Picture Book Review: Lily Leads the Way by Margi Preus, illustrated by Matt Myers (5/17/2022)

Quick Booktalk 

Lily the little sailboat is excited that a fleet of old ships is coming for a visit to her lake, but she worries what will happen if the bridge doesn't lift up for them in time. 

About the Illustrations 

In the style of characters like Mike Mulligan's Mary Anne and Little Toot, Lily is drawn as an anthropomorphized boat, with eyes in her front windows. The rest of each scene presents a realistic portrayal of the lake, its bridges, and the movements of the boats through the water. The sky and the movement of the water are painted exceptionally well, capturing perfectly the feeling of being out on the water. I also love the way the story incorporates a bit of education about different types of boats with drawings of a sloop, schooner, brig, etc.

Story Time Possibilities

There are some sounds that Lily and the bridge make  to each other ("Meee-me. Meee-me" and "Ooohhh--kay") that makes the idea of reading this aloud a little bit intimidating. I'd want to practice well first and maybe hear what those are actually supposed to sound like before attempting any performances with this book. Aside from that potential challenge, this would be an enjoyable book for preschoolers, especially those who are really interested in transportation. Other good themes for this book would be water, sailing, bridges, and adventure. 

Reader's Advisory 

This book is the boat equivalent of Little Excavator by Anna Dewdney. It also reminded me of Little Tug by Stephen Savage. It also pairs nicely with another new picture book, Old Wood Boat by Nikki McClure.

Disclosure

I received a review copy of Lily Leads the Way from Candlewick Press in exchange for an honest review.

Picture Book Review: Lizzy and the Cloud by The Fan Brothers (5/3/2022)

Quick Booktalk 

Lizzy purchases a cloud from the Cloud Seller at the park, and she takes excellent care of it until finally, it's time to let it go free. 

About the Illustrations 

The pictures in this book are mostly gray, or at least have muted colors, with hints of yellow here and there. Lizzy's yellow rainboots and the other yellow items in the pictures keep the reader constantly thinking of rain and moisture, which creates the perfect atmosphere for a story about a cloud. The details of the architecture are also really impressive, and I enjoyed the subtle details of store fronts and cars that suggest a mid-20th-century setting rather than the present day. 

Story Time Possibilities

Because of the tiny details on some pages, I might skip over this for a group story time, but it will still be a delight to read aloud to curious preschoolers. There is so much happening in the pictures that is left unsaid in the text that kids will be desperate to study each detail and tell themselves the stories happening in the illustrations. 

Readers Advisory

There are a lot of stories about having to let go of rescued animals, beloved pets, lost balloons, etc., and this one isn't that different except that the loss in question involves a cloud. Still, the Fan brothers' whimsical illustrations transport the reader to another time and place (and reality) so effectively that this book lingered in my imagination for a bit after I finished reading it. It feels magical in a way that young readers will find very appealing and very comforting. 

Disclosure 

I received a review copy of Lizzy and the Cloud from Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. 

Board Book Review: Into the Sand Castle by Cindy Jin, illustrated by Allison Black (5/17/22)

Quick Booktalk

A series of sea creatures take the reader on a tour of their sand castle by means of a lift-the-flap guessing game. 

About the Illustrations 

Rounded edges and big black eyes are the main features of the figures in the illustrations, giving them strong appeal to very young readers. Each spread has many little fish and other details for kids to pore over, and three doors to open. One reveals the inhabitant of that part of the house that is suggested by the clues in the text. The others conceal other surprises. Each page is shaped like a different part of the castle which gives the front of the book a 3-D effect when it's closed. 

Reader's Advisory 

Because of its size and the number of flaps, this one is strictly a lap book. The rhyming feels a bit awkward to me, so it's not the best read aloud, but novelty books like this aren't really about the text as much as they are about the format, and that aspect is perfect for the intended age group. My two-year-olds destroy flap books in about ten seconds flat, so I'm probably only going to let them enjoy this book with supervision for now, but I think the content is still interesting enough for a three or four-year-old that maybe in a year or two they could handle it independently.

Disclosure

I received a review copy of Into the Sand Castle from Little Simon in exchange for an honest review.

Easy Reader Review: Click, Clack Rainy Day by Doreen Cronin, illustrated by Betsy Lewin (5/3/2022)

Quick Booktalk 

Each group of animals on the farm reacts to a rainy day in its own way. 

About the Illustrations

Often, it seems that when picture book series spin off to the easy reader format, the illustration style changes. That is not the case with this book, which is as charming as all of its counterparts in the original series. The rain drops, the facial expressions, the movements of the animals - everything is done so precisely and so well. 

Story Time Possibilities

Though this book is intended primarily for beginning readers to practice their reading skills, it would also work well as a read-aloud. It has a lot of repetition that appeals to toddlers, and there is a gentle sweetness to the story that has slightly less of an edge than Click, Clack Moo, which also makes it a strong choice for those younger audiences. The only drawback is the size of the book; it wouldn't have worked for my very large story times of 100+ people, but it will be fine for the small group that meets at my house.

Reader's Advisory

This book is one of several "Click Clack" easy readers, all of which are original stories for this format, not adaptations of the picture books. It's part of the Ready to Read series, which labels it as Level Two. It appears to be easier to read than Henry and Mudge but more difficult than Biscuit. 

Disclosure

I received a review copy of Click Clack Rainy Day by Simon Spotlight in exchange for an honest review.