Picture Book Review: Castle Gesundheit by Mark Fearing (2021)

Quick Booktalk 

The residents of the village of Handkerchief have done their best to ignore the constant sneezing that comes from Castle Gesundheit, but a young girl named Fiona finally decides it's time to get to the bottom of it and see if it can be stopped.

About the Illustrations 

The pictures in this book have a style that is typically found in graphic novels, with cartoonish figures  and many speech bubbles. There is also accompanying prose on each page. The illustrator uses facial expressions and action scenes to keep the reader's attention and to further the humorous plot in a visually amusing way. The backdrops of the castle and the village are also rendered in appealing vibrant colors, with fun details that bring to life both settings.

Story Time Possibilities

I struggle to read books aloud when they have a lot of speech bubbles, mostly because it is hard to signal to the audience which character is speaking. If I were to attempt it, it would be with an elementary school audience, both because they are more likely to understand the format, and because I think the humor is targeted toward that age. This is a great book around which to build a themed story time because it works with so many good ones: colds and sneezing, sleep disturbances, castles, cats, royalty, etc. 

Readers Advisory

There are a lot of good read-alikes for this book: Bob, Not Bob by Audrey Vernick and Liz Garton Scanlon, There's a Dinosaur on the Thirteenth Floor by Wade Bradford, Maple and Willow's Christmas Tree by Lori Nichols, Over at the Castle by Boni Ashburn, Princess Hyacinth by Florence Parry Heide, and many more. It's a fun story about a topic many kids can relate to (allergies) and the problem is solved by the child character, which always feels satisfying to kids. 

Disclosure 

I received a physical copy of Castle Gesundheit from Candlewick Press in exchange for an honest review.

Picture Book Review: Trees by Tony Johnston, illustrated by Tiffany Bozic (2021)

Quick Booktalk 

Colorful, naturalistic illustrations and concise lines of poetic text celebrate trees and all they provide to our world.

About the Illustrations 

The pictures, which show trees from a variety of vantage points, are really well done. They fill each two-page spread, and they really capture the details of bark, leaves, branches, and flowers. There are some people in some of the images, and I don't like those illustrations as well as I like the ones involving just nature. Somehow the mood of the text seems to be disturbed when there are people on the page. I do love the endpapers, which, at the beginning, show a series of shoots growing from seeds, and which, at the end, show a decaying tree on the forest floor. I also love the pictures showing the view looking up into a tree. 

Story Time Possibilities

Because of its visual appeal, I might try this book in story time with certain audiences. It's a quiet one, so I'd definitely want to pair it with some books or songs that promote movement and participation, but with preschoolers I think a quiet book like this can be used to spark good discussions, especially since most kids will have had some experience with a tree no matter where they live. 

Readers Advisory 

Trees is an attractive picture book that celebrates the natural world. It would be a great addition to a preschool or early elementary program or curriculum focused on trees, plants, nature, etc. Though the text is more poetic than scientific, there are still some good jumping-off points for discussion and exploration of roots, leaves, animal habitats, and other connected topics. 

Disclosure

I received a finished copy of Trees from Paula Wiseman Books in exchange for an honest review.

Picture Book Review: Bei Bei Goes Home by Cheryl Bardoe (2021)

Quick Booktalk 

This informational picture book covers the gestation, birth, and life of Bei Bei the panda, who began life at the National Zoo in 2015 and four years later moved to his permanent home in China.

About the Illustrations

This book is filled with wonderful photographs of Bei Bei from every phase of his life. Also included are images of people visiting Bei Bei at the zoo and Bei Bei's first birthday cake. 

Story Time Possibilities

This book is too long to read aloud in a typical story time, but it could certainly be read aloud to an elementary school audience over a couple of sessions. My oldest daughter watched the panda cam with me when Bei Bei was a baby, so she loves the fact that we now have his whole story. My second daughter, who was born around the same time as Bei Bei is also getting a kick out of it. They are probably more motivated to listen to this book than a kid who doesn't have a personal connection to the panda.

Readers Advisory 

This book does a nice job of introducing facts about Bei Bei as well as general facts about pandas and endangered species. For families who visited Bei Bei when he was here, this will be a wonderful walk down memory lane. For kids who have an affinity for pandas, this is also the perfect book, as there is a picture of Bei Bei on nearly every page and lots of details about his life. 

Disclosure 

I received a physical copy of Bei Bei Goes Home from Smithsonian Kids/Candlewick Entertainment in exchange for an honest review.  

