Rutabaga's Reads 2018: Part 9

I have dubbed this post as Picture Books 2018: Part Two, because it is. You can find Part One here. You will find two repeat authors, but I think it only helps cement that I am fond of those authors’ stories.

Elecopter (Sept. 3, 2013) by Michael Slack.

The savannah has the best elephant on the patrol. Elecopter is an all-in-one firefighter, with her fire-hose nose, and rescuer with the ability to fly. She doesn’t ask for much in return; she’ll literally work for peanuts. No matter the mission, she will succeed!

            Perhaps the most wondrous thing about fiction is that you can be as imaginative as you want to be. A happy little rhyme with pages full of action and color, this book will likely delight a multitude of young ones. In this story, we are introduced to a character full of compassion and care, one who puts others first. A helicopter elephant – an Elecopter – is realistically impossible … but I still wish to know one!

Emeraldalicious (Jan. 29, 2013) by Victoria Kann.

When Pinkalicious Pinkerton makes a new wand, she discovers that it has magical properties. With naught but a simple rhyme and use of the word love, Pinkalicious and her younger brother, Peter, transform a park, which looks like a garbage dump, into a “greenatastic” garden.

            There is a great message in this story to encourage recycling, even though we can’t wave a magic wand and transform a garbage dump into a garden in a few seconds. It also shows a nice bond between sister and brother. Pinkalicious still has her moments where she wants it to be her turn (even if it really isn’t) and she wants it right now, but the bond is strong enough where Peter cedes. The pictures are full of recycled wonder and imagination, but the story fell a little flat for me. Although this is a picture book aimed toward, approximately,  preschoolers to second graders, I was expecting the wishes to be more about the betterment of the surroundings than about what they mostly wanted because it looked pretty or cool.

Fancy Nancy: Bonjour Butterfly (Feb. 5, 2008) by Jane O’Connor.

   Robin Preiss Glasser, illustrator.

The fanciest girl around has planned out what to wear to her best friend’s butterfly birthday, but Nancy can’t go. Not only is Bree her best friend, but she’s fascinated by butterflies and is “practically an expert.” Will Nancy hold onto her furiousness? Or will she find a new setting where she can still be glamorous?

            Nancy is a far cooler kid than I ever was and with a marvelously colorful and creative wardrobe to boot! Her fascination with butterflies will hopefully inspire other youngsters to be fascinated by them as well. The writing will perhaps add a vocabulary challenge to some, but the style is meant to be fun. The fun of the writing is enhanced by the illustrator’s colorful illustrations. This is an adorable picture book.

Honey…Honey…Lion! (Aug. 25, 2005) by Jan Brett.

In Africa, it is said that the honeyguide leads the honey badger to honey. The honey badger obtains the honeycomb, and the two share it. But one day, the honey badger is greedy and eats it all, not saving even a morsel of sweetness for the honeyguide. She retaliates by leading him to a candle pod acacia tree to teach him a lesson. What waits for the honey badger at the acacia?

            This story is based on a legend told in Botswana about what happens if you don’t share honey with the honeyguide. Other animals in the story pass along this tale through sounds (shown on the outside margins of the pages), which is called a “bush telegraph.” I enjoyed this tale tremendously, not only because I enjoy Brett’s picture books, but because she didn’t make up the tale for the sake of making something up. She brought in a cultural aspect, a legend from another nation, and created a story with a lush landscape. Her pictures are, well, picturesque. And her main characters show that, even without talking animals, greed and the ideal of teaching a lesson can be written in a beautifully entertaining way.

Skippyjon Jones: Cirque de Olé (Oct. 16, 2012) by Judy Schachner.

Is it a bird? Or a plane? No. It’s the Siamese-kitten-imagined-handsome-Chihuahua called Skippito Friskito. He’s a tightrope-walking, triple-spin-backflip-diving acrobat-ito that his sisters term a Chi-wu-lu. He needs to become los músculos for his muchachos so they do not crumble-ito. The pint-sized star is ready for his moment of glory. ¡Olé!

            For those who work with or have young ones who are most entertained by busy stories, not just in prose, but in illustration, then this is a picture book to add to your collection. The rowdy feline and his Chihuahua alter-ego feature in illustrations colorful and vibrant, which suggest they are as tireless and unruly as the star of the show. Schachner’s writing is high-octane to match Skippito Friskito, and the dual-lingo continues. “Circus berserkus” indeed! (clap-clap)

Rutabaga's Reads 2014: Part 6

It has been awhile since I’ve had a post centering solely on books for young readers, so here one is! Please enjoy, and please also let me know of any stories for young readers that have caught your eye. With so many books on the market, it can be overwhelming trying to decide what to read next with your young child/niece or nephew/grandchild.

Amelia Bedelia’s First Field Trip (June 28, 2011) by Herman Parish.
   Lynne Avril, illustrator.

