Frog Went A-Courtin'
By: John Langstaff
Illustrated by: Feodor Rojankovsky
Medal Winner
Reviewed by: Christine Kallner
I'm doing Sherry Early's Picture Book Preschool with my 5-year old daughter this school year (with big brother along for the ride!) I pulled out several books from the American Folk Tales booklist to start off our homeschool year and this one had the honor of being chosen first from the stack. We started by just reading the text as a simple rhyming story and it's lovely just like that. The artwork alternates between full-color spreads and two-color spreads and there is plenty to pore over in the detailed illustrations. Squeamish kiddos might not love the pages depicting close-ups of large bugs, but most will probably find their expressions amusing.
While the book is perfectly fine as a simple read-aloud, thankfully I was informed it is even better when sung! There is a bit of sheet music on the last page, but as a non-musical person, that isn't enough for me to figure out an unfamiliar tune. There are many variations of this traditional folk ballad, so searching Google and a music app wasn't yielding helpful results that matched the specific lyrics in this book. Enter: the audiobook! It is masterfully done, complete with banjo music and sound effects. I have now learned the tune and can sing it passably (for a very forgiving audience!), but the audiobook has been requested for repeat listens. We borrowed it from Hoopla through our library, but I will probably spend the few dollars to add it to my Audible collection as well. This story can be read, sung, or listened to by a wide range of ages, but don't skip "The Story of This Story" for anyone old enough to grasp a bit of history about the origins of this tune.
Crow Boy
By: Taro Yashima
Honor
NOT REVIEWED
This is the story of a strange, shy little boy in a village school, who was ignored by his classmates until suddenly, and almost too late, they discovered that he had much to give them. It tells how he outgrew the derisive nickname of "Chibi", or "Tiny Boy," and instead became "Crow Boy," loved and admired by all.
It is a short story, told with great poignancy. Simple on the surface, yet deep with meaning, it grows with each rereading. Though it could have happened anywhere, it is laid in the little village in Japan where Mr. Yashima grew up. The full-color pictures have unusual vividness and sensitivity. They flow across the page with the rhythm of the children at play and with the dawn and evening beauty that surrounded Crow Boy on his mountain walks between home and school.
Like his other books, The Village Tree and Plenty to Watch, Taro Yashima made Crow Boy in answer to some of his daughter Momo's questions about his childhood in Japan. Mr. Yashima now lives in America and divides his time between California and New York.
From the dust jacket
★
REVIEW TEAM FAVORITE
Play With Me
By: Marie Hall Ets
Honor
Reviewed by: Sandy Hall
Recommended age: Ages 4-8
Also read and recommended by: Jeannette Tulis, Sherry Early
With drawings that are reminiscent of a young child's artwork, and with soft colors, Marie Hall Ets takes us on the outdoor adventure of a young girl who at first tries to catch each little critter she sees, but they all hop or skitter away. Eventually, she sits very, very still, and one by one, they come back: the snake, the chipmunk, the blue jay, the rabbit, and even the fawn. The yellow-toned background of the line drawings makes you think of a sunny afternoon. What a sweet book!