Picture Book Review: Baby, Sleep, Baby by Atinuke, illustrated by Angela Brooksbank

Quick Booktalk 

A mother, a father, a grandmother, and a big sister rock a baby to sleep and call down the soothing assistance of wind, clouds, stars, and moon. 

About the Illustrations

The pictures in this book have an ethereal quality, making the reading experience feel very gentle and dreamlike. The affectionate faces of the family members and the sweetness of their interactions with the baby make it an ideal story to read with children under 2. 

Story Time Possibilities

This book is really perfect for a baby story time, as it has spare, beautiful text and lots of faces to look at. It would work well with a plethora of themes: night, bedtime, babies, family, stars, moon, etc.  

Readers Advisory

This book targets a slightly younger audience than this duo's other recent books, B is for Baby and Catch that Chicken. It's still a lovely story, but it definitely has less of a plot than those earlier titles. My toddler twins who like babies really enjoyed the book, and it is primarily here for them, but my older kids were also happy to listen to it. There are a ton of bedtime books out there, and a ton in our home library, but I still feel attached enough to this one that I plan to keep it.

Disclosure 

I received a physical copy of Baby, Sleep, Baby from Candlewick Press in exchange for an honest review.

Picture Book Review: Off-Limits by Helen Yoon (2021)

 Quick Booktalk

A little girl is tempted by all the fun stuff in her dad's off-limits home office.

About the Illustrations

This book is so visually appealing. The little girl's facial expressions as she makes a mess in the office made me laugh out loud. I love the way the illustrator uses colors and patterns to portray the fun she has getting into office supplies and playing with them. Yoon takes a simple concept and really runs with it in a fun way. 

Story Time Possibilities

I read this to my own kids, and they thought it was hilarious. I think a preschool or kindergarten audience would react similarly. The book is very visual, but there is just enough text to make it a decent read-aloud. I suspect that, on the heels of staying home during Covid-19, this book is also relatable to a lot of families where parents and kids were suddenly home together all the time. The ending also gives kids a fun laugh at the fact that sometimes, parents might want to get into kid stuff and play, too. That kind of joke always goes over well at story times with parents in attendance. This could be a fun one for Father's Day.

Readers Advisory

I wanted to be careful with this book with my own kids because we do have an office that is mostly off-limits and I don't love that there are no consequences for the little girl after the colossal mess she makes. But I do think my kids mostly took it as a fantasy story about what might happen and not as a suggestion for how to spend an afternoon. Despite my misgivings, I also found it really entertaining myself, and we'll probably hang onto it for that reason. 

Disclosure 

I received a finished copy of Off-Limits from Candlewick Press in exchange for an honest review.

Picture Book Review: The Barn by Leah H. Rogers, illustrated by Barry Root (2021)

Quick Booktalk 

Poetic text written in the voice of an old barn recollects the building's long history and describes all that occurs within its walls as well as outside.

About the Illustrations

The illustrations are lovely, making great use of light and shadow to portray the interior of the barn and the surrounding farm. There are some people in a few pictures, but mainly the focus is the architecture, animals, and landscape of a farm. The barn is shown from a number of vantage points during different hours of the day, which helps give a full portrait of all that occurs inside a barn. 

Story Time Possibilities

While the poetic text is enjoyable to read aloud, I would most likely not use this book at story time with young children. It's wordy and very quiet, and though there are animals on many pages, it's not the kind of book that is conducive to a lot of interaction through animal sounds or anything like that. I think its best read-aloud audience would probably be an elementary school class, especially one that is studying farming in some way.

Readers Advisory

Because farms are a popular topic, this book might get checked out from libraries for that reason, but I'm not sure it's what the typical farm-loving picture book reader is looking for, at least in my suburban neck of the woods. I like the book a lot personally, especially Barry Root's artwork, so we will most likely keep this one, but if I were considering purchasing this for a library, I'd be slightly more hesitant. 

Disclosure

I received a finished copy of The Barn from Candlewick Press in exchange for an honest review.

Picture Book Review: Wild by Sam Usher (2021)

Quick Booktalk 

A little boy and his grandfather spend their day taking care of a cat who has her own ideas about what she wants to do. 

About the Illustrations 

The pictures in this book depict a cozy home environment that reflects the warmth of the relationship between the characters. The domestic details of the furniture, the boy's toys, and the dishes on the table are appealing, and they contrast nicely with the setting of the end of the book, which the boy and his grandfather discover when they follow the cat outdoors.  