Older readers may remember Amelia Bedelia as the literal-minded housekeeper of Peggy Parish’s original series. This story is another in the Amelia Bedelia Picture Book series by the series creator’s nephew, Herman Parish. In this story, Amelia Bedelia is on her first field trip, and it is to the farm of Mr. and Mrs. Dinkins. She’s about to learn many new things; some are actual facts, while others are sayings that she misinterprets for the literal.

            Herman Parish has as great a handle on a young Amelia Bedelia as his aunt had with her original Amelia Bedelia as a housekeeper. I appreciated that the author put in many facts to balance the humor that stemmed from Amelia misconstruing something another person said. For example, when Mrs. Dinkins asks her to toss the salad, she quite literally tosses the salad to the horse, a goat, a cow and the pigs. Lynne Avril’s illustrations capture the entertainment that is Amelia with lively pictures of the written words. I especially enjoyed Amelia picturing a chicken laying a candy cane-striped egg after “eating” a peppermint candy cane. Or the illustration where Amelia’s thinking of potatoes with eyes (“potatoes sprout eyes”), corn with ears (“corn has ears”) and lettuce with heads (“lettuce grows a head”). Between the factual knowledge this story brings and the goofiness of Amelia’s antics, this delightful story will likely be popular with youngsters.

Nancy Clancy: Book One: Super Sleuth (Apr. 3, 2012) by Jane O’Connor.

   Robin Preiss Glasser, illustrator.

Fancy Nancy is growing up! Inspired by her favorite detective, Nancy Drew, this Nancy is ready to be a sleuth. She’s got everything she needs: a rhinestone-studded magnifying glass, a notepad, a flashlight, a hat with a floppy brim and a pink trench coat. Her clubhouse is now Sleuth Headquarters. Most importantly, she’s good at snooping. (“Investigating was the professional word for snooping.”) Now all she needs is a case! Her first case is solved before it ever opens, and she’s disappointed in the lack of criminals running about their town. When crime strikes her third grade classroom, will Nancy and her best friend, Bree, crack the case?

            For anyone who has enjoyed the Fancy Nancy books, you’re not going to want to miss these chapter books. Nancy is still at her best, expressing things vividly and being her general fancy self. O’Connor makes writing mysteries for the chapter-book set look easy, throwing in clever clues and red herrings, and Glasser’s illustrations will help young readers connect this series to her first one. I like how even the secondary characters are fully fleshed out, from Nancy’s family to her teacher, Mr. Dudeny. The relationship between Nancy and her sister, JoJo, is very realistic as well. Just like siblings can be affectionate, so can they also point fingers and issue blame (often in an instant). Readers familiar with Nancy will want to grow up with her. And how can one resist? After all, Nancy Clancy is the fanciest, most stylish gumshoe of all!

Nancy Clancy: Book Two: Secret Admirer (Jan. 2, 1013) by Jane O’Connor.

   Robin Preiss Glasser, illustrator.

This detective is now playing matchmaker. Nancy is in love with the idea of being in love. Not for herself, but for her guitar teacher, Andy. When she learns that he broke up with his girlfriend, Nancy is devastated, even though Andy doesn’t appear fussed about it. Nancy and Bree then learn that their favorite babysitter, Annie, has broken up with her boyfriend. With Valentine’s Day approaching, what would be better than having Annie and Andy fall madly in love? Operation Eternal Love is under way! Is love in the air?

            Don’t worry. Despite its title, this chapter book geared for ages 6-10 is not a mushy book. In fact, there’s no romance in it. Nancy and Bree want to set two people up that they think are great people; therefore, a good portion of the story is about plotting and accomplishing secret things without getting caught. The idea of matchmaking may be a bit advanced for six-year-olds, but O’Connor’s writing makes it an easy read for young readers with the hope that the story will extend their vocabulary, along with be a source of literary enjoyment. Glasser’s illustrations continue to complement O’Connor’s wonderful text. And if you read this story, you might encounter the first fancy word that Nancy doesn’t like!

Pinkalicious: Eggstraordinary Easter (Jan. 28, 2014) by Victoria Kann.

In this picture book from the Pinkalicious series, Pinkalicious Pinkerton is excited for Easter. She anticipates that Edgar Easter Bunny, who’s “a close, personal friend of mine,” has dropped by her family’s home after vacationing in Egguador. Being the Easter Bunny, Edgar is a fan of scavenger hunts, for that’s eggsactly what he sends them off on in the story. It’s bound to be an eggstraordinary day, but will Pinkalicious find herself stumped before the end?

            It’s true there’s a lot of pink involved, but “Eggstraordinary Easter” is a cute Pinkalicious story. Of the few titles I own in Kann’s series, this one is my new favorite of hers. The inclusion of short poems to denote scavenger hunt clues was not only fun, but also a thinking tool to see if young readers might figure out the clue before Pinkalicious and her family. It’s a great little picture book for young kids and isn’t just for those who like pink. With youthful adventure and lively, colorful illustrations, it’s an aural and visual treat for girls and boys alike!