Children enjoyed chiming in on the repetitive phrases and smiled at the illustrations. They liked the plaidypus, especially when he was wearing a snorkel. They also identified with the girl in the story and asked for the story to be reread. Children were very concerned about what bad shape Plaidypus was in by the end of the story and were relieved that Grandma could fix him. The readers commented that the large rectangular trim size of the book really helped make it a good read aloud as everyone could see the great illustrations. They also appreciated that the book helped teach children concepts, such as over, under, up, and down.
Janet Stevens lives in Colorado and Susan Stevens Crummel resides in Texas. SEAN LEWIS/BRITTANY LAZUR
Stewart, Sarah. The Friend. Illus. David Small. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 2004. (9-12)
Since her parents are rarely home, Annabelle Bernadette Clementine Dodd (Belle) spends her weeks with Bea, her African American guardian and housekeeper. Together they accomplish Bea’s chores for the week with Belle being just a bit messier. After all that work, they always have a small amount of free time to visit the beach by the sea where they do something different together each time. On the seventh day of the week, Bea falls asleep and with Belle’s mindset of heading to the beach each day, she walks down and loses her ball and almost her life to the wretched sea. When Bea realizes Belle is gone, she races to the shore and plunges in apron and shoes and all to rescue Belle from drowning.
Both readers and children appreciated the watercolor and ink illustrations. One reader commented: “I think this book should be awarded the Caldecott Medal. It is absolutely beautiful and it has wonderful endpapers that really enhance the story.” The double page spreads of the beach were especially impressive. Some children were inspired to draw their own pictures of the beach after hearing the story. Others enjoyed repeated readings as they noticed new details in the illustrations. Readers also wrote that it was a “very poetic book that can only truly be captured by reading aloud” and that it had a “heartwarming message.”
Sarah Stewart and David Small are a wife-and-husband team who live in an old manor house near the St. Joseph River in southwestern Michigan. SEAN LEWIS/BRITTANY LAZUR
Stone, Tanya Lee. Elizabeth Leads the Way: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the Right to Vote. Illus. Rebecca Gibbon. New York: Henry Holt, 2008. 2009 Comstock Honor Book (9-12)
What would you do if you were told you couldn’t do something because you are a girl? “Would you ask why? Would you talk back? Would you fight . . . for your rights? Elizabeth did.” In this slice-of-life biography with delicate, folk-art illustrations, created with gouache and colored pencils, readers quickly learn about the brave woman Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Set in a time in history when only men are allowed to change laws and married women cannot own property, thirteen-year-old Elizabeth decides it is “preposterous!” With determination, Elizabeth sets out to do the things that boys do, including riding horseback, rafting in the river, and even studying Greek and science. Elizabeth’s strong-willed personality continues as an adult and after being married to an abolitionist and having seven children, Elizabeth gathers together with other women to discuss the things they would do if they only had the right. Elizabeth soon discovers that there is one solution to all of their dismays, and that is for women to have the right to vote. “Many said Elizabeth must be stopped. But she was unstoppable. She changed America forever.” An “Author Note” at the end of the book provides more detail about Stanton’s life and includes a list of sources.
With just the right amount of facts, Elizabeth Leads the Way is a wonderful read aloud for third and fourth graders when introducing the women’s rights movement. Many teachers thought this story fit in nicely with their units on elections, providing an appropriate history lesson. Third grade students thought the pictures were very colorful and realistic, representing the clothing and furniture of the “old times.” Students also liked Elizabeth’s character and the way she kept trying to change things, even when she was a young girl. They thought she was very brave for standing up for herself. Third and fourth grade teachers found this story led to a lot of discussion about equal rights, voting, and fairness.
Author Tanya Lee Stone, who has enjoyed creating stories ever since she was a child, lives in Vermont. Illustrator Rebecca Gibbon, who attended the Royal College of Art to study illustration, resides in south London, England with her husband and two young children. ASHLEY ROEMER
Stringer, Lauren. Winter Is the Warmest Season. Orlando: Harcourt Books, 2006. (Toddlers-5; 6-8)
When most people think of winter, they imagine the cold weather the season brings. The narrator of this story has other ideas! This warm and cozy picture book takes readers through an adventurous winter day and the many warm things that take place. Rather than wearing a t-shirt outside in the winter, this boy wears a big feathered coat, a long hat to cover his ears, big fuzzy boots, and warm wooly mittens. Cold milk turns into warm hot chocolate and jelly sandwiches are replaced with grilled cheese. More heat is brought into the home through fireplaces, candles, radiators, and hot baths. After going through his long list of reasons why winter is so warm, the narrator dreams of summer—“just to cool off.”
Before reading this story aloud, many second grade students thought winter was definitely the coldest season. However, after hearing this story, students agreed there were many warm things going on in the winter months. Many adults and students really liked the expressionistic full color illustrations in this story, which Stringer created with acrylics. Teachers liked the many warm words and thought the imagery throughout the story was excellent. When teaching about the winter season, many teachers commented that they would be adding this book to their list of favorites.
Lauren Stringer lives with her family in Minneapolis, Minnesota. ASHLEY ROEMER
Stroud, Bettye. The Patchwork Path: A Quilt Map to Freedom. Illus. Erin Susanne Bennett. Cambridge: Candlewick Press, 2005. 2006 Comstock Honor Book (9-12)
Ten-year-old Hannah, a slave on a Georgia plantation, tells her own story about her mother teaching her to make a special quilt encoded with secret patterns that will help her run to freedom. After her mother dies and her sister is sold to another plantation, Hannah and her father run away. The quilt patterns guide them on their long and dangerous journey to Canada. In an “Afterword,” the author explains that the picture book is based on an oral story from the Ozella family that had been passed down orally from grandmother to mother to daughter.
Expressionistic oil paintings in an earth-tone palette trace the journey. The faces of Hannah and her father are especially expressive with the use of angular lines and geometric shapes. The quilt patterns are carefully integrated into the artwork to explain the stages of the journey.
Fourth through six graders listened to this story and responded reflectively. They liked the illustrations and asked questions about slavery and the Underground Railroad. The story inspired one group of fourth graders to create their own paper quilt to hang in the library media center.
Both author Bettye Stroud and illustrator Erin Susanne Bennett are from Atlanta, Georgia. CAROL HANSON SIBLEY