Story Time Possibilities

Though there are some smaller details in the pictures that would not be readily discernible at a distance, there is enough white space on each page, and the figures are generally large enough that I would probably still read this to a small or medium size story time audience. There is just the right amount of text for preschoolers, and the subject matter - looking after a cat and having a bit of an adventure - is perfectly age appropriate for three and four-year-olds. 

Readers Advisory

This is a sweet, gentle story that would be lovely for a grandfather and grandchild to enjoy together. There is also a companion book entitled Free, which stars the same grandpa/grandson pair, but this time with a bird at the center of the action. 

Disclosure

I received a physical copy of Wild from Templar Books in exchange for an honest review.

Picture Book Review: Dogs Love Cars by Leda Schubert, illustrated by Paul Meisel (2021)

Quick Booktalk 

This picture book lists a litany of things that dogs love, from cars to walks to naps. 

About the Illustrations 

I remember reading some books illustrated by Paul Meisel a number of years ago, and it seems to me that his style has improved since that time. The pictures in this book depict a variety of dog breeds and a variety of human figures as well as vehicles and other objects in the background. While all the figures are cartoonish, there is texture to things like fur, hair, and clothing that give them some interesting texture and nuance. I especially like the two-page spread for "dogs love food," where two large dogs and a cat are leaping up to a dining table. 

Story Time Possibilities

Dogs are a popular story time theme, and this is a decent choice for a Pre-K or Kindergarten audience. It's a bit wordy, and it might be tiresome for someone who is not that fond of dogs, but for dog lovers who can sit through a bit of a longer text, it will be just right. I might also consider throwing this book into a cars story time for a little bit of variety. It doesn't have a lot of car stuff in it, but probably enough that it would work. 

Readers Advisory

We don't have a dog, or spend time with dogs, so for me, this book is somewhat forgettable. For families with dogs, though, I imagine it will reflect experiences they have in their own lives, and perpetuate the good feelings they associate with their canine companions. I will most likely donate this book so our copy can be appreciated by the right readers.

Disclosure

I received a finished copy of Dogs Love Cars from Candlewick Press in exchange for an honest review.

Board Book Review: Dinosaur Dance! by Sandra Boynton (2021)

Quick Booktalk

Rhyming text expresses the movements made by a series of dancing dinosaurs, one of whom has no name but is fond of the "cha cha cha." 

About the Illustrations

The pictures in this book are typical of Boynton - playful, fun, and humorous. Each page consists of a colored dinosaur outlined in black against a solid-colored background. The various dance moves performed by the dinosaurs are written in different fonts which add an eye-catching element to each page. 

Story Time Possibilities

Because this board book is oversized, it's ideal for baby or toddler story times. For toddlers, especially, it would be fun to have them move around and act out the dinosaurs' various dances. At my own story times, I have a pretty big age range (sometimes from ages 1 to 9) so this book is a little on the thin side for me, but in a library setting this would be in my regular rotation for sure.  

Readers Advisory

It feels a bit like this book ends abruptly. I thought there was going to be more to the punchline at the end, but then it was just over. In general, though, I think this book will please Boynton fans. My son is 20 months, and he really enjoyed flipping through the pages. 

Disclosure 

I received a physical copy of Dinosaur Dance! from Little Simon in exchange for an honest review.

Picture Book Review: We Are One: How the World Adds Up by Susan Hood, illustrated by Linda Yan (2021)

Quick Booktalk 

This introduction to math for young readers explains part/whole relationships, addition, and fractions using examples from real life and bright, colorful illustrations.

About the Illustrations

The pages of this book are very busy, and it's hard to know where to look. Because the text is a bit of a hodgepodge, the illustrations are similarly random, and it's not easy to tell at a glance what is being expressed by each picture. The yellow borders where tiny supplemental text is printed are distracting and their color, in particular, makes it difficult to focus on either the tiny text or the main part of each page.

Story Time Possibilities

I think this is strictly a lap book because it's going to require quite a bit of extra context from an adult to make sense to the kids who are at this level mathematically. I actually think that my kids who have mastered the concepts the book covers would like it, but it would be totally overwhelming to a new learner. From a practical standpoint, the main text is too thin on its own, but the supplemental text on each page is too hard to see, making it sort of impossible to read it aloud while also showing the pictures to an audience.  

Readers Advisory

For a reluctant math student, this book is going to be overwhelming and confusing. For kids who naturally love math, it may be fun to look at, but it's still not enough on its own to teach the concepts it sets out to teach. The cover is appealing, but inside, it's too much of a muddle for me. 

Disclosure 

I received a finished copy of We Are One from Candlewick Press in exchange for an honest review.