Board Book Review: Adventure Awaits by Henry Cole (5/10/22)

Quick Booktalk 

A dog and cat wake up, have an exciting morning outside, return home for a nap, and contemplate their next adventure. 

About the Illustrations

The pictures in this book have a classic quality to them. The bright, clean colors of each page are cheerful and inviting, and they evoke all the possibilities of a summer day. The animals' expressions and movements feel true to their animal natures but also infuse each one with a bit of personality. This is a top-notch board book. 

Story Time Possibilities

I would definitely use this book for baby story time, probably as often as possible. So many aspects of the book make it perfect for that purpose: the minimal text, the familiar animals, the very basic plot, the uncluttered illustrations,  and the gentle, uplifting tone. 

Reader's Advisory

I haven't felt this much love for a board book in a very long time. Cat and dog stories are a dime a dozen, but there is something especially charming about this version of that age-old tale. Henry Cole has created a real gem. 

Disclosure 

I received a review copy of Adventure Awaits from Little Simon in exchange for an honest review.

Picture Book Review: Old Wood Boat by Nikki McClure (5/10/2022)

Quick Booktalk 

A family refurbishes an old wood boat and takes it back out on the water.

About the Illustrations

Nikki McClure's hand-cut paper illustrations are the highlight of this book, and they perfectly suit the subject matter. Every page is filled with details of the structure of a boat and what it feels like to sail on it. There are lots of lovely details in the illustrations that subtly support the text, such as the moment when one family member is shown crossing her fingers as the boat enters the water for the first time. Another highlight is the two-page spread showing a diagram on which is labeled every part of the boat. 

Story Time Possibilities

This would be a nice read-aloud for a Pre-K or Kindergarten audience. It's a good mix of family story and sailing information, and the "How to Talk Like a Sailor" page at the end of the book provides a fun opportunity to introduce some interesting new vocabulary. This would be a great choice for class visits heading into this summer's CSLP summer reading theme of Oceans of Possibilities. 

Reader's Advisory 

This book would be a nice companion for Harbor and Sail Away by Donald Crews, and for Time of Wonder by Robert McCloskey. It has a timeless feel and a classic look that puts me in mind of many Caldecott books of yore. I wouldn't be at all disappointed to see a sticker on the cover of this book next year. 

Disclosure 

I received a review copy of Old Wood Boat from Candlewick Press in exchange for an honest review.

Picture Book Review: Eggasaurus by Jennifer Wagh, illustrated by Hallie Bateman (4/26/2022)

Quick Booktalk

A series of letters tells the humorous tale of Maximus, who orders dinosaur eggs from Eggasaurus Inc. with unexpected results. 

About the Illustrations

I was not at all impressed by these pictures. They strike me as amateurish, on par with what some of the more art-oriented kids in my class would draw when I was in sixth grade. They just didn't feel polished at all. 

Story Time Possibilities

Dinosaur books are perennial favorites, and this one is good for an elementary level audience that can follow the sophisticated epistolary structure. Considered without regard for the illustrations, the writing  itself is quite good. 

Reader's Advisory

This is a fun take on the age-old "child wants a pet" theme.   It reminds me a lot of two backlist middle grade books: Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer by Kelly Jones and The Dragon Sitter by Josh Lacey. It would be interesting to read this and then booktalk the other two.

Disclosure

I received a review copy of Eggasaurus from Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. 

Picture Book Review: Would You Come Too? by Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Diana Sudyka (4/5/2022)

Quick Booktalk

Two children exploring nature ask readers if we'd like to join them. 

About the Illustrations

I requested this book based on the author, whose previous work I have loved. The text is fine, but the illustrations are hugely disappointing. The figures look oddly bloated and stretched, as though their bodies have been altered in Photoshop. Though the colors and the concepts for some of the pages are interesting, the tone of the pictures didn't match the tone of the text, and it made the whole execution feel sloppy. 

Story Time Possibilities

Because of the rhyming text, this book would be a pleasure to read aloud. I'm just not sure how well the pictures would be received, and I'd probably be more likely to choose a title with strong writing and illustrations. 

Reader's Advisory

Liz Garton Scanlon is also the author of All the World illustrated by Marla Frazee, Think Big illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton and Another Way to Climb a Tree illustrated by Hadley Hooper, and co-author with Audrey Verdick of Bob, Not Bob illustrated by Matthew Cordell. I have enjoyed all of these, and this book being a bit of a let-down feels like a fluke. I still recommend this author's work.  

Disclosure 

I received a review copy of Would You Come Too? from Beach Lane Books in exchange for an honest review.