★
REVIEW TEAM FAVORITE
Many Moons
By: James Thurber
Illustrated by: Louis Slobodkin
Medal Winner
Reviewed by: Sandy Hall
Recommended age: Ages 4-8
Also read and recommended by: Jeannette Tulis, Sherry Early
Children see things differently than adults do, and this books reminds us of that. Thurber's typical tongue-in-cheek humor comes through clearly in this fable, and Louis Slobidkin's quirky line drawings complement the story. I love when books for young children have words that even I have to look up, like: surfeit, scarabs, or ambergris. Or places I've never heard of like Samarkand.
The King's daughter is not well and asks for the moon. She will be well if she gets it, so the king calls in his "wise" men one after another for help. In the end, it's the princess who turns out the wisest of them all.
Some parents may want to know that one of the King's "wise" men is a wizard who mentions witches and demons. A quote from the book: "I have brought you divining rods, magic wands, and crystal spheres in which to behold the future. I have compounded philters, unguents, and potions, to cure heartbreak, surfeit, and ringing in the ears. I have made you my own special mixture of wolfbane, nightshade, and eagles' tears, to ward off witches, demons, and things that go bump in the night. I have given you seven league boots, the golden touch, and a cloak of invisibility...."
A Child's Good Night Book
By: Margaret Wise Brown
Illustrated by: Jean Charlot
Honor
NOT REVIEWED
Capturing the slow rhythm of a sleep world, Margaret Wise Brown writes of birds and animals, automobiles and sailboats, and finally children as they settle down for the night in the quiet darkness.
To the very young child the book is an irresistible invitation to sleepiness. Step by step, he participates in the story, putting his head under his arm in imitation of the birds, lying down like the sheep in the field. At the climax, when the children go to bed, he is ready to follow their example.
Jean Charlot's softly colored lithographs catch the drowsy spirit of the text, creating a world of warmth and security. This is a little book—and purposely so—for it is just the right size to take to bed. It is the perfect answer to the inevitable request: "Read me a story before I go to sleep."
From the dust jacket
The Good-Luck Horse
By: Chih-Yi Chan
Illustrated by: Plato Chan
Honor
NOT REVIEWED
A lonely boy in ancient China creates a very small paper horse that he can hold in his hand. Magically the horse becomes real. Although the magician names it "Good-Luck Horse," the story proves that sometimes good luck is bad luck and vice versa. The adventures of the horse are re-created in the line and wash drawings.
From The Newbery & Caldecott Awards: A Guide to the Medal and Honor Books (2009)
The Mighty Hunter
By: Berta and Elmer Hader
Honor
Reviewed by: Sandy Hall
I'm not really sure how I feel about this book. The illustrations are lovely; the story line has that delightful repetitiveness that children love, and the animals the Mighty Hunter is hunting actually talk. But still, by today's culture, the story seems a bit condescending. The Mighty Hunter at first does not want to go to school and would rather hunt instead. Little Brave Heart sneaks out to go hunting, encounters many animals convincing him to go after bigger and bigger game, and is chased by a big hungry bear. In the end, he goes to school.
As for the illustrations, they are beautiful. Every other page is in color, softly drawn, reminiscent of Kate Seredy's art. And the text is large. Nice for little ones. However, Native American life is stereotyped.
An interesting side note: according to Wikipedia, Berta first met her future husband Elmer at a studio in San Francisco that she rented with Rose Wilder Lane, daughter of Laura Ingalls Wilder.
Pierre Pidgeon
By: Lee Kingman
Illustrated by: Arnold Edwin Bare
Honor
Reviewed by: Sandy Hall
Recommended age: Ages 4-8
Mary Lee Kingman Natti wrote many children's books under the name Lee Kingman. I have just in the recent year discovered some of Kingman's books and really like them. Pierre Pidgeon takes place in Canada. A little boy who is seven, almost eight, longs to own the ship in a bottle that he saw at a local store. How he gets it, how it breaks, and how he discovers he can make his own is a story young children will enjoy. What child hasn't experienced that longing for something, or disappointment, or a new discovery from his own ingenuity? The drawings by Arnold Edwin Bare are sweet, done in muted tones of gray, green and orange, complement this retro story well.
If you like this book, you might also enjoy some other of Kingman's picture books: Mikko's Fortune, Philippe's Hill, or Peter's Long Walk.
★
REVIEW TEAM FAVORITE
Small Rain: Verses from the Bible
By: Jessie Orton Jones
Illustrated by: Elizabeth Orton Jones
Honor
Reviewed by: Sandy Hall
Also read and recommended by: Jeannette Tulis, Sarah Kim
Bible passages are beautifully illustrated with young children and their daily experiences, from story time to forest walks to playing outside in all seasons to gazing at the clouds. The illustrations are done in black and white with a soft yellow added and are lovely and idyllic. Little girls in dresses and bonnets, and little boys in plaid shirts and bare feet are reminiscent of my own childhood. Surprisingly for the time the book was first published, there is also a little African American boy and a little girl of Asian descent, not typical of books of that time. And I'm happy to see that. The Bible verses are appropriately paired with the children's activities, and the Bible references are given at the end of the book. Small Rain, written and illustrated by a mother/daughter team, would be a lovely book to read with young children at bedtime. It's sweet!
